Jewish Community Foundation fundholders are turning their passions and visions into progress through their grants. These stories highlight the people, partnerships, and ideas that come together to activate these community investments.

Creating Connection Across Ages and Community

When members of the Itzkowich family, Carla Itzkowich, her niece Vanessa Itzkowich, and family member Ilana Ostrosky, come together to talk about philanthropy, the conversation naturally turns to connection. For them, giving is not only a shared commitment; it reflects a belief that communities thrive when people of all ages are woven together.

Through their donor advised fund at the Jewish Community Foundation and additional foundation giving, the family has become a champion for intergenerational solutions that bring seniors and youth into meaningful, mutually supportive relationships. Their focus comes at a pivotal moment for San Diego. By 2030, one in four residents will be 60 years or older, and an estimated 130,000 seniors already live as “elder orphans” without nearby family or support networks.

“We see intergenerational connection as essential to a healthy community,” the family shared. “It strengthens belonging, reduces isolation, and restores relationships that are often lost in age segregated society.”

Their philanthropy reflects that conviction. Nationally, they support leaders such as Generations United, Bridge Meadows, and Encore Fellowships, organizations advancing innovative models that pair older adults with children, families, and young professionals. Locally, they have partnered closely with the San Diego Seniors Community Foundation, helping to seed innovative ideas and expand the region’s capacity to support older adults.

This year, the family is helping launch a pilot program in San Diego that co-locates early childhood education with elder care, an approach inspired by the United Kingdom’s Apples & Honey Nightingale initiative, where toddlers and seniors learn, play, and build relationships side by side. The model has shown powerful outcomes abroad: reduced loneliness for older adults, improved social-emotional development for children, and a renewed sense of purpose for everyone involved.

The Itzkowich family’s commitment reflects the best of what philanthropy can do. By working with Jewish Community Foundation staff, the family has identified emerging needs, elevated promising solutions, and brought partners together to build a stronger, more connected region. Through thoughtful giving and a shared passion for connection, the family is advancing a future where San Diegans of all ages can experience dignity, belonging, and meaningful relationships, one connection at a time.