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Posts tagged as “philanthropy”

Black Girls Code Raises Over $100,000 to Train Next Generation of Tech Divas

By goodblacknews on July 26, 2013

 
9078662219_4df7a13dd1_cBlack Girls Code, the non-profit organization dedicated to teaching young women of color about computer science, technology and coding languages, has raised $109,357 and counting via Indiegogo.com for their 2013 10-city summer program, and hopes to raise $25,000 more by this evening, Friday, July 26, to provide this year’s Tech Divas with new equipment for their mobile apps workshop.  
9078688061_af665c957b_cThe summer tour kicks off August 3rd in Detroit, travels to Oakland with mobile app summer bootcamp August 5-9, then heads to Pittsburgh, Memphis, New York, Washington DC, Tallahassee, Dallas, Miami and Chicago on subsequent dates.  To learn more about Black Girls Code, watch the video below, or go to Indiegogo.com.  To register for the summer programs, go to blackgirlscode.com.  Onward and upward!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7x_htF4DmUc&w=560&h=315]
Related Stories: BlackGirlsCode Wins $50,000 Philanthropy Award
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

12 Year-Old Joshua Williams Receives BET's Shine A Light Award for His Work to End Hunger

By goodblacknews on July 25, 2013

joshua-williams-faces-of-hope

 Joshua Williams was four and a half years old when he figured out his life’s calling. He discovered it by listening to his heart.  “My grandmother gave me $20. I saw a homeless man. I felt really bad. I gave him the $20. I felt good, but I wanted to do more,” said Joshua, now 12 and a Miami Beach resident recently honored by BET with a Shine A Light Award by for his work with his nonprofit Joshua’s Heart Foundation.  Joshua begged his two aunts to help him start a program to help feed the hungry. “They didn’t do anything. I fired them,” he recalled. Then Joshua asked his mom, who was used to his persistence and his new ideas.  “After a while, she saw I was really serious,” he said.

He and his family (grandmother, mom and aunts) started giving cooked meals to homeless people every Saturday. His grandmother cooked and he, his mom and aunts helped package the food in containers to take to downtown Miami to feed the homeless.  Soon, there was a line of 150 people waiting for them weekly. But a city ordinance stopped them from continuing their distribution there. Joshua was not about to give up though. They moved their operation to his grandmother’s church.
“We would help families at the church or in the North Miami community at first,” said Claudia McLean, Joshua’s mother. “He said, ‘We can’t just give them a bag of rice and vegetables. Each time, he demanded more.”  Joshua explains. “We started small. It is easier now because we have volunteers. There’s a bigger demand, more people need help. We try to keep up. I do my best.”
Joshua’s Heart Foundation has been distributing meals for almost eight years, since 2005. The organization became a nonprofit in 2007—and yes, his aunts now volunteer and help distribute food with him. The foundation has distributed over 500,000 pounds of food as part of its mission to stomp out world hunger and break the cycle of poverty.

Kobe Bryant Memorabilia Earns $433,531 in New Jersey Auction, Raises Money for The Bully Project

By goodblacknews on July 22, 2013
Kobe BryantA pair of Kobe Bryant‘s 2000 NBA championship rings brought in a combined $282,337, in an auction that closed Saturday morning. The monthlong sale, held out of West Berlin, N.J., by Goldin Auctions, brought in a total of $433,531 from Bryant’s memorabilia. “Collectors surely recognized that these are historically significant pieces of memorabilia that are rarely made available for a player like Kobe Bryant,” said Ken Goldin, Founder of Goldin Auctions.
Goldin Auctions will donate $62,565 of the proceeds to the Bully Project, one of Bryant’s favored charities. “We’re delighted to have been chosen to benefit from the auction of these once-in-a-lifetime items from Kobe Bryant,” said Lee Hirsch, the director of “Bully.” “Athletes set a powerful example when they speak out against bullying and we deeply appreciate the efforts of everyone involved in this auction for helping us to amplify this message.”
Bryant’s memorabilia, including high school uniforms, rings and an All-Star medallion, was provided to Goldin Auctions by Bryant’s mother, Pamela, after a family dispute over ownership was settled out of court.
article by Eric Pincus via latimes.com

Magic Johnson Opens Alternative Schools In Chicago

By goodblacknews on July 18, 2013

Michael Jordan Shaves $8M Off Mansion Price
Former NBA player Magic Johnson is hoping to cast his spell on the educational experience of some Chicago teens.  Johnson is opening two Magic Johnson Bridgescape Academies in the South Shore and North/South Lawndale neighborhoods this fall.  The alternative schools targets students aged 13-21 who have dropped out of high school or at risk of not graduating, another path to earn a high school diploma.

A news conference was scheduled for Wednesday morning, where Bridgescape Academy executives, teachers and community leaders were planning to discuss the schools and officially open enrollment.  Fifteen of the schools in five states are currently open across the country, with the majority located in Ohio.  According to the web site, the schools offer programs suitable to a student’s “schedule, lifestyle and learning needs.” School days are abbreviated and flexible with an emphasis on online learning tools.  The schools are free for students to attend.

article via nbcchicago.com

Former Foster Child and Morehouse Graduate Derrius Quarles Recognized by White House for Service to Community

By goodblacknews on July 16, 2013
Derrius Quarles (center); Michelle Nunn, the CEO of Points of Light (right); and Washington Post CEO Donald Graham at the 5000th Daily Point of Light Award at the White House on Monday June 15, 2013 (photo credit Jerome Dorn)
Derrius Quarles (center); Michelle Nunn, the CEO of Points of Light (right); and Washington Post CEO Donald Graham at the 5000th Daily Point of Light Award at the White House on Monday June 15, 2013 (photo credit Jerome Dorn)

A former foster child from the south side of Chicago has turned entrepreneur, and been recognized at the White House for his inspiring work.  Derrius Quarles, who is only 22 years old, is best known for winning more than $1 million in financial-aid to attend the prestigious Morehouse College.  He was a recipient of the Daily Point of Light Award in June 2013 for his commitment to help academically gifted yet economically disadvantaged students overcome financial barriers to higher education.

“I feel honored and humbled to be recognized by the White House as a Daily Point of Light awardee,” said Quarles. “I have been recognized for the work I have done with the Million Dollar Scholar, which has advanced economic access to higher education for youth in inner cities across the United States.”  The Million Dollar Scholar initiative has assisted more than 10,000 high school students online and helped students receive more than $950,000 in scholarships and grants.
In fact, Quarles’s drive to see other young people succeed is deeply personal. His father was murdered in Chicago when he was just 4 years old. One year later, he was taken from his mother’s custody and placed in foster care.  It was only when he entered high school that he made a conscious decision to seize opportunities to move on with his life.

Tom Joyner Offers Rachel Jeantel Full Ride To Any HBCU Of Her Choice

By goodblacknews on July 16, 2013

Rachel JeantelThroughout the Trayvon Martin case, Rachel Jeantel‘s testimony was riveting and difficult to watch for many reasons, including defense attorney Don West’s obvious frustration with her and condescension toward her. Jeantel was the last person to speak to Trayvon Martin before being killed by George Zimmerman who was found not guilty on July 13.  Jeantel was deemed by the defense and the media as an implausible source due to her ‘lack of education.’ The 19-year-old was berated by many due to her speech, appearance and mannerisms. Fortunately her testimony and recent appearance on CNN’s “Piers Morgan Tonight,” influenced Tom Joyner to lend a helping hand.
Joyner reached out to Jeantel and offered her a full scholarship to any HBCU of her choice. In addition to assisting the young teen with college, he also wants to help her complete high school with the best tutors and SAT courses. Jeantel hopes to pursue a career in law enforcement.
Related Stories:

article by Bria Feliu via theurbandaily.com with additions by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

'Fatherhood Is…' Social Media Campaign By Sabrina Thompson Invites Users to Upload Pictures of Great Black Dads

By goodblacknews on June 14, 2013

[vimeo http://www.vimeo.com/68049176 w=500&h=281]
father with daughterTHE SOCIAL SERIES PROJECT is a series of online campaigns that promotes positive images in society through imagery. In a world filled with negative images, KUU photography wants to take responsibility and create balance through amazing visual arts. They present the first edition titled: “Fatherhood Is…”
The project includes a video and a Facebook page.
Sabrina Thompson, who created “Fatherhood Is…”, has the simple goal to photograph and share photos of black fathers interacting with their children. She herself compiled images of more than fifty fathers into the above video and encourages viewers to share and upload photographs of themselves with their African-American fathers via social media during the week leading up to Father’s Day.
To learn more about this project, click here.
article by Lori Lakin Hutcherson

Oprah Winfrey Donates $12 Million to New African-American Museum

By goodblacknews on June 12, 2013
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey after delivering commencement address at Harvard in May 2013.(Photo: Elise Amendola AP)

In recognition, the museum’s 350-seat theater, intended to be a showcase for demonstrating how African-American culture has shaped the country and the world, will be named after her. The museum, the Smithsonian’s 19th, is due to open in late 2015. It will tell the story of African-American history from slavery to the post-Civil War period, the civil rights era, the Harlem Renaissance and into the 21st century.

Oprah has been involved with the museum since planning began a decade ago and joined its advisory council in 2004. She’s also a world-class philanthropist with her own grant-making foundation and the resources to make a difference. She says her gift demonstrates her pride in African-American history and culture.
“I am deeply appreciative of those who paved the path for me and all who follow in their footsteps,” she said in a statement. “By investing in this museum, I want to help ensure that we both honor and preserve our culture and history, so that the stories of who we are will live on for generations to come.”

NBA Star Dwyane Wade Promotes ‘This Is Fatherhood’ Challenge

By goodblacknews on June 6, 2013

this is fatherhood challenge
In an effort to promote fatherhood, award-winning filmmaker Art Hooker and former director of President Barack Obama’s Office Of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Joshua DuBois have teamed up to create the “This Is Fatherhood” challenge.
Launched on May 1st, the challenge targets young Fathers who may need encouragement and support to become better parents. Contestants can submit videos, songs, and essays about fatherhood through June 10th. The winners will receive cash prizes and a trip to Washington, D.C., for a ceremony on Father’s Day.
Miami Heat player Dwyane Wade (pictured) has signed on to promote the challenge. As a Father with primary custody of his two sons, Wade says he is honored by the opportunity. “When I was first [approached to become] involved with the initiative, I was humbled,” Wade said. He noted the President’s fatherhood speeches as further inspiration. “More than that, I was moved by the fact that one of the reasons President Obama was so passionate about this issue is that he grew up without his dad. He, too, has recognized that being a Father is his most-important role.”
Obama’s Chicago speech in February helped inspire the challenge. In it, the President noted how “there are entire neighborhoods where young people, they don’t see an example of somebody succeeding. And for a lot of young boys and young men, in particular, they don’t see an example of Fathers or grandfathers, uncles, who are in a position to support families and be held up and respected.”
Wade appears along with Obama and Jay-Z in a public service announcement promoting “This Is Fatherhood.” Eugene Schneeberg, current director of  the Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships, worked with predecessor DuBois to support Obama’s fatherhood program. He is also one of the challenge’s judges.

"After Earth" Star Jaden Smith Does Canopy Project PSA to Help Save Trees (VIDEO)

By goodblacknews on June 1, 2013

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0a0dnypRwx0&w=560&h=315]
Jaden SmithAs part of its mission to protect natural lands and preserve the environment for all people, Earth Day Network developed The Canopy Project. Rather than focusing on large scale forestry, The Canopy Project plants trees that help communities – especially the world’s impoverished communities – sustain themselves and their local economies. Trees reverse the impacts of land degradation and provide food, energy and income, helping communities to achieve long-term economic and environmental sustainability. Trees also filter the air and help stave off the effects of climate change.  
With the reality of increasingly unpredictable weather patterns and more frequent and violent storms and floods, tree cover to prevent devastating soil erosion has never been more important. That’s why, earlier this the year, Earth Day Network made a commitment with the Global Poverty Project to plant 10 million trees over the next five years in impoverished areas of the world. Please join us to help make this commitment a reality.
Accomplishments:  
Over the past three years, The Canopy Project, has planted over 1.5 million trees in 18 countries. In the US, projects to restore urban canopies have been completed in New York, San Francisco, Los Angeles, St. Louis, Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Flint, and Chicago.  In Haiti alone, where earthquakes caused landslides on deforested hillsides, leading to horrific devastation, Earth Day Network planted 500,000 trees. And in three high-poverty districts in central Uganda, we planted 350,000 trees to provide local farmers with food, fuel, fencing, and soil stability.
Our tree plantings are supported by sponsors and individual donations and carried out in partnership with nonprofit tree planting organizations throughout the world. We work in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme’s Billion Trees Campaign. Each tree planted is counted toward A Billion Acts of Green®.
Help Earth Day Network grow the Earth’s canopy by planting trees where they are needed most