Irvine-based Blizzard Entertainment Inc. donated $2.3 million to the American Red Cross to support ongoing relief operations in areas of the East Coast that are recovering from Hurricane Sandy.
Blizzard, a developer and publisher of entertainment software, presented the donation at its headquarters in Irvine.
The donation was raised with the help of World of Warcraft players around the world who purchased the virtual online Cinder Kitten pet for their game characters during December.
Blizzard donated 100% of the $10 “adoption fee” on every Cinder Kitten purchased to assist victims of the storm, which struck in November, leaving an estimated 85 dead and tens of billions of dollars worth of damages in its wake.
“Our players have repeatedly shown great passion and generosity when it comes to supporting important causes like this,” said Mike Morhaime, chief executive of Blizzard Entertainment.
This was the second time that Blizzard’s World of Warcraft players have “adopted” a virtual online pet to support disaster relief.
The company raised $1.9 million in similar fashion for Red Cross relief efforts in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in 2011.
Pacific Life Foundation
Pacific Life Foundation granted about $1.5 million to numerous nonprofits during an awards ceremony at its Newport Beach headquarters.
The donation is part of a larger gift of $5.6 million that the foundation of Pacific Life Insurance Co. will give to Southern California nonprofits this year.
About 150 nonprofit agencies serving Southern California attended.
One of the highlights was a presentation of the Walter B. Gerken Community Service Award, along with a $25,000 grant, to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.
To date, Pacific Life Foundation has donated $280,000 to Second Harvest, which collects and distributes food to the hungry.
The foundation said it will contribute a total of $347,500 in direct grants to 118 Southern California K-12 schools where there are concentrations of children or grandchildren of Pacific Life employees.
One of the largest single awards, $30,000, went to California State University, Fullerton’s Center for Insurance Studies, which will help fund operations for the undergraduate insurance/actuary program at the Mihaylo College of Business and Economics.
Next Generation
Newport Beach-based Orange County Community Foundation’s Next Generation group granted $31,000 to local nonprofits.
The Next Generation group, made up of emerging professionals and volunteers in OC, chose nonprofits that serve the health and education needs of at-risk children.
Members contributed to the project, and the Orange County Community Foundation provided matching funds.
Grant recipients included the Vietnamese Children’s Asthma Project, the CHOC Breathmobile and others.
Boeing Employees
Chicago-based Boeing Co. gave a $30,000 grant to Santa Ana-based Science@OC, an organization that helps improve education in science, technology, engineering and math.
These career fields—known collectively as STEM—are facing a shortage of educated workers.
The grant will support Science@OC’s Orange County Middle School Science Initiative, designed to improve science education for more than 40,000 Orange County middle school students.
The Boeing Co.’s California employees—in another, unrelated donation—gave $420,000 to organizations that help veterans, including Veterans Village of San Diego, New Directions and others.
Boeing has about 20,000 employees at more than 50 locations in California, including several facilities in Orange County locations.
Oscars for Alzheimer’s
Kimera restaurant in Irvine is planning an Oscar viewing party on Feb. 24 to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association.
Guests will be the stars as they arrive on the red carpet to have their photos taken by faux paparazzi. There will also be tango dance performances, auctions and raffles.
Tickets are $75, $85 and $100.
