ReportWire

Tag: Nonprofit Organization

  • Western Amputee Golf Association brings game, community to adaptive golfers

    The Western Amputee Golf Association (WAGA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing golf and its community to amputees and golfers with special needs across eleven Western states, including California.”Sometimes life throws you a par. Sometimes a bogey,” said Tim Healea, the association’s president. “It’s therapeutic. It’s self-driven. It’s self-competitive.”Healea has found parallels between life and golf over his many years of play. Circumstances in both, he says, can change in an instant.“I’ve been an athlete my whole life. I’ve always been a competitor,” he said. “In 2001, rheumatoid arthritis started eating my ankles and had to have my right leg amputated in January. And then the following year in January, had to have the left leg done.”Despite having both legs amputated, golf remained constant for Healea. Now he’s focused on bringing adaptive golf to others facing a wide range of physical and mental challenges.”It was five weeks and I had my prosthetic on and I was swinging the golf club,” he said.WAGA supports adaptive golfers with more than a dozen disability classifications, ranging from limb differences to neurological conditions, like Down Syndrome.Established in 1968, it provides support to adaptive golfers through tournaments, workshops, and events.”We all love the game and if we haven’t discovered the game, when we do, they love it,” Healea said.The organization relies on community support to continue its mission.Golfers who have lost a limb or the use of a limb are encouraged to get involved.This April, WAGA is teaming up with the United States Adaptive Golf Alliance for a tournament and public golf clinic at Sierra View Country Club in Roseville from April 19 to 21. Registration for adaptive golfers is still open.As part of our 70 Years of Service initiative, we’re highlighting organizations that are making a difference all year long. See more stories in the series here.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    ROSEVILLE, Calif. —

    The Western Amputee Golf Association (WAGA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing golf and its community to amputees and golfers with special needs across eleven Western states, including California.

    “Sometimes life throws you a par. Sometimes a bogey,” said Tim Healea, the association’s president. “It’s therapeutic. It’s self-driven. It’s self-competitive.”

    Healea has found parallels between life and golf over his many years of play. Circumstances in both, he says, can change in an instant.

    “I’ve been an athlete my whole life. I’ve always been a competitor,” he said. “In 2001, rheumatoid arthritis started eating my ankles and had to have my right leg amputated in January. And then the following year in January, had to have the left leg done.”

    Despite having both legs amputated, golf remained constant for Healea. Now he’s focused on bringing adaptive golf to others facing a wide range of physical and mental challenges.

    “It was five weeks and I had my prosthetic on and I was swinging the golf club,” he said.

    WAGA supports adaptive golfers with more than a dozen disability classifications, ranging from limb differences to neurological conditions, like Down Syndrome.

    Established in 1968, it provides support to adaptive golfers through tournaments, workshops, and events.

    “We all love the game and if we haven’t discovered the game, when we do, they love it,” Healea said.

    The organization relies on community support to continue its mission.

    Golfers who have lost a limb or the use of a limb are encouraged to get involved.

    This April, WAGA is teaming up with the United States Adaptive Golf Alliance for a tournament and public golf clinic at Sierra View Country Club in Roseville from April 19 to 21. Registration for adaptive golfers is still open.

    As part of our 70 Years of Service initiative, we’re highlighting organizations that are making a difference all year long. See more stories in the series here.

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • Achieve Tahoe continues to provide for those with disabilities

    As summer comes to a close, one of the best ways to cool off was at Roseville’s Wake Island, but just beyond the inflatable floats and right past the wake boarders, there are those who have an unimpaired chance at creating a splash of their own. “Everyone is out here to have a good time,” said Michael Hunter with Achieve Tahoe. Achieve Tahoe is a nonprofit organization that started in the 1960s. Its goal is to make sure people with disabilities have the opportunity to enjoy outdoor sports. The organization began as a way to get wounded veterans on the ski slopes, but has expanded to providing programs year-round.“It just feels good to get out and be part of your environment,” Hunter added. “It feels good to feel the wind in your hair.”That includes 34-year-old Brigit Maloney, who has this water skiing date circled on her calendar. “I like water skiing,” she said. “I like doing all my sports.” Fifty miles away in Grass Valley, it would be hard to find a more blessed household than the Maloney family. “The good lord gives you what he wants you to have,” said mother, Cati Maloney. But like most families, they aren’t blessed with a ton of free time, trying to balance the schedule for their adult children. Cati is an occupational therapist who made a very big decision a little more than three decades ago, when she adopted two children with disabilities. The first was Brigit. Cati got her when she was just 1 1/2 years old. She knew her daughter would face obstacles. Brigit is legally blind in one eye and partially in the other. It’s a disability she wasn’t born with. It’s one that happened at the hands of someone she loved. “Brigit was born normal, and she was abused from zero to three months,” Cati said. “She has what they call shaken baby syndrome. When she arrived at the hospital, her retinas were detached, and she had a brain injury.” Life hasn’t been as easy for Brigit as others, but she isn’t about to let you know that. “They probably think that I can’t do stuff as well as they can, but I can still manage on the activity,” Brigit added. She’s done better than manage. Her room is filled with medals hanging on the walls from her time competing in the Special Olympics. In the winter, Brigit skis, and in summer, she skis even more. Brigit is just one of 120 disabled athletes who have a chance to water ski over the summer, through Achieve Tahoe. “When I got Brigit, people said she won’t amount to much,” Cati said. “It’s a simple goal,” Hunter added. “Achievement is universal. We all want to do something more and feel good about ourselves.”See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

    As summer comes to a close, one of the best ways to cool off was at Roseville’s Wake Island, but just beyond the inflatable floats and right past the wake boarders, there are those who have an unimpaired chance at creating a splash of their own.

    “Everyone is out here to have a good time,” said Michael Hunter with Achieve Tahoe.

    Achieve Tahoe     is a nonprofit organization that started in the 1960s. Its goal is to make sure people with disabilities have the opportunity to enjoy outdoor sports. The organization began as a way to get wounded veterans on the ski slopes, but has expanded to providing programs year-round.

    “It just feels good to get out and be part of your environment,” Hunter added. “It feels good to feel the wind in your hair.”

    That includes 34-year-old Brigit Maloney, who has this water skiing date circled on her calendar.

    “I like water skiing,” she said. “I like doing all my sports.”

    Fifty miles away in Grass Valley, it would be hard to find a more blessed household than the Maloney family.

    “The good lord gives you what he wants you to have,” said mother, Cati Maloney.

    But like most families, they aren’t blessed with a ton of free time, trying to balance the schedule for their adult children.

    Cati is an occupational therapist who made a very big decision a little more than three decades ago, when she adopted two children with disabilities.

    The first was Brigit. Cati got her when she was just 1 1/2 years old. She knew her daughter would face obstacles.

    Brigit is legally blind in one eye and partially in the other. It’s a disability she wasn’t born with. It’s one that happened at the hands of someone she loved.

    “Brigit was born normal, and she was abused from zero to three months,” Cati said. “She has what they call shaken baby syndrome. When she arrived at the hospital, her retinas were detached, and she had a brain injury.”

    Life hasn’t been as easy for Brigit as others, but she isn’t about to let you know that.

    “They probably think that I can’t do stuff as well as they can, but I can still manage on the activity,” Brigit added.

    She’s done better than manage. Her room is filled with medals hanging on the walls from her time competing in the Special Olympics.

    In the winter, Brigit skis, and in summer, she skis even more. Brigit is just one of 120 disabled athletes who have a chance to water ski over the summer, through Achieve Tahoe.

    “When I got Brigit, people said she won’t amount to much,” Cati said.

    “It’s a simple goal,” Hunter added. “Achievement is universal. We all want to do something more and feel good about ourselves.”

    See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel

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  • City, others invest millions into new plan to assist Atlanta’s unhoused

    City, others invest millions into new plan to assist Atlanta’s unhoused

    Dozens of people gathered outside of Woodruff Park in downtown Atlanta for the press conference on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

    Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, Partners for HOME CEO Cathryn Vassell, Georgia State University President Dr. M. Brian Blake, Frank Fernandez of Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta, and members of the Atlanta City Council gathered on the corner of Peachtree Street near Woodruff Park for the special announcement. 

    The park, a regular stop for the city’s homeless and unhoused alike, was surrounded by Atlanta Police and people in suits and casual dress. New York City native and Atlanta resident Demetrius Overton wondered if it all meant anything.

    “You don’t see a lot of these people around here any other time,” Overton, 38, said. “They preach that good song, but does anyone hear it.”

    Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens (left) and Partners for HOME CEO Cathryn Vassell. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

    The Mayor was the first to speak and announced a major investment in the effort to combat what remains a major issue in Atlanta: homelessness. A public-private investment of $150 million will build hundreds of units for the city’s homeless. 

    “This is something that the city must take the lead on,” Dickens said during his remarks. He added that this would be the single largest investment in homelessness in the city’s history. 

    Dickens said this investment wouldn’t just be for short-term fixes for units, similar to what was created with The Melody project last year. It would be for the long haul. 

    Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

    “We are here today to talk about something we all see and are touched about,” Dickens said. 

    The details of the million-dollar investment include multiple projects, according to renderings that were set up near where the Mayor and others spoke. According to Vassell, there are also plans to continue raising money for further investment.

    “We must move like we have never moved before,” said Vassell, who said Partners for HOME have “rehoused” thousands of families over the past couple of years.

    Following the event, Dickens (left) greeted a man who called out to him moments before the press conference began. Photo by Kerri Phox/The Atlanta Voice

    “This is a crisis in our country, and until we get a hold of it, we will continue to see unhoused people coming into our community,” Vassell said.

    The two projects, Waterworks and 405 Cooper Rapid Housing, will be located in underserved communities on the city’s Westside. According to Dickens, waterworks will consist of two buildings and 100 total units that are expected to break ground in the fall. 405 Cooper, located in Mechanicsville, will combine 70 for-sale townhomes with 100 units for the unhoused.

    Fernandez, who said he saw people sleeping on the street on his walk over to Woodruff Park Tuesday morning, added, “This commitment says a lot about who we are as a city.” 

    The Community Foundation of Greater Atlanta contributed $10 million to Partners for HOME for this project. According to its website, partners for HOME, an Atlanta-based nonprofit organization that was started in 2015, aims to bring together government, nonprofit, business, and community stakeholders to make homelessness rare, brief, and nonrecurring.

    Vassell wants to raise another $43 million of private funds for the projects but added that this cannot just be a collaboration between these entities. Taking from the Mayor’s “Group project” slogan, Vassell said there also needs to be investment from county, state, and behavioral health organizations. 

    “This investment is courageous, ambitious, and audacious,” she said. 

    Donnell Suggs

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  • California Institution for Women and Gordon Philanthropies Present at the 2024 National Children of Incarcerated Parents Conference

    California Institution for Women and Gordon Philanthropies Present at the 2024 National Children of Incarcerated Parents Conference

    Chief Deputy Warden (A) Delinia Lewis and GP Executive Director Sylvia Beanes Present on the Value of Children’s Libraries in Correctional Facilities


    SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 25, 2024 (Newswire.com)
    –
    California Institution for Women Chief Deputy Warden (A) Delinia Lewis and Gordon Philanthropies Executive Director Sylvia Beanes spoke at the 2024 National Children of Incarcerated Parents Conference on the importance of Children’s Libraries in correctional facilities. Their presentation, The California Institution for Women, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, and Gordon Philanthropies Put Children First, spoke to how positive visitation experiences are widely recognized as incredibly beneficial for both incarcerated parents and their children, the role that libraries can play in enhancing these experiences, and how correctional facilities in other states can replicate this work.

    “We know that consistent, meaningful visitation reduces recidivism rates and helps nurture healthy bonds between children and their incarcerated parents. This means that correctional facilities must provide safe, inviting spaces to help nurture those relationships. The California Institution for Women has seen firsthand the benefit our Children’s Library has had on these visitations,” CIW Chief Deputy Warden (A) Delinia Lewis shared with attendees.

    Lewis and Beanes spoke about how the installation of CIW’s Children’s Library (with funding from GP) has provided children with a safe, clean environment to read and play as they visit their parents. Families are allowed to visit the library as they await the arrival of their incarcerated family member. This is critical, they noted, as it can take one to two hours before a family can visit their incarcerated family member — with no outside items allowed due to security issues. Now, children have access to the latest books, board games, and other educational materials to help make their visit that much more meaningful.

    “Libraries, like the one we helped establish at CIW, are so desperately needed. The incarceration of a parent can severely harm a child’s education and overall quality of life. If Gordon Philanthropies can help children in need by providing educational materials and other resources, including the installation of a Children’s Library in a correctional facility, then that is exactly what we will do,” said GP Executive Director Sylvia Beanes during her presentation.

    There are an estimated 2.7 million children across the United States who have at least one parent who is incarcerated. According to the National Institute of Justice, “Without support, children of incarcerated parents have poor educational outcomes, are vulnerable to developing behavioral health challenges, and shorter life expectancies.” This is why the NIJ recognizes children as the “hidden victims” of incarceration. Fortunately, research also suggests that healthy parent-child bonds combined with strong social support systems can help children overcome the challenges and stigmas of having an incarcerated parent.

    Lewis and Beanes delivered this information to an audience of over 100 professionals from numerous states across the nation and Canada on the second day of the 6th National Children of Incarcerated Parents Conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. The conference brings together professionals working in child welfare, state and federal correctional facilities, education, social work, behavioral health and human services, judicial affairs, and more. Conference panels and presentations provide attendees with an opportunity to gather, share effective practices, and engage in planning. The conference was hosted by Arizona State University’s Center for Child Well-Being.

    Source: Gordon Philanthropies

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  • NASA Astronaut Dr. José M. Hernández Surprises 1,001 Students at the Opening of New Reading Nooks at Animo Legacy Middle School

    NASA Astronaut Dr. José M. Hernández Surprises 1,001 Students at the Opening of New Reading Nooks at Animo Legacy Middle School

    Press Release
    •

    Nov 27, 2023

    Gordon Philanthropies, Inc. in collaboration with NASA Astronaut Dr. José M. Hernández will surprise 1,001 students and staff members at Animo Legacy Middle School with a special appearance and autographed copies of his book.


    LOS ANGELES, November 27, 2023 (Newswire.com)
    –
    Gordon Philanthropies, Inc. in collaboration with NASA Astronaut Dr. José M. Hernández surprised 1,001 students and staff members at Animo Legacy Middle School with a special appearance and an autographed copy of his book, Reaching for the Stars: The Inspiring Story of a Migrant Farmworker Turned Astronaut. Dan Gordon, founder of Gordon Philanthropies, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge and running LA District Attorney candidate Craig Mitchell, and Dr. José M. Hernández came together at Animo Legacy to celebrate alongside students and teachers the joy, importance, and power of books and reading. The event also celebrated the opening and completion of 60 reading nooks made possible through the grant provided by Gordon Philanthropies.

    “It is an honor to have someone as inspirational as Dr. Hernández to support our mission to bring equitable education to all children. Our organization looks forward to partnering with Dr. Hernández and his foundation to continue providing educational opportunities that permit students to thrive and succeed not only academically, but in their personal lives as well,” shared Founder, Dan Gordon. 

    Retired NASA Astronaut Dr. José M. Hernández said, “I’m very happy and excited to form part of this project. I thank Gordon Philanthropies for their help in bringing my story to underserved communities as I believe that this will empower our kids to consider a career in the STEM field and come to see that no dream is too big enough.” 

    The reading nooks form part of Green Dot’s Empowered Reading Initiative sponsored by Gordon Philanthropies, which aims to promote the value of in-class reading and supply students with access to books in hopes of improving student literacy. Presently, “45% of children in the United States live in neighborhoods that lack public libraries and stores that sell books, or in homes where books are not present or available.” Studies have also demonstrated that whereas in high-income communities there are 13 books for every child, in high-poverty communities, this ratio drastically differs as there is one book for every 300 children. Furthermore, initiatives such as these set out to not only address the existent literacy gap but more importantly, endow all students with the opportunity to have access to reading materials.

    Through the grant provided by Gordon Philanthropies, Animo Legacy was able to furnish 60 reading nooks and replenish them with books for each classroom, creating unique and personalized reading space for students’ reading leisure for the years to come.

    Source: Gordon Philanthropies, Inc.

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