SBCS Holds “Topping-Off” Ceremony

CHULA VISTA, CA – July 31, 2024 – On Tuesday afternoon, SBCS (formerly South Bay Community Services), representatives from San Diego General Contractor Dempsey Construction, Tucker Sadler Architects, Cox Communications, joined local dignitaries and community members gathered to celebrate an exciting construction milestone for SBCS’ new Center for Impact with a “topping-off” ceremony. The event marked the completion of the steel framework for the 61,000 square foot facility, which is expected to be completed in May 2025.

“SBCS’ new Center for Impact is a testament to our community’s dedication to supporting one another,” said Chula Vista Mayor John McCann. “We are proud to see this project well on its way to completion and look forward to the tremendous benefits it will bring to the South Bay’s residents.”

SBCS’ new Center for Impact is located at 318 Fourth Avenue in the heart of Chula Vista – the neighborhood where SBCS first began its work more than 50 years ago. The facility will serve as the base of operations for all SBCS services, offering a welcoming environment for residents to receive support and build connections with each other. The new Center for Impact will enable SBCS to expand their community outreach and provide vital services to more than 10,000 additional families, children, and youth each year.

At the event, Cox Communications presented SBCS with a $100,000 grant from the James M. Cox Foundation for SBCS’ new community engagement center, which will house various critical services for families and individuals in crisis – including those experiencing domestic violence and trauma, food insecurity and lack of housing, employment or educational opportunities. The James M. Cox Foundation is the charitable arm of Cox Enterprises, parent company of Cox Communications.

Adjacent to Chula Vista City Hall, the Chula Vista Police Department and the Chula Vista Public Library, the new Center for Impact facility will create increased visibility and easy access to SBCS services and programs. As the agency’s central hub for serving 60,000 children, teens and adults in San Diego County each year, all offerings and childcare will be provided free of cost, including:

  • Emergency services for families in crisis;
  • Resident gathering spaces for civic engagement, neighborhood improvement, and community action;
  • Mental health services, including individual and family therapy;
  • A neighborhood computer lab to help bridge the digital divide;
  • A teen center and tutoring room providing young people with support to do well in school and promote college readiness; and
  • A welcoming place for residents to receive support and connect meaningfully with SBCS and one another.

SBCS envisions the new facility as a beacon of light for families when they need it the most. With this project, the organization intends to bring residents, resources, and comprehensive support services together under one roof to better address the needs of our most vulnerable neighbors and build a stronger, more resilient future. The estimated total cost of the project is $34 million with more than half already secured and a current funding gap of $8 million.

“This ‘Topping Off’ celebration represents more than just a construction milestone; it’s a significant step forward in our mission to enhance the well-being of the Chula Vista community,” said Kathryn Lembo, CEO of SBCS. “We’re incredibly grateful to our partners at the James M. Cox Foundation and Cox Communications for this generous donation for our new community engagement center. As a forty-year employee of the agency myself, I can tell you definitively—our community depends on us and the need is greater than ever. It’s vital that we raise these funds for our new building, which will increase our capacity to serve 10,000 additional children, youth, and families each year.”

“SBCS provides life-changing and life-saving services, and as community need grows, we want to support their efforts to reach even more families and individuals who need those services,” said Chanelle Hawken, West Region vice president of government and public affairs for Cox Communications. “Cox has been a proud supporter of SBCS for more than 15 years, and we’re grateful to the James M. Cox Foundation for this generous $100,000 grant.”

This is the second James M. Cox Foundation grant awarded to a San Diego County nonprofit this year. In January, the Foundation provided a $100,000 emergency grant to the Chicano Federation to support its emergency relief efforts to residents in City Heights and Shelltown who were displaced by the historic floods.

“It’s been a pleasure partnering with SBCS on the Center for Impact,” said Bryce Raleigh, President of Dempsey Construction. “We’re proud to provide SBCS with a world-class building that will inspire everyone who walks through the doors.”

 

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