Philanthropy Front and Center-Cleveland

Allstate Foundation Awards Grants for Domestic Violence

In the face of today's economic crisis and skyrocketing jobless rates, The Allstate Foundation announced (November 20, 2009) efforts to ease the financial burdens of domestic violence survivors with $625,000 in new economic empowerment grants for statewide coalitions against domestic violence in eleven states. The grants will be used to support a variety of local programs focused on developing strategies to move survivors of abuse toward financial independence. The grantees' work will center on financial literacy, Individual Development Accounts (IDAs) and job readiness activities. In Ohio, a $50,000 economic empowerment grant was awarded to Ohio Domestic Violence Network.

News Roundup: Verizon Foundation, The Kresge Foundation, Andrew W. Mellon Foundation

Verizon recently announced that thanks to the generosity of its customers who support Check Into Literacy, nonprofit organizations in 23 states and Washington, D.C., will receive more than $1.1 million to bolster literacy efforts. The participating states are: Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin. The Check Into Literacy initiative allows Verizon landline phone customers to make a $1-a-month, tax-deductible donation to literacy programs when customers pay their Verizon bill. The Verizon Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Verizon Communications, supports the advancement of literacy and K-12 education through its free educational Web site, Thinkfinity.org, and fosters awareness and prevention of domestic violence.

 

The Kresge Foundation recently announced awarding $10.6 million in grants to 19 human service organizations around the country that provide food service and distribution, shelter to homeless individuals and families, affordable housing for the poor, and legal aid to residents of North Carolina's Appalachian Region.The largest single human service award - $1.45 million - went to Mid-Ohio Foodbank. As the state's largest food bank, it distributes more than 29 million pounds of food to 20 counties through a network of 530 food pantries, soup kitchens, senior centers, homeless shelters and after-school programs.

 

A recent article at Bloomberg.com announced a $1 million gift from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to start a classical music festival in New York that will offer reasonably priced seats. Set to debut in 2011, the Spring for Music Festival will feature orchestras from Dallas (TX), St. Paul (MN), and Toledo (OH), among others.