The Irvine-based Hausman Family Foundation donated an $80,000 matching grant that will be given over a three-year period to St. Mary’s School in Aliso Viejo.
St. Mary’s is a private elementary school offering curriculum that helps prepare students for global business through the study of foreign languages and global cultures.
The grant will be matched by Irvine-based Center for Learning to fund a classroom equipped with iPads and desktop computers and software, as well as staff. The classroom is designed to help kids with dyslexia and other learning disabilities.
Center for Learning helps assess children’s learning styles and educational needs.
The late mother of foundation representative John Hausman was diagnosed with dyslexia in elementary school and was the inspiration for the organization. Hausman’s mother helped Hausman get beyond his own dyslexia.
Orange-based Roth Staffing Cos. donated $1,000 apiece to 10 charities chosen through a contest. Roth employees and customers were invited to tell a story about their favorite cause.
The chosen charities include: The Painted Turtle, a Santa Monica-based camp for kids with serious illnesses; Be The Match, a Minneapolis-based bone marrow registry; American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life; Living Water International, a Houston-based program that helps poor communities get clean water; and several others.
Los Angeles-based S. Mark Taper Foundation granted $20,000 to help AccessOC offer free healthcare to uninsured people in need.
Under a Laguna Niguel-based umbrella organization, Health Funders Partnership of Orange County, AccessOC provides healthcare services in partnership with organizations, including Newport Beach-based Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Orange-based St. Joseph Health System, St. Jude Medical Center in Fullerton and Mission Viejo-based Mission Hospital.
Newport Beach-based Orange County Community Foundation has granted $2,500 to the Never Give Up Foundation, a nonprofit inspired by Jessica Joy Rees, a 12-year-old girl who died of brain cancer.
The money will go toward Jessica’s ambitions of distributing to sick kids some 50,000 “JoyJars,” stuffed with stuffed animals, rubber ducks, gift cards, stickers, candy and a Joy Jar T-shirt.
The Community Foundation chose the charity in a Facebook contest.
Jessica’s father, Erik Rees, is a pastor at Saddleback Church and posted the contest on Jessica’s Facebook. Almost half of the 6,600 votes cast were for the NEGU Foundation. The Community Foundation presented the grant to Erik and Stacey Rees.
Santa Ana-based Goodwill of Orange County’s Boots to Suits veterans program is giving veterans and active military members $50 toward clothing and accessories to help them prepare for employment.
Goodwill said it’s responding to the increasing need for veteran support as thousands of troops return to Orange County from their military service overseas.
Vets and military members can redeem the $50 voucher at any of the 20 Goodwill stores in Orange County.
Local residents are encouraged to help support the program by donating business attire in good condition to their local Goodwill stores or donation centers.
“As veterans move from military to civilian roles, they face a strained economy and massive unemployment rates,” said Corrine Allen, vice president of retail operations for Goodwill of Orange County.
Saks Fifth Avenue at South Coast Plaza will give 5% of February in-store purchases made with a Saks Fifth Avenue credit card to charity.
Customers will be able to choose among several charities, including: Children’s Hospital of Orange County, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, National Charity League Inc.’s Newport Beach chapter and Segerstrom Center for the Arts.
Also, 5% of online purchases made with a Saks credit card will be donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
