The Building Industry Association of San Diego County donated an apartment full of furniture from its recent BIA Cares Furniture Fantasy Event to Just in Time for Foster Youth.
Just in Time helps foster youth to become productive members of society, thereby breaking the cycle of child abuse, homelessness and crime. BIA Cares raised over $60,000 at its Furniture Fantasy Event, where over 1,000 people lined up early as 4 a.m. to purchase highly discounted model home furnishing and office furniture.
"We were pleased to donate furniture from our event to this worthwhile cause as part of BIA Cares continuing community service," says Lora Heramb, vice president of sales and marketing for Brookfield Homes and co-chair of this year's BIA Furniture Fantasy.
BIA Cares has raised more than $2.8 million for local charities in its 19 years of operation.
Thirty local labor union apprentice students and a local construction company partnered last Saturday, Oct. 24, to undertake major pro bono repairs to the San Diego Food Bank's ageing 65,000-square-foot warehouse -- saving the equivalent of 225,000 meals just before Thanksgiving.
The pro bono repairs including labor, major construction equipment and supplies total an estimated $75,000.
Students from the Cement Masons Local No. 500 apprentice program and 10 journeymen "mentors," along with the team from Casper Co., carried out the repairs and worked for free on Saturday to drill and pour 40 tons of cement.
The charitable deed will help the Food Bank meet the exponential rise in demand for assistance, and the surge in demand during the Thanksgiving holiday. The Cement Masons refer to this in-kind assistance as a "dedication project," and have assisted many local nonprofits.
Employees from BB&T Insurance Services of California recently renovated bedrooms and provided landscaping at the Troy Center for Supportive Living in Spring Valley as part of the BB&T Lighthouse Project.
The team worked in shifts to outfit each bedroom at the center, which is under the direction of the Volunteers of American Southwest. Outside the BB&T employees assembled furniture they purchased to create an outdoor oasis complete with covered gazebos; patio tables, chairs and loveseats; a tranquility fountain; and an assortment of potted and hanging flowers.
"In 26 years, I haven't seen the place look so nice," said Nancy Vasquez, the Troy Center director.
The local project was the San Diego team's contribution to the BB&T Lighthouse Project, which is the largest philanthropic effort in BB&T's 137-year history. BB&T's 30,000 employees are providing 60,000 volunteer hours to complete nearly 1,000 service projects as part of this effort. BB&T also set aside $3 million for the project in addition to its normal annual giving.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Pacific South Coast Chapter, will host "Shop Under the Stars," a fundraiser featuring prizes, refreshments, silent auction and shopping discounts, from 5-9 p.m. on Monday at the Carlsbad Premium Outlets, a retail center located at 5620 Paseo del Norte in Carlsbad.
The public is invited to attend. Cost to attend the fundraiser is $35 per person, which includes hors de'eourves and wine from Bellefleur Restaurant, Starbucks coffee and a goodie bag filled with exclusive store savings and gifts. Special discounts will be available at many of the mall's 90 stores.
Proceeds from admission and raffle tickets sold will benefit research and programs and services for people with MS, a chronic, unpredictable and disabling disease of the central nervous system with no known cause, cure or prevention.
For more event information, contact Heather Cavazos at the National MS Society, 760-448-8446, or heather.cavazos@mspacific.org.
Since 1977, a small foundation based in Los Angeles has made a big impact on nearly 800 medical students at the University of California, San Diego.
The Mac Kenzie Foundation -- established by Sophia Mac Kenzie to alleviate the financial burden of medical school for California students -- has given $1.7 million in total donations for students in the UC San Diego School of Medicine. This year, the foundation gave $85,000, benefiting 24 students.
Cali Bamboo announced Tuesday its donation of $20,000 to the Surfrider Foundation National Headquarters and its San Diego Chapter.
The company contributed $10,000 to national headquarters and $10,000 to the local chapter in support of its clean water initiatives that aim to protect our world's oceans, waves and beaches.
The 12th annual Challenge Center Comedy Night at the Hilton San Diego Bayfront on Sept. 26. raised $105,000 for the Scholarship Fund, which will provide thousands of hours of services to dramatically change the lives of Challenge Center clients with disabilities.
The Bank of America Charitable Foundation announced Wednesday it is providing more than $3.6 million to 18 nonprofits across California to help strengthen communities through the bank's Neighborhood Excellence Initiative (NEI).
Since introducing the program in 2004, Bank of America has invested $22.5 million throughout the state to help nonprofits increase their long-term viability and most recently to help sustain them during this challenging economic environment.
In San Diego County, two nonprofits -- City Heights Community Development Corporation and Urban Corps -- will receive $200,000 each in unrestricted grant funding and participate in Bank of America's Neighborhood Excellence Leadership Program with other nonprofit leaders from 45 communities across the country and London.
Gafcon Inc., a women-owned construction management and consulting firm with a long history of support for San Diego nonprofit organizations, has partnered for the first time with the San Diego Women's Foundation in an effort to foster the development of young philanthropists in the region.
With over 240 members, the San Diego Women's Foundation provides financial support to community organizations through informed, focused grant making. Each member makes a commitment to the organization of $2,000 per year for a minimum of five years.
Since its inception in 2000, the SDWF has granted $1.74 million to 49 nonprofit community partners.
