Fred Bauermeister of the Free Clinic of Simi Valley; Maria Costello of the Crossroads Foundation in San Diego; Rufino Dominguez of Centro Binacional Para el Desarrollo Indígena Oaxaqueño in Fresno; April Lea Go Forth of Resources for Indian Student Education, Inc., in Alturas; Marsha Krouse-Taylor of Casa de Esperanza, Inc., in Yuba City; Penny Newman of the Center for Community Action and Environmental Justice in Riverside; William “Blinky” Rodriguez of Communities in Schools of San Fernando Valley, Inc.; and Mary Szecsey of West County Health Centers, Inc., in Guerneville received the 2007 Sabbatical Program recognition. The program provides each organization with a $35,000 grant to cover their leader’s salary and expenses during the sabbatical. read more
Nonprofit Sector Governance Guide Available Online
The Panel on the Nonprofit Sector has released Principles for Good Governance and Ethical Practice: A Guide for Charities and Foundations. The development of this document incorporates reviews of more than 50 self-regulation systems, counsel from a diverse committee of experts, and significant feedback from charities and foundations in the field. The guide outlines 33 practices designed to support board members and staff leaders of every charitable organization as they work to improve their own operations. The Panel encourages these leaders to examine the Principles carefully and determine how best they should be applied to their own operations. read more
Dialogue With Gang Czar Jeff Carr
Zócolo, a Los Angeles-based cultural forum, is offering an event featuring City of Los Angeles’ director of gang reduction and youth development, Rev. Jeff Carr. Dubbed the city’s first “gang czar,” Carr is charged with implementing the Mayor’s Anti-Gang Strategy. Moderated by Los Angeles Times crime reporter, Jill Leovy, the event is at the Central Library in Downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday, November 20 at 7:00 p.m. It is free but reservations are required. TCWF provided partial event funding through a civic partnership with the Foundation’s communications department. read more
Homeboy Industries Relocates
Homeboy Industries founder, Father Greg Boyle, unveiled a new building for the Los Angeles-based violence prevention organization. The motto “nothing stops a bullet like a job,” reveals the organization’s mission to help gang-involved and formerly gang-involved youth transition to productive, peaceful lives. An opinion piece in the Los Angeles Times describes the grand opening of the site, which is conveniently located in Central Los Angeles. The new facility includes a bakery, café, offices and rehabilitation center. In addition to job training and placement, the organization provides clients with an array of support services such as anger management and financial literacy classes. read more
New Report On California’s Cost Of Living
The California Budget Project’s new report "Making Ends Meet: How Much Does It Cost to Raise a Family in California?", estimates that families living in California need at least $50,383 per year to pay the bills, and that even basic budgets require incomes much higher than the federal poverty line, or the earnings of workers with minimum wage jobs. The study reports these basic budgets for the state as a whole and for 10 regions throughout the state. read more
Hidden STD Epidemic Among California Youth
A new study by Public Health Institute’s Center for Research on Adolescent Health and Development concludes that the annual number of new cases of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among California youth is far greater than previously thought. The TCWF-funded study further reports that the yearly cost of treating the new STDs cases exceeds $1 billion per year. Highlights of the study are provided in the “No Time For Complacency” Fall 2007 Policy Review. (PDF) read more
Keeping Up With Worker Health And Safety
Worksafe, a California coalition for worker occupational safety and health protection, offers customized informational news alerts about safety and health issues of interest to you. Worksafe is a a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting occupational safety and health and eliminating workplace created and related toxic hazards that impact at-risk communities in California through education, training, advocacy, technical and legal assistance. The organizations website provides a wealth of information for those concerned about workers’ health and safety. (PDF Sign Up Page) read more
Governor Signs Bill To Protect Kids from Toxic Toys
Gov. Schwarzenegger signed AB 1108 (Ma) into law, making California the first state in the country to ban the use of phthalates from children’s products. TCWF grantee Environment California co-sponsored the groundbreaking legislation. Among other things, phthalates are used in soft plastic toys and other baby products, such as teethers, bath books, and rubber ducks. Because children have a natural tendency to suck on objects as a way of exploring the world around them, phthalates can leach out of these products and enter their bodies. Phthalates have been shown to interfere with the natural functioning of the hormone system and have been linked to reproductive problems, liver and thyroid damage, and testicular cancer. read more
