Holiday party includes a catered meal, gift cards, toys and backpacks and a special presentation.
SAN DIEGO, CA – December 19, 2024: The Lucky Duck Foundation and Alex Morgan Foundation are hosting a holiday party today for young moms and their children at Home Start as well as formerly homeless youth who otherwise would not have any holiday celebrations. The event will be held from 3:30pm-5:30pm at Home Start’s Thrift Boutique at 3611 Adams Avenue in Normal Heights, with a welcome toast from the Lucky Duck Foundation and Alex Morgan Foundation occurring at 3:45pm.
Lucky Duck Foundation is providing a $150 gift card for each mom along with a $75 Target gift card for every child. Alex Morgan Foundation will be distributing clothes, backpacks, books, and household items specifically requested by the moms at Home Start.
Luna Grill will donate a catered dinner for all in attendance. Apart from the hours of the event, during which the store is closed to the public, members of the community are encouraged to patronize Home Start’s Thrift Boutique for its quality, affordable used items to help support the young mothers who are employed there, which is also an employment program supported by the Lucky Duck Foundation. Additionally, Alex Morgan, former Wave FC player, Olympic gold medalist and two-time FIFA World Cup Champion, will be on-hand to celebrate with moms and their families.
“We want to be nothing but a bright and supportive light in these mothers and children’s lives around the holidays as they work to avoid the streets and achieve self sustainability,” said Drew Moser, CEO of the Lucky Duck Foundation. “We are thrilled to partner with the Alex Morgan Foundation to bring a little holiday cheer to these resilient moms and kids.”
“One of the core pillars of Alex’s foundation is to support moms, especially those going through challenging times or transitioning out of difficult situations. Home Start’s critical support of moms and families aligns with our mission and we hope providing some essentials and holiday gifts can help make the holidays brighter this year,” said Laura Wolf Stein, Executive Director, Alex Morgan Foundation.
“There are an estimated 1,500 unaccompanied homeless youth in San Diego County, more than nearly anywhere else in the country,” added Laura Tancredi-Baese, CEO of Home Start. “And if you look at our adult homeless population, at least 50% say their homelessness began when they were a young person. So we really need to provide better support for unaccompanied youth to help prevent them from falling into – or falling back into – homelessness. We are most grateful for this partnership.”
About the Lucky Duck Foundation
Since 2005, The Lucky Duck Foundation (LDF) has raised funds and awareness for numerous charitable causes throughout San Diego. In 2017, due to the growing homelessness epidemic, LDF pivoted to focus on providing aid and relief for individuals and families suffering from homelessness. Since then, LDF and its co-founders, Pat & Stephanie Kilkenny, have funded, activated, and led several high-impact programs that alleviate the suffering of homelessness throughout San Diego County, including bridge shelters, employment and job training, research, permanent supportive housing, outreach, and more. Originally called the AGIA Foundation (Arrowhead General Insurance Agency), the name was changed to the Lucky Duck Foundation to honor the Kilkenny family’s Irish heritage and as a nod to their love of the University of Oregon. The premise is simple: if you have had some good luck and fortune in your life, share your luck with those less fortunate. And, all donations are matched by Pat & Stephanie, up to $1.5 million per year.
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About Home Start
Founded in 1972 as a highly successful national Head Start demonstration project, Home Start incorporated in 1977 as a San Diego-based, private non-profit agency dedicated to child abuse prevention and to providing evidence-based family strengthening services. Home Start provides services to children living in poverty who require immediate, comprehensive solutions to ensure their safety and healthy development. Since our founding, Home Start’s countywide programs and services have proven to increase the stability, self-sufficiency and parenting skills of the families who receive our care. Home Start began its housing program for young mother’s facing homelessness 15 years ago recognizing the needs of these vulnerable families. Services are designed for transition-age young women who are pregnant or parenting, and provide wrap-around support to help them transition into independent living.
About Alex Morgan Foundation
The Alex Morgan Foundation was founded in 2023 by Alex Morgan to support girls and women as they build their own confident path forward. Dedicated to a more equitable and empowered future, the foundation invests in programs that target its core areas of impact: sports equity, opportunities for girls, and support for moms. Alex Morgan Foundation is a fiscally-sponsored initiative under the umbrella of the Edward Charles Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit organization, and raises funds through Alex’s community of partners, supporters, and grant funders.
