Slide 3

You make an impact.

We help make it possible.

Slide 3

You make an impact.

We help make it possible.

TAKING BOLD RISKS TO MAKE THE MOST IMPACT

Across LA County, individuals, families, and communities struggle to overcome the barriers of persistent poverty. At Specialty Family Foundation, we focus our philanthropic investments on core areas that address the conditions of poverty and offer potential for impact: Catholic education, housing, and substance use treatment and intervention. Embracing high risk endeavors, we actively partner with innovators, leaders, and visionaries who share our bold approach to making lasting change.

IGNITING CHANGE

Big Transformation Takes Courage

We are a high-risk investor who, at any given time, collaborates with partners on one to three major initiatives that drive systemic change. When the challenge seems insurmountable, we do whatever it takes — for as long as it takes — to remove barriers, inspire innovation, and impact systems through investments that:

  • Have a multi-year, long-term timeframe
  • Represent seven figures or larger
  • Embrace high risk for a higher impact
  • Focus on public projects and outcomes
  • Involve partnerships with multiple stakeholders

Reimagining Catholic Schools

In 2021 SFF entered into a multi-year partnership with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to fundamentally change the organizational structure of the Department of Catholic Schools (DCS).

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Our Next Big Investment

SFF is actively identifying our next big, bold investment in Housing and Catholic Education to ignite systemic change across our most vulnerable communities. We look forward to sharing our future investments here soon.

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“Dr. Peter believed that Catholic Schools and a Catholic education were a way out of poverty”

—Mary Ann Murphy,
Former Principal,
Immaculate Conception School

ACCELERATING PROGRESS

Building Potential Through Partnerships

We help institutions build their capacity, and choose organizations with the right leadership to help them reach their potential. Loyalty is at the center of our partner relationships, and we actively seek collaborators who:

  • Align with our mission to alleviate the challenges of poverty
  • Demonstrate entrepreneurial leadership, vision, and potential for growth
  • Welcome collaborations built on a foundation of trust
  • Employ and develop evidence-based practices
  • Value human capital over fiscal capital

Building an Inner-city Stem Network

SFF launched a $480,000 investment to fund a STEM Director for the Department of Catholic Schools. This leader has been instrumental in creating a STEM Network.

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Filling the Freezer

Through a $50,000 investment, St. Vincent Meals on Wheels acquired a freezer storage truck, frozen meal trays, and racks to expand delivery services during COVID-19.

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Learning to Lead

SFF invested $50,000 to support Homeboy Industries’ future leaders. To date, the leadership program has trained eight former clients to lead the organization forward.

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Caring for Patients during the Pandemic

To connect vulnerable people to healthcare during COVID-19, SFF directed $50,000 toward the purchase of 45 mobile devices for Venice Family Clinic’s remote patient care.

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“My dad loved the underdog. He would bet the family farm on the underdog.”

—Art Peter,
2nd Generation & Board Member

IMPACTING INDIVIDUALS

Investing in the Power of the Individual

We reserve a space in our philanthropic giving to make an impact on individual lives by empowering the most vulnerable to pursue their dreams, fulfill their potential, and discover their own pathways out of poverty. To achieve this, we invest in partnerships and initiatives that:

  • Have a knowable and measurable impact on individual lives
  • Provide a hand up rather than a handout
  • Respond nimbly to immediate and urgent needs as they arise

Feeding Youth During the Crisis

During COVID-19, SFF directed $5,000 to Safe Place for Youth (SPY) to help fund the distribution of packaged to-go meals among youth, and PPE for volunteers.

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When a House Becomes a Home

SFF and Board members provided $10,000 in direct donations to ASOH and spent a day helping to create a safe, comfortable home for a young mother and her children.

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