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Shades of Pink Foundation California’s Mission

The mission of the Shades of Pink Foundation California is to provide temporary monetary assistance to women who are experiencing financial distress as a result of a breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Serving California women.

Who We Are

Christina Fulcher and Kianne Farmer, their mothers, and friend Bridget Garwitz founded Shades of Pink Foundation California in 2013. Inspired by a fundraiser for the Michigan-based Shades of Pink Foundation, they modeled their grant application process after Michigan’s, which worked well for several years.

However, in 2020, during the height of the pandemic, the organization observed that many women could not qualify for the grants. These women often worked in non-traditional jobs like caregiving which made it impossible to qualify, yet, still faced the challenges of breast cancer. Realizing they were missing a significant group of needy women, the team launched a gift card program after consulting with healthcare providers and other local charities.

By the time of the 2020 program launch, Christina and Kianne had departed from the organization. Vembra, the last remaining original founding board member, led the effort alongside Kristine Quart and Debbie Anderson, the two new board members who have played a significant role in the recent changes. The new application process requires that the patient be treated only in San Diego County and be referred by a partner organization. This simplified process allowed for quick approvals, getting gift cards for food, gas, and big box stores like Target and Walmart to patients swiftly to meet immediate needs. Many applicants reported monthly incomes of less than $2000, far below what is necessary to live in one of the most expensive cities in the US.

The gift card program has been a resounding success, providing 455 grants totaling $186,125, with an average grant of $400. This significant impact, while inspiring, also serves as a testament to our commitment to our mission of serving as many women and families as possible. Our continued success is reliant on the support of our partners in the business and community sectors, and we are proud to have you by our side.

Please join us by signing up for SOPFCA updates or making a donation.

Health care professionals who would like to refer a client should contact us. Breast cancer patients should contact the healthcare professional where you are receiving care to assist you with filling out an application. If your healthcare provider has not worked with us before, have them contact us so we can provide more information about our process.

Shades of Pink Foundation California is a 501(c)(3) tax exempt California nonprofit corporation.