Marin Gives Back

 

Just like in years prior, we asked local groups making a difference in the community exactly how your contribution could help them. The response we got was overwhelming. 31 groups answered, detailing where a total of $344,100 would be allocated. The requests for funding covered a broad span: one tank of gas, five specialist salaries, six calls for computers, 12 groups needing volunteer support, numerous calls for supplies ranging from leashes, recliners, x-ray film, books, clothing, refrigerators, eye glasses and other items that could dramatically change the lives of many people.

 

100+ Marin

 

• $100: When 100+ people come together and each donates $100, they create a $10,000+ major gift for a local nonprofit. That’s real impact! Please spread the word and join us at www.100MARIN.org

 

10,000 Degrees

 

• $1,000: Provides one-on-one student support to complete complicated college financial aid forms. Last year, 10,000 Degrees helped Bay Area students from low-income backgrounds access over $18M in free financial aid.

 

Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity (AHO)

 

Marin’s only nonprofit organization for homeless teens and young adults, ages 18 to 25, who are without family support or resources to actualize their potential. AHO offers a safety net of stable housing, guidance and community connections for them.  The youth served by AHO, are the largest growing homeless population in Marin and the nation.

“Our deepest wish is for the entire community of Marin County (at every level) including individuals, businesses, organizations, faith communities and foundations to come together on behalf of our teens and young adults who are homeless. AHO offers a model that provides youth stability, and opportunity to “beat the odds” and succeed in life.”

• $50: Provides one month bus transportation for a homeless youth to get to school, their job and healthcare and therapy appointments.
• $100: Provides a cell phone for one homeless youth to stay in touch with employers, mental and healthcare professionals and educators so they can move forward on their educational and life goals.
• $250: Provides food for 8 AHO Youth Team meetings, where previously homeless youth “give back” by creating youth-led projects to bring more awareness and funding to AHO.
• $500: Buys a used laptop for one homeless youth to use for their classes at College of Marin.
• $1,000: Provides two-week stay in a model for a homeless Mom and child until safe and appropriate housing opens up while they continue to receive AHO wraparound support: Referrals to AHO’s twenty employment partners that fast-track youth into jobs, 5 top dentists provide free major and minor dental care, 4 licensed professional trauma specialists work with youth for as long as is needed, financial coaches, laptop computers, bus vouchers, cell phones, eye exams and glasses, a two-week work wardrobe, college scholarships, peer mentors and mentors in their area of interest and leadership opportunities with the AHO YOUTH Team.
• $2,500: Sponsors ONE homeless youth for up to 5 years, or whatever they need, with referrals to AHO’s 20 employment partners that fast-track youth into jobs, 5 top dentists provide free major and minor dental care, 4 licensed professional trauma specialists work with youth for as long as is needed, financial coaches, laptop computers, bus vouchers, cell phones, eye exams and glasses, a two-week work wardrobe, college scholarships, peer mentors and mentors in their area of interest and leadership opportunities with the AHO YOUTH Team.
• $5,000: Will Sponsor TWO homeless youth for up to 5 years, or whatever they need, with all the support they need to achieve their educational and life goals. AHO’s Housing Fund offers first and last rental security deposits for a room in a home, or an apartment with peers. All furnishing for new apartment. Twenty employers that fast-track youth into jobs, 5 top dentists provide free major and minor dental care, 4 licensed professional trauma specialists work with youth for as long as is needed, financial coaches, laptop computers, bus vouchers, cell phones, eye exams and glasses, a two-week work wardrobe, college scholarships, peer mentors and mentors in their area of interest and leadership opportunities with the AHO YOUTH TEAM.
• $10,000: Will Sponsor FIVE homeless youth for up to 5 years, or whatever they need, with all the support they need to achieve their educational and life goals. AHO’s Housing Fund offers first and last rental security deposits for a room in a home, or an apartment with peers. All furnishing for new apartment. Twenty employers that fast-track youth into jobs, 5 top dentists provide free major and minor dental care, 4 licensed professional trauma specialists work with youth for as long as is needed, financial coaches, laptop computers, bus vouchers, cell phones, eye exams and glasses, a two-week work wardrobe, college scholarships, peer mentors and mentors in their area of interest and leadership opportunities with the AHO YOUTH Team.

 

Audubon Canyon Ranch

 

Audubon Canyon Ranch’s Conservation Science Intensive (CSI) inspires high-school-age women with a passion for science to explore land conservation, stewardship, nature writing and illustration in some of our region’s most beautiful areas. For one week during the summer, participants from schools throughout the area come together at Martin Griffin Preserve in Bolinas Lagoon to work with and learn from ACR’s highly-skilled female conservation biologists, ecologists, educators and guest artists, writers, and musicians. While learning and working together, participants explore topics such as natural history (tracking, botany, birding, mapping and GPS/telemetry), conservation, stewardship, leadership, outdoor skills, biological illustration, research design and ethics, and nature writing. The weeks’ activities take place within a framework of strong female leadership that encourages a culture of safety, kindness and mutual respect.

• $2,500: Provides one scholarship to help a girl follow her scientific aspirations without concern for ability to pay.

 

Autistry Studios

 

Autistry Studios builds independent adults. Autistry is a therapeutic/educational Maker Space celebrating its 10th year providing programs and services to autistic teens and adults and those with other developmental, communication, and social issues. The Autistry Core Program offers weekly hands-on build stuff workshops where students can create fabulous projects – robots, dioramas, stop-motion animation, Raspberry Pi and Arduino computer projects – using a wide array of tools including laser cutters, computer-driven routers, bandsaws, sewing machines, 3D printers, and much more. The Autistry Comprehensive Adult Program (ACAP) addresses the specific and individual needs of our adult participants in the areas of Education, Vocation, Life Skills, and Physical Fitness. ACAP is a challenging and rewarding 5-day/week program.

Becoming independent is not a passive process. It takes courage and an inner fortitude to challenge oneself to learn a new skill, break an old habit, or create a dream.

The services Autistry provides go well beyond the funds provided by the Regional Center and the workshop fees. As with most nonprofits, Autistry relies on the support of the community to continue to offer unique and effective programs and to expand those programs as the needs of our students change.

• $ 50 – Sew much help! $50 buys 24 1,000-yard spools of thread, assorted hand-needles, pin cushions, seam rippers AND a pair of fabric scissors for creating costumes, quilts, puppets, and stuffed animals!
• $100 – Art supplies keep Autistry artists painting dioramas, fine art pieces and fabulous character clocks. $100 buys a set of 53 tubes of acrylic paint, 3 quarts of gel medium, AND 12 natural bristle brushes.
• $250 – Support the Autistry Excursion groups as they explore local attractions throughout the Bay Area: 20 bus rides, 10 SMART train trips, AND 10 tickets to the Asian Art Museum are just a few of the ways we would spend $250.
• $500 – Hands-on learning requires hands-on materials. A $500 donation purchases 10 sheets of plywood, 5 new blades for the jigsaw, AND 4 new ShopBot bits – enough material for at least 20 cool projects.
• $1,000 – We are what we eat! $1,000 provides nutritious lunches for one full month of Autistry Workshops AND buys groceries for the Cooking with Gabrielle workshop where students learn to make complete meals.
• $2,500 – Saddle up! Through our partnership with the Square Peg Foundation Autistry students gain essential equestrian work skills – horse grooming, ranch maintenance, and the care of saddles and bridles. $2,500 covers transportation costs and essential protective gear – work gloves, sunscreen, and work hats.
• $5,000 – All aboard! Autistry is partnering with the Western Railway Museum to create a unique skill-building internship program. A $5000 donation purchases safety equipment (work gloves, protective eyewear, safety vests) and covers transportation costs for a full summer of hands-on work experience for 2 Autistry crews.
• $10,000 – Opportunity funding helps low income families access Autistry Core Workshops. $10,000 donation creates sliding scale options for at least 5 new Autistry students. Help us help them!

 

Beyond Differences

 

Beyond Differences is a nonprofit based in San Rafael. Beyond Differences is the only student-led nonprofit organization and social justice movement dedicated to ending social isolation. The nonprofit organization believes that all teens should feel included, valued and accepted by their peers. The nonprofit believes that exclusion no longer needs to be an accepted part of middle school culture and students can lead the way to make meaningful change in their community.

• $60 – Sends a backpack with everything a school needs to hold No One Eats Alone Day. The backpack includes original curriculum, armbands, balloons, links to videos and conversations starters, posters and more. No One Eats Alone is a lunchtime initiative that encourages students to not only sit with classmates they don’t know and get to know them, but also to spot others who might feel left out and include them.
• $150 – Brings one assembly program to a local middle school featuring members of the Teen Board of Directors who share personal stories, facilitate meaningful discussions with the younger students and create awareness, empathy and help bring an end to social isolation.
• $250 – Sends a middle or high school student to a 2-day Beyond Differences student leadership retreat to learn about issues that contribute to social isolation in their school and learn about ways to make their school a more welcoming place for everyone regardless of their differences.
• $1,000 – Covers a day of training for 60 high school or middle school educators, counselors and/or administrators to become proficient in utilizing the year-round curriculum offered by Beyond Differences which includes lesson plans, student leadership activities and preparation for the three national holidays, Know Your Classmates Day, No One Eats Alone Day and Be Kind Online Day.
• $15,000 – Brings Know Your Classmates to 250 schools around the country, which reaches more than 125,000 students.

 

Bloom Marin

 

2019 marks Bloom Marin’s 20^thAnniversary – providing 18,000 men, women and children with the clothing and confidence pivotal to their success in becoming self-reliant. The only agency of its kind in the nation, Bloom repurposes over 3 tons of donated clothing annually, is 110 volunteers strong, and provides a new sense of dignity and hope to over 1,500 low income clients annually. Bloom’s signature personal dressing experience gives clients, whether a 6^th grader being bullied in school for inadequate clothing, a single mom applying for jobs as she transitions out of a domestic violence shelter or a homeless vet needing to look sharp for a housing interview, the clothing and confidence needed to take their next steps successfully.

• $50: Keeps our steamers operating and our wash room in full swing for a month as we prepare clothing donations to repurpose.
• $100: Ensures Bloom can tailor its dressing for every client, like purchasing a new pair of steel toe boots for the single dad who just landed a great construction job.
• $250: provides a head-to-toe, mix and match two-week wardrobe for a teen who has become truant due to being mercilessly bullied while at school for her over-sized and outdated clothing and shoes.
• $500: >Ensures an entire class of kindergartners attending a local low-income school, can bound into the classroom wearing brand new shoes on their first day of school.
• $1,000: Provides a two-week head to toe wardrobe for a family of four,  each one tailored to individual needs so that they can be successful in school, work and play.
• $5,000: Will ensure a sense of dignity in each of our clients by purchasing new undergarments, including undies, socks, bras and tank tops, for every Bloom client.
• $10,000: Will provide 30 graduates of our Financial Literacy and Work Preparedness training series with a two week, head to toe wardrobe designed to meet not only their interview and employment needs, but ensure their sense of confidence, hope and dignity as they work to become self-reliant.

 

Bread & Roses Presents

 

Bread & Roses Presents is a nonprofit organization that brings hope and healing through live music to isolated Bay Area audiences in institutional settings.

• $50: Outreach for new volunteer performer
• $100: Training session for new volunteer host/emcee
• $250: Present bi-lingual musician for low-income children’s day care
• $500: Bring circus arts performers to preschool for immigrant families
• $1,000: Organize annual community holiday chorus for senior convalescent audiences
• $2,500: Replace sound system for over 600 annual shows for Bay Area audiences
• $5,000: Supports 200 annual programs (out of over 600 every year) for isolated Bay Area children and youth
• $10,000: Helps fund 300 annual shows for isolated Marin County audiences (out of over 600 total Bay Area programs)

 

Casa Allegra Community Services

 

(CACS) was started by 2 young women in 1975 as a group home for five children with significant intellectual and other developmental disabilities (IDD) whose only alternative was institutional living. Their vision was that all people regardless of the severity of the disability had the right to live in their community. Over the next 43 years CACS expanded by starting the first community based day program for adults with IDD in Marin County, the first supported living services in the area; helped entrepreneurs develop microenterprise businesses and a co-op owned and operated by adults with IDD. CACS currently supports over 50 people and their families with the mission of making a difference one person at a time.

• $50: Purchases healthy snacks for two facilitated meetings that promotes inclusion and community awareness.
• $250: Feeds six people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) for one week.
• $1,000: Casa Allegra Community Services Buys a reclining chair for our group home to help people we support reduce pressure sores, distribute weight, and improve circulation.

 

Ceres Community Project

 

• $50: Nourish an individual in treatment for cancer or another illness with six home-delivered healthy organic meals made with love with Ceres Community Project. At Ceres, youth volunteer their time and gain job and leadership skills as they serve those in need.

 

Dedication to Special Education

 

Dedication to Special Education is an all-volunteer parent organization committed to enhancing the quality of Special Education in Marin County and connecting families, educators and the community.

• $500: Provide occupational therapy tools and crash mats for students with special needs at a Marin County public school site or district.
• $1,000: Provide alternative seating options for an entire classroom of special education students in one of our public schools in Marin County.
• $2,500: Provide children with special needs aged 8-15, robotics kits to use in the monthly robotics classes they sponsor.
• $5,000: Provide an entire year of the world-renowned parenting curriculum, Triple P (Positive Parenting Program), which would educate over 200 parents in Marin County.
• $10,000: Support the annual equipment and education technology needs for the Technology Resource Center of Marin; a center where students and educators can explore the most innovative academic technology, tools and supports.

 

Drive Clean Marin

 

• $100: Helps save the planet by funding an electric vehicle event for 30 people. Includes test rides, signs and educational material.

 

The EACH Foundation

 

We’re a grant-making accelerator nonprofit, unlike most of the “operating” nonprofits (which have labor costs, unlike our model) you’ll be focused on, taking in donations and immediately allocating them toward end-recipient organizations.

• $5,000: Provides five top-ranking Bay Area nonprofits with needed funding in the areas of Environment, Education, Arts, Animal welfare, Children, Community, Health, and Homelessness. Our thirty volunteer philanthropic advisors will prudently allocate your nonprofit dollars for maximum social impact without any throughput labor costs.

 

ExtraFood.org

 

ExtraFood.org rescues excess fresh food from any Marin business or school and immediately delivers it to safety net partners serving Marin’s most vulnerable children, adults, and families.

• $2,500: Enables ExtraFood to recruit, train, schedule, and manage 12 volunteers to pick up and deliver 500 pounds of food every week for a year.
• $5,000: Fuels ExtraFood’s refrigerated truck to rescue and deliver donations of excess food for a year.
• $10,000: Enables ExtraFood to increase staff time to persuade more Marin businesses and schools to donate their excess food instead of wasting it.

 

Guide Dogs for the Blind

 

Headquartered in San Rafael, Guide Dogs for the Blind is more than an industry-leading guide dog school; it is a passionate community that serves the visually impaired. Guide Dogs for the Blind prepares highly qualified guide dogs to serve and empower individuals who are blind or have low vision. All of its services are provided free of charge. GDB receives no government funding.  More than 14,000 guide teams have graduated from GDB since it was founded in 1942.

 

• $50 – These pups can’t wait to get their paws on a skateboard to help them adapt to different types of movement during their socialization. They may not be the next Tony Hawk, but their skateboard skills will get them one step closer to being an excellent guide when they grow up.
• $100 – What could be better than a puppy at your door? This gift provides the transportation of one adorable puppy from GDB’s California campus to a volunteer puppy raiser, via puppy truck.
• $1,000– Camp GDB brings together youth who are blind or visually impaired at our campuses to learn about the guide dog lifestyle, including what it is like to travel and live with a guide dog. It is four days of adventure, fun, and learning … with four-legged canine pals in on the action.
• $5,000 – This gift helps to cover the costs for a guide dog puppy-in-training and provides an honor reserved for special members of the Guide Dogs for the Blind family — the opportunity to give a puppy his/her name for life.
• $5 million -This generous gift affords an individual or a company an opportunity to name the new Guide Dogs for the Blind Puppy Center. Puppies will begin their journey to becoming guide dogs at the new state-of-the-art 28,000-square foot facility complete with a puppy nursery; an innovative “Young Heroes Academy” where the puppies learn to socialize with humans and one another; and The Learning Lab, a public education center, where visitors can view the puppies at work.

 

Halleck Creek

 

Halleck Creek Ranch is a 501c3 non-profit agency that has helped people with disabilities live a life without barriers through therapeutic horseback riding for over 41  years. Therapeutic horseback riding is a valuable form of physical and mental therapy, as well as an effective way for people with disabilities to access wild landscapes. Situated on a 60-acre historic West Marin ranch, we pair gentle horses with dedicated volunteers, creating a dynamic team that carries our special riders into the rugged Nicasio countryside.  As one of the largest and oldest weekly therapeutic riding programs in the San Francisco Bay Area, Halleck Creek Ranch is a pioneer in the field.

• $50: Provides a private therapeutic horseback riding lesson for one rider with special needs.
• $100: Purchases a new riding helmet for one youth or adult rider.
• $250: Provides three months of routine hoof maintenance and shoeing for one therapy horse.
• $500: Provides a full scholarship to a rider in need for 18 consecutive weeks of therapeutic riding.
• $1,000: Purchases materials such as steel pipe to build additional paddock space, allowing us to better manage the individual dietary and/or medical needs of our herd of therapy horses.
• $2,500: Underwrites the costs of caring for one therapy horse for a year including; shoeing, stabling, feed and routine veterinary care.
• $10,000+: Provides funding to support the Halleck Creek Ranch – Vocational and Life Skills Training Program (VALS)  which offers young people with special needs the opportunity to develop a set of useful job and life skills while also building emotional intelligence.

 

Headlands Center for the Arts

 

• $50: Purchases materials for artists to use in the campus wood shop.
• $100: Lights Headlands’ 9-building campus for one day
• $250: Provides power to artist studios for one week.
• $500: Feeds 15 artists with house-made meals for one week
• $1,000: Covers travel expenses for one international Artist in Residence
• $2,500: Helps underwrite Open House, a free, family-friendly open studio event
• $5,000: Produces a free-to-the-public, month-long art exhibition
• $10,000: Underwrites an 8-week on-site residency for one artist

Homeward Bound of Marin

 

Homeward Bound of Marin is the county’s chief provider of shelter, housing and services for homeless families and adults. Services include counseling, help with job and housing search, and job training at Fresh Starts Culinary Academy. In June, Homeward Bound of Marin began renovating a former convent in Larkspur to serve 12 formerly homeless seniors as King Street Senior Housing. This soon-to-open program transforms a building leased from St. Patrick’s Parish to open a new chapter for vulnerable elders with stable housing, meals and on-site staff. With King Street Senior Housing in operation, the agency’s total capacity grows to more than 360 beds in permanent supportive housing and 176 beds in shelter services. Homeward Bound continues to operate the award-winning training program at Fresh Starts Culinary Academy. Social enterprise ventures that employ graduates have been expanding, including Wagster Treats, the all natural dog biscuits made in the agency’s kitchens and sold at stores around California.

• $50: One night of safe shelter, a warm meal and a hot shower for a homeless adult or child
• $100: Pays admission for seniors in a supportive housing program to enjoy a night at the movies
• $250: Sponsors a festive holiday meal for residents in a shelter or supportive housing program
• $500: Buys new tools for produce gardens that help feed 80 homeless shelter residents and offer farm-to-table experience for students at Fresh Starts Culinary Academy
• $1,000: Pays for backpacks, school supplies, shoes, and clothing for children in Homeward Bound’s family programs to go back to school next fall.
• $2,500: Installs a new industrial refrigerator and replaces a residential dishwasher with a high-capacity machine at Mill Street Center, which provides emergency shelter to 55 people every night.
• $5,000: Covers the cost of a low-income student to attend Fresh Starts Culinary Academy, including hands-on learning, uniforms, exam fees for state certifications and job placement services.
• $10,000+: Underwrites garden renovations at King Street Senior Housing, completing this new community for formerly homeless seniors with efficient irrigation, patio furniture, and drought-resistant plants.

 

Lifehouse

 

What began as a parent led effort 65 years ago, is today one of the most respected nonprofit agencies in the Bay Area. Currently, Lifehouse provides high-quality support services to over 300 individuals with a continuum of needs, ranging from several hours a week to 24-hour care. Our programs include independent living support and training, counseling, advocacy of affordable housing, recreational programs, technology program, information and referral services, and a new inclusive preschool: Great Expectations. Our objective at Lifehouse is to help each person become as independent as possible and to be a welcomed member in our community.

• $500: Purchase remaining supplies for the NEW inclusive preschool: Great Expectations. (For example: books, kitchen supplies, play tools, science kits, scooter boards, sensory table, bean bags, parachute, magnets, train set, manipulative items)
• $1,000: Purchase a week’s worth of groceries for three Intermediate Care Facility homes whose residents have difficulty with daily activities and are unable to care for themselves.
• $2,500: Purchase a new refrigerator to store donated groceries that are delivered for the Lifehouse residents.
• $5,000: Purchase 10 new mattresses for people learning independent living skills, who operate on a very limited budget to meet their everyday living expenses.
• $10,000: Towards the purchase of a wheelchair van to enable Lifehouse residents to experience the world at large, navigate in the community, attend doctor’s appointments, participate in everyday routines, and to meet individual special needs.

 

Little Wishes

 

• $1,000: Provides wishes to ten critically ill, hospitalized, Bay Area children giving them something to look forward to, easing their discomfort and bringing them moments of joy.

 

MALT

 

• $50: Covers one year’s membership with MALT, supporting the permanent protection of Marin’s family farms.
• $2,500: Covers half the cost of protecting one acre of Marin County farmland, forever.

 

Marin City Health & Wellness Center

 

Did you know that in nearly every illness, African Americans suffer the worst health outcomes? Our six Bay Area clinics deliver compassionate, comprehensive healthcare to 20,000 patients annually, including midwifery and childbirth services in Marin’s only free-standing birth center. Your gift helps families access health and wellness.

• $50: Provides fresh produce at our weekly Food Pharmacy and cooking demonstration, where patients use healthy foods, rather than pills, to manage diabetes and heart disease.
• $100: Hosts a weekly Sit Fit chair yoga class for older adults.
• $250: Provides a doula to support a low-income mom before and after childbirth.
• $500: Provides a medical exam and dental cleaning for a parent and child.
• $1,000: Pays for boat rental and supplies each Friday for case managers to visit “Anchor Outs” living offshore in Sausalito.
• $2,500: Funds hand-on learning trips during Spring semester for 6 students at the Marin City Academy of Health and Wellness High School.
• $5,000: Funds monthly operation of our mobile dental van.
• $10,000: Funds a medical exam room in our new Marin City Health Hub (opening 2020).

 

MarinLink

 

Established in 2003 MarinLink serves as an incubator and fiscal sponsor for community-based projects inspired by social entrepreneurs to generate positive change in the Arts, Community, Education, Environment and Health.

• $250: Provide vital pro-bono strategic and fund development plans to our new community projects that are addressing unmet community needs. We sponsor over 100 community based projects And return over a million dollars back to the community each year through programs and services.

 

Marin Foster Care

 

The Marin Foster Care Association supports Marin’s nearly 95 foster children and their caregivers by distributing clothing, school supplies, and grants for extracurricular activities; offering support groups and mentors for foster families; and hosting annual events.

• $50: Would purchase a new pair of shoes for foster children, who often arrive at a foster home with only the clothes on their backs.

 

Marin Humane

 

Marin Humane helps thousands of animals—and people—each year through its community-based programs like adoptions, training, humane education, pet care assistance for low-income seniors, animal cruelty investigations, and wildlife rescue.

• $50: Buys leashes and harnesses so our volunteers can safely walk the shelter dogs
• $100: Covers one month of food and medicine for a dog or cat in our care
• $250: Awards summer camp scholarships to two low-income children
• $500: Provides an essential pre-adoption dental procedure
• $1,000: Covers the cost of spay or neuter for four shelter animals
• $2,500: Enables the training and support for two therapy dogs to brighten the lives of patients, seniors, bereaved children, and the people with disabilities
• $5,000: Purchases a new commercial washing machine for our mountain of daily laundry
• $10,000: Provides specialist care for four or more animals in need of surgery or treatments to make them adoptable.

 

Marine Mammal Center

 

• $50: Provides 50 pounds of fish for seals and sea lions rehabilitating at the hospital and education center.
• $100: Provides animal care supplies, such as wheelbarrows used to weigh elephant seal pups.
• $250: Provides an x-ray for an animal to help veterinarians diagnose injuries and illnesses
• $500: Purchases equipment and supplies for the harbor seal enrichment program to help young pups separated from their mothers learn how to survive in the wild.
• $1,000: Provides costs for programming for middle and high school students participating in Ocean Ambassadors and Youth Crew marine conservation education programs.
• $2,500: Purchases supplies needed to rescue marine mammals, such as carriers, nets, gloves and protective boards.
• $5,000: Provides one satellite tag for studying Guadalupe fur seals, a threatened species.
• $10,000: Provides housing for visiting students from veterinary programs across the globe who come to learn at the world’s largest marine mammal hospital.

 

Marin Villages

 

Dedicated to helping older adults stay active, connected and independent in the place they call home.

• $100: Pays for securing two venues for programs and events to encourage socializing, learning and fun.
• $250: Pays for an annual scholarship for a low-income senior
• $500: Covers the cost of recruiting five new volunteers.

 

MCIL

 

The centerpiece of MCIL’s efforts is to keep people living independently in their own homes (to age in place) safely and with dignity. As our Marin County older adult population continues to grow disproportionately to our general growth, we see an increase in the number of older adults on fixed incomes who require safety net services in order to safely age in place. The 80-90 year older segment of our population has outpaced the general growth in Marin. Their home is their biggest asset, but often it is no longer as accessible.

• $100: Will allow MCIL to provide prescription eyeglasses or a life-saving prescription to a low-income individual.
• $250: Will allow MCIL to facilitate and expedite the set up and cost of a hospital bed or other medical equipment such as shower chairs, walkers, or commode chairs.
• $500: Will allow MCIL to match high-quality, low-cost caregiving from the MCIL caregiver registry to clients so that they can continue to live independently.
• $1,000: Will allow MCIL to cover the cost of steps, ramps, grab bars or other adaptive equipment for people with disabilities so they can safely access their home.
• $2,500: Will allow MCIL to financially assist cancer clients with housing or medical expenses.
• $5,000: Will allow MCIL to help a client get out of a skilled nursing facility back into their home. MCIL will pay for a caregiver for up to 225 hours of care as they move back into their home. One in three older adults experience a life altering fall or suffer an age related illness, stroke, or cancer.
• $10,000: Will allow MCIL to cover the cost and installation of a stair life in the home of a client. An outside stair lift allowed Faye to leave her home for medical appointments and walks. Many aging adults are isolated in their own home. MCIL covers allthe costs to make their home or apartment more accessible.

 

NatureBridge

 

• $250: Can provide a scholarship to a child so they can experience the wonder and science of the Marin Headlands during a week-long NatureBridge program. From exploring trails to conducting science investigations, students connect to their peers and to the environment, inspiring their stewardship of our local national park!
• $500: A $500 scholarship can send two students to a week-long NatureBridge program in the Marin Headlands from food and lodging to daily experiences out in the field. A week at NatureBridge is a week spent connecting to the wonder and science of nature, igniting self-discovery and inspiring stewardship of the natural world!
• $2,500: Can provide a scholarship to 10 children so they can experience the wonder and science of the Marin Headlands during a week-long NatureBridge program. From exploring trails to conducting science investigations, students connect to their peers and to the environment, inspiring their stewardship of our local national park!
• $5,000: Can provide a scholarship to 20 children so they can experience the wonder and science of the Marin Headlands during a week-long NatureBridge program. From exploring trails to conducting science investigations, students connect to their peers and to the environment, inspiring their stewardship of our local national park!
• $10,000: Can provide a scholarship to 40 children so they can experience the wonder and science of the Marin Headlands during a week-long NatureBridge program. From exploring trails to conducting science investigations, students connect to their peers and to the environment, inspiring their stewardship of our local national park!

 

Oak Hill School

 

More than a classroom, with a staff of more than teachers.  It’s the ideal school for students ages 6-22 with autism and other developmental differences to find fulfillment. In addition, we’ve partnered with the University of California San Francisco’s Autism and Neurodevelopmental Program to apply and study science-based treatment and education models. By providing innovative educational approaches and developing social emotional learning, we strive to empower students on the autism spectrum so they can realize their full potential.

Our world class UCSF medical researchers, speech and occupational therapists, teachers and psychotherapists work in concert to reveal unique- and constantly updated- 360 degree view of each child. Through strong therapeutic relationships, we sensitively observe and adapt individualized academic and behavioral instruction with UCSF oversight. Students thrive in our 3 students to one teacher ratio. Students are referred to Oak Hill by their school districts, clinicians, physicians, advocates and other parents. Oak Hill School works closely with districts to return students to the educational mainstream as soon as possible. Oak Hill School is approved as a special education facility by the California State Department of Education. The school is licensed to accept students with public school district funding as well as private tuition.

• $50: A tank of gas for a van to take our student(s) to work in the community
• $100: One day aide for community job support for one student
• $250: Apps for our emerging speaker students to use on their iPad and other augmentative communication devices
• $500: One Ipad for a student to assist with communication and individualized special education goals
• $1,000: Cal Performance tickets for a sensory friendly performance for all students 2018/2019
• $2,500: Updated classroom resources (desks, adaptive chairs, sensory regulation tools for classroom such as light covers, movement balls)
• $5,000: To invest in adaptive curriculum and training for our staff to teach Special needs students on the Autism Spectrum
• $10,000: Funds towards a new van to transport our transition students to their jobs in the community

 

Project Avary

 

For almost 20 years, Project Avary has built brighter futures for children with a parent in prison. Project Avary was founded in 1999 outside the gates of San Quentin State Prison, where they began their mission to end generational cycles of incarceration. Youth enter Project Avary between the ages of 8-10 years old and are offered a 10-year commitment of service and support as they heal from the impacts of their parent’s incarceration. Each child receives an estimated 600+ hours of service each year, including sleep-away summer camp, outdoor enrichment activities (surfing, sailing, bike riding, etc.), mentoring, leadership retreats, job & life-skills training, case management, and a family of support and belonging. All services are provided at no cost to the youth and their families.

• $50: Will buy supplies (such as sunscreen, notebooks, and warm socks) for summer camp, leadership retreats, and outdoor Adventure Days.
• $100: Will send a child on an outdoor Adventure Day, where children get out of the chaos of their communities and into nature.
• $250: Will provide 12 children with a nutritious meal–a pillar of each of Project Avary’s gatherings.
• $500: Will provide 25 children with a poetic healing workshop, where the youth dive deep into positive self-expression.
• $1,000: Will send 1 child to summer camp, which is the capstone of Project Avary’s annual program.
• $2,500: Will sponsor one child for an entire year at Project Avary. This includes up to 800 hours of service for each child and family.
• $5,000: Will send five families to Family Camp, a transformative experience where our youth and their caregivers and siblings strengthen family bonds and begin the process of healing together.
• $10,000: Will send 10 children to summer camp!

 

SchoolsRule

 

SchoolsRule-Marin is a coalition of all Marin public school foundations working to ensure all students, in all of our public schools, have access to the same high quality educational opportunities.

• $50: Will buy art supplies for a kindergarten classroom project.
• $100: Will buy new books for one of our high school libraries to support an English Language Development Program.
• $250: Will buy one tablet for a classroom to provide students with access to online reading and math programs.
• $500: Will buy instruments and materials for a 1st grade music program, where for many, this is their first introduction to music.
• $1,000: Will buy materials for a Maker Ed Class ,which introduces students to the engineering and design process.
• $2,500: Will pay for the Being Adept program, which trains students in drug and alcohol awareness, at one of our middle schools.
• $5,000: Will cover the cost of a library aide’s additional hours to keep one of our high school libraries open until 7pm, providing a safe, quiet space for students to study and access computers.
• $10,000+: Will pay for materials and services at one of our high school Wellness Centers, which offers students education and support for physical, mental and reproductive health and substance use/abuse.

 

Schurig Center

 

Founded in 1985 by a Mill Valley mom, Schurig Center for Brain Injury Recovery is Marin’s only lifeline for innovative services that help people not only survive, but thrive, after a brain injury from accidents, concussion or stroke. The organization believes it’s not enough to save a life. Everyone deserves to have a life. Schurig Center’s on-site rehabilitation and support services help more than 350 survivors and family members each year regain essential skills, discover new possibilities, and rebuild lives of meaning and purpose. Over 3,000 lives per year, from seniors to youth athletes, are touched by the center’s full array of community education, online services, and participation in ConcussionSmart Marin. No one should have to go through brain injury alone. Schurig Center ensures no one does.

• $50: Provides a full scholarship to a brain injury or stroke survivor-in-need for five weekly Support Groups to help cope with dramatic life changes and process emotions with others who understand.
• $100: Provides a brain injury or stroke survivor with two weeks of CogEX classes, a computer-based cognitive training class to improve a range of cognitive abilities, including memory, attention, visuospatial, and problem-solving skills.
• $250: Provides a full scholarship to a brain injury or stroke survivor-in-need for 10 weekly Speech Therapy classes led by a licensed Speech Therapist to help rebuild and improve communication skills in a supportive environment.
• $500: Provides a full-scholarship to a brain injury or stroke survivor-in-need for 10 weekly Occupational Therapy sessions to improve skills for independent living.
• $1,000: Funds six months of Concussion Education Classes, providing the latest information and resources in an atmosphere of therapeutic and social support to help survivors cope with symptoms after a concussion.
• $2,500: Funds one year of monthly Support and Education Groups, helping family members and caregivers adapt to the cognitive, emotional, and life changes that can result from a brain injury, concussion or stroke.
• $5,000: Funds one year of Expressive Art Therapy classes, a powerful therapeutic tool that helps brain injury and stroke survivors increase memory, improve problem solving, and process emotions to cope with trauma.
• $10,000: Covers six months of Resource and Consultation Service, a critically needed lifeline connecting survivors, families, and professionals with community resources and education that help improve quality of life after brain injury or stroke. This service shines a ray of hope for more than 220 people in crisis each year.

 

SF-Marin Food Bank

 

• $25: Donation will help us produce 50 meals, enough to provide two people enough meals for an entire week, with some left over!
• $100: Dollar donation will provide enough support to allow volunteers to pack 6 of our Home Delivered Grocery Bags – each is filled with enough fruits and vegetables, protein, grains, and other sustenance to last a food bank participant a week.
• $1,000: Dollar donation will help keep our fleet of 16 trucks fueled up for 7 days, allowing us to make pantry deliveries to the 30,000 families who rely on us for nourishment each and every week.

 

Side by Side

 

Formerly known as Sunny Hills Services, Side by Side has been at the forefront of best practices in child welfare programs for more than 120 years. Today Side by Side operates an array of programs in Marin, Alameda, Sonoma, and Napa counties providing nearly 2,000 children, young adults, and family members with much-needed services including behavioral and mental health, early intervention, LGBTQ support, substance abuse treatment, transitional housing, special education, and youth justice.

• $100: Helps underwrite social activities and art projects for TAY Space, in downtown San Rafael, which serves youth ages 16-25 (transitional age youth, or TAY) who struggle with mental, behavioral, and/or emotional disorders including bipolar, schizophrenia, anxiety, and depression.
• $250: Helps provide much needed counseling services for the youth on probation in Sonoma County that are served by the ReFocus youth justice program.
• $500: Outfits a kitchen with cookware at one of the Real Alternatives transitional housing units in Alameda County for teens and young adults exiting the foster care system.
• $1,000: Helps provide mental health services for young people at Our Space, an LGBTQ community center in Alameda County.
• $2,500: Covers the cost of a three-day outdoor excursion for YouThrive, a school-based program in Marin and Sonoma which serves young people who are at risk of dropping out of school or gang involvement or who struggle with acute behavioral challenges.
• $5,000: Covers eight days of residential treatment at ReStart, a critically needed substance abuse treatment program for youth ages 13-17; or supports enrichment activities including music and theater at the Irene M. Hunt School, both in Marin.

 

Warm Wishes

 

Warm Wishes is celebrating its 25^thyear of providing “streetpacks” to over 5,000 homeless and sheltered men, women and children each December. Each “streetpack” is comprised of a NEW backpack, cap, gloves, scarf, socks, rain poncho and a handmade holiday card. This year, due to increased demand, we are providing over 1,000 packs for children.

• $100.00: Provides five complete packs for our disadvantaged neighbors. Over 250 volunteers and 40+ agencies help us on Assembly Day, December 1^st.

 

Whistlestop

 

Whistlestop helps Marin’s older adults thrive through the power of human connections. It’s where Marin’s older adults go to stay healthy, to connect, to find resources, to make new friends, and to lead rich, vibrant lives.

• $50: Provides seven home-delivered meals and safety checks for homebound, low-income older adults through our Meals on Wheels program, often the only outside contact the older adult has.
• $100: Purchases 120 metal reusable drinking straws, so we can stop using disposable plastic straws. Whistlestop membership fees for 5 older adults for one year.
• $250: Provides teaching supplies and equipment for a bi-weekly nutrition education and cooking class to help older adults learn about and practice healthier eating. Pays for 6 people to attend English as a Second Language (ESL) class.
• $500: Provides 25 FREE rides to medical appointments for people who might otherwise miss these vital visits with their doctors and medical practitioners. Hosts a monthly special event lunch at the Jackson Café with decorations, music and special menu.
• $2,500: A festive Thanksgiving lunch with music and all the trimmings, for 100 older adults and family members who have no other place to go on that special day.
• $5,000: A commercial refrigerator and freezer, which will safely store a combined 500 meals, allowing Whistlestop to expand its Whistlestop Nourish program which brings healthy meals to Marin residents who are homebound and fighting life threatening illness.
• $10,000: A much-needed commercial double oven, so that Whistlestop can continue to prepare over 13,000 fresh, healthy, low-cost meals every year to older adults and other community members.

 

WildCare

 

• $50: Feed an orphaned baby songbird in WildCare’s Birdroom for 10 days.
• $100: Feed a baby owl the five meals a day he needs to grow up strong, healthy and ready to return to the wild.
• $250: Provide a visit from WildCare’s Nature Van for a classroom at any Bay Area school.
• $500: Purchase an incubator to keep tiny baby opossums warm and safe when they are at their smallest.
• $1000: Buy fish to feed WildCare’s resident pelican, cormorants and gulls for a year.
• $2,500: Buys a year’s worth of x-ray films to help us diagnose wildlife patients from hawks and owls to raccoons, bobcats and coyotes.
• $5,000: Help WildCare buy a van to transport our Wildlife Ambassadors for live animal presentations at schools throughout the Bay Area.
• $10,000: Cover a year’s worth of busing/transportation scholarships for underserved students to experience WildCare’s hands-on nature education programs.

 

Youth in Arts

 

Youth in Arts builds visual and performing arts skills through innovative and in-depth programs that foster confidence, compassion and resilience in students of all abilities. We develop capacity among educators and teaching artists, advocate for equitable access to arts education and offer opportunities for youth to share their creative voices.

• $50: Provides one instructional session in visual or performing arts in a local classroom
• $100: Provides one free gallery field trip for a local school group
• $250: Pays for supplies to install Marin’s annual “Rising Stars” High School Art Show
• $500: Provides a “Family Art Night” bringing together students and parents for creative activities
• $1,000: Brings 10 weeks of art, music, dance or theater for students in a special education classroom through our “Arts Unite Us” program
• $2,500: Provides one member of Youth in Arts `Til Dawn a cappella a full-year scholarship, leading to performances for thousands of younger children and families
• $5,000: Will bring three low-income middle schools in Marin a professional performance along with in-class workshops by the performers artist linked to social studies classes
• $10,000: Grants all Kindergarteners at a low-income school a visual arts program grounded in themes of friendship, complete with teacher and family activities