Viral funding

Beset by a hepatitis A epidemic spawned by sprawling homeless camps on downtown streets, mayor Kevin Faulconer continues to gather cash for his inner-city charity fund, but how much if any of the money will be earmarked to deal with the health crisis remains to be seen.

Among the latest to donate to One San Diego — known mainly for its annual Thanksgiving hand-out of turkeys in poorer parts of town — include cell-phone giant AT&T, with $27,000 on August 8; U.S. Grant Hotel owner Sycuan, which kicked in $5000 on August 14; and North City housing developer Bill Ostrem, with the same on August 23.

“For too long San Diego has been seen as a city split between the prospering neighborhoods north of Interstate 8 and the southern neighborhoods that are left behind. As Mayor, I’m working to bring people from all walks of life together to overcome our shared challenges, end the division and create what I’ve called, ‘One San Diego,’” the mayor says on the nonprofit’s website, which makes no mention of the city’s dire homeless hepatitis dilemma.

Other than the turkey gifts, the group is noted for promoting the city’s tony dining spots during its annual Neighborhood Experience on the Broadway Pier. Per One San Diego’s 2015 report to the Internal Revenue Service, the most recent available, the fund made just one grant of more than $5000, in the form of $27,875 to Pacific Arts Movement. The group bills itself as “one of the largest media arts organizations in North America that focuses on Asian American and Asian international cinema.” All of One San Diego’s grants combined totaled $34,375.