SOURCE:Realized Worth

DESCRIPTION:

It’s back! Every January Realized Worth shares a guide of the year’s upcoming CSR and employee volunteering conferences – with a few relevant employee engagement and sustainability events included, too. Based on what we’ve seen, it looks like we’re going into this year with even more of a global focus, and a more visible push to strengthen multi-sector partnerships in the name of social good. Big things are in store for 2018! Check out what's going on around the world this year!

Tweet me:Your go-to guide for 2018 #CSR & #sustainability conferences around the globe. http://bit.ly/2F7Z71b

KEYWORDS: Events, Media & Communications, Diversity & Inclusion, conference, Corporate Social Responsibility, sustainability, employee volunteering, Volunteering, Realized Worth

SOURCE:AEG

DESCRIPTION:

LOS ANGELES, January 24, 2018 /3BL Media/ – AEG’s Los Angeles Kings and YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles have partnered together to help introduce kids to the fundamentals of youth hockey through clinics and league play.

Beginning next month, the LA Kings Ball Hockey League will start with ball hockey being offered in a special eight-week session at 10 area YMCA branches.  Practices will be held once a week with one game each Saturday and kids will be assigned to teams by age and skill level.  In addition, each participant will receive an LA Kings Ball Hockey uniform, hockey stick, ball and rule book courtesy of the Kings and Delta Air Lines.  The program is also supported by Blue Shield of California.

“This is a fun and engaging experience for kids to learn lessons of teamwork, sportsmanship and fair play while applying hockey skills that strengthen their coordination and confidence,” said Kings Chief Operating Officer Kelly Cheeseman.  “The LA Kings Ball Hockey League also aligns well with our other hockey development initiatives – Lil Kings Learn To Play Hockey, In House/Travel Hockey and the LA Kings High School Hockey League – but having fun is always the number one goal and we will work very closely with YMCA Los Angeles to ensure that.”

Visit LAKings.com/ballhockey for more information and to sign up to play.  The cost is $50 for YMCA members and $100 for non-members.

The following YMCA branches will offer LA Kings Ball Hockey with additional locations being added this fall:

• Anderson Munger Family YMCA
• East Valley Family YMCA
• Crenshaw Family YMCA
• Hollywood YMCA
• North Valley Family YMCA
• San Pedro & Peninsula YMCA
• Santa Anita Family YMCA
• South Pasadena San Marino YMCA
• Torrance-South Bay YMCA
• West Valley Family YMCA

As announced during the club’s recent 50^th Anniversary celebration, the Ball Hockey program is being funded by a $1 million commitment to the YMCA from the Kings Care Foundation. As part of the donation, the team, with the support of Delta Air Lines, will distribute 5,000 hockey sticks into the hands of local youth.

Media Contact:
Jeff Moeller
310-535-4544

Tweet me:AEG’s @LAKings partner with @YMCALA to bring #BallHockey to the #LosAngeles Area! http://bit.ly/2GesP63

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Education, AEG, LA Kings, YMCA, YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, Ball Hockey, LA Kings Ball Hockey League, Kings Care Foundation

SOURCE:VolunteerMatch

DESCRIPTION:

Your company is growing. What about your corporate social responsibility (CSR) program?

Bay Area companies are regarded as some of the most innovative, market-leading, and forward-thinking companies on the planet. They also pave the way for CSR and social impact, ensuring that — as business grows — they leave a positive impact on communities.

In late 2017, CSR leaders from 27 Bay Area companies and organizations convened at VolunteerMatch headquarters for networking, collaboration, and open discussion on the successes and challenges corporate giving professionals face.

The panel consisted of representatives from Airbnb, Pandora, Pledge 1%, and A. May Consulting.

We’ve compiled the key takeaways into a five-page summary. Download now to discover what Bay Area innovators have learned from their experiences working in CSR.

Tweet me:Bay Area #CSR Innovators Share their Stories (via @VM_Solutions): http://bit.ly/2E82G8C

KEYWORDS: Events, Media & Communications, Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, VolunteerMatch, Airbnb, PANDORA

By Korri Kezar

SOURCE:Alliance Data

DESCRIPTION:

Two North Texas nonprofits are merging, offering special needs adults a continuous flow of training and job placement.

MyPossibilities, which serves about 450 families every week, offers continuing education for special needs individuals who have graduated from high school. It’s joining forces with Launchability, which has roughly 100 clients and helps place special needs individuals in jobs at high-profile North Texas companies like Alliance Data.

Joining the organizations together allows those they serve to learn social and job training, and then be placed in positions, all in one place.

Click here to continue reading

Tweet me:Adults with cognitive disabilities get double the support through North Texas nonprofit merger and with the help of companies like @AllianceData http://bit.ly/2DDPQBT

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Diversity & Inclusion, IDD, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, LaunchAbility, My Possibilities, Alliance Data

$3 million commitment over the next three years will support neighborhood revitalization, economic development and job creation in local municipalities

SOURCE:Wells Fargo & Company

DESCRIPTION:

SAN FRANCISCO and WASHINGTON, January 25, 2018 /3BL Media/ - January 25, 2018 – The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and Wells Fargo today announced the 2018 CommunityWINS^® grant program, aimed at accelerating neighborhood revitalization, economic development and job creation in municipalities across the country.

USCM and Wells Fargo first announced the CommunityWINS grant program in 2015, with a three-year, $3 million commitment by Wells Fargo. Including 2018, the public-private collaboration will extend another three years through 2020 with an additional $3 million commitment by Wells Fargo, bringing the combined total to $6 million over six years.

The CommunityWINS grant program is administered by USCM and funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation.

“We are pleased to expand this impactful program through 2020,” said Tom Cochran, U.S. Conference of Mayors CEO and executive director. “The CommunityWINS program demonstrates how the private and public sectors can work together to address local economic challenges and create positive change. Our organization and Wells Fargo share similar goals and commitments to help communities across the country succeed, and we look forward to teaming up with additional cities and nonprofits to spur economic recovery in 2018 and beyond.”

Through a competitive application process, USCM will determine eligibility and administer grant funds to eligible nonprofits in six cities, two awards per population category, to support neighborhood revitalization, economic development and job creation initiatives.

“Together, USCM and Wells Fargo are empowering communities to make improvements in local municipalities,” said Martin Sundquist, executive director of the Wells Fargo Housing Foundation. “Since the 2015 launch of CommunityWINS, we have seen our goals of accelerating neighborhood revitalization, economic development and job creation come to life and strengthen cities as a result. We are thrilled to announce our continued $3 million, three-year commitment and look forward to seeing our communities benefit.”

USCM member cities can nominate up to three eligible nonprofit initiatives or programs that address one of the following issues:  

• Neighborhood stabilization – projects designed to stimulate growth and stability while assisting in the removal of blight and the rebuilding of neighborhoods.
• Economic development – projects designed to promote business development.
• Job creation – projects designed to aid in local job creation or assist in job training.

Grant requirements, application details, application checklists and the online application forms are available now at www.usmayors.org/communitywins/. Applications must be submitted by March 16, 2018.

In 2017, CommunityWINS grants were presented to six nonprofits: Main Street Launch (San Francisco); Farm Fresh (Providence, R.I.); Community Action Partnership of Lancaster County (Lancaster, Pa.); 3Star Community Corporation (Atlanta); MAKE Santa Fe (Santa Fe, N.M.); and Ithaca Downtown Business Improvement District (Ithaca, N.Y.).

The CommunityWINS grant program collaboration between the USCM and Wells Fargo follows a national alliance formed in 2011 to address foreclosure prevention, property disposition, homeownership promotion and community development. The alliance was forged to address housing challenges through strategies developed by Wells Fargo.

About USCM
The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are nearly 1,400 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/usmayors.

About Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is a diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.9 trillion in assets. Wells Fargo’s vision is to satisfy our customers’ financial needs and help them succeed financially. Founded in 1852 and headquartered in San Francisco, Wells Fargo provides banking, investments, mortgage, and consumer and commercial finance through more than 8,300 locations, 13,000 ATMs, the internet (wellsfargo.com) and mobile banking, and has offices in 42 countries and territories to support customers who conduct business in the global economy. With approximately 263,000 team members, Wells Fargo serves one in three households in the United States. Wells Fargo & Company was ranked No. 25 on Fortune’s 2017 rankings of America’s largest corporations. News, insights and perspectives from Wells Fargo are also available at Wells Fargo Stories. 

# # #

Tweet me:.@usmayors, @wellsfargo announce 2018 CommunityWINS Grant Program; $3 million commitment will support #NeighborhoodRevitalization, #EconomicDevelopment, #JobCreation in local municipalities http://bit.ly/2E7b4oy

Contact Info:

Sara Durr
U.S. Conference of Mayors
+1 (202) 215-1811
sara@durrcommunications.com

Shelly Perkins
Wells Fargo
+1 (515) 770-4109
shelly.l.perkins@wellsfargo.com

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Community Development, Wells Fargo

KOHLER product becomes a surprising learning tool for the son of Kohler associates.

SOURCE:Kohler Co.

DESCRIPTION:

Adam Augustine makes a beeline through the Kohler Design Center to his favorite display where he delights in pressing each button to turn on the showerheads. It's not surprising that kids—and people of all ages actually—get a kick out of this hands-on interaction. However, it was unexpected that a KOHLER® product would help open a door to communication for this young boy.

Adam, the four-year-old son of Keith and Maria Augustine, both Kohler associates, is on the autistic spectrum. In early 2017, Adam's verbal skills were virtually nonexistent. Despite his family working relentlessly to teach him letters and sounds, his communication was limited to mostly pointing and gesturing.

Then one day, Keith realized Adam, who was rather enthralled with their new KOHLER Quiet-Close™ toilet seat, was pointing to a word on the toilet and wanted his dad to sound out the letters. After that, the Augustines spelled and pronounced "Kohler" during every bathroom visit and something suddenly clicked for Adam. He learned "Kohler,""stop" and other words encountered throughout the day, then the alphabet, and now often uses two-to three-word sentences.

"When Adam made that connection with the word Kohler and sounded it out, we were so proud," Keith said about the surprising breakthrough.

In the design center, Adam, a blur of nonstop exuberant energy, rushes from showerheads to faucets where he taps and says each letter on the display and pronounces the word Kohler before becoming immersed in swiping through the information on the iPad installed there.

With the help of dedicated teachers and the constant encouragement of his parents, Adam continues to make progress. His brother, William, 12, whom Adam looks up to and mimics, is also a big help.

"William is a great role model and is really good about spending time with Adam," Keith said, adding that raising an autistic child is truly a family effort. "I realize all parents face challenges as they navigate their children's development, but being the parent of a special needs child takes so much love and effort on a 24-hour basis," Keith said. He cites, for example, Adam's bath routine, a 45-step process that must be followed in sequence or Adam will be thrown off.

"Other parents may worry about their children getting A's in school. But Maria and I cried the first time Adam made a really good effort to write 'A' on a piece of paper," Keith said. "We take advantage of any tool we can to help Adam, and inspiration can come from many sources—even a KOHLER toilet."

Tweet me:K-O-H-L-E-R Spells Success for Special Needs Familyhttp://bit.ly/2DDan9x

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, kohler, Kohler Design Center, autism, Special Needs, childhood development, verbal development, literacy

SOURCE:Gildan Activewear

DESCRIPTION:

The brightest night in the city once again raised a total of more than $100,000 for communities in Honduras, Nicaragua and Dominican Republic. The Glow Run, a 5k run and fundraising event, united more than 12,000 Gildan employees and their families at the end of 2017 to celebrate a night of physical activity and entertainment in support of their communities.

The funds raised will be donated to local projects including the neo-natal unit at the Leonardo Martínez Valenzuela Hospital in Honduras, CONANCA, an organization that provides support to children with cancer in Nicaragua and the Caridad Misionera Home, a residence providing shelter and assistance to underprivileged girls in the Dominican Republic.  Over the last 5 years, the Glow Run has raised over $370,0000 for communities in Latin America.

To view the event, watch the video here. 

Tweet me:Gildan Glow Run lights up the night and raises over $100k for communities in Honduras, Nicaragua & Dominican Republic http://bit.ly/2ncKpj0

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Events, Media & Communications, Gildan Glow Run, Cancer, Dominican Republic

SOURCE:eBay

DESCRIPTION:

Whether by selling goods to run a local food pantry or helping someone halfway across the country after a natural disaster, the eBay community is making a difference.

Watch and learn more about these Everyday Heroes at www.ebay.com/everydayheroes.

eBay Inc. (NASDAQ: EBAY) is a global commerce leader including the Marketplace, StubHub and Classifieds platforms. Collectively, we connect millions of buyers and sellers around the world, empowering people and creating opportunity through Connected Commerce. Founded in 1995 in San Jose, Calif., eBay is one of the world's largest and most vibrant marketplaces for discovering great value and unique selection. In 2016, eBay enabled $84 billion of gross merchandise volume. For more information about the company and its global portfolio of online brands, visit www.ebayinc.com. 

Tweet me:WATCH: Whether by selling goods to run a local #foodpantry or helping someone halfway across the country after a natural disaster, the @eBay community is making a difference http://bit.ly/2DlkRKG

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Community Development, eBay, everyday heroes

SOURCE:Smithfield Foods

DESCRIPTION:

Shelby Dickes is a senior at Iowa State University and a Smithfield Foundation scholarship recipient. She is studying athletic training and plans to study dietetics in graduate school. Shelby plans to be a college athletic trainer and ultimately plans to work with Olympic wrestlers.

Since its inception, the Smithfield Foundation has been proud to provide educational scholarships to the dependent children and grandchildren of full-time and retired employees. To date, the Smithfield Foundation has awarded over 650 annual scholarships worth more than $4 million.

Learn more about the Smithfield Foundation here.

Tweet me:.@SmithfieldFoods awards #scholarship to Shelby Dickes, pursuing athletic training @IowaStateU and dietetics for grad school http://bit.ly/2rEpoCz

KEYWORDS: Education, Awards, Ratings & Rankings, Smithfield Foods, Iowa State University, Shelby Dickes, scholarship

By Jennifer Emily

SOURCE:Alliance Data

DESCRIPTION:

Before she died, Jan Pruitt had a goal to raise $55 million for the hungry, the largest capital campaign ever for a social service agency in North Texas.

On Monday, a year after the longtime CEO of North Texas Food Bank died of cancer, donors have exceeded that goal.  At last count, the food bank had raised $55,673,823. And that number is likely to keep growing until the campaign ends this month.

Continue reading here.

Tweet me:.@AllianceData helps North Texas Food Bank expand their services and surpass their $55 million goal ahead of schedule http://bit.ly/2BvsqsE

KEYWORDS: Responsible Business & Employee Engagement, Health & Healthcare, Alliance Data, Food Bank

SOURCE:KeyBank

DESCRIPTION:

CLEVELAND, January 26, 2018 /3BL Media/ — KeyBank Community Development Lending & Investment (CDLI) has provided $16.6 million in total financing for Allegheny Dwellings Phase I. The first of three phases, Allegheny Dwellings Phase I involves replacing existing public housing with 65 new mixed income units in Pittsburgh’s Fineview neighborhood. The Project will be developed by TREK Development Group, in partnership with the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh.

The project marks KeyBank’s first investment in the Pittsburgh affordable housing market since it acquired First Niagara in 2016.

There will be 47 affordable and 18 market-rate townhome, walk-up and apartment style units available to residents after Allegheny Dwellings Phase I is complete.  

Kyle Kolesar of Key’s CDLI group arranged the financing. City Real Estate Advisors, Allies and Ross Management, Housing Authority City of Pittsburgh and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh contributed 4% LIHTC credits, tax-exempt bonds and other gap financing.

About Key Community Development Lending/Investment

KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) helps fulfill Key’s purpose to help clients and communities thrive by financing projects that stabilize and revitalize communities. Experts in complex tax credit lending and investing, Key is one of a handful of affordable housing lenders in the country with a platform that brings together balance sheet, equity, and permanent loan offerings. CDLI has a substantial investment and loan portfolio worth more than $2 billion, 90% of which is Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects. For its ability to lend to, invest in, and serve its communities –especially low-to-moderate income communities – KeyBank has earned eight consecutive “Outstanding” ratings on the Community Reinvestment Act exam, from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp's roots trace back 190 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $137.7 billion at December 31, 2017. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, insurance, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,200 branches and more than 1,500 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

KEYWORDS: Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment, Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, affordable housing, KeyBank CDLI, keybank

Citi’s investment will expand awareness of Earned Income Tax Credits and availability of high quality free tax preparation services in 12 cities and regions across the country

SOURCE:Citi

DESCRIPTION:

NEW YORK, January 26, 2018 /3BL Media/ -- Citi Community Development announced today a $2.6 million investment to support free tax preparation services for eligible workers in major cities and regions across the country. Launched on National Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day, the investment will support municipal efforts to expand awareness, access and capacity of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites during the 2018 tax season. Citi Community Development’s investment aims to help local organizations complete over 230,000 tax returns, resulting in approximately $191 million in tax refunds during the 2018 tax season. Citi also announced that volunteers from the bank will serve as tax preparers in VITA sites across the New York City region.

“Research has shown that 44 percent of households in the U.S. lack enough savings to cover a $400 emergency expense. This eye-opening statistic illustrates the persistent financial vulnerability millions of Americans still feel despite the growing economy” said Bob Annibale, Global Director of Citi Community Development. “Earned Income Tax Credits are often the largest cash infusion workers will receive all year, providing an essential financial cushion for those households living paycheck-to-paycheck. The investment Citi is making today will ensure that by working with local governments and trusted community organizations, eligible families will have access to free, high quality tax preparation services, and the full roster of tax credits they have earned.”

Citi's investment supports the establishment or expansion of significant EITC Awareness campaigns in 12 cities and regions across the country including: New York City and Long Island, New York; Newark, New Jersey; Miami-Dade County, Florida; the Bay Area region; Fresno, Orange County, San Diego, Sacramento and Los Angeles in California; South Dakota; and Washington, DC.

Initiatives funded in part by Citi Community Development’s investments include notable innovations. In the Bay Area, the cities of Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose will establish a shared branded EITC awareness campaign and tax preparation network, the first time the three local governments have coordinated to create a regional strategy. In Los Angeles, Citi Community Development is collaborating with California State University Northridge, the Department of Veteran Affairs and the City of Los Angeles to support greater EITC take-up among veterans and military families through a peer-to-peer approach where experienced tax preparers will be recruited from the military community.

“The federal Earned Income Tax Credit has been a tried-and-true way to reduce poverty, and our state-level credit supplements the benefit for hundreds of thousands of Californians.  But we must continue to spread the word about these programs, because far too many people are missing out on refunds that they have earned with their hard work,” said Senator Toni Atkins,the incoming President Pro Tempore of the California State Senate.“I am grateful to Citi and its partners throughout the state for helping reduce the amount of money our working families leave on the table.”

“For many working families in Fresno, earned income tax credit programs can be the first step to financial stability,” said FresnoMayor Lee Brand. “I am grateful for partners like Citi and United Way for getting the word out about these state and federal tax credits and facilitating free tax preparation for Fresno families who otherwise wouldn’t get the support they need."

“Working families deserve every opportunity to put money back in their pockets — dollars they can invest in meaningful ways like getting quality childcare for their kids, making home improvements, getting more reliable transportation, and investing in higher education,” said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti.“This partnership will help thousands of Angelenos better understand how to take advantage of tax credits that can help them get ahead.”

“EITC is one of the largest poverty reduction programs in the United States and a vital tax credit that helps working families pay bills and save‎ for their families’ future,” said New York CityDepartment of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Lorelei Salas. “We would like to thank Citi for their long-time support of our tax campaign, and encourage New Yorkers to take advantage of our trusted and professional free tax prep services to ensure that their returns are completed accurately and that they are receiving every credit and deduction available to them, including the EITC.”

“This is a key time for California. As elected leaders work to mitigate the impacts of the statewide housing and cost of living crisis, we have a responsibility to utilize ever tool available to make sure that we aren’t leaving working families behind,” said Mayor Libby Schaaf of Oakland. “The Earned Income Tax Credit is a proven solution to help prevent hard working families from sinking deeper into debt and poverty, and we are pleased to launch the Earn It Keep It Save It campaign in collaboration with Citi Community Development to help provide an immediate relief for working families and vulnerable residents that need it most.”

“We are thrilled that Citi has made this generous investment in the financial well-being of our City and our region, and we are proud to work with United Way California Capital Region to get the word out about this growth in their truly free tax preparation programs,” said Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg. “Together we will make sure that many more of our residents can get free tax prep appointments, avoid costly, unnecessary tax products and services, and claim all the credits they’ve earned.”

According to the Internal Revenue Service, in 2017, 26 million people received more than $63 billion in EITC with the average amount received was more than $2,400. Citi’s investment builds on three years of prior investments and pilots targeting EITC utilization, most notably in New York City.

In 2015, Citi joined the City of New York as the sole corporate partner in the largest public education and outreach tax credit campaign in the city’s history. The campaign included more than 2,000 volunteers and the city’s network of VITA sites more than tripled to nearly 200 locations citywide. Research showed that an estimated one-in-five households in New York were eligible for EITC but did not claim it. The campaign increased the number of people utilizing VITA sites from 96,000 to 150,000 people, which meant the city could return $250 million in savings and refunds to low-income New York families. Over the past three years, more than 425,000 New Yorkers have filed with NYC Free Tax Prep and received approximately half a billion dollars in savings and refunds.

Since 2015, Citi has supported New York City in implementing key recommendations from Designing for Financial Empowerment (DFE), a collaborative initiative to build more accessible and effective public services to meet the needs of financially vulnerable residents by using a participatory approach known as “service design” to improve services with the direct involvement of all stakeholders. New York’s Free Tax Prep campaign implemented several new measures developed by DFE to improve take up, including the rollout of new unified brand identity for tax prep services, and a web-based pre-registration portal. 

ABOUT CITI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

Citi Community Development leads Citi’s commitment to financial inclusion and economic empowerment for underserved individuals, families and communities across the U.S. Through innovative collaborations with municipalities, community groups and leading nonprofit organizations, we harness Citi’s expertise, products and services to help expand opportunity for all.

Additional information may be found at http://citicommunitydevelopment.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citi.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi

Tweet me:#Citi Community Development announces a $2.6 million investment to support free tax prep services and expand access to the #EITC in 12 cities and regions across the US http://bit.ly/2GlYYJc

Contact Info:

Patricia Tuma
Citi
+1 (212) 793-7682
patricia.tuma@citi.com

KEYWORDS: Events, Media & Communications, Diversity & Inclusion, Citi, economic growth, Earned Income Tax Credit

CMT, LCTCS and Louisiana Calling shine a light on educational opportunities with free concerts throughout state

SOURCE:Viacom

DESCRIPTION:

NASHVILLE, January 26, 2018 /3BL Media/ - CMT and Louisiana’s own country star Courtney Cole will soon rule the road in the first-ever statewide “Empowering Education” tour. CMT revealed dates for a series of eight free concerts today via Facebook, which officially kick off March 5 in Bossier City, La. The “CMT Empowering Education Tour of Louisiana” is hosted in partnership with local education and nonprofit groups Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges System (LCTCS) and Louisiana Calling. The tour was first announced last fall, and is part of a larger initiative that seeks to bring awareness to educational opportunities and increase the number of work-ready residents in the state.

A Louisiana native, singer/songwriter Courtney delivers a spirited live show with authentic lyrics and a hint of her New Orleans roots. She has opened for the biggest names in country music like Miranda Lambert, Kenny Chesney and Thomas Rhett, and was named an artist to watch by Spotify and Huffington Post. She’s a vocal supporter of education, and has been named one of CMT’s “Next Women of Country.” Courtney amassed thousands of streams for her poignant and self-produced documentary, aptly titled “The Rockumentary,” which chronicles the ups and downs of her path to super-stardom. Additionally, her EP “For the Love of Me” is available via digital retailers. For more about Courtney, visit CourtneyColeMusic.com, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

“There’s nothing I love more than being on the road, so to do it in my home state for education is truly incredible,” said Courtney. “If I can inspire just one person to follow their heart and make their world better, then we’ve accomplished what we came here to do.”

Click here to read the full release

Tweet me:.@CMT and country star @TheCourtneyCole reveal dates for “Empowering Education” Tour in Louisiana http://bit.ly/2ncPnMy @CMTempoweringed @golctcs

KEYWORDS: Education, Events, Media & Communications, Viacom, cmt, CMT Empowering Education Tour of Louisiana, Courtney Cole, Louisiana Community and Technical Colleges System, LCTCS, Louisiana Calling

Peloteros por Nicaragua trip is part of Players Trust's growing international goodwill efforts

SOURCE:Major League Baseball Players Trust

DESCRIPTION:

Through the Major League Baseball Players Association’s collective charity, the Players Trust, players have become increasingly active as ambassadors of baseball around the world.  In partnership with the US State Department Sports Envoy program, Major Leaguers Jed Lowrie, John Mayberry, Jr. and JC Ramirez recently visited Nicaragua to help conduct three clinics in four days.  The trip to Nicaragua - dubbed Peloteros por Nicaragua - is part of the Players Trust's growing international efforts to spread goodwill around the world through baseball.

These particular clinics were a bit different than most, combining baseball with education about gender equality.

“Like most clinics, we had stations for infield, outfield, pitching, catching and hitting, but we added another station for a talk about gender-based violence,” said Lowrie, a veteran infielder with the Oakland A’s. “For that 15-minute rotation, a local expert would sit down with the kids to have a discussion about gender-based violence and equality.”

Mayberry, who has known Lowrie since they were roommates at Stanford in the early 2000s, tried to make sure the messaging carried over to the other stations, as well.

“From a practical standpoint, it’s one thing to hear an educational message in a classroom setting, but we were able to bring it to the ball field and communicate in that setting,” Mayberry said. “Even the hitting and fielding stations, we made sure the groups were divided equally with young men and young women and tried to make sure the young women were in the forefront.”

The State Department’s Sports Envoy program seeks to empower young people, with a special emphasis on women and girls, through sports and discussions about the role of women in society, addressing issues such as leadership, health, and women’s well-being. In addition to this month’s trip to Nicaragua from Jan. 5-8, major leaguers have also participated in this unique Players Trust program to support clinics in Ecuador, Nigeria and Romania.

Continue reading at PlayersTrust.org.

Tweet me:.@MLBPlayersTrust teams w/ US State Department's Sports Envoy program to help spread goodwill through baseball. Trust's recent Peloteros por Nicaragua visit features big leaguers Jed Lowrie, John Mayberry, Jr. & JC Ramirez http://bit.ly/2rIjK2d #CareActInspire

KEYWORDS: Diversity & Inclusion, Education, U.S. State Department, Sports Envoys, Major League Baseball, Major League Baseball Players Association, MLBPA, Major League Baseball Players Trust, Jed Lowrie, John Mayberry Jr., athletes giving back, goodwill mission

$6 Million Donation Designed to Repair up to 300 Homes in Three Years

SOURCE:CITGO Petroleum Corporation

DESCRIPTION:

HOUSTON, January 27, 2018 /3BL Media/ - CITGO Petroleum Corporation is donating up to $6 Million to Rebuilding Together Houston with an immediate goal of repairing up to 300 homes in Houston’s Independence Heights community over the next three years, in addition to longer-term recovery efforts. The partnership is part of the CITGO Fueling Good. Rebuilding Lives. initiative, which is dedicated to recovery in the wake of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. 

The Independence Heights "Home After Harvey” recovery program will evaluate affected homes with a goal of transforming 100 houses per year. CITGO volunteers will work with Rebuilding Together Houston to clean up these properties and ensure they are safe havens for families. The support from CITGO will also allow Rebuilding Together Houston to engage other community partners and volunteers to help in the long-term recovery efforts. 

Texas Governor Greg Abbott thanked CITGO for its generosity to the state in contributing to storm recovery. “The tremendous generosity we’ve seen from companies like CITGO show that no disaster can match the spirit of Texas when we work together,” said Governor Abbott. “When companies invest here, they are investing in the people of Texas, and CITGO’s announcement is a testament to their commitment to these communities during the recovery process. This donation will go a long way in helping those trying to rebuild their lives after Harvey, and I thank CITGO for their dedication to helping victims recover.”

Christine Holland, CEO of Rebuilding Together Houston said the generous donation from CITGO will make a meaningful difference in the lives of hundreds of Houston’s vulnerable neighbors — “those without the means, the resources, or the network to rebuild after Hurricane Harvey,” she said. “Together, we will ensure that residents can safely return to their homes as soon as possible,” Holland said.

The donation to Rebuilding Together Houston is part of a larger CITGO effort to assist with hurricane relief and rebuilding efforts. CITGO customers participated by contributing 1 cent from each gallon of fuel purchased – up to $8 Million – and CITGO donated an additional $3 Million to the Greater Houston Community Foundation plus more than 100 volunteer hours in Houston and Corpus Christi, Texas.

“We understand the long-term impact disasters like Hurricane Harvey have on affected communities, and are here to help our fellow Houstonians recover every step of the way,” said CITGO President and CEO Asdrúbal Chávez. “We are grateful for the hard work of Rebuilding Together Houston, and are committed to working by their side on the road to recovery.”

About CITGO
CITGO, based in Houston, is a refiner, transporter and marketer of transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and other industrial products. The company is owned by CITGO Holding, Inc., an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A., the national oil company of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. For more information, visit www.CITGO.com. 

About Rebuilding Together Houston
Rebuilding Together Houston impacts the lives of hundreds of families across Harris County annually by providing free home repairs for low-income elderly, U.S. Military Veterans, and people with disabilities.  Since 1982, we have reinvested more than $120 million in affordable housing throughout Harris County.  Through the work of caring volunteers and licensed contractors, and with the support of individual donors, local businesses and corporate partners, Rebuilding Together Houston revitalizes Houston communities, providing safe and healthy housing for neighbors in need.

Tweet me:.@CITGO donates $6 Million to Rebuilding Together Houston to repair 300 homes in Houston’s Independence Heights community http://bit.ly/2Ef21Cm

Contact Info:

+1 (832) 486-5250
press@citgo.com

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Energy, Oil & Gas, Rebuilding Together Houston, citgo fueling good, Citgo, Hurricane Harvey

iCause, a Delaware based PBC, supports nonprofit sustainability.

SOURCE:iCause

DESCRIPTION:

January 26th, 2018 /3BL Media/ -- iCause is a global marketplace for cause - the first of its kind.  The focus of iCause is to make an impact and build communities, with engagement and incentives for individuals, nonprofits, educational institutions, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) companies and philanthropists.  

“iCause bridges the gap between the mass market and nonprofit companies, making it easier to engage with nonprofit communities and support international causes.”  CEO, Kevin McAhren

The problem in today’s world is a great lack of readily available information on causes, making it difficult for people to find events they care about. Information on cause events is fragmented and incomplete, rendering the search frustrating and exhausting. Similarly, philanthropists and nonprofits lack a credible source that allows them to promote causes and attract new support with conformance to industry standards. Causes therefore often lose potential activists and participants.  

iCause will make an impact for many stakeholders:  

Nonprofits:  iCause strives to be the number one engagement platform and community for nonprofit sustainability.  iCause provides an ecosystem that encourages individuals to engage and participate, while helping nonprofits expand their reach.  Nonprofits will have the ability to market events, spread awareness, raise donations and attract volunteers - all in one place! The marketplace allows direct engagement for all constituents, with statistical data supporting all performed activities. Here, individuals can get involved using the volunteer and donation options while being  incentivized through a rewards system.

(CSR) Corporations: Companies  across the world have recognized the close link between social responsibility and profitability. As a result, corporations have increased their commitments and resources to philanthropy and cause marketing - supporting causes while at the same time building brand value. Consumers are more likely to buy products from companies that support a cause or encourage their employees to give back and volunteer.  iCause is the perfect middle man - helping companies align with a nonprofit to increase brand reputation with reciprocal cause marketing.

Government Agencies:  As a government agency, it is difficult to find active nonprofits that accept community service and fulfill all hour-tracking and reporting requirements. iCause does just that. The global marketplace encompasses nonprofits and causes from around the world. A strict verification process ensures that all listed nonprofits are credible and trusted, while an hour tracking and reporting systems allows precise monitoring of all performed community service.  iCause is focused on building and supporting communities by providing all necessary services in one easy to manage place.  

Philanthropists: In today’s conflict-ridden world, there is a pledged wealth to social cause among us that is monumental. The problem is that this wealth is not easily distributable. There is a need for a centralized system to efficiently tie pledges to reputable causes. iCause steps in as the champion of cause - allowing philanthropists to continually explore new innovations for the preservation of good for generations to come. Its transparent marketplace empowers individuals and nonprofits alike - incentivizing and rewarding those who are doing good.  iCause seeks to shape the ideas and critical thinking of the future  so that that one day the masses will embrace cause as more than just a casual encounter.

Advertisers: The iCause marketplace accepts advertising alongside events. This advertising opportunity is unique as it allows a choice of reach - whether local, regional, national or global. It is also possible to target a specific audience demographic based on preference, cause, age group, and more. Managing campaigns is similar to Google and Facebook advertising, with the additional ability of enticing users to click on the category "promotions and discounts". This category shows the user all advertising sorted by event, company, and location for relevant products, services, or brands.

Investors: Impact investors across the world don't just want to see a financial return, they want to see their investments make a social or environmental impact. They can use iCause to measure and manage their impact and find causes and opportunities worthy of investment. With iCause, investors can not only find causes and companies worthy of support but also like-minded investors looking to increase their engagement with cause.  

The iCause marketplace seeks to appeal equally to individuals, nonprofits, schools, government agencies, CSR companies, philanthropists and investors. All stakeholders in these environments will be incentivized to work together to spread awareness and create a more conscious and mindful world.

Learn more about iCause: www.icause.com

Media Contact:

Contact Name:  Brandy Bright, Director of PR & Media, iCause PBC

Contact Email: brandy.bright@icause.com

Location: Cleveland, Ohio

Disclaimer: iCause PBC is the source of this content.

Tweet me:iCause is a global marketplace for #cause - the first of its kind. The focus of iCause is to make an impact and build communities, with engagement and incentives for individuals, #nonprofits, educational institutions, CSR companies and philanthropists. http://bit.ly/2GiRk2b

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Events, Media & Communications, best practices in employee volunteering, #Volunteer, #nonprofits, iCause

SOURCE:KeyBank

DESCRIPTION:

CLEVELAND, January 29, 2017 /3BL Media/ - KeyBank Community Development Lending & Investment (CDLI) has provided an $8.5 million construction loan and $10.5 million in 9% LIHTC equity for the development of Renton Commons, a 48-unit affordable housing project with 36 units of permanent supportive housing, located in Renton, WA.

Thirty-six units will be reserved for homeless U.S. Military veterans and formerly homeless families with children. The remaining 11 units will target households at or below 50% area median income (AMI). The property also includes dedicated common space for use by residents and a counseling office to be used by the Sound Mental Health (SMH) to provide case management services on-site. 

Aubré Dickson and Beth Palmer of Key’s CDLI group arranged the financing.

About Key Community Development Lending/Investment

KeyBank Community Development Lending and Investment (CDLI) helps fulfill Key’s purpose to help clients and communities thrive by financing projects that stabilize and revitalize communities. Experts in complex tax credit lending and investing, Key is one of a handful of affordable housing lenders in the country with a platform that brings together balance sheet, equity, and permanent loan offerings. CDLI has a substantial investment and loan portfolio worth more than $2 billion, 90% of which is Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) projects. For its ability to lend to, invest in, and serve its communities –especially low-to-moderate income communities – KeyBank has earned eight consecutive “Outstanding” ratings on the Community Reinvestment Act exam, from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency.

About KeyCorp

KeyCorp's roots trace back 190 years to Albany, New York. Headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, Key is one of the nation's largest bank-based financial services companies, with assets of approximately $137.7 billion at December 31, 2017. Key provides deposit, lending, cash management, insurance, and investment services to individuals and businesses in 15 states under the name KeyBank National Association through a network of approximately 1,200 branches and more than 1,500 ATMs. Key also provides a broad range of sophisticated corporate and investment banking products, such as merger and acquisition advice, public and private debt and equity, syndications and derivatives to middle market companies in selected industries throughout the United States under the KeyBanc Capital Markets trade name. For more information, visit https://www.key.com/. KeyBank is Member FDIC.

Media Contact:  Laura Mimura, laura.mimura@key.com

###

KEYWORDS: Sustainable Finance & Socially Responsible Investment, Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Community Development Lending & Investment (CDLI), affordable housing, KeyBank CDLI, keybank, Veterans, homelessness

SOURCE:Subaru of America

DESCRIPTION:

Meals on Wheels received 50 Subaru Outbacks, donated by Subaru of America. One of those vehicles was donated to Meals on Wheels in Coconino County, AZ. 

Tweet me:VIDEO: @Subaru_USA donates 50 vehicles to @_MealsOnWheels @CoconinoCounty http://bit.ly/2DHQoU8 #SubaruLovestoHelp #seniors

KEYWORDS: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives, Diversity & Inclusion, Subaru of America, Meals on Wheels

SOURCE:Citi

DESCRIPTION:

NEW YORK, January 29, 2018 /3BL Media/ - Today, Citi Community Development, the City of New York, and National Disability Institute (NDI) announced the launch of Empowered Cities, a new national initiative enabling municipalities to expand financial empowerment and economic inclusion for people living with disabilities and their families. Also announced was EmpoweredNYC, a collaboration with the City of New York, specifically the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD) and the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) Office of Financial Empowerment (OFE), focused on enabling New Yorkers with disabilities across the five boroughs to build their financial security. EmpoweredNYC is the first local program of Empowered Cities. 

Through the Empowered Cities program, NDI will hold national convenings with community stakeholders; conduct trainings for service providers and financial counselors, nonprofits, and municipal staff; produce a catalog of new publications and training curricula; and deliver national program management. Building on the EmpoweredNYC model, NDI will inform, document, and build field knowledge about how to deploy tailored, citywide financial inclusion models to meet specific needs of residents with disabilities that can be implanted in cities across the country.

Empowered Cities was launched with $2 million in support from Citi Community Development, $1 million of which is being used to fund EmpoweredNYC.

More than 50 million people live with a disability in the U.S., and 25 percent of households include a child or an adult with a disability. According to research by NDI, even the most financially stable individuals with disabilities have difficulty managing household finances and navigating the complexities of benefits, insurance, medical costs, and long-term supports while still preparing for retirement. Compounding these challenges, more than 46 percent of working-age households with disabilities are either unbanked or underbanked – greatly limiting their ability to prepare for the financial volatility that is associated with living with a disability.

"Cities neglect the most vulnerable in society when they take a one-size-fits-all approach to the allocation of services and resources," said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio. "I am proud that EmpoweredNYC will act as a nationwide model for how cities can better serve people with disabilities by offering tailored information that will level the financial playing field for them and their families."

“National Disability Institute is enthusiastic about today’s commitment by Citi Community Development and is honored to be a key partner to advance a better economic future for people with disabilities nationwide,” said Michael Morris, Executive Director, National Disability Institute. “With Citi’s and NYC’s leadership, we will begin by testing new strategies in New York City that can improve financial capability for people with disabilities and enable and empower their future financial decision making. The New York City efforts will help inform a national initiative that enlists municipal and state government, community nonprofit organizations, financial institutions and other key stakeholders that can design programs, products and services that are scalable and sustainable.”

“People with disabilities and their families often have to make critical and complex financial decisions almost daily, navigating insurance, health services, benefits, education and employment decisions, which makes financial planning and security challenging,” said Bob Annibale, Global Director, Citi Community Development and Inclusive Finance. “The national Empowered Cities initiative, together with the local EmpoweredNYC partnership, represent an important and collaborative first step toward supporting municipalities, financial counselors and nonprofit service providers with specialized training and resources to ensure that they are better positioned to serve the needs of all residents in our communities.”

According to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, nearly one million people in New York City live with a disability, a group comprising 12 percent of the city’s population. They are twice as likely to be living in poverty as those without disabilities, 30 percent and 16 percent, respectively.

Co-developed and supported by founding corporate partner Citi Community Development, EmpoweredNYC is a collaboration between MOPD, OFE, National Disability Institute, The Poses Family Foundation, and Mayor's Fund to Advance New York City to test, adopt and promote new solutions throughout New York City. DCA, which operates the City’s NYC Financial Empowerment Centers that provide free, professional financial counseling, will oversee the program management of EmpoweredNYC, as well as design and implement a new training for financial counselors, along with a new approach to financial counseling intended to reach more individuals and families with disabilities. The City will use the insights gained to better reach the community and tailor its services.

EmpoweredNYC will employ a consultative, three-tier approach to advance financial capability and counseling for people with disabilities and their families:

• Tier 1: Broad engagement and education. Nonprofit service providers, caseworkers, and others will engage in developing information and training to better understand and address individual’s financial situations, deliver a consistent message about financial capability and benefits (including the paths to and rewards of work), make appropriate referrals to one-on-one financial counseling, and strengthen service providers' competence in serving people with disabilities.
   
• Tier 2: Revolutionized one-on-one financial counseling with new expertise, outreach and tools. This tier will pilot a new financial counseling model comprising trainings, tools, and strategies customized to provide meaningful one-on-one guidance to people with disabilities.
   
• Tier 3: Specialized benefits support services for people transitioning to work. This tier will focus on strengthening the provision of in-depth financial and benefits guidance for people with disabilities seeking to transition to employment.

EmpoweredNYC will also create a learning community for newly trained counselors and service providers, as well as contain a robust evaluation, and citywide marketing campaign to promote the new services and the overall initiative. To guide this multi-faceted program, an NYC Advisory Board composed of commissioners from various City agencies and senior leaders from government, nonprofits, philanthropy, and the private sector will be assembled. Advisory Board members will bring expertise in municipal strategies, financial capability, and disability community priorities to inform the new strategies, programs, and services.

“EmpoweredNYC couldn’t come at a better time,” said MOPD Commissioner Victor Calise. “In the face of the federal government’s current position on benefits, fear among many people with disabilities has intensified. Reducing reliance on Social Security would be catastrophic for people with disabilities. But we’ll respond with sustainable, well-paid employment opportunities and resources for financial empowerment. With the right resources and our current partners, people with disabilities can ease their fears and become contributing tax-payers and included members of society.”

“DCA’s Office of Financial Empowerment assists New Yorkers by developing and offering innovative programs and products to increase access to high-quality, low-cost financial education and counseling, safe and affordable mainstream banking, and access to income-boosting tax credits and savings,” said DCA Commissioner Lorelei Salas. “We know that New Yorkers living with disabilities face unique financial challenges. That is why the City of New York is embarking on this new partnership to help people living with disabilities become more financially secure through revolutionized one-on-one financial counseling. We are committed to developing new strategies like this that help all New Yorkers achieve financial health.”

“When all New Yorkers can fully benefit from all of our City’s educational, cultural and economic opportunities, we all benefit,” said First Lady Chirlane McCray, Chair of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance NYC.  ”With access to training, counseling and expanded resources New Yorkers with disabilities and their families will have more of the tools they need to lead successful, independent lives.”

"We know that financial inclusion is critically important to New Yorkers with disabilities, many of whom face significant financial insecurity. This public-private partnership will propel our work forward to develop new ways of achieving broader inclusion of all of our citizens by leveling the economic playing field," said Gabrielle Fialkoff, Senior Advisor to the Mayor and Director of the Office of Strategic Partnerships. "New York City has always been at the cutting edge of new models for equity. With this new initiative, undergirded by the generous support of our long-time collaborators at Citi Community Development, we are pleased to be at the forefront of such important work."  

“Talking about money is very difficult, almost frightening. It is deeply personal and not easy to share with others. People who are poor, including a disproportionate number of people with disabilities, feel powerless about their finances,” said Judith Heumann, Senior Fellow, Ford Foundation. “The Empowered Cities initiative will give people with disabilities the knowledge and confidence to make wise financial decisions to gain more control and choice over their lives. Empowered Cities is about engaging all of us to change our expectations, our thinking and our actions. I applaud Citi Community Development and the City of New York for moving forward with this important initiative.”

“The Mayor’s Fund is proud to support this timely initiative to revolutionize financial capability and counseling for individuals with disabilities,” said Darren Bloch, the Executive Director of the Mayor’s Fund to Advance New York City. “This collaborative work will develop tools, services, and strategies to enhance financial capability and inclusion of New Yorkers with disabilities and create a foundation for ongoing efforts nationwide.”

To learn more, visit www.empoweredcities.com

###

About Citi Community Development

Citi Community Development leads Citi’s commitment to financial inclusion and economic empowerment for underserved individuals, families and communities across the U.S. Through innovative collaborations with municipalities, community groups and leading nonprofit organizations, we harness Citi’s expertise, products and services to help expand opportunity for all.

Additional information may be found at http://citicommunitydevelopment.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citi.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi

About National Disability Institute

National Disability Institute (NDI) is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to building a better economic future for people with disabilities. The first national organization committed exclusively to championing economic empowerment, financial education, asset development and financial stability for all persons with disabilities, NDI affects change through public education, policy development, training, technical assistance and innovative initiatives. NDI and its Real Economic Impact (REI) Network have helped more than 2.3 million people with disabilities receive nearly $2.3 billion in tax refunds and credits. To learn more, visit www.realeconomicimpact.org. Engage with NDI on Facebook: RealEconImpact or follow NDI on Twitter: @RealEconImpact. Take the pledge to DISABLE POVERTY at www.disablepoverty.org.

About the Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities

The Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities (MOPD), in operation since 1972, works to ensure that New Yorkers with disabilities can lead happy, healthy and productive lives and works hand-in-hand with other City offices and over 50 agencies to ensure that the voice of the disabled community is represented and that City programs and policies address the needs of the nearly one million New Yorkers with disabilities and the 6.8 million people with disabilities visiting New York City every year. In addition, the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities works with organizations on specific issues affecting people with disabilities, and aims to bring about dialogue that leads to meaningful outcomes for those living with disabilities. MOPD’s strives to make NYC the most accessible city in the world. For more information about MOPD, call 311, visit nyc.gov/mopd, or find it on social media, Twitter or Facebook. 

About the NYC Department of Consumer Affairs

The NYC Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) protects and enhances the daily economic lives of New Yorkers to create thriving communities. DCA licenses more than 81,000 businesses in more than 50 industries and enforces key consumer protection, licensing, and workplace laws that apply to countless more. By supporting businesses through equitable enforcement and access to resources and, by helping to resolve complaints, DCA protects the marketplace from predatory practices and strives to create a culture of compliance. Through its community outreach and the work of its offices of Financial Empowerment and Labor Policy & Standards, DCA empowers consumers and working families by providing the tools and resources they need to be educated consumers and to achieve financial health and work-life balance. DCA also conducts research and advocates for public policy that furthers its work to support New York City’s communities. For more information about DCA and its work, call 311 or visit DCA at nyc.gov/dca or on its social media sites, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Tweet me:Citi Community Development, the City of New York and National Disability Institute Launch New National Initiative Aimed at Building the Financial Security of People with Disabilities http://bit.ly/2DHbbGA

Contact Info:

Patricia Tuma
Citi
+1 (212) 793-7682
patricia.tuma@citi.com

KEYWORDS: Diversity & Inclusion, Reduced Inequalities, Citi Community Development, National Disability Institute, Financial Inclusion, financial empowerement, Citi

By Antha Williams, Head of Environmental Programs, Bloomberg Philanthropies

SOURCE:Bloomberg

DESCRIPTION:

Our oceans program, like all of our work at Bloomberg Philanthropies, aims to ensure better, longer lives for the greatest number of people. So it’s good news that the United Nations International Coral Reef Initiative has declared 2018 the International Year of the Reef. Coral reefs are home to one in every four fish in the ocean, and are a critical backbone of ocean ecosystems. Unfortunately, climate change threatens to destroy 90 percent of reefs in the next three decades. And as the demand for fish continues to grow, overfishing and destructive practices, like bottom-trawling and using bombs and cyanide for fishing, are damaging coral reefs.

At Bloomberg Philanthropies, our Vibrant Oceans Initiative is working to replenish fish populations and create a more sustainable and fruitful environment for all fishers. As one of our partners on the initiative, Rare works to protect the environment and public health through community-led conservation. While our partnership focuses on the Philippines and Brazil, Rare also works on small-scale fisheries and coral habitat protection in Indonesia, sharing lessons learned across countries and accelerating coastal fisheries reform.

We recently visited the Rare team in Indonesia and got a firsthand view of their work in the capital city Jakarta, as well as in fish-dependent cities and remote islands.

To read the takeaways of their inspiring work, visit bloomberg.org. 

Tweet me:Insights from Indonesia: Protecting Our Coral Reefs @bloombergdotorg #vibrantoceansinitiative http://bit.ly/2njlwT0

KEYWORDS: Environment, Life Below Water, Bloomberg, Bloomberg Philanthropies, vibrant ocean initiative, rare