Nonprofit Notes
The Sundt Foundation recently awarded a combined $14,236 in grants to five Fort Worth charities.
The Foundation donated $5,000 in its second quarter to Journey To Dream and KockatU Kids Foundation, Inc.
Journey To Dream, which received a $2,500 grant, is devoted to embracing, equipping and empowering youth so they can overcome adversity and pursue their dreams. KockatU Kids Foundation, which also received $2,500, assists in the development and revitalization of young people by actively and effectively educating youth in the areas of academics, business and leadership while providing a safe environment for social interaction.
“The Sundt Foundation is the most important tool to fulfill our mission and the company’s purpose,” said Andrew Apostolik, the Sundt Foundation’s board president. “At Sundt, our purpose is to build environments where our clients, employee-owners and communities prosper which is why it is important we invest in the Metroplex.”
In its third-quarter disbursement, the foundation awarded $9,236 to three additional area nonprofits:
¬– The Community Enrichment Center, which received $3,250, aims to break the cycle of poverty and family violence. For 30 years, the center continues to work directly with families and individuals to move them out of crisis and into stability.
¬– The Leg Up Program received $2,736 to fulfill its mission to provide employment and housing support to those who are homeless and at risk of being homeless through advocacy, education and support.
– Tailored Rides Equine Assisted Therapy, which received $3,250, encompasses a wide range of treatments that includes activities with horses and other equines to promote physical, occupational and emotional growth in individuals with neurological diseases or disorders.
The Sundt Foundation awards grants each quarter to area charities that support disadvantaged children and adults. Nonprofits are selected through an application process and reviewed by a committee of Sundt employee-owners.
The Sundt Foundation was established in 1999 by Sundt Construction Inc. The organization is funded primarily by contributions from Sundt employees, which are matched by the company. To date, the Foundation has awarded more than $8.6 million in donations.
Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for a grant should contact Sundt at www.sundt.com. Sundt has offices in Tempe and Tucson, Arizona; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Antonio, Fort Worth, Irving and El Paso, Texas; and Sacramento, San Diego and Irvine, California.
Google provides grant to USO
Google.org is giving a grant to the USO to provide training and career guidance for transitioning military personnel, military spouses and veterans, the company announced Aug. 27.
The $2.5 million grant will enable USO to incorporate the Google IT Support Professional Certificate into USO its programming.
The program will be available at USO Pathfinder Transition offices in the Dallas/Fort Worth area starting Oct. 1.
“There is an opportunity to re-equip service members with IT skills as they move on to their next chapter after military service and to help address the spouse unemployment/underemployment problem with highly portable careers in the IT industry,” Alan Reyes, USO senior vice president of operations, programs and transition, said in the news release.
“Through innovative partnerships like this, USO and Google will be able to provide the resources and programs that support the needs of transitioning service members and their families as well as help to minimize the workforce gap in the IT industry,” Reyes said.
“The transition process is complex, and we hope Grow with Google’s new tools and resources can play a part in making that easier,” said Lisa Gevelber, Google’s vice president of Grow with Google. “At Google, we believe technology has the power to improve lives. With today’s announcement, we look forward to working with America’s transitioning service members to help them succeed in civilian life.”
The IT Support Professional Certificate is a first-of-its kind program with highly interactive content, developed by Google, which provides a direct route for those who successfully complete the program to get their information into the hands of employers.
The news release said that as the majority of IT support positions do not require a college degree but do require prior experience, this certificate is designed to give learners the training and experience they need to get a job in this growing field.
Learners who complete the certificate program will have the opportunity to share their information directly with more than 20 top employers who are looking to hire IT Support talent, the news release said.
The announcement was part of a series of new tools and resources Google introduced to help create economic opportunity for transitioning service members and military spouses.
The company said service members can now search [“jobs for veterans”] on Google and then enter their military occupational specialty code (MOS, AFSC, NEC) to see relevant civilian jobs that require similar skills to those used in their military roles.
Additionally, employers can implement this feature on their own career sites using Google Cloud’s Talent Solution API. FedEx, Pepsi and GettingHired have already implemented the API on their job boards.
To help veteran-owned or led businesses identify themselves to potential customers, Google Maps and Search will offer a new attribute.
The “Veteran-Led” designation will appear when searching for a place on Android or iOS mobile device or in Google Maps when they open a business listing and tap the two-line description of the business to see the attributes associated with that business, the news release said.
uso.org
Google.com/Grow
Taste Restaurant offers fall menu
Fort Worth’s nonprofit restaurant, Taste Community Restaurant, launched its fall menu on Sept. 4, just in time for Hunger Action Month.
“Our menu is a mix of health and hearty dishes,” said Chef Jeff Williams. “And a few nods to my Italian grandmother’s favorites.”
Taste’s new menu includes fall items such as four cheese macaroni, warm farro salad and a kale and spinach salad with tart apples. It also includes entrees such as a harvest pot pie, sausage and peppers served over polenta, and a mushroom swiss burger. The menu also offers peanut butter and chocolate bread pudding and a classic apple pie.
Taste Community Restaurant is the first project of the Taste Project organization designed to help feed, educate, and serve Tarrant County’s food insecure population, a total of 18.1 percent of Tarrant County’s overall community.
The menu has no prices. Patrons are simply asked to pay what they can afford, pay what they would typically pay or pay what they would typically pay, plus a little extra to help a neighbor in need.
To date, Taste Community Restaurant has served more than 15,000 meals; some guests are in need, and others want to help. Taste Community Restaurant is located at 1200 S. Main St. and open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.