The Daily Tell

In recognition of October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the Verizon Foundation announced that it has donated $1.5 million in grants to California nonprofits to benefit domestic violence education, advocacy, support and prevention initiatives across the state.

"The impact of domestic violence is devastating and universal: It can impact anyone regardless of race or income level, said Tim McCallion, region president of Verizon West. "These partnerships allow us to continue to use our resources to support organizations that have a proven record of success in domestic violence awareness, prevention, and survivor support."

The contributions include a $300,000 grant to support the Commitment to End Abuse of Seniors and Elders program in San Francisco, $70,000 to benefit the Domestic Violence Reporting & Referral Project at Oakland’s Alameda Family Justice Center, $50,000 to support the Domestic Violence Solutions emergency shelter program in Santa Barbara, and $30,000 to benefit the Stop Partner Abuse/Domestic Violence Program at the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center.

Other funded initiatives include the Career Transitions Program at the Jenesse Center in Los Angeles, which received $250,000 to provide domestic abuse survivors with internet and computer training to help build their job skills; the Sisters Achieving Self Sufficiency Program from My Sister’s House in Sacramento, which received $40,000 to fund their efforts to stabilize the lives of domestic violence survivors; and the Boys Council and Girls Circle initiative from Temecula’s Safe Alternatives for Everyone program, which received $54,000 to prevent young people from engaging in at-risk behavior.

Domestic violence awareness is a major focus of Verizon’s philanthropic activities, a cause to which the company has contributed more than $5 million in the past three years.

The fact that the America’s Giving Challenge is drawing to a close did not deter the W.K. Kellogg Foundation from making a last-minute donation to mobilize participation, in the form of a $75,000 grant.

The Challenge, a national online competition awarding $50,000 to the participating cause that receives the most donations, lasts until November 6 and has already generated 55,850 donations and more than $1.1 million dollars.

"America’s Giving Challenge offers a tremendous opportunity to raise funds and awareness for nonprofit organizations at a time when the communities we care about, including children and families, have never been in greater need of their services," said Anne Mosle, vice president for programs at the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

The grant from the Kellogg Foundation will raise the prize money to $245,000 by creating five additional awards, bringing the total number of awards up to 12 – one $50,000 prize, two $25,000 prizes, nine $10,000 prizes, and three daily awards of $1,500, $1,000 and $500.

The challenge is fueled in part by the growing popularity of social networking sites such as Facebook, as it operates exclusively through the "causes" application on that website. Challenge participants can create a cause on Facebook, donate to other causes, and encourage their Facebook friends to donate as well.

"We hope that collaborating with our colleagues in these efforts will not only encourage more innovation by all the participants in their fundraising efforts, but ultimately spark a larger movement of nonprofits leveraging technology to reach new audiences and inspire civic action," said Mosle.

America’s Giving Challenge exemplifies the potential of social networking and other social media platforms to build awareness and support for nonprofit causes, a trend that has been growing in popularity, according to a recent study from Sage.

The United Spinal Association announced the formation of VetsFirst, a new national nonprofit organization to help disabled veterans and their families receive government benefits.

VetsFirst will help disabled veterans, their spouses, dependent family members and survivors receive healthcare, compensation, rehabilitation and other benefits offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. It will also supply the veterans’ community with guidance on education and employment, as well as legal representation in VA claims and appeals.

"VetsFirst will offer the same high level of service and personal approach it has become known for, while expanding to provide for the needs of veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," said Paul J. Tobin, president and chief executive of the United Spinal Association.

The new organization will embrace all generations of veterans, including those living with post-traumatic stress disorders, traumatic brain injuries, toxic exposures and those who are at increased risk of diseases such as multiple sclerosis and ALS. The group says that advocating for older veterans and their changing needs, as well as female veterans and their particular health concerns, will be high priorities.

One of the new organization’s offerings will be AskVetsFirst, a web-based service that offers veterans a chance to get assistance with benefits-related inquiries online. Visitors may submit questions using an online form, and a trained national service officer or attorney will respond.

"We’re serving a very large membership with our holistic approach. When their families are taken care of veterans recover faster," said VetsFirst senior vice president Leonard Selfon.

The United Spinal Association was founded in 1946 and is based in Jackson Heights, New York. It was started by a group of World War Two veterans to help veterans with spinal cord injuries live independent lives.

The Washington State Library gave a $50,000 grant to the King County Library System (KCLS) to develop an online resource center for struggling small business owners and entrepreneurs.

The online resource center, called InfoBiz, will offer streaming videos, tutorials and podcasts on demand, detailing business strategies, resources and concepts presented by local business experts. In addition, KCLS librarians will create online videos and tutorials to teach small business owners to use the library’s resources for their own business needs.

"By making useful information easily accessible online at any time, InfoBiz will resolve a variety of obstacles and connect small business owners with the assistance they need," The Washington State Library wrote.

Topics under consideration for InfoBiz online videos and tutorials making a business a plan, finding and keeping customers in hard times, collection strategies for small businesses, funding a start-up, using library materials for market research, marketing a small business through online social networking, and information on various partner agencies that offer assistance to small businesses.

"The on-demand videos will be more convenient for users, allowing them to view subjects when and where they choose," the state library noted.

Support for the grant came from the Renew Washington Project funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The Gates Foundation originally awarded the money to the Washington State Library, who gave the money to the King County Library System as a sub-grant.

The Washington State Library is a division of the Office of the Secretary of State. It was founded in 1853 and is located in Olympia. Using its one-year $400,000 grant from the Gates Foundation, the library will work with 17 public libraries to improve career resources for patrons.

The City of Atlanta announced a new public-private partnership that offers rewards from national and local retailers to residents who recycle.

Under the pilot program, 10,000 households will receive 96-gallon blue containers retrofitted with an ID tag with the resident’s household address and an account number from rewards partner RecycleBank. The ID cards will be readable by retrofitted city trucks, and will allow the city to track changes in the amount of recyclables collected from participating households. Upon activating their account, households will begin to earn points redeemable for rewards, gift cards, groceries, and products at hundreds of local reward partners.

"Incentive-based recycling will help us to meet our recycling and sustainability goals while giving something back to our residents," said Shirley Franklin, Mayor of Atlanta.

Rewards partners will include national brands and retailers such as Coca-Cola, Kraft Foods, Bed, Publix, CVS Pharmacy and Bed, Bath and Beyond, as well as a number of local restaurants.

Coca-Cola Enterprises, housed in Atlanta, funded the purchase of the blue recycling carts used in the pilot program.

The City of Atlanta said that the new partnership is a prime example of its efforts to increase the number of recyclables going to productive end uses rather than to area landfills.

"During today’s recession and economic climate, saving money on groceries, on clothing, or at the pharmacy translates to great value. We have found a way to provide real financial rewards and help the environment at the same time," said Franklin.

The City of Atlanta Recycling Program is managed by the Department of Public Works and the Office of Solid Waste Services. In addition to promoting and supporting new recycling initiatives and programs, the program educates city employees and the public about waste reduction and recycling opportunities.

The City of Atlanta announced a new pilot public-private partnership that offers rewards from national and local retailers to residents who recycle.

Under the pilot program, 10,000 households will receive 96-gallon blue containers retrofitted with an ID tag with the resident’s household address and an account number from rewards partner RecycleBank. The ID cards will be readable by retrofitted city trucks, and will allow the city to track changes in the amount of recyclables collected from participating households. Upon activating their account, households will begin to earn points redeemable for rewards, gift cards, groceries, and products at hundreds of local reward partners.

"Incentive-based recycling will help us to meet our recycling and sustainability goals while giving something back to our residents," said Shirley Franklin, Mayor of Atlanta.

Rewards partners will include national brands and retailers such as Coca-Cola, Kraft Foods, Bed, Publix, CVS Pharmacy and Bed, Bath and Beyond, as well as a number of local restaurants.

Coca-Cola Enterprises, housed in Atlanta, funded the purchase of the blue recycling carts used in the pilot program.

The City of Atlanta said that the new partnership is a prime example of its efforts to increase the number of recyclables going to productive end uses rather than to area landfills.

"During today’s recession and economic climate, saving money on groceries, on clothing, or at the pharmacy translates to great value. We have found a way to provide real financial rewards and help the environment at the same time," said Franklin.

The City of Atlanta Recycling Program is managed by the Department of Public Works and the Office of Solid Waste Services. In addition to promoting and supporting new recycling initiatives and programs, the program educates city employees and the public about waste reduction and recycling opportunities.

General Electric’s philanthropic wing has announced that it is developing a new program to provide grant funding and "employee engagement" to healthcare centers across the country.

The "Developing Health" program, which will be headed by the GE Foundation, will utilize $25 million in funding over the course of the next three years to help and improve the ability for selected healthcare centers to provide primary care as well as access to quality healthcare.

It will be accomplished by improving access to primary care for underserved populations through grants and volunteering from GE employees, a similar model that has been used previously by the organization for its "Developing Health Globally" program.

According to GE vice chairman John Rice, the new initiative will be addressing a very important issue in healthcare, especially given the recent prioritization by President Barack Obama to reform the process.
"While the nation wrestles with the tough issues of healthcare reform for the country, the tens of millions of people who don`t have access today can`t wait," he said. "We can make a real, positive difference by supporting health centers like Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center in the work that they do to serve the needs of their community."

The program will initially be launched in New York City at four health centers: the Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center, Urban Health Plan Inc., Brownsville Multi-Service Family Health Center, and Charles B. Wang Community Health Center.

Saying that healthcare was a "priority" for all Americans, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg credited GE with its decision to help aid communities in need

"At a time when the topic of healthcare is such a priority for all Americans, the GE Foundation continues to improve the lives of others through their generosity," he added.

Since its founding in 1953, the GE Foundation had aided a number of non-profit organizations for charitable, scientific, and educational purposes, ranging from the United Negro College Fund to the Twin Towers Fund.

The California Community Foundation (CCF) has announced that it will award $2.03 million in grants to community organizations to help improve participation in the 2010 Census as well as other initiatives.

The foundation, which has been a source of charitable giving throughout the state since its formation in 1915, will devote $1.23 million of the grant funding to 12 nonprofit organizations as part of its census outreach initiative. Grants will also be awarded to organizations that specialize in immigrant integration and empower baby boomer immigrants to utilize their talents to their greatest ability.

Organizations such as the Centro Latino for Literacy and Puente Learning Center will each receive immigrant integration grants of $150,000. They will be awarded over the course of two years.
The Filipino American Service Group and Jewish Family Service of Los Angeles were among the organizations that received community experience partnerships, which each consisted of $120,000 that would be awarded over the course of three years.

Among the 12 organizations that received the largest 10-month Census outreach grants were the Asian Pacific American Legal Center and the Central American Resource Center, each of which received $200,000 in grants. No group received less than $60,000 in grant funding from the foundation.

"There are so many misperceptions around the census that keep people from participating, especially among underserved communities of color." said Antonia Hernandez, president and CEO at the foundation. "In these times of dire need, it is critical that they participate not only to become active members of civic society but also to ensure L.A. County receives the federal dollars for services that correspond to our vast population."

The grant awards by the California Community Foundation comes as part of its new strategic plan that prioritized grant giving to a group of priority areas that need it the most throughout the state, according to its website.

The David and Lucile B. Packard Foundation will donate up to $100 million to the expansion of the children’s hospital at Stanford University that bears their name. The Lucile Packard Children’s hospital wants to add 104 new beds and make more cutting-edge treatment options available to local kids in Palo Alto.

The foundation says that it will initially donate $50 million to the hospital, but the other $50 million will be part of a challenge grant that will be paid on a 1:2 basis. (This means that, for every $2 donated by other organizations, the Packard Foundation will donate $1.) The total amount of funds raised for the hospital could therefore total $200 million if the entire challenge grant is met.

Carol Larson, the president of the foundation, said that "[t]his gift is an investment in our children’s health, today and in the years to come. As a foundation born out of Silicon Valley, we are committed to making the Bay Area a healthy place for kids to grow up, as well as an innovator in pediatric medicine. That vision is at the heart of the hospital’s expansion, and we are proud to help make it possible"

The Packard Foundation was created in 1964 by David Packard, who co-founded Hewlett-Packard with Bill Hewlett in 1939. The foundation’s giving is divided in to three primary branches: Conservation and Science, Population and Reproductive Health, and Children, Families and Communities. Donations totaled $342 million in 2008, but economic conditions will push 2009’s total lower, to $276 million, though the foundation did enter 2009 worth $4.65 billion.

Retail property realtor Simon Property Group and the nonprofit National Crime Prevention Council announced a joint crime prevention campaign that will take place in approximately 185 malls nationwide.

The new initiative, called Circle of Respect, will first take aim at bullying and harassment, and then expand its scope to include vandalism, theft, dating violence, alcohol, drug abuse and other criminal behaviors. The campaign will include statements by noted authors, door clings at mall entrances, tent cards at food court tables, hand-out information at guest services desks and an online pledge.

"The Circle of Respect will be incorporated into all of Simon’s core security program materials, including year-round mall safety tip signage across the country," said Simon vice president Russ Tuttle.

Simon and the Council say that Rosaline Wiseman, author of Queenbees and Wannabees, Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out, and Dr. William Pollack, author of Real Boys’ Voices will all play a role in promoting the campaign on a national level.

The property group began promoting Circle of Respect this summer by distributing wristbands to thousands of teens during dTOUR Live brand-sponsored concerts and interactive events.

"The malls represent an important part of our community where people go to shop, dine, and be entertained in a safe, secure environment," said National Crime Prevention Council president and chief executive Ann M. Harkins.

The National Crime Prevention Council was founded in 1982 and is based in Arlington, Virginia. It is the home of McGruff the Crime Dog. Simon Property Group, an S&P 500 company, is the largest public U.S. real estate company. It was founded in 1993 and is based in Indianapolis, Indiana.