The San Diego Foundation Unveiled the Malin Burnham Center for Civic Engagement on September 27
The San Diego Foundation unveiled the Malin Burnham Center for Civic Engagement at The Foundation’s annual meeting held on Tuesday, September 27, 2011. The Malin Burnham Center for Civic Engagement mobilizes the San Diego region in the quest for solutions to community issues. It serves as the hub of civic leadership for San Diego – a place that generates information and ideas, spurs vigorous conversations about San Diego’s future, helps launch ambition initiatives and contributes to the development of action plans.
“Like Malin himself, the Malin Burnham Center for Civic Engagement stands for an appreciation of diversity, inclusiveness, effective problem-solving through collaborations between for-profit, nonprofits, government and business, and most important of all – engagement in our communities,” said Bob Kelly, president and CEO of The San Diego Foundation, “The Center,” added Kelly, “will provide everyone with the opportunity to participate in a process of discussing and reaching a consensus on what we want our community to become.”
The Center was established by The San Diego Foundation, a broad-purpose community foundation dedicated to helping individuals, families and organizations carry out their charitable plans with the common goal of improving the quality of life in the greater San Diego region.
“I believe that if we each embody a commitment to Community Before Self, we enhance our communities; we see safer neighborhoods and create a prosperous region. My hope is that the Center for Civic Engagement creates an epicenter for the convening of nonprofits, businesses, foundations, community leaders and government agencies to address the issues of our region,” said Malin Burnham.
The Foundation’s Board of Governors, working with the Executive Director, provides the leadership for The Center. “The Malin Burnham Center for Civic Engagement at The San Diego Foundation will champion the vision and values of our residents as discovered through the Our Greater San Diego Vision initiative. This unprecedented project will engage the public in creating a vision plan and roadmap for our region’s future to create positive change,” said Jennifer Adams-Brooks, Chair of The San Diego Foundation.
“Malin Burnham’s philanthropic devotion,” said Kelly “is reflected in his support of numerous charities and benevolent organizations. He has epitomized civic engagement through his work at the Burnham Foundation, the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute and the countless positions he has held on boards, committees and as a volunteer for multiple organizations. The Malin Burnham Center for Civic Engagement is a landmark engagement that truly honors Malin’s remarkable commitment to the San Diego region.”