Dear Friends,

The Leo Buscaglia Foundation is proud to be carrying on the life principles of our founder by making grants to small but highly effective non-profit organizations that are filling essential needs in their community.

During this past year, which has found many people struggling to make ends meet, the Foundation supported 26 organizations, many in the Southern California region, with grants totaling $130,000. Our grants are relatively small, but each grant is meaningful to an organization working on the ground with those who are in need.

Leo firmly believed in and lived by the principle of giving back. He felt his good fortune should be used to help others to improve the quality of life in their communities. Organizations with lean budgets and a core volunteer or mentoring component were of particular interest. We are proud to be associated with the organizations funded this past year.

We invite you to join us in our mission with your tax-deductible gift to the Leo Buscaglia Foundation as you consider your year-end contributions

Thank you and warm wishes,

William R. Boyd, Jr.
President
Leo Buscaglia Foundation

P.S. – Please register here in order to receive our periodic eNewsletters.

2010 Recipients

• A Window Between Worlds – Venice, CA. Received a grant to support their Women's and Children's Windows Program. The program "uses the gift of art as a catalyst for healing in the lives of domestic violence survivors."

• All Hands Volunteers – Carlisle, MA. Received a grant to support their general disaster response fund which provides support to volunteers with housing, logistical support, tools and materials. These volunteers provide free assistance to communities devastated by a natural disaster.

• Angel Flight West – Santa Monica, CA. Received a grant to help support their Wings Over the West project consisting of pilot recruitment, orientation, retention activities and outreach training for volunteers.

• Boys and Girls Club of Venice – Venice, CA. Received a grant for their Technology Learning Center program and the salary of their Education Director.

• Bresee Foundation – Los Angeles, CA. Received a grant to expand "Goals For Life", an existing leadership training program for high school students in the community.

• Center of Movement – Rio Vista, CA. Received a grant to double the number (300 to 600) of students participating in their YES Program (Yoga Education for Schools). The program focuses on providing "tools to build a lifetime of wellness and the spirit of generosity."

• The Children's Nature Institute – Beverly Hills, CA. Received a grant to cover personnel and operational costs of their Outreach Discovery Program and their Volunteer Training and Kids Leading Kids initiative.

• City Impact, Inc. – Oxnard, CA. Received a grant to help sustain their after-school program for 75 children/youth in community housing for low-income, migrant/agriculture farm workers. The funds will help sustain salaries for the program's staff.

• Class-ACT – Cardiff by the Sea, CA. Received a grant to support program expenses for Class-Act's program to foster development of the performing arts, visual arts and technology programming benefitting local children and those in developing countries.

• Food on Foot– Beverly Hills, CA. Received a grant to help fund their Work For Food program for the homeless. The funds will be used for food gift cards and transportation tokens.

• For Kids Foundation – Reno, NV. Received a grant to help pay for needed goods or services, including surgical procedures, dental care, summer school, counseling, medical prescriptions and clothing for children who are unable to fulfill those needs any other way.

• Fred Brown Recovery Center – San Pedro, CA. Received a grant to expand their Job Readiness Project, including the services of an employee specialist and job placement.

• The Friendship Circle of the South Bay – Redondo Beach, CA. Received a grant to help support a variety of their 2010 programs for special needs children including Friends at Home, The Sunday Circle, Sports Night and more.

• Girl Scouts of the Sierra Nevada – Reno, NV. Received a grant to support their Financial Assistance Program providing funds for any girl wishing to participate in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience.

• Inside Out Community Arts – Venice, CA. Received a grant to support their School Project program of visual and performing arts workshops, performances and festivals to give youth the tools, confidence and inspiration to make a positive difference in their communities and the world.

• National Foster Youth Action Network – San Francisco, CA. Received a grant to provide training for 60 foster and emancipated youth in its pilot affiliates in Oregon and Indiana. The youth will volunteer and organize in their communities to bring about positive changes in their state's foster care system.

• OASIS West Los Angeles – Los Angeles, CA. Received a grant to be used to support training of new tutors and in-service training for existing tutors, particularly for LAUSD required fingerprinting and TB testing.

• One Brick – San Francisco, CA. Received a grant to support their efforts to expand to 25 US Cities in the next five years. One Brick encouages and enables busy individuals to volunteer and be more connected to their community.

• Pine Tree Hospice – Dover-Foxcroft, ME. Received a grant for operational costs, as well as to continue efforts to reach out and educate the community about the hospice services available and how each person has the ability to help in some way.

• Project Tomorrow– Irvine, CA. Received a grant to expand their YouthTEACH@Learn program for high school students to share their enthusiasm for hands-on science learning experiences with students in elementary school.

• Reach Out and Read – Mission Hills, CA. Received a grant to fund the distribution of current and future new book donations, provide hands-on training and technical support to existing clinics participating in ROR and allow the Regional Coordinator to continue to host monthly teleconference training calls.

• Reading Partners– Oakland, CA. Received a grant to support their volunteer-driven literacy program through volunteer outreach, curriculum and program materials, program assessment and Reading Center events as well as funding for program staff.

• Royal Friends' Clubs– Santa Ana, CA. Received a grant for their Mentor ID Certification Card Program. The organization provides mentors and a club experience for foster children aged 7-12.

• Scott Newman Center– Torrance, CA. Received a grant to help fund their Rowdy Ridge Gang Camp. The funds will be used to provide meals and housing as well as hire couselors, teachers and healthcare technicians.

• The Solace Tree – Reno, NV. Received a grant to "aid, support and assist children and their families through the grieving process of losing a loved one," as well as supplies for their activities and for their 2011 Camp Solace grief camp.

• Volunteer San Diego – San Diego, CA. Received a grant to support Serv-a-thon, an annual community wide volunteer service event that brings together volunteers from all across San Diego focusing on education and the service projects and will be centered on schools, after school programs and education based organizations.

For more information, please contact Jeff Jordan at (310) 791-3144 or email: info@leobuscaglia.org