Dear Friend,
Two decades have elapsed since our cherished founder, Leo Buscaglia, known affectionately to many as “Dr. Love,” passed away unexpectedly. While his passing was untimely, his message is timeless.
Leo’s message of love, empathy and his “pay it forward” philosophy resonates today as strongly as it did when his lectures filled auditoriums and his TV appearances were among the most popular programs on PBS.
Before he died, Leo set up a public foundation seeded with a generous gift from his personal resources. The Leo Buscaglia Foundation has carried on in his name, by making grants to smaller nonprofit organizations. Each of the Buscaglia awardees integrates the values of love, empathy, and the spirit of giving-back through dynamic programs in the arts, education and social services.
Besides his unshakable belief in the power of love, Leo believed in the power of community. He was intentional in setting up his foundation as a public entity because he hoped to encourage others to share in the foundation’s work.
Please join with us in continuing Leo’s legacy by making a gift to the Leo Buscaglia Foundation this season.
Alone we can help, but together we can do so much more.
With warmth and love,
Keri S. Botello
President
PS: Please take a moment to read about some of the organizations, which have received support from the Buscaglia Foundation and to peruse the list of Leo’s publications available for order at leobuscaglia.org.
*Your donation may be tax deductible according to IRC Section 170.
2018 Grant Recipients
A Sense of Home – Venice, CA. Received a grant for needed home-making supplies. Items may include bedding, kitchen gadgets and small pieces of furniture. ASOH is a nonprofit organization run by former foster youth that utilizes donated furniture for youth that have aged-out of the foster care system and are now living on their own, often in subsidized housing. They help by providing furniture and other necessities required to make the youth’s first permanent living space feel like home
A Touch of Understanding, Inc. – Granite Bay, CA. Received a grant to support one day of in-school disability awareness workshops at four schools. The mission of A Touch of Understanding is to encourage acceptance and respect for all individuals and to minimize the discrimination, bullying and misunderstanding experienced by children and adults who are perceived as different for any reason, but especially for those with disabilities.
Art Without Limits – Santa Barbara, CA. Received a grant to grow core staff, offer a raise to existing staff, secure sustainable sources of revenue, ensure a smooth leadership transition and relocate to a new office. The mission of Art Without Limits (AWoL) is to provide talented emerging artists of any discipline with the skills and guidance they need to thrive in a vibrant art community. AWoL connects emerging artists and organizations to experts, professional artists and support groups to help achieve their goals.
Big Sunday – Los Angeles, CA. Received a grant to grow their Monthly on Melrose special events. Big Sunday’s mission is to connect people through helping. To fulfill their mission, they partner with more than 750 nonprofit organizations and schools to provide a wide range of volunteer opportunities that bring people together from all walks of life to build community and a sense of belonging. Big Sunday received a grant from the Leo Buscaglia Foundation in March 2016.
Care Through Touch Institute – San Francisco, CA. Received a grant for a transportation fund to underwrite the cost of transportation for their massage volunteers ensuring that they will be able to volunteer a minimum of twice monthly. CTI’s mission is to accompany, comfort and empower homeless and marginally housed people through safe therapeutic seated massage therapy and compassionate supportive presence.
Echoes of Hope – El Segundo, CA. Received a grant in support of their Leaders of Tomorrow program. The program supports former foster youth, at-risk, and low-income youth between the ages of 18-24 with resources they need while pursuing a college education. Echoes of Hope strives to awaken the spirit of hope in the lives of children, youth and young adults in need by alleviating barriers and helping them reach their full potential.
The Friends of the Children’s Museum at La Habra – La Habra, CA. Received a grant to support the first year of their Lil Innovators Early Childhood STEM Project. The mission of the Children’s Museum at La Habra is to encourage enthusiasm about learning that opens the world to even the youngest child, thereby increasing the chance of academic success. The Friends of the Children’s Museum at La Habra supports this mission through fundraising efforts on behalf of the museum.
Girls Rock SB – Santa Barbara, CA. Received a grant to help cover the costs of their summer camp 2018. These costs include facility rental fees, program staff salaries and equipment. Funds will also allow for scholarships to underserved and/or at risk girls. Girls Rock SB empowers girls through music, promoting an environment that fosters self-confidence, creativity, and teamwork. They challenge gender stereotypes, encourage collaboration and tolerance among peers, and provide a comfortable space for girls of all backgrounds to express themselves. Through music lessons, workshops, group activities, and performance, girls learn skills that help guide them throughout their lives. Girls Rock SB received a grant from the Leo Buscaglia Foundation in March 2016.
Los Angeles Youth Orchestra – Sherman Oaks, CA. Received a grant to continue ongoing music education programming for 120 students in the Los Angeles area. The Los Angeles Youth Orchestra’s mission is to contribute to our communities and advance the future of culture by developing a passion for music in young musicians through the study and performance of classical and contemporary music. LAYO accomplishes its mission by providing rehearsal and performance opportunities, both nationally and internationally to 120 student musicians from over 60 schools throughout the greater LA area.
Operation Jump Start – Long Beach, CA. Received a grant to develop and execute an in-house mentor program. This program will be utilized in house and will also be provided to other mentoring organizations at no cost. The mission of Operation Jump Start is to help low-resourced, high-potential first generation students get in, stay in and graduate from a four-year college. They do this by providing academic support, mentoring and exposure to a broader world.
Pacific Chorale – Costa Mesa, CA. Received a grant for the cost of their educational personnel. This includes teaching artists for their Academy and Camp, a composer in residence for Choral Sketches and a pre-concert lecturer for Previews. The mission of the Pacific Chorale is ‘to inspire our community through artistry and innovation in choral performances and education programs.’ They do this through a series of concerts performed each year at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts and via their five specific educational programs.
Pacific Opera Project – Los Angeles, CA. Received a grant to present their community building production of “La Boheme AKA The Hipsters” in 2018. The mission of Pacific Opera Project is to provide quality opera that is innovative, affordable and entertaining in order to build a broader audience. Through this mission they hope to make opera a greater part of popular culture as they develop a strong local community of opera lovers and launch the careers of opera makers.
Redlands Educational Partnership – Redlands, CA. Received a grant to support their ‘Technology, Arts, Gardens and Science Funding for Enrichment’ program. The mission of the Redlands Educational Partnership is threefold – to make education a priority in the community, to enhance students’ learning opportunities and to better prepare Redlands Unified School District students to become contributing members of society.
Rotary Club of Beaumont Foundation – Beaumont, CA. Received a grant to support their Meet the Authors program. Funds will be used to purchase books, cover author expenses and provide for a robust media and marketing campaign to publicize the program including new printing and flyer advertisements, electronic media, postage and shipping costs. The mission of the Rotary Club of Beaumont Foundation is ‘to carry out the charitable and educational functions of the Rotary Club of Beaumont in vocational, community and international service as they relate to the needs and residents of Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
The Source LGBT+ Center – Visalia, CA. Received a grant to formalize and staff their Life Coaching/Peer Mentor program. The mission of the Source LGBT+ Center is “to provide spaces within our communities for the LGBT+ population to Learn, Grow, Belong, Transform, Question + Support.” They do this by cultivating new resources, partnering with those providing existing resources, advocacy and outreach to the LGBT+ community as well their friends, families and allies.
Strength in Support – Laguna Hills, CA. Received a grant for their Three Pillars of Support program. The mission of Strength in Support is to provide mental health services to military personnel, veterans and their families, including individual and family therapy, mentorship and education to address all areas of our heroes’ well-being. Their vision is for every serviceman, servicewoman, veteran and their family members to have the mental health services, resources, and support they need and deserve.
Teacher’s Fund – Montecito, CA. Received a grant to assist with supplies and other materials as requested by teachers in Santa Barbara County. Teacher’s Fund supports transitional kindergarten through 12th grade teachers in southern Santa Barbara County, Santa Ynez, Buelton, Los Olivos, Solvang and Lompoc public and private schools by granting funds for classroom needs not met by other sources. Grants include funds for supplies, tools, technology and equipment.
Team Giving – Newcastle, CA. Received a grant for community outreach, project coordination, database management, training, marketing, website maintenance and social media expenses. Teen Giving’s mission is to inspire, guide and advocate for non-profit organization by matching their needs with businesses, corporations and service clubs to complete volunteer projects. They support systemic change by bridging the gap between non-profits with substantial need for volunteer support and corporations, service clubs and individuals with the time and skills to meet those needs.