Alpha Project is collecting donations right now in Balboa Park’s Recital Hall. The urgently needed donations can be dropped off from 10 am to 6 pm.
Their shelter was flooded by the recent storms and had to be evacuated. Your donations of clothing, undergarments and hygiene items will benefit the homeless people who were affected.
You can email info@alphaproject.org if you have any questions.
Thank you!
You can help kids at Ronald McDonald House San Diego during the upcoming January 31, 2026 San Diego Gulls hockey game!
By purchasing a game ticket via the Gulls Star Wars Fundraiser, $5 dollars will go to supporting a special Star Wars Book Night on May the 4th at the Ronald McDonald House!
The event is organized by the good people who operate the non-profit Char Car. Char Car is a cool Pokémon tribute car and program that promotes literacy.
The supported event at Ronald McDonald House will include members of the San Diego Star Wars Society reading to the kids and posing for pictures. Grogu (Baby Yoda) ears will go to all the participating kids!
Learn more about Char Car at their Instagram page here. You can buy a Gulls Star Wars Fundraiser ticket there, or by scanning the Venmo code on the event flyer photo that I’ve posted above.
Here are photos from past Star Wars Book Nights at Ronald McDonald House…
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Water and Kindness is a charitable program that supports people in City Heights who might need a little help.
According to the Water and Kindness website: Our mission is to ensure that all people living in City Heights and surrounding neighborhoods have access to clean drinking water and necessary resources while strengthening collective community efforts across San Diego.
I learned about Water and Kindness during my recent visit to the Pop-up Winona community gathering place, which is located at El Cajon Boulevard and Winona Avenue. Those two banners above and other signs caught my eye.
Water and Kindness has a Free Community Store, open Saturdays 10-2, at Pop-up Winona. Here they also host a monthly Swap and Community Fair on the last Saturday of every month.
I encourage everyone to visit the Water and Kindness website by clicking here, where all this helpful information is easy to read. If you know a struggling someone who could benefit, let them know!
Here’s a peek at Pop-up Winona…
Water and Kindness needs these items for donation…
There are several free food programs available around City Heights. Visit this website for a better image.
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I ran into these good people this morning before the start of San Diego’s annual Holiday Bowl Parade. They operate the Char Car!
What’s the Char Car? A vehicle that celebrates Pokémon character Charmander, and that delivers books to kids in hospitals, schools and libraries!
Dr. Elizabeth Valles is a member of this smiling gang. She works at Rady Children’s Hospital. You might have seen her on KUSI television the other day. She was honored as KUSI Community Champion for her #ReadingonFire literacy campaigns. She and her team make the lives of children so much better, by promoting child literacy and spreading happiness.
Follow the Char Car’s Instagram page by clicking here. You can learn about their future events and perhaps even help them out!
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To follow my blog, find the “Follow” box in this website’s sidebar. Or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
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The Giving Machine has returned to Old Town San Diego in time for the holiday season. Operate this unique donation vending machine and you’ll generously help those less fortunate than you.
The many different charities that can benefit from your donation are mostly local, but you can help those who live in poverty around the world, too. You choose which charity to help, and they receive one hundred percent of your donation!
This is the second year of San Diego’s Giving Machine. It’s a project of the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The people I met in the above photo were super nice, even though my personal beliefs are very different. They want to do good in this world.
I learned that last year, this same machine outperformed every other machine out there, in over a hundred international cities! That’s impressive.
The Giving Machine is located on Twiggs Street again, a bit up the street from last year. It stands on the patio in front of the old Cygnet Theatre building. If you visit Old Town during the holidays, you might see it.
Why not spread a little human kindness?
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If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
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The 24th Annual Father Joe’s Villages Thanksgiving Day 5K is being held this morning. It raises funds to help the homeless in San Diego. It’s called the Run For Hope.
Runners (and walkers) converged in Balboa Park for an annual event that draws thousands of participants. I was told there are over 10,000 this year!
The energy was incredible. Families, friends and social groups had come together. Turkey hats and costumes could be seen everywhere in the crowd. I even found Dude Vader wearing feathers, and some smiling Pilgrims!
Before the Thanksgiving 5K began, a huge mass of people streamed over the Cabrillo Bridge from the center of Balboa Park where a festival is being held. They would start the race on the west side of the bridge, then take a course circling the park to the north.
If you couldn’t participate, but you’d like to make a donation to Father Joe’s Villages, click here for their website.
Some fun photos…
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If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
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The City of San Diego’s annual Agewell Craft Sale was held this weekend in Balboa Park. Local artists came together at the Casa del Prado to sell unique crafts they’d made by hand.
I noticed a good crowd of people perusing the crafts today with only an hour to go in the sale. I enjoyed looking at the amazing crafts–every sort, including very original creations–which filled artist tables inside and outside the Casa del Prado. I saw lots of potential holiday gifts.
In addition, kids were making art in an activity corner and filling a North Pole postal box, there was a raffle, and entertainment by The Ukes of Hazard musical ukulele group was making everyone smile.
Okay, I especially liked some super funny crafts made by artist Leslie Wagoner. You can see a couple of her hilarious creations in my first two photographs, above and below.
Creativity and fun everywhere you turn…
Adult visitors were invited to create art, too!
Lastly, one kindly artist was selling beautiful crafts in order to raise funds in support of Nazareth Orphanage in Tecate, Mexico. The orphanage is home to young boys and girls whose parents are unable to care for them.
For over twenty years, Father Brian Kelly, a Navy Chaplain stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, has led volunteer efforts in support of Nazareth Orphanage.
If you’d like to read about this and perhaps provide a donation, click here.
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
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Have you heard of the Yellow Ribbon Fund? I hadn’t, until I met some friendly people in Escondido during todays’ Veterans Day Parade.
The Yellow Ribbon Fund, as the above sign indicates, provides free events and programs to eligible disabled post-9/11 veterans and their families. I had to check out their website, which you can also do by clicking here.
I learned the organization enhances the lives of military families facing medical crisis.
As they explain: Yellow Ribbon Fund was one of the first veteran service organizations to recognize the importance of keeping the family together during the critical recuperation phase. Through the creation of our key programs: Crossroads and Keystone, we are able to make an impact on veterans and their families nationwide.
If you’d like to help these good people out, go to their website and explore the possibilities!
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Feel free to share!
The 19th Annual Walk in Remembrance with Hope will be held in San Diego tomorrow morning, Sunday, September 14, 2025.
The Walk in Remembrance with Hope celebrates the lives of loved ones lost to suicide. It also raises awareness about suicide prevention.
The walkers and others will gather in Balboa Park on the grass near Sixth Avenue, south of Laurel Street. Registration begins at 7 am.
I met the good people setting up for the event this afternoon. The Walk in Remembrance with Hope is organized by Survivors of Suicide Loss. See their website here.
All ages, friends, family and pets are welcome to join! Start a team and invite your friends & family, or walk individually.
The event is a helpful resource fair, too, with vendor booths and more.
Even if you’ve never been personally affected by the tragedy of suicide, you can still help out these good people with a donation. Make your donation here.
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Feel free to share!
More than 500 heroes were assisted this weekend during the 37th Annual Stand Down event, organized by the Veterans Village of San Diego.
Unhoused and at-risk veterans, their families, and active-duty service members could receive all sorts of free assistance at Stand Down. The event this year was held at Liberty Station in Point Loma.
Free services were offered by a wide variety of organizations, including housing assistance, medical, dental and vision care, legal services, food and clothing, and educational workshops. There was plenty of love and support from San Diego’s military and civilian communities.
I wandered about the event, feeling inspired by all that I saw. Perhaps this blog post provides a little help in its own way.
If you happen to be a Veteran in need, first, thank you for your service. I deeply appreciate the liberty you have helped to defend.
I encourage people to check out the Veterans Village of San Diego website by clicking here. We all need a little help now and then. I know that from my own personal experience.
Veterans Village of San Diego supports America’s Veterans and their families in overcoming homelessness, addiction, unemployment, barriers to health and mental healthcare, and related challenges.
Their vision: A future where no one is left behind.
A smile at the Adjoin Veterans table in the above photograph. Adjoin has a housing-first strategy that secures permanent housing for every Veteran family they proudly serve.
Another smile at the San Diego Rescue Mission table. They provide meals, shelter, clothing, education and job-skills training for men, women, and single parents with children experiencing homelessness.
And here we have three smiles! Reading Legacies, located in San Diego, teaches families the importance of reading with children.
Both the County of San Diego and the Department of Veterans Affairs had a large presence at Stand Down. They offer many important services for Veterans in need.
Check out their websites and see what is available.
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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!
I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or X.
Feel free to share!
Cool San Diego Sights! 