Bloomberg Gives Billion-Dollar Gift to Johns Hopkins

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By DouglasPosted In: ChildFund International

Bloomberg Philanthropies has made a groundbreaking $1 billion gift to Johns Hopkins University, revolutionizing medical education and expanding access to healthcare careers. This transformative donation will make medical school tuition-free for most students and increase financial aid for nursing and public health programs.

Starting fall 2024, Johns Hopkins will offer free tuition to medical students from families who earn less that $300,000 annually, a category which covers 95% of Americans. Students from families earning up to $175,000 will also receive support for living expenses and fees.

Michael Bloomberg, founder of Bloomberg Philanthropies, emphasized the importance of addressing the shortage of healthcare professionals and declining life expectancy in the U.S. This gift aims to remove financial barriers, enabling more students to pursue their passion in healthcare. This donation will also increase financial aid for students in nursing, public health, and other graduate programs at Johns Hopkins, ensuring top talent from diverse backgrounds can access these critical fields.

This gift builds on Bloomberg’s previous $1.8 billion donation in 2018, which significantly increased economic diversity in Johns Hopkins’ undergraduate programs. Bloomberg’s generosity is set to transform healthcare education, potentially inspiring similar initiatives nationwide and addressing critical healthcare challenges facing the country.

Melinda French Gates Pledges $1 Billion to Women and Families

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By DouglasPosted In: ChildFund International

Melinda French Gates has pledged to donate $1 billion over the next two years to support women and families worldwide, with a focus on reproductive rights. French Gates emphasized her commitment to advocating for women and girls, particularly in the face of increasing abortion restrictions in many states. She highlighted the financial struggles of organizations fighting for women’s rights and expressed her desire to help level the playing field.

Motivated by the racial gap in women’s mortality rates and the rise in political violence against women, French Gates has committed $200 million to enhance the efforts of organizations protecting women’s rights. Additionally, she plans to partner with 12 global leaders, including Jacinda Ardern, Allyson Felix, and Shabana Basij-Rasikh, each receiving $20 million to improve women’s health both in the U.S. and internationally.

French Gates recently announced her decision to step down from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to focus on her new philanthropic efforts. She expressed pride in the foundation’s achievements and reaffirmed her dedication to addressing global inequities. The foundation, launched in 2000 by Melinda and Bill Gates, has been a significant force in global health, with Bill Gates donating approximately $35.8 billion in Microsoft stock since its inception.

In 2021, Melinda and Bill Gates ended their 27-year marriage but remained committed to the foundation’s mission.

Burger King Employee is Gifted with a Home

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By DouglasPosted In: ChildFund International

Kevin Ford, a Burger King employee who went viral for his perfect attendance record over 27 years, has used donations from generous supporters to buy a new home in Western Nevada. Ford shared this joyful update on December 29th through TikTok and Instagram, expressing heartfelt gratitude to those who made his dream of homeownership a reality.

In his video, Ford showcased his new house in Pahrump, Nevada. “I’m trying to get through without crying but I wanted to show you something, something you made possible,” he said. “I know it’s not a mansion, but it’s mine.”

Ford’s journey to fame began in June 2022 when a video of him receiving a modest gift from his management for his unbroken service went viral. The outpouring of support that followed led his daughter, Seryna, to start a GoFundMe campaign, which has since raised nearly $450,000.

With these funds, Ford purchased his new home and expressed deep appreciation in his video. “I want to thank everyone all around the world for what you’ve done for me, something I have never thought would be possible for me: homeownership,” he said. “Now my kids and my grandkids have someplace to come visit me.”

Ford also used part of the donations to buy his dream car and support his family, including helping his daughter purchase a house. He continues to work at Burger King and enjoys the peaceful drive from his new home. Looking ahead, Ford hopes to save enough to open his own small restaurant one day.

Reflecting on his journey, Ford shared a message of hope: “If you have lost faith in your God, your beliefs or just life, you can hold me up as an example. Just look at what the world has done for a perfect stranger.”

Haunted House Fundraiser

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By DouglasPosted In: Charity Activity, Education

15 years ago, Kim Steffenhagen was looking for ways to bring Halloween joy to her son, Kristian. Kristian is on the autism spectrum and found traditional trick-or-treating challenging.  So Steffenhagen decided to turn their Boyertown, PA residence into a captivating haunted house. Year after year, the haunted displays grew in scale, and now Kristian actively participates as one of the 20 actors who contribute to the spooky fun. Steffenhagen describes the haunted house as as fun and scary, but not too scary.  Their home has drawn thousands of visitors in past years.

Instead of charging an entrance fee, Steffenhagen asks for donations from those who visit. This year, they have partnered with Tyler’s Ride, a nonprofit founded by Tyler Dierolf’s parents in memory of their son who tragically lost his life in 2015. Recognizing Tyler’s passion for the trade and his giving nature, Tyler’s Ride supports individuals pursuing careers in the trade industry by offering scholarships. Mark Dierolf, Tyler’s father encourages friends and neighbors to visit this spooky celebration that combines Halloween fun with a heartfelt cause.

Press Forward Fights Against News Deserts

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By DouglasPosted In: Charity ActivityTagged:

The MacArthur Foundation has joined together with the Ford Foundation, Knight Foundation, Hewlett Foundation, and Carnegie Corporation of New York, as well as several other philanthropic organizations to rejuvenate local news coverage in regions that have been identified as “news deserts”. “Press Forward” is a five-year, $500 million initiative that seeks to address the crisis in local news.

The past few years have witnessed the closing of over 2,500 newspapers, leading to increased corruption and decreased voter participation.  Approximately one-fifth on the American population does not have steady access to reliable local news.

The goal of “Press Forward” is to develop sustainable funding models for journalism, aiming to support existing organizations and foster the emergence of new ones. Press Forward aims to accelerate innovative solutions in the journalism industry and bring other philanthropic organizations and digital platforms on board, with a potential target of $1 billion over five years. While for-profit news outlets may receive some funding, their ownership and business practices will be scrutinized. The philanthropic support is characterized as “seed money” to encourage innovation and ensure the delivery of local news to all American communities.

Jimmy Butler Helps Ukraine at the US Open

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By DouglasPosted In: Charity Activity, Charity in Sports

NBA All-Star, Jimmy Butler took his talents to tennis’ U.S. Open to raise money for humanitarian relief in Ukraine.

The 6 foot 7 forward from the Miami Heat joined up with American tennis great, Frances Tiafoe to play a doubles match against Spanish player Carlos Alcaraz and singer-songwriter Sebastian Yatra.

The foursome raised $320,000 to help those suffering in Ukraine, which was invaded by Russia in February of 2022.

The US Open began on August 22 in Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens NY. In addition to Butler, Tennis fans enjoyed seeing familiar faces like Gabriela Sabatini, John McEnroe, and others who participated in Stars of the Open, a series of fun exhibitions that took place prior to the Open.

Does mood impact giving?

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By DouglasPosted In: Charity Activity

A study out of the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Georgia Institute of Technology found that people who are in good moods are more likely to donate to charitable causes.

According to AP News, the study analyzed Twitter posts made by donors both before and after they made a donation. Evidence pointed to the fact the donor’s mood had improved shortly before the donation was made.

Assistant professor Casey Wichman, explained, “It suggests that rather than this conventional notion that people give because it makes them feel good about themselves for doing the right thing, we found that people were in a good mood prior to donating, and that’s potentially the causal factor for why they decided to give”.

Charities could use this concept to their advantage, reaching out to donors at specific times such as birthdays and holidays when they are likely to be in a good mood. Using a donor’s good mood to their advantage could help nonprofits who are still recovering from the effects if Covid-19.  CEO of Charity Navigator, Michael Thatcher, continues to prompt charitable organizations to experiment carefully and stay focused on their mission. He said, “I think we need to be trying new things right now because there is donor fatigue, … (but) don’t try every new fad.”

Taylor Swifts Donates to Community Food Banks in Eras Tour Cities

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By DouglasPosted In: Charity Activity, Feeding America, Poverty

Taylor Swift is delighting the country with her 2023 Eras Tour – but it’s not just her music that is bringing joy to fans. Swift has been making generous donations to food banks in every city where she performs.

During a two-night stint in Detroit, Swift, age 33, made a large donation to Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan. Gleaners representative, Kristin Sokul, said, “Taylor Swift’s support of food banks across the country comes at such a critical time for so many emergency food providers — when resources are down, and need is up… The space in her heart will empower households across Southeast Michigan to live happier, healthier lives and elevate the important issue of food security so others who have the ability to help can be inspired by her example. The entire Gleaners team is so grateful for this incredible gift.”.

Swift’s donation to Denver’s Food Bank of the Rockies was enough to purchase 75,000 meals. Donations such as these are crucial – Feeding America claims that 34 million people in the US are currently dealing with food insecurity. Chief marketing officer for Food Bank of the Rockies, Aditi Desai, said, “We’ve been able to meet the increased demand thanks to the generosity of individuals like Taylor Swift. Her gift will help fuel our work across the Rockies and allow us to distribute more food to our communities. I was shocked and then thrilled by the news! We are grateful for her inspired support in answering the challenge of hunger.”

Miranda Family Fund Supports Diversity in the Theater

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Lin Manuel Miranda, creator of the Broadway hit, “Hamilton” is on a mission to increase diversity in theaters across the United States.

The Miranda Family Fund has donated money to build the R.I.S.E. Theater Network. R.I.S.E stands for Representation, Inclusion and Support for Employment, and its goal is to help theater professionals from diverse backgrounds find jobs as producers, managers, and stagehands.

 

According to Miranda, “R.I.S.E. is really about making sure that the beautiful mosaic of people you see — if you see a production of ‘Hamilton’ or you see a production of ‘MJ (The Musical)’ or ‘Fat Ham’ on Broadway — is also reflected backstage, that it’s not just the folks in front of the footlights, because there are incredibly talented practitioners and carpenters and makeup designers and wardrobe folks who also deserve that shot.”

A study by the Asian American Performers Action Coalition revealed that in 2018-2019, 100% of general managers and 94% of the producers on Broadway were white, as were 90% of the lead roles in plays, and 80% of the lead roles in musicals.

R.I.S.E. is set to publish a directory of 1,000 diverse theater professionals, helping them to gain visibility by those doing the hiring. The directory will be available for free to the theater community.

Set and production designer Wilson Chin, is hopeful that R.I.S.E. will succeed. “People keep saying, ‘We can’t find anyone,’ but we’re out there, we just have to be found. Having us all in one place is great for us to be seen.”

Lego Foundation Awards Nearly $20 million to Foster Playful Learning

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By DouglasPosted In: Childrens Charities, Education, The Children

The Lego Foundation believes that children learn through play. To foster classroom play and learning, the Lego Foundation has awarded $19,980,000 to Temple University Professor Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and her team, as they implement a playful and socially interactive learning model in pre-k through 4th grade classrooms. This five-year grant will allow Hirsh-Pasek to take her ‘playful learning to teaching’ model, which she piloted in schools in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New Hampshire, and expand it to California, Illinois, Texas, and Virginia.

Based on the philosophy that playing facilitates learning, which enables children to thrive and develop the skills they need to engage with the world, this project will work closely with under-privileged schools to promote a teaching approach that is based on the science of how the human brain learns. Hirsh-Pasek explains that cultural inclusivity is also a major tenet of this program, “The first step is to respect cultural values and find out where the community values lie—what is important to parents, what do people care about? In our research, and in the method that we’re using for education, we bring parents and the community in as partners”.