Los Angeles

December 11, 2009, Los Angeles Times - A group of civic activists, united by faith and a belief that the poor economy in the interior of Los Angeles is a social injustice, is preparing to offer bus tours of some of the grittiest pockets of the city, including decayed public housing, sites of deadly shootouts and streets ravaged by racial unrest.

The Life Rolls On Foundation and Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation announced recently that the two spinal cord injury-focused organizations would merge and the Life Rolls On Foundation, based in Los Angeles, will serve as the West Coast headquarters and division of the Reeve Foundation. The Reeve Foundation is a national, nonprofit organization dedicated to finding cures and treatments for spinal cord injuries and improving the lives of people living with paralysis. Life Rolls On, founded by Jesse and Josh Billauer, is dedicated to improving the quality of life for young people affected by spinal cord injury and uses action sports as a platform to inspire possibilities despite paralysis.

Topeka, Kan., December 2, 2009 — Family footwear retailer, Payless ShoeSource, announced that more than 750 nonprofit partners located across the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and in 10 Latin American countries have officially joined Payless in its Payless Gives Shoes 4 Kids program, a grass-roots effort aimed at giving more than $1.2 million in free shoes to children of families in need this holiday season.

PASADENA, Calif., December 1, 2009 — Kaiser Permanente announced today that more than 60 nonprofit organizations from Kern to San Diego will receive grants totaling more than $750,000 to help fund a wide range of services for people with HIV and AIDS, including youth education, prevention, screening and treatment programs, as well as housing assistance and food pantries. Kaiser Permanente’s community benefit HIV/AIDS funding for 2009 will exceed $1.25 million to California agencies this year, bringing the total to more than $6.25 million since the grant program began in 1989.

NEW YORK, November 23, 2009 — Ladies’ Home Journal Editor-in-Chief Sally Lee announced today that eight philanthropically-minded companies have been honored with its first-ever “Do Good” Stamp.  The companies will be featured in the December/January issue of the magazine and on LHJ.com, and will receive an insignia that can be used in their brand packaging and promotional materials to raise awareness for their cause-related efforts.

Austin, Texas, November 17, 2009 — Convio today announced the winners of its third annual Innovator Awards as revealed at a ceremony last night at the Convio Summit, the company’s annual conference where more than 650 nonprofit clients, partners and industry thought leaders gather as a community to share common experiences and effective strategies in email marketing, online fundraising, online marketing, social media and advocacy for nonprofits. The Innovator Awards recognize clients who have shown innovation and achievement through the use of Convio’s online fundraising and donor management software and services to better engage supporters to help fulfill their missions.