News about grants, gifts
Jennifer and Martin “Marty” Flanagan of Atlanta made an $800,000 contribution to Southern Methodist University, raising the total of their recent gifts to the University’s arts management graduate program to $1 million. For more information, visit www.smu.edu/meadows.
Reed Hastings announced a $2 million gift to the nonprofit Rocketship Education to support its Bay Area growth over the next three years. The gift will serve as the pace-setter in a $17 million dollar project to raise student success and close the achievement gap in selected communities across the country.
The Manhattan-based Nathan Cummings Foundation launched its annual Fellowship program, which provides funding and infrastructure to three visionary ideas aimed at addressing issues related to the foundation’s focus areas of economic inequality and climate change.
The Mutual of Omaha Foundation has announced 19 grants totaling $1.43 million this quarter. This list along with descriptions of each project can be found on the Foundation’s website at www.mutualofomahafoundation.org.
Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. announced that its Sears Outlet Stores, Sears Appliance & Hardware Stores and Sears Home Appliance Showrooms nationwide raised $522,029 for Make-A-Wish during the 2014 holiday season. Visit Make-A-Wish to learn more.
Levi Strauss & Co. announced a partnership with The Pollination Project to award $75,000 to heroes under age 22 who are working on environmental problems and solutions, anywhere in the world – in their country, community, or their own backyards.
The Yale Stem Cell Center, under the direction of biologist Haifan Lin, received a $1.86 million grant from the Li Ka Shing Foundation (LKSF), founded by Hong Kong businessman Li Ka-shing to support education and healthcare initiatives. For more information, click here.
The Snelling Center for Government is now accepting applications for the Vermont Leadership Institute. To learn more, visit www.snellingcenter.org.
The Lebermann Foundation of Austin has committed $1.5 million to create two endowments at The University of Texas at Austin honoring the parents of former Austin civic leader Lowell Lebermann. For more, click here.
ANN INC., the parent Company of Ann Taylor and LOFT, raised a record-breaking $5.6 million in 2014 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, bringing the Company’s total commitment since 2007 to more than $26 million.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) and the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA!) received a $250,000 donation from Sam’s Club to help transform middle and high school students into confident entrepreneurs.
News about people, groups
The University Area Community Development Corporation (UACDC) recently recognized the Couch Family Foundation for its continued support of the organization’s STEPS for Success program.
Virginia Tech appointed Rachel Dorman as an annual giving officer in the Office of University Development. For more, click here.
CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) of Los Angeles has broadened its management team with the addition of new Volunteer Recruitment and Outreach Director Camrin Christensen. For more information, please visit the CASA of Los Angeles website.
The 25th anniversary of the Harlem Educational Activities Fund fell on Monday, February 23rd. To learn more, visit www.heaf.org.
Lindt USA announced its seventh-year partnership with Autism Speaks to raise funds and awareness for autism throughout the upcoming Easter season.
AbilityFirst welcomes Joanne Kim, President and Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors for CBB Bank, to the nonprofit’s Board of Directors. To learn more, go to AbilityFirst.
The board of directors of RotaCare Bay Area, an organization with twelve free medical clinics in the greater Bay Area, has elected Toritsesan Boyo, Denise Kent, Michael Lee and David Morgan to its board
of directors. As well as John Thomas to a two-year term as its president and has named senior non-profit executive, Augustine Gill as its chief executive officer. For more, click here.
The Boston Globe Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, presented by the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, recently announced the winners of its 2015 program distinguishing Massachusetts’s top teenage artists and writers. These nearly 2,000 young writers and artists will be recognized. The winners of the national contest will be announced March 16 on www.artandwriting.org.
The Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutic has announced it will award Professor Stephen Hawking with the 2015 “Beacon of Courage and Dedication Award.” Follow this link for more.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Gates Foundation Co-Chair Melinda Gates and Clinton Foundation Vice Chair Chelsea Clinton will join global and community leaders for the official release of the No Ceilings Full Participation Report on Monday, March 9, in New York City. The event will coincide with the start of the 59th session of the United Nations’ Commission on the Status of Women.
News about opportunities, initiatives
Sam Childers, the inspiration for the 2011 movie Machine Gun Preacher, is raffling off two custom motorcycles to benefit his Angels of East Africa (AOEA) humanitarian organization. Only 5,000 raffle tickets will be sold. To purchase tickets or make a donation, please click here or call the AOEA office at (814)-754-5702. The raffle will culminate with a live, public drawing on Wednesday, April 1, 2015 at Angels of East Africa’s United States headquarters in Central City, Pennsylvania.
The National Association for Music Education (NAfME) has launched a new Associate membership program that offers private teachers, professional musicians, parents, community leaders, and others an opportunity to partner with classroom-based music educators all across the country.
On Thursday, February 19, over 50 residents, local leaders and community based organizations attended the first training for Legacy Foundation’s Neighborhood Spotlight program at IBEW Local Union 697 in Merrillville, Ind. Learn more at www.legacyfdn.org.
SunEdison, Inc., the world’s largest renewable energy development company, hosted its first-ever Social Innovations summit on February 24 in New York. To learn more visit www.sunedison.com.
In Augusta, Ga., GRU Cancer Center is launching c-CARE, its cancer Community Awareness Access Research and Education initiative. Georgia Regents University Cancer and the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation are working to reduce the lung cancer burden by promoting disease awareness prevention, education and access to care. To learn more, visit Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation website.
Newstarter (www.newstarter.com) is a new crowdsourcing platform that has partnered with Hope’s Door in launching 50K for 50 Shades.
Islamorada Resort Company, comprised of Amara Cay Resort, Postcard Inn Beach Resort at Holiday Isle, Pelican Cove Resort & Marina, and La Siesta Resort, has announced a partnership with the Coral Restoration Foundation (CRF) to raise funds for the organization. For more information on CRF, visit www.coralrestoration.org.
United Way Worldwide joins Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) and Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) in an effort to combat modern day slavery. The End Modern Slavery Initiative Act of 2015, would authorize an historic increase in support for anti-human trafficking efforts. For more information about United Way, please visit UnitedWay.org.
Cydcor, the global leader in outsourced sales, announced its continued relationship with Operation Smile as its charity of choice. To help support Cydcor’s fundraising efforts, visit www.operationsmile.org/cydcor.
The Rise Up Foundation released a report on literacy today, synthesizing research by leading literacy scholars and examining the impact of emerging media on reader engagement. You can download the report at riseupfoundation.org/a-question-of-literacy.
AmeriCares is supplying medication for 60,000 uninsured Americans suffering from cardiovascular disease in recognition of American Heart Month. For more information, visit americares.org.
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