Grants

The Rob Benzon / Dan Ferbal Foundation (RBDFF) is proud to have awarded two scholarships through the annual PFLAG Scholarship Awards to two deserving LGBTQ students pursuing higher education.

The Rob Benzon Memorial Scholarship:

Awarded to Erik W.

A freshman at UCSD, Erik plans to work proactively with his activism to help those who question their sexuality. He is confident that through his activism, volunteering, and being his true authentic self, he can help the next generation.  He appreciates how far the LGBTQ+ community has evolved, and he hopes to be part of the change and help continue to progress toward greater equity.

Grant awarded in March 2022

Daniel J. Ferbal Memorial Scholarship:

Awarded to:  Jason C.

Jason is excited to have the opportunity to continue his education through the Keck School of Medicine, Master of Public Health Program. His admission to The University of Southern California, Master of Public Health program would offer him access to a cutting-edge, world class program that would empower and provide him with the tools, resources, skills, and opportunities for hands-on, engaging, impactful and relevant research and applications for the ever-evolving field of public health.  This scholarship will help achieve these goals.

Jason currently serves as the Senior Services Case Manager at The San Diego LGBTQ+ Community Center. Prior to this role, Jason worked as a Medical Case Manager with the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation. Jason received a BA in Dramatic Arts and Health Education from the University of Arizona.

Originally from Tucson, Arizona, Jason has called San Diego home since graduating from the University of Arizona. Jason and his husband of 25 years met in San Diego, and they are the proud parents of 19-year-old twins, who were adopted at birth in San Diego County. Jason developed a strong devotion to the nonprofit sector, having worked for and volunteered with various community organizations throughout California and Arizona during the course of his career.

Grant awarded in March 2022

Children of Holiday Magic Project annually produces thousands of 12-page activity/coloring and interactive CD books that are distributed during the holiday season to sick hospital-bound children at Rady’s Children’s Hospital of San Diego. The Rob Benzon Foundation once again approved a grant to pay for the printing costs of these much-anticipated “Care Deer Pack” children’s books for hospitalized children.

Grant made December 2021

The Rob Benzon Foundation has again answered the call to assist with the costs of the annual Scott Carlson/ Dan Ferbal Community Thanksgiving Dinner held at the San Diego LGBTQ Community Center on Thanksgiving Day. This tradition began in 1988 by Scott Carlson as a dinner for HIV/AIDS patients. In 2020, Dan Ferbal was added to the name and the tradition of giving continues to provide a hot Thanksgiving meal for those in need in our community on the day we earmark to give thanks. The dinner now includes people with cancer and other ailments, homeless people, and anyone needing a safe and inviting place to come together as a community on this holiday. More than 500 individuals benefited from this year’s dinner.

Grant made in November 2021

During the late evening/early morning hours of Thursday, June 24/Friday, June 25th, Jack left a local nightclub in Hillcrest. Shortly after leaving the club, Jack was assaulted, robbed, and shot. Due to his severe injuries, his long-term recovery caused him to be unable to work. This extreme financial hardship meant that Jack soon faced imminent eviction from his apartment. Our foundation awarded a grant of three months’ rent which allowed Jack the time to recover from his injuries, without the fear of becoming homeless.

Grant was made July 2021

The Foundation was able to support Camp Erin in partnership with the Center for Compassionate Care of the Elizabeth Hospice and part of a network of free bereavement camps for children and teens ages 6 to 17 years of age who have experienced the death of someone close to them. Camp Erin’s counselors run specially designed activities to assist these children with the bereavement process and this grant provided funds for grief activity materials for the kids attending the camp. A second grant was also approved to supply all of the kids and volunteers attending the camp with much needed event-themed T-shirts. A third grant provided “Remembrance Teddy Bears” to all of the children attending the camp.

Grants were made in June 2021

Rob Benzon Foundation again answered the call to improve the nutritional status and quality of life of members of the LGBT community living with life-threatening illnesses in San Diego through the provision of medically appropriate meals. This grant was targeted specifically for funding for the food pantry at Special Delivery San Diego, which purchased groceries providing 3 meals per day for materially poor clients with AIDS, heart disease, cancer, kidney disease, and other life-threatening illnesses for at least two weeks.

Grant was made in April 2021

The Rob Benzon Foundation awarded two scholarships through the annual PFLAG Scholarship Awards to two LGBTQ students pursuing higher education. The Rob Benzon Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Aranzazu Salgado-Gutierrez. She was a high school senior that planned to pursue a degree in Social Work at San Diego State University. Her passion has always been to help others and she is honored to do so in Rob’s name. The second annual, Daniel J. Ferbal Memorial Scholarship was awarded again this year in honor of our beloved past RBF President and dear friend, Dan. Derrick N. Herrera was the much-deserved recipient. Derrick is a first-generation, Indigenous college student, second-year student at San Diego State University studying Political Science & American Studies striving to achieve a Juris Doctorate & practice Tribal Law. He hopes to achieve great things in Dan’s name.

Grants were made March 2021

Children of Holiday Magic Project produces yearly, several thousand, 12-page activity/coloring and interactive CD books, that are distributed to sick, and hospital-bound children at Rady’s Children’s Hospital of San Diego during the holiday season. The Rob Benzon Foundation once again approved a grant to pay for the printing costs of these much-anticipated children’s books for the hospitalized children.

Grant made December 2020

Judith M. was a lifelong caregiver who tragically and ironically was suffering from the end stages of FTD dementia. We received a grant request from her life partner, Edna M., asking for emergency financial assistance. Judith was near death, but all of their family’s financial resources were exhausted at this point. We provided funds to the caregiving facility so that Judith could avoid eviction and live out her last months left on earth in the comfort and constant care needed at the long-term care facility.

Grant was made November 2020

The Rob Benzon Foundation has again answered the call to assist with costs of the annual Scott Carlson/ Dan Ferbal Community Thanksgiving Dinner held at the San Diego LGBT Community Center on Thanksgiving Day. Started in 1988 by Scott Carlson as a dinner for HIV/AIDS patients, and later also named after our late board president, Dan Ferbal, in 2020, the tradition of giving continues to provide a hot Thanksgiving meal for those in need in our community on the day we earmark to give thanks. The dinner now includes people with cancer and other ailments, homeless people, and anyone needing a safe and inviting place to come together as a community on this holiday. More than 500 individuals benefited from this year’s dinner.

Grant made in November 2020