Designed to Serve Vulnerable TK-12 Students at Risk of Learning Loss

LOS ANGELES (June 11, 2020) – A new collaborative effort to support extended learning opportunities for low-income and vulnerable TK-12 students this summer called LA County Summer Learning Initiative was announced today. The region’s education leaders, including the California Community Foundation (CCF), together with the LA County Office of Education (LACOE) and the Greater LA Education Foundation (Greater LA), have come together to ensure students receive the support they need in the upcoming months.

Together, CCF and Greater LA will grant at least $1 million towards these efforts.

The closure of schools for the COVID-19 crisis has deepened a divide along racial and socioeconomic lines for the County’s young people. Many of our students and families have faced enormous hurdles in gaining equal access to education and support as highlighted in a Beyond the Schoolhouse report published last year by UCLA. The murder of George Floyd and subsequent protests further focused attention on the need to support our Black youth and other minority students.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has both highlighted and exacerbated existing inequalities within the education and youth development systems,” said CCF president & CEO Antonia Hernández. “Given the extended physical closures of schools and youth-serving community centers, there is an increased need for responsive summertime learning environments.”

All students in general experience learning loss over the summer. COVID-19-focused research suggests that students in some grades may return in fall 2020 nearly a full year behind what we would expect in normal conditions. “Summer slide” is worse for high-need student populations, from low-income foster youth to English learners to students with disabilities, as they are less likely than their higher income peers to have enriching opportunities over the summer.

Summer programs that can mitigate potential learning loss and address the social-emotional needs of youth are especially needed as students across our region have experienced months of disrupted in-class engagement with their peers.

CCF, Greater LA and LACOE also recognize that many nonprofits and school-based summer programs are experiencing losses in revenue that may threaten the availability of summer learning programs, while also facing new potential costs such as expanded technology infrastructure and associated training.

“Education leaders must use this moment as a turning point to bring about real change in our approach to race and equity. But we can’t do it alone,” said Los Angeles County Superintendent of Schools Debra Duardo. “The summer learning initiative is a shining example of the power of partnerships. Working together is the only way we can truly stop persistent educational inequities and ensure a brighter tomorrow for our at-promise youth.”

The upcoming programs must be administered by a TK-12 school (including independent schools and public charters) and/or a nonprofit organization. Preference will be given to collaborations between nonprofit and schools as partners. Grants amounts are expected to range from $25,000 – $100,000 each, with consideration given to the number of youth served and the frequency and duration of the program model. Application information available at www.calfund.org/la-county-summer-learning-initiative/

Resources are made possible through the CCF COVID-19 LA County Response Fund, The Greater LA Education Foundation, and the generous support of donors and philanthropic partners.

For more information about supporting the LA County Summer Learning Initiative, please contact Valerie Cuevas at the California Community Foundation: vcuevas [@] calfund [.] org.

Questions from potential grantee partners and applications should be directed to youthdevelopment [@]calfund [.] org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Roshin Mathew
California Community Foundation
rmathew[@]calfund[.]org
213-377-5630

Margo Minecki
LA County Office of Education
Minecki_Margo[@]lacoe[.]edu
562-500-5184

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The Greater LA Education Foundation (Greater LA) is the philanthropic arm of the Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE). Greater LA was formed in 2019 to increase collective problem-solving and innovative solutions for today’s complex learning environments. Our mission advances a deeper collaboration between schools and communities to disrupt inequity and meet the needs of today’s diverse learners across Los Angeles County. Additional information is available at www.greaterlaedfund.org/.

The California Community Foundation (CCF) has served as a public, charitable organization for Los Angeles County since 1915. Its mission is to lead positive systemic change that strengthens Los Angeles communities. CCF manages 1,700 charitable foundations, funds and legacies.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CalMatters

Público

LOS ANGELES – The California Community Foundation (CCF) proudly announces that after an extensive search process, Jarrett Barrios has been named Senior Vice President of Strategic Community and Programmatic Initiatives.

CCF leads positive systemic change that strengthens Los Angeles communities. We envision a future where all Angelenos will have the opportunity to contribute to the productivity, health and well-being of the region. Jarrett Barrios brings together a rich background in philanthropy, public policy, nonprofit administration and fundraising with extensive experience in both the private and public sectors. Like CCF, Jarrett believes in diversity, collaboration, accountability and inclusiveness. He joins CCF at a critical moment. We face unprecedented challenges that require vision, partnership and an unyielding commitment to social change.  Jarrett is eager to meet with CCF staff, nonprofit and community partners, donors, advisors and all members of our community. He will officially begin in his role at CCF on July 13th.

“Everything I’ve done up until this point has prepared me for this role,” said Jarrett Barrios. “It is a distinct privilege to help guide one of our LA County’s most storied and impactful philanthropic organizations at this important inflection point in our nation’s history,” Said Jarrett Barrios. “From Massachusetts to LA, all of my knowledge and skills will be poured into this role, and I am honored to be working with an organization with a deep-rooted connection to the community. This is where my passion lies.”

Jarrett will be joining CCF from the American Red Cross of Los Angeles Region, where he served as CEO. In that role, he has overseen long-range planning, staff development, core program execution, financial management and fundraising.  Most notably, he developed and launched the award-winning Prepare LA 2.0 community resiliency program using demographic and disaster data to strategically focus, organize and serve vulnerable populations in the county.  He also previously served as CEO of the Red Cross Massachusetts Region.  Prior to the Red Cross, Jarrett was CEO of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation, before serving as CEO of GLAAD.

Serving 8 years in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as both a state representative and state senator, Jarrett authored and passed legislation to advance solutions to youth violence, health care access and homelessness.  Jarrett received his A.B from Harvard College and his J.D from the Georgetown University Law Center. He is currently the board president of the Los Angeles Commission on Human Relations and board director of CLASP.

“I am delighted to welcome Jarrett Barrios to our CCF family. His strategic thinking, connection to community and management expertise will help drive the long-term impact we hope to create through our advocacy, outreach and community investments,” said CCF president & CEO Antonia Hernández.

The California Community Foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in addressing the root causes of challenges in Los Angeles County. CCF stewards $1.8 billion in assets and manages 1,700 charitable foundations, funds and legacies. For more information, please visit www.calfund.org. 

Media Contact

Roshin Mathew at rmathew [@] calfund [.] org or (213) 452-6229

 

 

Getty and California Community Foundation lead a
local coalition and encourage more partners to contribute

LOS ANGELES – California Community Foundation (CCF) together with the J. Paul Getty Trust and a coalition of local artist-endowed foundations announced today the launch of the Relief Fund for L.A. County Visual Artists, a collaborative effort to support the region’s visual artists who are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The artist relief fund will distribute $655,000 to visual artists who represent the various and diverse communities of Los Angeles County and have been severely impacted by the current crisis. It was created with CCF endowment funds and by repurposing the biennial Fellowship for Visual Artists program, which began in 1988 with a founding gift from the J. Paul Getty Trust. Additional support has been provided by a group of premier artist-endowed foundations based in Los Angeles, including the Mike Kelley Foundation for the Arts, the Sam Francis Foundation, and the Shepard and Amanda Fairey Foundation.

The artist relief fund is being administered by the Center for Cultural Innovation (CCI), a non-profit intermediary focused on the financial well-being of those in the arts.

“During the current crisis we are becoming ever more aware of the vital role artists play in our society. They guide us through dark times, they challenge us to think critically, and they stimulate us to imagine new futures,” says Joan Weinstein, director of the Getty Foundation, an operating program of the Getty Trust. “We’re grateful to the artist-endowed foundations who clearly recognize the unprecedented economic challenges our artists are facing and have joined us in this effort to sustain them.”

Getty and California Community Foundation have been long-time collaborators in support of the arts in Los Angeles. They announced earlier this month that they would work together on a fund supported by$10 million from the Getty and administered by CCF to provide emergency relief and recovery grants to non-profit museums and visual arts organizations in Los Angeles County. This partnership and the contributions of artist-endowed foundations to the new artist relief fund reflect a shared belief that the arts are central to the vitality of the region.

“Artists are often among the most vulnerable in our region, particularly those from underserved populations across Los Angeles. For these reasons, the artist relief fund will focus on financial need with priority consideration given to the region’s cultural and geographic diversity,” says Antonia Hernandez, president and CEO of the California Community Foundation. “We encourage others who can contribute to donate to the fund and help us sustain artists and build healthier communities for all Angelenos.”

Eligible applicants may apply for up to $2,000 in one-time support, and grants can be used toward any expenses that alleviate financial pressures. The application may be accessed here:
https://www.cciarts.org/LAEmergencyRelief.htm

To be eligible for the artist relief fund, applicants must be visual artists who are permanent residents of Los Angeles County and not currently enrolled in school. Applicants will be asked to demonstrate their artistic practice through an online presentation of their work and to describe their financial needs. Artists are asked to apply only if they are facing immediate needs, to reserve as much of the Relief Fund as possible for those facing significant financial threats.

For more information about supporting the Relief Fund for L.A. County Visual Artists, please contact Stephania Ramirez at the California Community Foundation: sramirez@www.calfund.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:
Alexandria Sivak
Getty Communications
asivak@getty.edu
1+ 480-239-4324

Roshin Mathew
California Community Foundation
rmathew@www.calfund.org
1+ 213-377-5630

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Getty is a leading global arts organization committed to the exhibition, conservation, and understanding of the world’s artistic and cultural heritage. Working collaboratively with partners around the globe, the Getty Foundation, Getty Conservation Institute, Getty Museum and Getty Research Institute are all dedicated to the greater understanding of the relationships between the world’s many cultures. The Los Angeles-based J. Paul Getty Trust and Getty programs share art, knowledge, and resources online at Getty.edu and welcome the public for free at the Getty Center and the Getty Villa.

The Getty Foundation fulfills the philanthropic mission of the Getty Trust by supporting individuals and institutions committed to advancing the greater understanding and preservation of the visual arts in Los Angeles and throughout the world. Through strategic grant initiatives, the Foundation strengthens art history as a global discipline, promotes the interdisciplinary practice of conservation, increases access to museum and archival collections, and develops current and future leaders in the visual arts. It carries out its work in collaboration with the other Getty Programs to ensure that they individually and collectively achieve maximum effect. Additional information is available at www.getty.edu/foundationhttp://www.getty.edu/foundation.

About The California Community Foundation
The California Community Foundation has served as a public, charitable organization for Los Angeles County since 1915. Its mission is to lead positive systemic change that strengthens Los Angeles communities. CCF manages 1,700 charitable foundations, funds and legacies.

 

Los Angeles—The California Community Foundation (CCF) announced the next rounds of its COVID-19 LA County Response Fund awards totaling $7,949,500. Since the start of this pandemic, CCF has awarded $11,922,500 to nonprofits across LA County bringing the total number of grants awarded to 233. 

“Community Foundations are powerful agents of hope in people’s lives especially during a crisis,” said Antonia Hernández, President and CEO of the California Community Foundation. “Our staff and community partners have the knowledge and networks to do what is required to help get funds and resources to people who need them the most.” 

During the ongoing health and economic crisis, CCF continues to work with donors, foundations, government and community partners to provide the resources possible to mitigate the spread of COVID- 19 and support families impacted by economic hardship and school closures.  

As more families face greater economic challenges during the safer at home orders, access to direct assistance for basic needs provides a safety net for many across the county.  Hardship support is needed to help families with immediate needs for utilities, gas, housing assistance, food and additional resources to support home schooling.  Extremely vulnerable workers like day laborers, street vendors, domestic workers and undocumented immigrants with limited eligibility for relief aid from public agencies, continue to suffer greatly.  

Recognizing food insecurity has increased with the current economic conditions and is projected to stay at an elevated level for the next several months, CCF is funding the expansion of food security programs by supporting area foodbanks and meal distribution centers. 

Addressing the acute needs of our homeless neighbors with our health clinics and hospitals continues to be a priority of CCF’s response efforts. Funds in this round are going to prepare for a surge in cases, street outreach and medical staff in shelters. 

CCF is committed to working with our partners and communities throughout the region to ensure our immediate response supports our most high need neighborhoods and families and that our post-COVID- 19 efforts strengthen Los Angeles by focusing on those most acutely impacted.  

CCF is especially proud to be partnering and leveraging its efforts with its donors who have collectively given over $16 million dollars out of their donor advised funds to respond to COVID-19 related needs within Los Angeles and throughout the nation and the world.  

The California Community Foundation has served as a public, charitable organization since 1915, empowering donors to pursue their own personal passions and to collaborate with us in addressing the root causes of challenges in Los Angeles County. CCF stewards $1.8 billion in assets and manages 1,700 charitable foundations, funds and legacies. For more information, please visit calfund.org. 

Media Contact

Roshin Mathew at rmathew [@] calfund [.] org or (213) 452-6229

All Other Inquires

disaster [@] calfund [.] org

 

CityWatch Los Angeles

Los Angeles Sentinel

Thank you for your interest in the COVID-19 LA County Response Fund at CCF. We have prepared this resource guide to answer the most frequently asked questions about the Fund.

What is the COVID-19 LA County Response Fund?

California Community Foundation (CCF) launched the COVID-19 LA County Response Fund to address the immediate and emerging needs of our region’s most vulnerable residents—from hardship relief to long-term recovery. This fund will support community needs identified by our partners in health, housing, education and immigration, and will aid impacted individuals through our Pass it Along Fund.

How can I contribute to the Fund?

The fund receives donations from the public and distributes them to 501c3 nonprofit organizations that serve communities and individuals affected by COVID-19. We currently accept donations via credit card on our website, check, wire transfer, or stock. Instructions: https://www.calfund.org/covid-19/

Can I fundraise for the Fund?

The fund receives donations from the public and distributes them to 501c3 nonprofit organizations that serve communities and individuals affected by COVID-19. While CCF is happy to receive general donations from your company/organization for the COVID-19 LA County Response Fund, at this time we are not entering into any partnerships or Commercial Co-Venture Agreements for the Fund.

How does CCF handle company gift matching for employee donations?

Companies may provide CCF with instructions on completing a matching form for any employees who have contributed to the COVID-19 LA County Response Fund. CCF will verify the employee’s donation via the company’s own matching form/process.

Will CCF promote my contribution on social media?

CCF cannot create content to promote the donation on our own social media, but the company is welcome to tag CCF in posts that CCF may then share or retweet. 

How will I receive a gift receipt for my contribution?

Individuals contributing via credit card will automatically receive an email acknowledgement from our web portal. Individuals and organizations sending a check will be mailed an acknowledgement within 1-2 weeks of receipt of their contribution.

Will I be added to a mailing list after contributing to the Fund?

CCF will not add donors to the COVID-19 LA County Response Fund to any general mailing lists, however we may send contributors to the fund 1-2 email updates specifically about COVID-19 relief and the impact of their donation.

How do nonprofits apply for a grant from the Fund?

We do not currently have an open RFP process and are still assessing the needs of vulnerable populations in areas affected by COVID-19. However, you are welcome to briefly share the work your organization is doing to support communities and populations affected by the virus. Please forward a brief summary to the following inbox. Our staff will follow-up if and when relevant grant opportunities become available. Email: disaster@www.calfund.org

Given the fluid and rapidly evolving nature of the COVID 19 pandemic, we are working in rapid response fashion.  We are in an ongoing continuous process of raising resources, identifying immediate needs and deploying resources.

How I can apply for individual hardship assistance from the Fund?

COVID-19 LA County Response Fund receives donations from the public and distributes them to 501c3 nonprofit organizations that serve communities and individuals affected by COVID-19. We recommend contacting local governmental agencies and relief organizations in your community along with the following resources:

State-wide

Los Angeles County

Los Angeles City

How can I establish an employee assistance fund for my company?

For your convenience, we have compiled this list of resources for employee hardship funds:

Can I contribute goods/in-kind donations to the Fund?

The COVID-19 LA County Response Fund accepts monetary donations only, then grants to 501c3 nonprofit organizations in the affected areas. Monetary gifts are most needed and helpful at this time as opposed to physical items, as organizations cannot always anticipate the needs of the communities they are serving and thus monetary gifts allow for that necessary flexibility. Monetary gifts can be made through out website, or by check. Instructions: https://www.calfund.org/covid-19/. We recommend contacting local governmental agencies or relief organizations in affected communities about in-kind donations for those affected by COVID-19.

Where I can find housing assistance?

The COVID-19 LA County Response Fund accepts monetary donations only, then grants to 501c3 nonprofit organizations in the affected areas. We recommend contacting the local governmental agency about temporary housing for those affected by the virus.

How I can volunteer?

CCF does not maintain a listing of volunteer opportunities, however we recommend you follow up with nonprofit agencies directly working in the affected areas as they can best guide you to ways to volunteer in their community.

Media Toolkit:

Social Media

 

Supports Hardship Assistance, Youth and Family Services, Healthcare Staffing, Medical Resources and Community Organizing

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