Charities

WASHINGTON, Friday, May 23, 2008 — In response to the devastating 7.9 magnitude earthquake that hit China’s Sichuan province on May 12, the American public and corporations have generously supported American Red Cross relief efforts.

“The American Red Cross is grateful for the outpouring of compassion we’ve received from individuals and corporations across the United States,” said David Meltzer, senior vice president, International Services for the American Red Cross. “Thanks to this support, the Red Cross has been able to provide immediate financial assistance to support vital relief efforts for those affected by the earthquake in China.”    » read more »

Feb. 8, 2008, Beverly Hills, CA — On Sunday, February 24, charities in 52 cities will host official Oscar® telecast viewing parties during the 80th Academy Awards® ceremony as part of Oscar Night America, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ grassroots outreach program.    » read more »

01/30/2008 -- Frank McCourt, Dodgers' Owner and Chairman of ThinkCure, today announced that Janet Clayton, an award-winning journalist and former executive at the Los Angeles Times, will become the first President of ThinkCure. ThinkCure, launched in July 2007 by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the McCourt family, the City of Hope, and Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, is a charity whose purpose is to raise funds to support cancer research, and whose mission is to find a cure for cancer.    » read more »

December 19, 2007 -- Salem – “The arts, heritage and humanities form the rich fabric of Oregon culture. And with a strong cultural climate comes a strong economy and more united communities. Cultural institutions – and the businesses that support them – employ thousands of Oregonians across the state. These institutions also attract visitors from around the world, who spend millions of dollars each year in Oregon communities large and small.    » read more »

Dec 13, 2007 -- LITTLE ROCK — Today, Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel announced the filing of a consumer protection lawsuit against a Washington State-based organization which calls itself The American Veterans Coalition (“AVC”). The lawsuit alleges that AVC and its owners have conducted fraudulent fundraising activities in violation of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.    » read more »

December 10, 2007 -- New Hampshire Attorney General Kelly A. Ayotte issued a consumer alert today regarding charitable donations and tips to avoid fraud. Attorney General Ayotte said:    » read more »

06 December 2007 -- The International Committee of the Red Cross has launched a record appeal for nearly $1 billion for lifesaving activities in some 80 countries next year. Iraq will constitute the ICRC's largest humanitarian operation, with the Horn of Africa running a close second. Lisa Schlein reports for VOA from ICRC headquarters in Geneva.

The International Committee of the Red Cross plans to increase its humanitarian budget for Iraq to nearly $95 million next year. That is a 20 percent increase over the previous year.    » read more »

December 6, 2007 -- Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski and Attorney General Hardy Myers today urged Oregonians who want to help victims of the recent Pacific Northwest storms to respond as generously as they can but to do so carefully when contributing to charitable organizations.

"Many Oregonians will want to help meet the recovery needs of the storm victims," said Kulongoski. "I hope they will do so but will also take care not to become victims themselves and will make contribution decisions that will provide maximum benefit to victims."    » read more »

November 27, 2007 -- Jefferson City, Mo. — Missouri Attorney General Jay Nixon wants consumers to do their homework before contributing money to charities, especially between now and the end of the year. The holiday season is one of the biggest times of the year for charitable contributions, with consumers wanting to show generosity and make deductions from their income taxes.    » read more »

November 13, 2007 -- Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal and Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) Commissioner Jerry Farrell, Jr. today announced that paid charitable phone solicitors in 2006 passed on to groups that hired them an average of 32.79 percent of funds raised, one of the lowest levels in a decade.

Last year's rate rivaled the approximately 32.8 percent turned over in 2004 and 1997, the lowest two of the last ten years. The amount was down nearly two percentage points from 2005 when paid phone solicitors turned over an average of 34.45 percent.    » read more »

Gillette to donate $5,000 to Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids organization to shave his goatee at the Cask 'n Flagon

11/12/2007 -- WHO: Boston Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis

WHAT: Kevin Youkilis, the Gold Glove first baseman of the World Series champion Boston Red Sox, is having his signature goatee shaved off courtesy of Gillette at the Cask 'n Flagon in Boston on Tuesday, Nov. 13. Gillette will present Kevin a $5,000 check for his newly formed charitable organization, Kevin Youkilis Hits for Kids.    » read more »

Over $8.8 million raised in past eight years for NW Charities

10/03/2007 -- Mariners Care, the Seattle Mariners' non-profit foundation, and its corporate partners, helped provide $1,177,318 in 2007 for a variety of charitable programs throughout the Northwest. This is the eighth consecutive year that Mariners Care has surpassed $1 million in charitable giving. Since 2000, Mariners Care has helped raise $8.87 million to benefit primarily youth-oriented community service programs.    » read more »

9/20/2007, WASHINGTON , D.C. – At its 24th annual fund-raising dinner in New York City last night, the Walter Kaitz Foundation raised more than $1.7 million for programs promoting diversity in the cable industry.

More than 1,300 cable industry executives attended the dinner, where U.S. Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-NY) and ESPN were honored. The amount of money raised by the cable industry in support of the Kaitz Foundation exceeded last year’s total by more than $200,000.    » read more »

09/05/2007 -- (DENVER) – Colorado Attorney General John W. Suthers today announced that his office has reached out-of-court settlement agreements in a trio of charitable fraud cases. Settlements were struck with Colorado Children’s Assistance Center and its founder and director, David Michael St. John; Front Range Charitable Services and its president, Colleen Gardenour Holmes; Veterans for the Homeless, Inc. and its officers, Jay Wyss and Rhett Cline; and Hernando Hennings, who worked for two of the charities as a paid solicitor.    » read more »

August 21, 2007 -- SEATTLE – Some Washington consumers who donated to Veterans of Western Washington or Blind Children Services of Puget Sound will receive refunds under two court orders, Washington Attorney General Rob McKenna announced today.

Snohomish County Superior Court Commissioner Lester Stewart signed documents on Aug. 15 finding that Veterans of Western Washington, a sole proprietorship based in Lynnwood, and co-owner Robert Melbourne Shay, of Edmonds, violated Washington’s Consumer Protection and Charitable Solicitations laws.    » read more »