5.6.19 US News

May 6, 2019 | News, Philanthropy Journal

Massachusetts General Hospital receives the largest gift in the hospital’s history, Booking.com hosts inaugural Code-a-thon, Foundation for Child Development is accepting proposals for its 2020 Young Scholars Program, and more.

News about grants, gifts

The AmerisourceBergen Foundation awarded a grant to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to support a 10-city tour and shared solutions resource portal built to assist employers with prevention strategies of opioid misuse. With the AmerisourceBergen Foundation’s partnership, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, along with a number of other sponsors including the Johnson City Chamber of Commerce, Ohio Chamber of Commerce and Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, launched a 10-city tour to engage businesses and equip them with tools to combat opioid misuse.

New Milford community members pose with Mayor Pete Bass (at far left) after he signed a proclamation to commemorate Give Local Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills on April 23-24. Photo courtesy of Jeff Kilberg.

The 7th annual Give Local Greater Waterbury and Litchfield Hills, an online giving event hosted by Connecticut Community Foundation, raised a total of $1.36 million in 36-hours. The funds are earmarked for 261 nonprofit organizations serving the Foundation’s 21-town service area.

Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) received the largest gift in the hospital’s history – $200 million – to endow the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard. This landmark contribution from philanthropists and longtime hospital supporters Phillip T. (Terry) and Susan M. Ragon comes as the institute marks the 10th anniversary of its founding, made possible by an initial $100 million commitment from the Ragons in 2009.

Norwalk Hospital Foundation received a $15 million gift toward a major expansion of Norwalk Hospital. The donation from long-time supporters and benefactors George and Carol Bauer of Wilton, Connecticut, will support the construction of a new state-of-the-art Patient Pavilion.

Morris Animal Foundation received a $250K award from the Petco Foundation and the Blue Buffalo Company for pet cancer research, specifically directing the gift to fund feline cancer studies. Since 2003, the two organizations have invested more than $7 million in the fight against pet cancer in dogs and cats at Morris Animal Foundation, the largest worldwide nonprofit advancing animal health.

New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute received a generous grant from Coca-Cola Bottling Company United to support the day-to-day mission of the culinary school and its students. The multi-year contribution, made on behalf of Coca-Cola UNITED’s New Orleans operation and in concert with The Coca-Cola Company, will be used for scholarships for incoming students, starting with the 2019 summer enrollment.

Pictured left to right: Jenna Kelly, president, SunTrust Bank, Georgia Division; Franz Fortune, founder & executive director, Veterans Empowerment Organization; Tangee Allen, co-founder, Raising Expectations; Darryl Haddock, environmental education director, West Atlanta Watershed Alliance; Amelia Quinn, founder & president, BeLoved Atlanta; Rev. Terry Hightower, executive director, Antioch Urban Ministries Incorporated; Kelli Stewart, co-founder & executive director, L.E.A.D., Inc.; Michael Lucas, deputy director, Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation; Veronica Squires, chief administrative officer, Good Samaritan Health Center; Stan Little, president, SunTrust Foundation. Not pictured: Dantes Rameau, co-founder & executive director, Atlanta Music Project; Leonard Adams, president & CEO, Quest Community Housing.

SunTrust Foundation awarded grants totaling $250,000 to 10 nonprofit organizations that are committed to positively impacting Atlanta’s historic Westside neighborhoods. The 10 nonprofit organizations were recently recognized as Community Beacon Award recipients at the inaugural Beloved Benefit at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The event raised more than $5 million to support the ongoing revitalization of the Westside.

Oregon Community Foundation and Oregon Humanities named four recipients of the inaugural Fields Artist Fellowship, a program designed to support emerging to mid-career Oregon-based artists. Each fellow will receive $100,000 to both advance their artistic practice and explore the state’s “opportunity gap,” reflected in widening disparities in life outcomes for Oregon children born into poverty and children of color.

News about people, groups

Booking.com hosted an inaugural Code-a-thon in San Francisco, April 28th – 29th, for young women interested in studying technology and pursuing a career in the industry. The Code-a-thon was Booking.com’s first Women in Tech initiative in the U.S. targeted to potential young tech talent, with the goal of providing an opportunity to learn the basics and to receive early guidance in the field of tech. Hosted at the CNET Smart Home the Code-a-thon culminated with a reception hosted by actress Laura Dern, who announced a $350,000 scholarship program through Booking.com’s Women in Tech initiative to leading universities in the U.S.

The ZAC Foundation named three new directors to its board: three-time Olympic gold medal swimmer Rowdy Gaines; attorney and executive Peter Nussbaum; and Indiana University Aquatic Institute Director William D. Ramos, PhD.

The San Diego Foundation appointed P. Kay Coleman as Chair, Board of Governors of The San Diego Foundation beginning July 1st for a two-year term.

Volunteers from St. David’s Foundation, Bastrop County Cares, McDade ISD and the community joined KaBOOM! on Saturday, May 4th to transform an empty site into a kid-designed, state-of-the-art playground in just six hours at McDade Elementary School in McDade, TX.

On Tuesday, April 30th, City Harvest: The 2019 Gala honored supporters Richard Gere, Kris and Marc Granetz, and Chef Michael White, and raised enough to provide over 14 million meals for New Yorkers in need.

News about opportunities, initiatives

The Foundation for Child Development is currently accepting proposals for its 2020 Young Scholars Program. The program funds implementation research that is policy and practice-relevant and that examines the preparation, competency, compensation, well-being, and on-going professional learning of the early care and education workforce. Research awards are up to $225,000 for primary research and up to $180,000 for secondary data analysis.

The Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty (SHECP) will host its first-ever summit on poverty, SHECP Summit 2020 at Kennesaw State University, near Atlanta, Georgia, April 3-5, 2020.

United Way of Greater Los Angeles will host its 12th annual HomeWalk, a 5K family run/walk to raise public awareness and funds to end homelessness on Saturday, May 18th. This year, United Way has teamed up with the L.A. Rams to focus on L.A.’s homelessness crisis and to help raise $1.5 million. Thanks to the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation, every $5,000 raised by a person or team will be matched.

The Audre Lorde Project is recruiting LGBTSTGNC leaders of color to join their Board of Directors. To apply, click here.

The Love Peace and Harmony Foundation has launched a campaign to plant one million trees across the globe to provide clean air and water, save energy and improve the health and well-being of the world’s population. 

For more than 10 years, Tropical Smoothie Cafe® has raised funds for Camp Sunshine. Having already donated approximately $6.3 million to date, Tropical Smoothie Cafe has set its sights on raising $1.2 million for Camp Sunshine in 2019. Now through June 30, Tropical Smoothie Cafe will give guests the opportunity to make donations to Camp Sunshine at participating locations.


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.

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