Foundations
News releases, reports, statements and associated documents from U.S. foundations.
Featured Stories
WWI in Asia Topic of Latest Pershing Lecture
FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas, April 19 -- The Command and General Staff College Foundation issued the following news release, dated April 18:
"The Great War in East Asia" was the topic of the evening as Dr. Joseph G.D. (Geoff) Babb presented the latest, and last of AY 2019, lecture in the General of the Armies John J. Pershing Great War Centennial Series at the Riverfront Community Center in downtown Leavenworth, Kan. on Apr. 10.
Babb, an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, explored how the First World War brought many changes to the Asia-Pacific region.
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FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas, April 19 -- The Command and General Staff College Foundation issued the following news release, dated April 18:
"The Great War in East Asia" was the topic of the evening as Dr. Joseph G.D. (Geoff) Babb presented the latest, and last of AY 2019, lecture in the General of the Armies John J. Pershing Great War Centennial Series at the Riverfront Community Center in downtown Leavenworth, Kan. on Apr. 10.
Babb, an Associate Professor of History at the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, explored how the First World War brought many changes to the Asia-Pacific region.Babb discussed the precursor events to the conflict in the Far East, as well as how the war was conducted and how this conflict was a harbinger of the dramatic political and military challenges of the coming decades.
Dr. Joseph G. D. (Geoff) Babb is a retired U.S. Army Special Forces lieutenant colonel. During his Army service, Babb served as a China Foreign Area Officer educated in Hong Kong and Beijing. He served in Washington, D.C., at the Defense Intelligence Agency and on the Joint Staff. He also was a regional desk officer in Hawaii at U.S. Pacific Command and U.S Army Pacific. He has written on the American military's role in China in Volumes I and II of Through the Joint, Interagency, and Multinational Lens: Perspectives on the Operational Environment. His most recent publication is a chapter on the Korea War published in Weaving the Tangled Web: Military Deception in Large-Scale Combat Operations issued by Army University Press. Babb holds a bachelor's from Bowdoin College, an MPA from Clark University, a master's in East Asian Languages and Cultures and a doctorate in History from the University of Kansas.
The CGSC Department of Military History hosts the General of the Armies John J. Pershing Great War Centennial Series with support from the CGSC Foundation. The lecture series is intended to foster understanding of this world-changing conflict during its 100-year commemoration. More than any other single event, World War I was the decisive, shaping experience of the Twentieth Century. It was a brutal war that brought down four empires, led to revolution in Russia, and eventually brought the United States onto the world stage as a major power. We live with its results to this day.
All lectures in the series are free and open to the public. Lecture dates for Academic Year 2020 will be announced at a later date.
Deyarina Zavala Named Executive Director of Mile High Connects
DENVER, Colorado, April 19 -- The Denver Foundation issued the following news release, dated April 17:
The Denver Foundation is pleased to announce that Deyarina (Deya) Zavala has been named Executive Director of Mile High Connects, a Denver Foundation partner and supporting organization.
Ms. Zavala was unanimously selected by the MHC Steering Committee following the departure of Jeffrey Su, who served as Executive Director from June 2017 to March 2019.
Since joining the Mile High Connects team in 2016, Ms. Zavala has helped to expand the vision, impact, and operations of the collaborative.
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DENVER, Colorado, April 19 -- The Denver Foundation issued the following news release, dated April 17:
The Denver Foundation is pleased to announce that Deyarina (Deya) Zavala has been named Executive Director of Mile High Connects, a Denver Foundation partner and supporting organization.
Ms. Zavala was unanimously selected by the MHC Steering Committee following the departure of Jeffrey Su, who served as Executive Director from June 2017 to March 2019.
Since joining the Mile High Connects team in 2016, Ms. Zavala has helped to expand the vision, impact, and operations of the collaborative.Most recently, she served as Program Director. Deya brings tremendous economic development, management, and facilitation experience to Mile High Connects having held positions at Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute and the National Association of Latino Community Asset Builders. Deya holds a master's in public administration from the University of North Texas and a bachelor's of arts from the University of Texas Arlington.
About The Denver Foundation
The Denver Foundation is a community foundation that inspires people and mobilizes resources to improve life in Metro Denver. In 2017, the Foundation and its donors awarded more than $66 million in grants. The Denver Foundation has three roles: stewarding an endowment to meet current and future needs for Metro Denver, working with community leaders to address the core challenges that face the community, and managing more than 1,000 charitable funds on behalf of individuals, families, and businesses. For more information, visit http://www.denverfoundation.org.
About Mile High Connects
Mile High Connects is a broad partnership of organizations from the private, public and nonprofit sectors that are committed to increasing access to housing choices, good jobs, quality schools and essential services via public transit. Our mission is to ensure that the Metro Denver regional transit system fosters communities that offer all residents the opportunity for a high quality of life. For more information, visit http://www.milehighconnects.org.
TPPF: Texas Can Cut Property Taxes Without Increasing Other Tax Burdens
AUSTIN, Texas, April 18 -- Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following news release:
With HJR3 recently being heard in the House Ways and Means Committee, the Texas Public Policy Foundation released numerous options for giving Texans real property tax cuts without having to increase the burden on taxpayers in other areas.
"Our legislators should be commended for asking the right question: how do we deliver real property tax cuts to Texans," said TPPF Executive Director Kevin Roberts. "One answer should not be increasing the sales tax without permanent property tax relief, as that will
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AUSTIN, Texas, April 18 -- Texas Public Policy Foundation issued the following news release:
With HJR3 recently being heard in the House Ways and Means Committee, the Texas Public Policy Foundation released numerous options for giving Texans real property tax cuts without having to increase the burden on taxpayers in other areas.
"Our legislators should be commended for asking the right question: how do we deliver real property tax cuts to Texans," said TPPF Executive Director Kevin Roberts. "One answer should not be increasing the sales tax without permanent property tax relief, as that willsimply add to taxpayers' burden. Unfortunately, HJR3, in its current form, is a tax increase. We look forward to working with the Legislature to chart a better path toward continued prosperity for Texans."
Options for real tax cuts include:
* Immediately eliminate M&O property taxes.
* Buy down a portion of the M&O property tax with continued cuts over time.
* Limit government spending growth so that state "surplus" dollars could buy down the M&O property tax over time.
"Whichever path the Texas Legislature takes, real property tax cuts must also be accompanied by a 2.5 percent election trigger to limit the growth of spending without voter approval," Roberts added. "Fiscal restraint is the cornerstone of sound tax reform policy."
Dr. Vance Ginn, senior economist, testified against HJR3 in its current form, citing concerns that it would fuel increased government spending. He stated, "By combining property tax reductions and reform with spending limitations, Texas could shift to a more efficient and fair sales tax-dominated system. In this way, Texans can be assured meaningful, lasting property tax relief and an improved Texas Model that will sustain economic prosperity for generations."
For more information, please visit:
https://files.texaspolicy.com/uploads/2019/04/17092717/041619-CEP-Tax-Swap-Paper.pdf
Stop & Shop Employee Hits UFCW Union With Federal Charges for Illegal Threats, Slurs During Union-Ordered Strike
QUINCY, Massachusetts, April 18 -- The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation issued the following news release:
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- UFCW boss misinformed worker about his rights by claiming union membership was mandatory. Others retaliated with slurs and threats when worker defied strike
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A Massachusetts Stop & Shop employee filed federal unfair labor practice charges against United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1459 alleging that a top union official blatantly misinformed him by telling him that he could not resign his union membership and return to work during a union-ordered
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QUINCY, Massachusetts, April 18 -- The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation issued the following news release:
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- UFCW boss misinformed worker about his rights by claiming union membership was mandatory. Others retaliated with slurs and threats when worker defied strike
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A Massachusetts Stop & Shop employee filed federal unfair labor practice charges against United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 1459 alleging that a top union official blatantly misinformed him by telling him that he could not resign his union membership and return to work during a union-orderedstrike or he would be fired. The charge was filed with free legal aid from National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation staff attorneys.
The charging employee has worked at Stop & Shop Supermarket Company since 2017. When he started the job, he became a member of UFCW Local 1459 as union officials led him to believe that union membership was a condition of employment.
Earlier in April, UFCW union officials ordered over 30,000 Shop & Stop grocery employees on strike in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island. The charging employee asked UFCW Local 1459 about his rights to continue working despite the union-ordered strike. In response, a top union official told him in writing that Stop & Shop is a "closed shop" and that he would lose his job if he resigned union membership and returned to work.
That threat contradicts federal law, which protects a worker's right to resign his or her union membership at any time. Resignation protects a worker who wants to return to work despite a union strike. As a nonmember, he or she cannot legally be subjected to punitive union strike fines.
Additionally, when there is no union monopoly bargaining agreement in effect, as is the case for workplaces impacted by the UFCW's strike against Stop & Shop, workers who resign from the union can immediately revoke any authorization for payment of union dues.
After being misled, the charging employee learned his rights and decided to return to work. His charges allege that since his return, he has been subjected to slurs based on sexual orientation, threats of violence, and other similar harassment by, or instigated by, UFCW Local 1459 union officials.
To combat the threats and violations of his rights, he sought free legal aid from Foundation staff attorneys. His charges state that the UFCW Local 1459 union official's claim that he would be fired if he resigned union membership to return to work was "a blatant falsehood and misrepresentation of the law," because employees have the right at any time to revoke their union memberships and resume work during a strike to support themselves and their families.
Moreover, under federal law unions must give workers clear notice of their right to refrain from union membership and pay reduced nonmember forced fees. The employee's charges allege that union officials have never given him such notice. His charges also state that the union officials' harassment in retaliation for his choice to return to work violates the union's duty of fair representation.
"This worker is refusing to let union bosses bully him into submission through outright lies and threats simply because he has decided that continuing to work is in his best interest," said Mark Mix, president of the National Right to Work Foundation. "As is unfortunately common when union bosses instigate a work stoppage, union officials are again violating the rights of the workers they claim to 'represent.'"
"Foundation staff attorneys stand ready to assist other workers who run into union misinformation and threats when they choose to exercise their right to return to work," added Mix.
The National Right to Work Foundation released a special legal notice informing Stop & Shop employees of their rights during the union-ordered strike. The notice can be found at: https://www.nrtw.org/special-notice-for-new-england-based-employees-of-shop-stop/.
The National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization providing free legal aid to employees whose human or civil rights have been violated by compulsory unionism abuses. The Foundation, which can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-336-3600, assists thousands of employees in more than 250 cases nationwide per year.
Stand Up to Cancer, Mastercard & Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame Unite to Help Take Down One of the Biggest Villains Of All-Cancer
LOS ANGELES, California, April 18 -- The Entertainment Industry Foundation's Stand Up To Cancer issued the following news release:
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), Mastercard and Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame announced today that they are teaming up to take down one of the biggest villains of all, cancer, with an impactful new Public Service Announcement scheduled to launch in April.
The PSA campaign features Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame Super Heroes alongside real-life heroes: cancer survivors. The two global brands are collaborating to raise awareness for SU2C to help all patients become
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LOS ANGELES, California, April 18 -- The Entertainment Industry Foundation's Stand Up To Cancer issued the following news release:
Stand Up To Cancer (SU2C), Mastercard and Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame announced today that they are teaming up to take down one of the biggest villains of all, cancer, with an impactful new Public Service Announcement scheduled to launch in April.
The PSA campaign features Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame Super Heroes alongside real-life heroes: cancer survivors. The two global brands are collaborating to raise awareness for SU2C to help all patients becomelong-term survivors. The PSA will come to life across print, TV, radio, digital and out-of-home networks, aligning with the premiere of Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame in theaters April 26, 2019.
The new PSA is the latest collaboration between SU2C and Mastercard, marking Mastercard's 10th year as a supporter of SU2C. To date, Mastercard has donated more than $45 million to SU2C's collaborative cancer research programs, providing invaluable support for research leading to five FDA approvals for new cancer therapies. This marks the second collaboration between SU2C and Marvel Studios, who collaborated with American Airlines, a longstanding donor to SU2C, on a PSA campaign tied to Marvel Studios' Avengers: Infinity War in 2018.
"It's incredible to look back at the impact our donations have had on cancer research. We are so proud of what we have been able to accomplish with the help of our cardholders over the last ten years," said Cheryl Guerin, executive vice president, North America marketing and communications, Mastercard. "This new campaign gives us the extraordinary opportunity to spotlight the heroes of our community-- those who have defeated cancer in their own lives. It further underscores the message that no one is alone standing up to this disease and that we are stronger when we join forces. We are so honored to collaborate with Stand Up To Cancer and Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame on this galvanizing PSA. Together, we want to create a future where everyone facing a cancer diagnosis becomes a long-term survivor."
"It's a privilege to team up with Stand Up To Cancer and its long-time supporter, Mastercard, to spotlight the true heroes of our world," said Mindy Hamilton, SVP of Marvel Partnerships. "On behalf of the entire studio, we deeply admire the courage, strength and empowering Super Hero examples that patients and survivors continue to set. We look forward to the day when there is an end to cancer."
"At Stand Up To Cancer, collaboration is the cornerstone of our mission," said Rusty Robertson, Stand Up To Cancer co-founder. "We are so grateful to Mastercard and Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame for standing with us, and to all the survivors who bravely share their personal journeys. This incredible collaboration illustrates how we can all be Super Heroes."
The print PSA features Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame cast members Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor, along with Pearl, a pediatric cancer survivor, Arnold a Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) survivor and Lori, a breast cancer survivor. Arnold and Pearl are also included in the Spanish language print PSA.
The broadcast PSA, including TV and radio, also features Chris Evans (Captain America) and Brie Larson (Captain Marvel), as well as Paul Rudd (Ant-Man), Karen Gillan (Nebula), and Danai Gurira (Okoye). Survivors featured include Arnold, Lori and Pearl, as well as Dave, an esophageal cancer survivor, Phuong, a colon cancer survivor, and Robyn, a breast cancer survivor. It is inspired by Stand Up To Cancer's UK colleagues' innovative PSA, "The Takedown," which was created and directed by Melissa Bolton-Klinger, a Stage 3 head and neck cancer survivor. The US adaptation and print campaign were produced by
L Associates, an integrated creative agency located in Hollywood, Calif. that focuses on entertainment and brands.
Mastercard launched its support for SU2C with a "Priceless" PSA which aired during the 2009 MLB World Series. Since then, Mastercard has continued to collaborate with SU2C, most notably on their annual dine out campaign. Over the last 10 years, Mastercard's donations have significantly supported SU2C's research in immunotherapy, precision treatments, and the development of technologies using blood tests to identify cancers early, imaging cancers to understand tumor progression, and new laboratory tools to target drug discovery and precision medicine. Financial support from Mastercard currently is helping SU2C to advance the new fields of convergence, bringing mathematicians, physicists and oncologists together to investigate immunotherapy in difficult to treat cancers, as well as cancer interception, which seeks to diagnose cancer and pre-cancerous conditions as early as possible, and develop treatments to intervene in the formation or advancement of cancer.
In 2019, over 1.7 million Americans are expected to be diagnosed with cancer, with 1 in 3 Americans diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. This compelling PSA campaign will raise awareness for Stand Up To Cancer while also raising funds needed to continue critical ground-breaking research.
Please visit StandUpToCancer.org/Mastercard to learn more about the campaign, and follow us on @SU2C across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the latest updates.
About Stand Up To Cancer
STAND UP TO CANCER (SU2C) raises funds to accelerate the pace of research to get new therapies to patients quickly and save lives now. A division of the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), SU2C was established in 2008 by media and entertainment leaders who utilize these communities' resources to engage the public in supporting a new, collaborative model of cancer research, to increase awareness about cancer prevention, and to highlight progress being made in the fight against the disease. As of April 2018, more than 1,500 scientists representing more than 180 institutions are involved in SU2C-funded research projects.
The SU2C Scientific Advisory Committee, led by Nobel laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D., with support of the SU2C Science Strategy and Management Department and the American Association for Cancer Research, SU2C's Scientific Partner, implements rigorous competitive review processes to identify the best research proposals to recommend for funding, oversee grants administration and ensure collaboration across research programs.
Current members of the SU2C Council of Founders and Advisors (CFA) include Katie Couric, Sherry Lansing, Kathleen Lobb, Lisa Paulsen, Rusty Robertson, Sue Schwartz, Pamela Oas Williams, and Ellen Ziffren. The late Laura Ziskin and the late Noreen Fraser are also co-founders. Sung Poblete, Ph.D.,
R.N., serves as SU2C's president and CEO.
For more information on Stand Up To Cancer, visit StandUpToCancer.org.
About Mastercard
Mastercard (NYSE: MA), Mastercard.com, is a technology company in the global payments industry. Our global payments processing network connects consumers, financial institutions, merchants, governments and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard products and solutions make everyday commerce activities - such as shopping, traveling, running a business and managing finances - easier, more secure and more efficient for everyone. Follow us on Twitter @MastercardNews, join the discussion on the Beyond the Transaction Blog and subscribe for the latest news on the Engagement Bureau.
About Marvel Studios' Avengers: Endgame
The grave course of events set in motion by Thanos that wiped out half the universe and fractured the Avengers ranks compels the remaining Avengers to take one final stand in Marvel Studios' grand conclusion to twenty-two films, Avengers: Endgame.
Kevin Feige produces Avengers: Endgame, and Anthony and Joe Russo are the directors. Louis D'Esposito, Victoria Alonso, Michael Grillo, Trinh Tran, Jon Favreau, James Gunn and Stan Lee are the executive producers, and Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely wrote the screenplay.
New First Nations Report Details Groundbreaking Dialogue Around Native Stewardship of Lands, Natural Resources and Sacred Sites
LONGMONT, Colorado, April 18 -- The First Nations Development Institute issued the following news release:
In November 2018 in Denver, Colorado, First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) convened representatives of 15 tribes and Native nonprofit organizations alongside natural resource professionals and experts in Native law and policy to begin a dialogue. That dialogue was about tribal stewardship of land, natural resources and sacred sites. It was about barriers to this stewardship. It was about how traditional ecological knowledge is uniquely adapted to local environments and essential
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LONGMONT, Colorado, April 18 -- The First Nations Development Institute issued the following news release:
In November 2018 in Denver, Colorado, First Nations Development Institute (First Nations) convened representatives of 15 tribes and Native nonprofit organizations alongside natural resource professionals and experts in Native law and policy to begin a dialogue. That dialogue was about tribal stewardship of land, natural resources and sacred sites. It was about barriers to this stewardship. It was about how traditional ecological knowledge is uniquely adapted to local environments and essentialto all conservation work, and to discuss steps for enhancing tribal control of natural assets. It also was about how non-Native allies can best provide assistance to this cause.
This gathering was a rare opportunity for these groups to network, shine a light on how they approach their work, and learn from each other's models and best practices. Now, this groundbreaking convening has been summarized in a free report from First Nations: Increasing Ecological Stewardship of Tribal Lands, Natural Resources and Historical Sites. The report is published under the aegis of First Nations' Native Ecological Stewardship project. It was written by First Nations Senior Program Officer Mary Adelzadeh (Navajo), who at that time was an ecological/environmental consultant to First Nations.
"Native people and their traditional ecological knowledge must be valued and supported, and this report highlights effective ways to do so," said Adelzadeh.
The convening was generously funded by the 11th Hour Project of the Schmidt Family Foundation. This subsequent report was generated to provide a platform for further discussion and input, recognizing that there was only a subset of tribal and community interests represented at the meeting. The report summarizes input provided by participants and adds examples to further elaborate discussion points. The document is being used for outreach to engage tribes and Native communities, through distribution at future convenings and making it publicly available, in order to expand this work. In addition, the report will be made available to key partners and funding entities as a tool to demonstrate opportunities to support effective stewardship of tribal lands.
"We are grateful to our partners who shared their extensive knowledge and experiences at the meeting," noted Jackie Francke (Navajo), First Nations Vice President of Programs and Administration. "It truly demonstrates shared values and a commitment to expand the use and recognition of traditional ecological knowledge."
About First Nations Development Institute
For nearly 39 years, using a three-pronged strategy of educating grassroots practitioners, advocating for systemic change, and capitalizing Indian communities, First Nations has been working to restore Native American control and culturally-compatible stewardship of the assets they own - be they land, human potential, cultural heritage or natural resources - and to establish new assets for ensuring the long-term vitality of Native American communities. First Nations serves Native American communities throughout the United States. For more information, visit http://www.firstnations.org.
Colorado Health Foundation Statement on Denver Area School Threats
DENVER, Colorado, April 18 -- The Colorado Health Foundation issued the following statement on Denver area school threats:
"Threats of violence against children came knocking on our doors again here in the Denver area, as parents and caregivers were put in the disheartening position of having to explain to their children why schools were closed due to a safety threat.
"The events that unfolded over the past couple of days undoubtedly shook families and communities across the state. Knowing that planned violent attacks can happen anywhere and at any time is a horrific reality that we all must
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DENVER, Colorado, April 18 -- The Colorado Health Foundation issued the following statement on Denver area school threats:
"Threats of violence against children came knocking on our doors again here in the Denver area, as parents and caregivers were put in the disheartening position of having to explain to their children why schools were closed due to a safety threat.
"The events that unfolded over the past couple of days undoubtedly shook families and communities across the state. Knowing that planned violent attacks can happen anywhere and at any time is a horrific reality that we all mustface. It's a 'new normal' that we simply cannot accept. And its impact on the well-being of those we're raising is detrimental.
"Children deserve to have safe environments that enrich their learning and their lives. Places where fear is nonexistent. Places where they feel supported. Places where they can be happy and healthy.
"The trauma and re-traumatization that violence presents are a real threat to our youth. And resiliency becomes a distant dream when more pressing matters are at hand.
"It is our civic duty as adults to protect our youth and make them feel safe. It is our responsibility - as parents, caregivers, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, mentors, mental health professionals - to have open and honest conversations that will teach them violence is never the answer. We must give them space to voice their concerns, ask questions and share their feelings. Most importantly, we must reassure their safety.
"Resources are available to help usher these conversations along in a way that supports their mental well-being. Please share them with your loved ones and use them in conversations with your children."
