Newport Beach-based Pacific Life Insurance Co.’s foundation recently granted $2.4 million, ranging from $5,000 to $100,000, to nearly 200 nonprofit agencies in Southern California.
Pacific Life sells life insurance products, annuities and mutual funds for individuals, businesses and pension plans. Pacific Life Foundation will give a total of $5.6 million for 2012. The foundation has donated $68.3 million to thousands of nonprofits since it was established in 1984.
The Mind Research Institute in Santa Ana received a $100,000 grant toward a multi-year commitment of $500,000 to support its Orange County Math Initiative program, which aims to elevate student math achievement at lower-performing Orange County K-8 schools.
Pacific Life Foundation will contribute $381,000 in direct grants to 118 Southern California K-12 schools with concentrations of children or grandchildren of Pacific Life employees.
The foundation pledged to contribute $560,000 toward marine mammal protection and education programs this year, and it will provide about $300,000 in matching funds for Pacific Life employee donations to United Way chapters throughout Southern California in 2012.
Laura’s House was awarded a $75,000 grant to support its new domestic violence shelter in South Orange County. The new facility will allow Laura’s House to serve 175 additional women and their children annually.
Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Services received a $75,000 grant to support its $2.5 million Second Step Transitional Housing Expansion capital campaign. The expansion will include eight new apartments in Fullerton for homeless families.
GroundWork group of Santa Ana, a provider of technology support for nonprofits, received $50,000.
South Coast Repertory received a $20,000 grant to underwrite the Theatre for Young Audiences, a series of three stage productions designed especially for underserved K-12 children.
Junior Achievement of Orange County and Southern California Public Radio each got $15,000 grants.
The foundation awarded $10,000 grants to 52 education nonprofits. Those included the Boys & Girls Club of Santa Ana, El Viento Foundation and others.
Ninety-five nonprofits received $10,000 grants within the health and human services category, including AccessOC and Blind Children’s Learning Center, among others. Many arts and environmental nonprofits received $10,000 grants as well.
Mission Hospital’s recent 16th annual black-tie gala at the St. Regis Monarch Beach raised $960,000 for the hospital.
About 660 guests attended the event, which featured silent and live auctions. Irvine-based Mazda North American Operations donated a 2012 Mazda Miata MX-5 Grand Touring car to the auction.
Other auction items included an Audi Sportscar Raceway “experience,” a Day with the Doctor, where the winner gets to shadow one of Mission’s emergency department physicians, a five-day trip to Paris and a nine-day South African safari.
Mission Hospital’s Chief Executive Ken-neth McFarland was on hand to thank gala sponsors, which included the title sponsor, the Nolet family, of Aliso Viejo-based Nol-et Spirits U.S.A.; Janet and Carl Nolet Jr.; and Bill Eldien and Ed Jordan.
2-1-1 Orange County in Irvine made 1,823 referrals in the 2010-11 winter season to the Orange County Armory Emer-gency Shelter program.
The emergency shelter program, run by Santa Ana-based Mercy House, provides 400 beds each night to homeless people at the National Guard armories in Fullerton and Santa Ana. Homeless people also receive meals, showers and warm cloth- ing.
The 2-1-1 nonprofit refers Orange County residents to community health and human services and support when they dial 211.
Plano, Texas-based J.C. Penney Co. donated $7,500 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove to help parents pay for the after school program.
This local grant is part of a larger multimillion-dollar sum from J.C. Penney, which benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, YMCA of the USA, National 4-H and FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology).
Irvine-based Families Forward, a nonprofit that helps low-income families find affordable housing and get access to other services, will be the benefiting charity of the Run With the Pack Timberwolf 5K run on Feb. 18 at Northwood High School in Irvine.
Last year’s run raised $7,066 for Families Forward.
This year’s presenting sponsors include Kay DeRight and Rick Simmons of Irvine-based Evergreen Realty and Associates Inc. and Mike Dunn of Coldwell Banker Platinum Properties in Irvine.
