News about grants, gifts
In an effort to combat food insecurity in the Bay Area – specifically summer food insecurity when children are out of school – Eric Lindberg, Co-CEO of Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, Kristin Richmond, CEO of Revolution Foods, and the Golden Gate Chapter of Young Presidents’ Organization are leading the charge with Alameda County Community Food Bank to compile 10,000 bags filled with a variety of donated healthy food items.
John Morrell extended its efforts to help fight hunger with a donation to the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma in Oklahoma City. Together with Homeland Stores, the company donated 500 pounds of John Morrell ham to the nonprofit. John Morrell has also matched Homeland Stores’ customers’ donations of $8,890 to support No Kid Hungry‘s(R) work to end childhood hunger in America, totaling $17,780.
The First Response Team of America recognized Lowe’s for its $750,000 donation to aid the team’s disaster relief efforts for the fourth consecutive year. Using specialized trucks, rescue equipment and heavy machinery, the First Response Team assists local communities and homeowners in the first few critical hours after natural disasters. Lowe’s has contributed more than $2 million since 2012 to help keep the team on the road, and Lowe’s Heroes have volunteered thousands of hours at disaster sites.
Longtime partners PepsiCo and Feed the Children, along with other corporate partners, helped 1,200 families in need in the Washington, DC area by providing them food and essentials. Together, Feed the Children, PepsiCo, Walmart and Bimbo Bakeries provided enough supplemental food and essentials to help support a family of four for up to a week.
The Colorado School of Public Health, in collaboration with the Association of Public Health Laboratories, is pleased to announce $5.4 million in support from the U.S. Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration, Maternal and Child Health Bureau that will be used to create an unprecedented national collaboration called NewSTEPs 360 to fund state newborn screening programs across the nation.
The United States Tennis Association Foundation announced that it has partnered with longtime US Open sponsor JPMorgan Chase & Co. to award 10 National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) chapters with $10,000 each. This is the second consecutive year of the partnership, with the donated money to go toward year-round tennis and education programming. JPMorgan Chase will also once again launch a Twitter campaign, #ReturnTheServe, to award one of the 10 NJTL chapters with an additional $10,000.
Brick House Tavern + Tap announced its fundraising results for the second “Taste Freedom” campaign, a partnership with Operation Homefront honoring service men and women who protect freedom. From Memorial Day through Independence Day 2015, Brick House Tavern + Tap’s seven-week campaign raised $145,695 for Operation Homefront to give back to the heroic military men and women who are actively serving or retired military. As part of the “Taste Freedom” campaign, a mortgage-free home was also awarded to a deserving military family.
University of Puget Sound
University of Puget Sound has concluded its One [of a Kind] campaign with $131.6 million in gifts from more than 28,000 alumni, parents, faculty and staff, and friends of the college who stepped up to generously support the liberal arts educational mission in which they deeply believe.
At its July 1st board meeting in Skagway, Alaska, Rasmuson Foundation directors announced $7.6 million in grant and initiatives to remember the Foundation’s past and to spur action for the state’s future.
News about people, groups
The Israel Cancer Research Fund (ICRF) received a 4-Star rating on July 1, 2015 from Charity Navigator, the premier charity evaluator. In its congratulatory letter, the company cited ICRF’s good governance and other best practices and its consistency in executing its mission in a fiscally responsible and transparent way.
Jed Selkowitz
AmeriCares, the emergency response and global health organization, has welcomed Jed Selkowitz as its Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer. In his new role, Selkowitz is charged with providing both strategic leadership and hands-on tactical execution of the organization’s brand marketing and communications efforts.
Beverly Hills MD cosmeceuticals, a leading skincare company based in Beverly Hills, California, announced today they will be partnering with Smile Train, an international charity focused on sustainability to help provide free surgery and related treatment for children with clefts. For every skincare unit sold, Beverly Hills MD will donate a portion of the proceeds to Smile Train to support lifesaving and life-changing cleft lip reconstructive surgery.
Hopewell, a therapeutic farm community for adults with mental illness, has just introduced a new, mobile-friendly website to provide information for families, caregivers and health care professionals, according to Richard R. Karges, LISW-S, ACSW, Hopewell’s Executive Director/CEO.
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation is giving back to the community by becoming the newest legacy partner of the Nancy Lieberman Charities (NLC). Founded by Basketball Hall of Famer Nancy Lieberman, the NLC strives to provide a healthy physical, emotional and mental environment for young girls and boys to build their self-esteem and confidence through the sport.
The Diabetes Research Connection (DRC) is a nonprofit located in San Diego, that connects donors with scientists just starting their career in diabetes research, also known as early-career scientists, to fund their highly innovative and peer-reviewed research in hopes of finding groundbreaking ways to prevent, cure, and better manage type 1 diabetes. DRC created a platform connecting donors directly with early-career scientists throughout the country, enabling them to perform research designed to prevent and cure type 1 diabetes, minimize its complications, and improve the quality of life for those living with the disease.
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation announced the names of the 46 nurses who have been selected by schools of nursing across the country as Future of Nursing Scholars. Each Future of Nursing Scholar will receive financial support, mentoring, and leadership development over the three years of her or his PhD program. The Future of Nursing Scholars program launched last year with an inaugural cohort of 16 scholars. This new cohort brings the number of nurses the program is supporting to 62.
Boston-based charity Team IMPACT is announcing their new partnership with the Highland Street Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing access and opportunities to worthy causes in the areas of education, housing, mentorship, health care, environment and the arts. Established in 2011, Team IMPACT’s mission is to improve the quality of life for children facing life-threatening and chronic illnesses by creating lasting and meaningful relationships with collegiate sport team-based support networks. Highland Street Foundation will commit to continue to build Team IMPACT’s budding organization with objectives including additional guidance in donor development and fundraising efforts, both critical assets to the flourishing nonprofit.
The Sierra Club Foundation is pleased to announce that longtime leader in the area of corporate sustainability, Bill Weihl, has joined its Board of Directors. Weihl is Director of Sustainability at Facebook.
The Carter Center announced the recipients of the 2015-2016 Rosalynn Carter Fellowships for Mental Health Journalism. Carter Center fellows receive intensive training from leading mental health and journalism experts and a USD 10,000 stipend to report on a mental health topic of their choice. The Fellowship Program challenges recipients to delve deeper into learning about a mental health issue of interest to ensure the general public is provided with reliable information about mental illnesses.
The Dorothy A. Johnson Center for Philanthropy is pleased to announce that Dr. Jodi Petersen will assume the role of interim Director for the Community Research Institute (CRI), effective July 9th. Jodi brings a wealth of experience and passion to this work and has been intimately involved with CRI’s growth and success.
NASCAR’s 12-time most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., received the 2015 ChalleNGe Champion Award from the National Guard Youth Foundation. Dale has donated countless hours of personal time with ChalleNGe cadets and helped National Guard Youth Foundation raise awareness of the effectiveness of the ChalleNGe program.
Gayle Ober
The George Family Foundation, a private family foundation established by Penny and Bill George with an interest in integrative health, authentic leadership, spirituality and the community, has named Gayle Ober as its new president.
American Rivers announced that three new members, Carrie Besnette Hauser, Jimmy Kimmel, and David Solomon, were elected to its board of directors. The new directors bring deep passion for rivers and strong commitment to the mission of American Rivers, the nation’s leading river conservation organization.
Farmers Insurancesm announced that the company will deploy more than 100 employee and agent volunteers through the remainder of the summer to bolster local efforts led by nonprofit organization St. Bernard Project to rebuild Monmouth and Ocean County homes affected by 2012’s Superstorm Sandy.
The Awesome Foundation Miami welcomes two new board members: Santiago Bunce, Vice President of Community Building at Catalyst Miami, and Lauren “LoLo” Evans, an experiential designer.
News about opportunities, initiatives
The Partnership for Philanthropic Planning, the source for education, research and advocacy for professionals who have a role in designing and implementing donors’ philanthropic plans, will host the 2015 National Conference on Philanthropic Planning on October 21st-23rd in Orlando.
The Evanston Community Foundation is now accepting applications from local residents, workers and business owners who are interested in becoming leaders in the Evanston community to participate in the foundation’s Leadership Evanston Signature class, which begins September 10th. Applications will be accepted through July 31st.
My Possibilities, a Plano-based non-profit continued education center dedicated to empowering adults with cognitive disabilities, is holding the organization’s 7th Annual HIPster Golf Classic presented by Berry Family Services. The event will take place on August 31st at Gleneagles Country Club in Plano.
The 8th Annual World Diabetes Day Luncheon, Symposium and Expo, hosted by the American Diabetes Association in North Texas, will take place November 12th at Lone Star Park.
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation is hosting their 45th Annual Legislative Conference on September 16th–20th in Washington DC. This conference, under the theme “With Liberty and Justice for All”, will examine the disparities that stifle communities and identify strategies to close the gap in education, economic empowerment, health, social justice, and more.
Over 30 local participating charities will participate in this year’s Pause for a Cause: Party with a Purpose, hosted by Children’s Bereavement Center, on October 22nd. A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit participating groups.
Soma announces its 11th bi-annual Giving is Beautiful™ Soma Bra Donation. Now through August 5th, the company will accept new and gently worn bras at all Soma boutiques across the country, as well as monetary donations at the register and online.
Little Black Dress Wines is proud to announce its partnership with the global non-profit organization Keep A Breast Foundation. Throughout the summer, Little Black Dress Wines will be kicking off the collaboration with an On-Premise Drink Pink Program, highlighting three unique drink recipes. On-Premise Accounts will have the opportunity to help Little Black Dress Wine raise additional funds for Keep a Breast by donating a portion of the proceeds from featured Little Black Dress Pink Drinks to the Keep a Breast Foundation.
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.
