Established by philanthropist Keith Swayne in partnership with OCCF, the fund aims to build bridges of opportunity for all who call Orange County home
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (Feb. 16, 2023) — Today the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) announced the launch of the Orange County Social Justice Fund to expand access to opportunities that will help all our residents to thrive. The Fund was announced in concert with the United Nations’ World Day of Social Justice. Orange County philanthropist Keith Swayne seeded the Fund as a permanent endowment at the Orange County Community Foundation, with the goal of building the corpus to $10 million as an enduring source of support for the Orange County community. An initial round of grants totaling $400,000 was awarded to 25 local nonprofits who aligned with the Fund’s focus and priorities.
The Orange County Social Justice Fund was established with a vision that all residents should have full access to economic, political and social rights and opportunities regardless of race, ethnicity, religion, age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or other characteristics. Fundamental to the Fund’s vision are three key values: 1) Diversity is an asset 2) Moving toward unity, and 3) Creating local impact. The Orange County Social Justice Fund will support its grantees’ direct services, coalition building, and policy advocacy.
Swayne is a long-time philanthropist and co-founder of the Keith and Judy Swayne Family Foundation, which now resides at the Orange County Community Foundation and the Hawaii Community Foundation in Honolulu, where his daughter, Anne Swayne Keir resides. Keith and Anne guide the foundation, which includes a namesake of his late wife of 50 years and strive to influence positive outcomes by investing in efforts that strengthen families and communities in Orange County and Hawaii. They are committed to supporting organizations working to make Orange County inclusive and accepting, helping people overcome the obstacles that the circumstances of life have placed in their way. In a video that debuted at OCCF’s 2022 Annual Meeting in front of nearly 400 philanthropists and community leaders, Keith Swayne spoke passionately about his vision for the Orange County Social Justice Fund, which can be viewed here.
“There is no better ambassador of good in our community than Keith Swayne, a thoughtful, passionate and generous philanthropist who has dedicated years of giving his time, talent and treasure to the most vulnerable among us,” said Shelley Hoss, president and CEO of the Orange County Community Foundation. “OCCF is enthused to answer his clarion call to build pathways of opportunity and promise for those who might otherwise be left behind.”
“If we are going to be a strong thriving county, then we have to be a county that accepts everyone, and sees diversity as a strength, not a weakness and a challenge,” said Swayne. “My hope is that other funders will join us and help call attention to the social justice issues that need to be addressed in Orange County.”
The inaugural grantees of the Orange County Social Justice Fund are AHRI for Justice, Arab American Civic Council, Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast, CAIR LA – Council on American-Islamic Relations, Charitable Ventures of Orange County, CIELO, High School Inc. Academics Foundation, Human Options, Inc., KidWorks Community Development Corporation, Latino Health Access, LGBT Center OC, Orange County Civic Engagement Table, Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible Development (OCCORD), Orange County Congregation Community Organization (OCCCO), Orange County Human Relations Council, OC Environmental Justice, OC Justice Fund, Project Kinship, Public Law Center, Taller San Jose Hope Builders, The G.R.E.E.N. Foundation, Viet Rainbow of Orange County, VietRISE, Young Adult Court (Orangewood Foundation) and 100 Black Men of Orange County.
To learn more about the Orange County Social Justice Fund and how to get involved, visit oc-cf.org/orange-county-social-justice-fund.
OCCF is recognized as the center of gravity for Orange County philanthropy, acting as an unparalleled resource for local philanthropists and their families for more than 30 years by offering unique insights, deep knowledge, and a diverse array of tools to support both lifetime and legacy giving. To learn more about the Orange County Community Foundation, visit www.oc-cf.org.
About Orange County Community Foundation
Founded in 1989, the Orange County Community Foundation (OCCF) works with donors, strengthens the local nonprofit sector and works to find solutions to community needs. Since its inception, OCCF has awarded more than $900 million in grants and scholarships, ranking the organization as the 3rd most active grant maker among all U.S. community foundations. For more information, visit oc-cf.org or call 949-553-4202. Be a part of our conversation on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. View OCCF’s 2022 annual report here.
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