Compiled by Kelly Ryan
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation donated $450,000 to several groups at the Neighborhood Excellence Initiative awards. Project Access and El Puente Community Development Corp. received $200,000 each along with a Neighborhood Builder award. Project Access teaches people self-sufficiency and provides health and social services.
Heritage Pointe raised $250,000 in scholarship money for the 200-resident Jewish senior housing complex in Mission Viejo. The event was themed “from beach to Broadway” and featured Gary Beach, who won a Tony award for his role in “The Producers.” He headlined the entertainment with a one-man musical show about his life and experiences in film and theater.
Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America Inc. gave $150,000 to Children’s Hospital of Orange County. Hyundai launched its New Hyundai Scholars Pediatric Cancer Fellowship Program with a check presentation to the CHOC Cancer Institute. The program funds research positions at top pediatric cancer centers.
The Quiksilver Foundation raised more than $65,000 for the November Prostate Cancer Research Initiative. During the month of November, Quiksilver employees grew mustaches to raise funds for prostate cancer research. Quiksilver had the largest participating team and raised the most money for the cause.
The Fullerton-based Eye Care Center at the Southern California College of Optometry received $60,000 from the Weingart Foundation. A vision clinic will be opened at the Orange County Rescue Mission’s new site in Tustin. Additionally, the Bank of America Charitable Foundation gave the Eye Care Center $25,000 to provide outreach and vision care to OC’s Hispanic population.
The Avon Foundation awarded a $50,000 grant to the California Chapter 4, American Academy of Pediatrics Injury and Violence Prevention Program. The money will be used to provide training and technical assistance to staff providing counseling and support to high-risk families.
The SOS Adopt a Family Festival of Trees raised $25,000 for OC families. Children from Newport Harbor High School’s Magellan Academy decorated a Christmas tree. Student volunteers assisted children with activities and crafts. Share Our Selves provides for the needs of those living in poverty in OC.
The Newport Beach-based Pimco Foundation, the charitable arm of Newport Beach-based Pacific Investment Management Co., donated $20,000 to support expansion of Big Brothers Big Sisters of OC Santa Ana elementary school programs. The school programs match high school volunteers with younger children in need of tutoring, games and other relationship-building activities.
The Newport Beach office of Brown-Forman donated $20,000 to the United Way’s Southern California Wildfires Relief Fund. Gifts to
the fund support services to help meet the basic needs of families affected by last year’s
wildfires.
San Clemente-based Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. celebrated the opening of its first OC restaurant at Anaheim GardenWalk with a $13,000 donation to Orangewood Children’s Foundation. Orangewood is a nonprofit that seeks to eliminate child abuse and neglect. Since the opening of the first Bubba Gump restaurant in 1996, the company has donated a portion of its opening day sales to local nonprofits.
The Costa Mesa-based Segerstrom Foundation awarded $12,500 to Vanguard University in support of the Vision 2010 Lyceum Theater refurbishment project. The planned Lyceum upgrades include the expansion of the lobby and backstage area, additional patron facilities and new lighting and sound equipment.
The Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness presented $10,000 to Kurt Suhr for his efforts to pilot a new approach to reintroduce physical education to elementary schools. Suhr is principal of Newport Heights Elementary. The goal of the Governor’s Council is to get Californians of all ages to be more active.
The Vons Foundation donated $10,000 to Elwyn California. Elwyn is a Fountain Valley-based community rehabilitation program that provides employment and support services to adults with disabilities. The funds will be used to buy tables and chairs for the Work Activity Program.
The Wells Fargo Foundation made a $10,000 grant to Neighborhood Housing Services in Anaheim. The money funded a forum for at-risk borrowers facing foreclosure. The foundation also gave $2,500 each to the Dana Point Ocean Institute and the Surfrider Foundation.
Cypress-based Yamaha Motor Corporation USA gave $5,000 to Feed the Children. Yamaha employees raised the money through fundraisers.
