The United Way of Tarrant County will give the Fort Worth Independent School District $1,266,623 to fund two initiatives for selected elementary and middle schools. This is the fourth year of a 10-year partnership supporting United Way’s Bold Goal Initiative of having 8,092 students who are at risk of dropping out of school graduate by 2020.
The Middle School Success Initiative will receive $779,899 to help cultivate a culture of college and career readiness through innovative learning opportunities and interventions. Schools participating are Daggett, Dunbar, Handley, Forest Oak, Kirkpatrick, Meacham, Meadowbrook, Rosemont and Morningside (new for 2013-2014) middle schools and Glencrest and Rosemont 6th grade centers. The focus for year four will be on developing newer approaches for parent engagement, providing more opportunities for community involvement and expanding the program’s emphasis on student success in core classes. The Early Grade Reading “LLI Reading Camp” will receive $486,724 to serve at- risk first through third graders. The students take part in Small Group Guided Reading and ancillary LLI (Leveled Literacy Intervention) activities supported by intervention teachers and facilitated by community groups, paraprofessionals, parents and mentors/volunteers. LLI campuses are Clifford Davis, W.M. Green, Van Zandt Guinn, Lowery Road, D.K. Sellers, Sunrise-McMillan, I.M. Terrell, Springdale, Woodway, Harlean Beal (new for 2013-2014), and South Hills (new for 2013-2014) elementary schools. In addition to United Way’s donation, a $125,000 gift from Target will fund three primary strategies for the 2013-2014 Target Reading Initiative Grant. The funds also will provide reading materials to students and help develop a culture of reading with the families of FWISD students.
Target and Heart of America are remodeling the library at M.H. Moore Elementary School. Moore won a competition earlier this year and architectural plans are now being implemented for the library makeover, which is expected to be finished in September. Shipments of thousands of new library books are arriving at the elementary school.
YWCA debuts improved Resale shop The YWCA Fort Worth & Tarrant County relocated its newest social enterprise venture, reDesign, in the re-envisioned Resale space at 6500 Camp Bowie Blvd. on June 24. Shoppers can now find the store’s furniture and housewares in the same location as the YWCA Resale Shop’s clothing, shoes and accessories. “Our vision is to be a combined shopping experience for customer convenience,” said Stephanie Reyes, director of social enterprise. “We are eager to provide the opportunity for both Resale and reDesign customers on any budget to shop great finds under one roof and see the quality merchandise we receive daily.” When additional space became available in the same shopping center as the YWCA Resale Shop in 2012, the organization took advantage of a short-term lease opportunity. The lower level of Resale reflects a retail or department store layout with sections for shoes, accessories and boutique brand items. The upper level features reDesign’s staged furniture and housewares. A reLaunch party is set for Aug. 10.
Deadline nears for digital makeover Applications are open through Aug. 12 for the second annual Technology Innovation Award: Digital Makeover, presented by the Aidmatrix Foundation and Accenture, and with software and implementation support from Microsoft and Avanade. One Texas nonprofit will receive a digital makeover to help expand its reach in the community it serves, with a prize package valued at more than $50,000. The winner will work with Aidmatrix to put its vision into action, and the prize will be customized to meet the needs of the winning organization. The prize must fall within the realm of online interactive services offered by Aidmatrix to its clients, which include new website/website redesign; current website upgrade to HTML5; website mobile-enabled; website socialized; and stable and secure assessment.
The runner-up organization will receive Aidmatrix’s Online Event Management module to help it manage fundraising events via a single online tool. To apply, visit www.AidmatrixDB.com/technology-innovation-award.
CPR training at D/FW Airport The American Heart Association and American Airlines Occupation Health Services are helping passengers learn and practice lifesaving hands-only CPR while waiting for flights at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. A hands-only CPR kiosk has been placed in Terminal C for six months, allowing hands-on practice with a CPR manikin and automated watch-while-practice CPR program.
The touch screen kiosk’s video program gives a brief introduction to the steps of hands-only CPR, followed by a practice session and a 30-second CPR test. The kiosk provides feedback about the depth and rate of chest compressions and proper hand placement. Hands-only CRP used in cardiac emergencies does not involve mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
NBC 5 partners with NBCUniversal Foundation NBC 5/KXAS-TV is partnering with the NBCUniversal Foundation to launch its second annual 21st Century Solutions program, a grant challenge for local nonprofits implementing new and innovative programs.
The grant competition is open to eligible 501(c)(3) organizations that are using progressive programs to address emerging or ongoing community challenges in the areas of civic engagement, education, environment, jobs and economic empowerment, media arts and technology. NBC 5’s goal is to highlight organizations addressing community issues in new and creative ways. Nonprofits wishing to compete in the grant challenge can review the eligibility criteria and complete an application at www.NBCDFW.com by July 31. Three North Texas organizations will win grants totaling $100,000 to be announced by the end of the year.
Send nonprofit items to Betty Dillard at bdillard@bizpress.net