News about grants, gifts
The Valspar Foundation donated $25,000 to Twin Cities Habitat for Humanity to help fund the A Brush with Kindness program, which benefits Minnesota homeowners through painting and minor home repairs.
The University Area Community Development Corporation (UACDC) held it’s Fourth Annual Gala Friday, September 25. The gala, presented by Florida Hospital Tampa, raised funds for the UACDC and the programs it provides for the community.
The Mary Kay Foundation is awarding $3 million in grants to 150 domestic violence shelters in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico to narrow the gap of unmet needs due to lack of resources. In advance of Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October, all 150 shelters will receive a $20,000 grant.
During September, which is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, Sweet’N Low, continued its effort to get kids active by encouraging teams across America to apply for one of its Youth Sports Grants. In total, the brand is planning to award up to $150,000 in grants to eligible community-based youth sports teams.
Tyson Foods, Inc. and Delaware North have donated a truckload of chicken to the Food Bank of Western New York to help alleviate hunger in their community. The Food Bank, which serves Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie and Niagara counties, will distribute the donated food to partnering on-site feeding agencies such as soup kitchens.
ReVive Center for Housing and Healing, a non-profit organization founded 100 years ago with a mission to end homelessness, provided Internet to more than 140 residents in two buildings with the help of Everywhere Wireless, the company providing free wireless service to Chicago beaches and parks. It’s the first program of its kind in Chicago.
Citizen Schools, a national educational nonprofit focused on extending the learning day for high-need students by providing direct instruction and project-based apprenticeships taught by volunteers, has received a $350,000 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to evaluate digital courseware designed to provide appropriately challenging content for middle school students.
AmeriCares will expand access to care for low-income patients living with mental illness by donating medications to community mental health centers across the U.S. The emergency response and global health organization announced its new Mental Health Initiative as a Commitment to Action at the Clinton Global Initiative Annual Meeting in New York City.
News about people, groups
Pandora has partnered with national nonprofit Little Kids Rock to launch new music programs and strengthen music education in inner city public schools in Chicago, Los Angeles, Oakland and New York.
On Saturday, September 26, the Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada hosted the 2015 Dessert Before Dinner fundraiser at Caesar’s Palace. Proceeds will fund scholarships, community outreach, and programming such as Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, social values, and financial literacy.
On Saturday, October 3, Point Foundation hosted “Voices On Point” at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles. Caitlyn Jenner presented the Point Horizon Award to two Point Alumni, Rhys Ernst and Zach Zyskowski.
Bass, Berry & Sims PLC
announced the formal establishment of its Nonprofit Organizations Practice Group, to continue addressing the unique legal issues facing nonprofit entities. The group will be led by Robert E. Cooper, Jr., former Tennessee Attorney General.
The Parkland Foundation Board of Directors have elected Catherine Rodewald to chair the board over a two-year term.
National Academy Foundation announced the appointment of Jennifer Morgan, President of SAP North America, and David Siegel, Co-Chairman of Two Sigma Investments to the Board of Directors.
Donald K. Mayland of Lakeville, Connecticut has been named to the board of directors of The Community Foundation of Northwest Connecticut.
The Parent-Child Home Program, an early literacy/school readiness organization that promotes parental engagement, announced that it has appointed Anita Stewart as Development and Operations Director.
Turnaround Arts, a program that improves student achievement and increases engagement through arts education, expanded to four high-needs Brooklyn schools. As part of the program, the schools will receive intensive arts education resources and each is paired with a high profile artist mentor.
Make-A-Wish America appointed Dolf Berle, President and COO of Dave & Buster’s Inc.; Derrick Hall, President and CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks; and Joaquin Hidalgo, President and General Manager of Nike North America, to the National Board of Directors.
The Ceres Climate Ride team has completed their 
mission of cycling 390 miles in 5 days from Bar Harbor to Boston to fight climate change and raise money for the organization.
The University of Pittsburgh Health Policy Institute has launched the Stern Center for Evidence-Based Policy and released its first report, “Addressing the Health Needs of an Aging America.” To improve the quality and sustainability of the health system, the new center will co-fund collaborative research with other foundations interested in increasing the use of research evidence in shaping U.S. health policy. The center is funded in part through a $3 million gift from the Stern Family Foundation.
The National Future Farmers of America membership stands at 629,367 students, up from 610,240 in 2014, an increase of 3 percent. The number of chapters grew from 7,665 in 2014 to 7,757 in 2015. Interest in FFA and agricultural education continues to grow, as membership has increased more than 20 percent since 2009-10.
SmartBuyGlasses surpassed its $2 million marks in charity donations in its Buy One, Give One Social Movement in partnership with Unite for Sight. Their latest ship to Ghana marks over 78,000 people worldwide have been helped.
The new Women’s & Infants Specialty Health Clinic of the Parkland Hospital in Dallas has been awarded the LEED Gold Certification for commercial interiors from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, which sets voluntary standards for buildings. This is the third LEED Gold Certification Parkland has received. In 2013, it earned LEED Gold for its Tower Garage and this June received LEED Gold for the new Parkland Memorial Hospital.
f Coast Community Foundation‘s Board of Directors selected Mark Pritchett as Gulf Coast’s new president and CEO. Mark begins his new role immediately.
Virtual, Inc. President, Andrew S. Freed, has been named to the Board of Trustees of the Massachusetts Hospital Association, for a two-year term.
Bacardi USA, Million Trees Miami, and American Forests has partnered to plant 20 trees in Miami Gardens, Florida as part of American Forests’ Community ReLeaf program to help beautify local neighborhoods.
News about opportunities, initiatives
Alliance 2015 National Conference: Building the Capacity Pipeline will be held in Portland October 6-8. Rusty Stahl, President and CEO of Talent Philanthropy Project, will serve as they keynote speaker.
Give Will, a philanthropic initiative by Will Leather Goods, an artisanal, family owned and operated leather goods company based in Eugene, OR., supports students in underfunded public elementary schools across America through in-kind donations. Founder, Will Adler, is donating 500,000 backpacks to students throughout the United States.
Executive Service Corps of Houston‘s annual Leading Edge Luncheon takes places on Monday, October 5th with keynote speaker Neil Bush of the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation who will speak on community action for literacy. Rev. William A. Lawson and the Lawson Academy will be honored as well.
Realty ONE Group Complete partnered with Blood Source to host their first annual Blood Drive on Wednesday, September 30th. Realty ONE Group Complete’s ongoing effort will help boost local, life-saving blood reserves.
Las Vegas Sands Corp. and international social enterprise Clean the World completed an unprecedented 24-hour global volunteer effort to build 200,000 hygiene kits that will be distributed to populations in need worldwide, including to help homeless people in the United States. 4,000+ volunteers in Las Vegas, Pennsylvania, Singapore, and Macao worked around the clock.
Philanthropy Leadership Advancement Nexus- Master Gift Officer will host a special training event in Washington, D.C. October 27th-29th. Enrollment is open for the immersion event.
Class Acts Arts will host its Annual Gala Celebration on October 15. Proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit programs for communities in need, including school children in under-served districts, special needs populations and youth in detention through Project Youth ArtReach.
If you are interested in having your organization’s news announced in the next News Bits, please send announcements or press releases to news@philanthropyjournal.com.
