NBC4 and Telemundo 52 with the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation are awarding $225,000 in grants to five nonprofit organizations in Southern California that are using innovation to tackle social service issues and urgent COVID-19 needs in their local communities. Through its Project Innovation, the 2020 grant recipients all exhibit flexibility with their programming and will use their funding to deliver direct services and programs that address the dire needs of those severely impacted by the coronavirus crisis.
This year’s Project Innovation grant recipients include:
KidWorks Community Development: $75,000
KidWorks Community Development serves underserved children, at-risk youth and their families through its community centers in Santa Ana and other areas of Orange County. In response to the coronavirus crisis, the organization leveraged its local partnerships and converted its preschool centers into direct relief locations to provide food and critical health care needs to the communities it serves. The organization plans to use its grant funding to continue its work to provide some of its traditional programming online, including college prep classes for college-bound high school students.
The Village Family Services Inc.: $50,000
The Village Family Services protects children from abuse, preserves families and helps heal those traumatized by neglect, addiction, homelessness or violence, and build stronger communities. The organization serves more than 5,000 children and families annually through foster care/adoption, family social services, behavioral health care, youth homelessness prevention, crisis and supportive housing and their youth drop-in center located in the Greater San Fernando Valley.
National Health Foundation: $50,000
NBC4 in the Community
National Health Foundation focuses on the health of individuals in under-resourced communities by taking action to advocate for their health and identify needed changes in their neighborhoods. Through its community partnerships, they deliver services that are inclusive and are in response to the coronavirus pandemic. The organization will use the grant to support its recuperative care program and provide critical services to vulnerable communities in South Los Angeles.
Bright Prospect helps low-income, first-generation students to gain admission to, succeed in, and graduate from colleges and universities. The organization provides comprehensive counseling and a support system throughout students' high school and college years. Bright Prospect works with students, ages 14-26, from Pomona Unified School District high schools in Los Angeles County as well as Ontario High School in San Bernardino County. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization has continued to provide its services via virtual platforms.
Food Finders Inc. is a food rescue organization connecting donated perishable food to hundreds of nonprofit pantries and shelters daily throughout Southern California in order to reduce hunger and food waste, simultaneously. The organization is continuing to operate to bring food to those in need during COVID-19.
Since the inception of Project Innovation in 2018, both stations have awarded $675,000 in grants to organizations providing services and programming in local communities throughout Southern California.
Applications are evaluated to determine groups’ ability to advance their communities in the areas of storytelling, community engagement, culture of inclusion and youth education, as well as their preparedness and capacity to deliver quality programming that meets the vital needs in their communities during this unprecedented time.
Project Innovation grants were presented to eligible nonprofit organizations in select markets serviced by NBC and Telemundo owned stations throughout the country. For a full list of grant award recipients nationwide, click here. To learn more about NBC4 and Telemundo 52’s community goodwill efforts, visit www.nbcla.com/community and www.telemundo52.com/comunidad.
