By Dana Toppel
SAN DIEGO — According to a recent article in The San Diego Union-Tribune, “From May to July, San Diegans probably felt the most pain in their wallets at the grocery store, doctor or car lot.”
Recent data details just how steep those increases have been in key areas over the last three months:
Food costs: Meat, poultry, fish, and eggs, up 7.3%
JFS Uplifts: 826,038 nutritious meals to 6,758 individuals. June 2024-July 2025
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Medical care costs increased 6.8%
JFS Uplifts: More than $6,955,000 in critical healthcare assistance. June 2024-July 2025
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Rent increased 5%
JFS Uplifts: More than $2,068,500 in much-needed rental assistance. 452 individuals in our Safe Parking Program returned to safe and stable housing. June 2024-July 2025
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Transportation costs increased 5.1%
JFS Uplifts: More than 30,500 safe and reliable rides to 737 older adults throughout San Diego County. June 2024-July 2025
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Tuition, school fees, and childcare costs are up 9.4%
JFS Uplifts: $2,635,500 in vital financial assistance and 223,650 diapers to over 600 families. June 2024-July 2025
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Together, we are meeting these urgent needs with compassion, dignity, and the support that helps people move forward.
Your partnership makes it all possible. Thank you for providing help, hope, and a way forward to so many of our neighbors. Together, we’re reimagining a community where everyone has enough healthy food to eat, safe and stable housing, and a supportive community around them.
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Dana Toppel is the chief executive officer of Jewish Family Service of San Diego.