Family Separation and Immigration Webinar and Resources

by Posted in Basic Need, Children & Youth, Global Philanthropy, Immigrants and Refugees, Philanthropy, Policy, Resources, Women and Girls

Family Separation and Immigration Webinar and Resources

Many of you are concerned with the current debate around the federal immigration policy on family separation.  Although an executive order has been released to address the components of the policy, there are still reports of separations, lack of clarity about the courts’ response to the EO, and the challenges of reuniting families.

Children, Youth and Family Funders Roundtable is hosting an “Immigration Funder Strategy Discussion” on Friday, July 13 2:30-3:30pm for funders interested in learning more about how your organization can use its expertise to enter the immigration space.  The webinar will have ideas for ways to communicate differently with peers and colleagues about the effects of immigration policy, and to better align strategies across issue areas.  This strategy discussion will be focused on supporting immigrant children and families!s, and four funders will share their strategies, including how they developed them and how they are linked with other issue areas.

Speakers:
· Denise Dell Isola, Irving Harris Foundation
· Sandra Martinez, The California Wellness Foundation
· Laura Speer, The Annie E. Casey Foundation
· Kavitha Sreeharsha, Emerson Collective
This webinar is part of the Children, Youth & Family Funders Roundtable conversation on the impact of immigration action on children and families. The Roundtable’s immigration work is done in partnership with Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees, Grantmakers Income Security Taskforce, and Early Childhood Funders Collaborative to ensure we are exploring our understanding of the cross section of issues faced by immigrant children and families.  Register

Our partner in United Philanthropy Forum, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR) has released a sign on statement on family separation and immigration enforcement policies, signed by 160 philanthropic organizations.   GCIR has also released a document with ideas for philanthropic responses to the family separation crisis.

Our Forum partners, Hispanics in Philanthropy and Associated Grant Makers, have gathered resources for funders who want to learn more and/or get involved.

Statements Issued:

Dave Biemsderfer, CEO of United Philanthropy Forum, released a blog piece on the family separation policy
United Way of Mass Bay, The Boston Foundation, Jewish Philanthropies and Catholic Charities released a combined joint statement
Philanthropy California released a combined statement from Northern California, Southern California and San Diego Grantmakers

Hispanics In Philanthropy Resources

Hispanics in Philanthropy have launched an Emergency Response Fund, and issued the following statement on ways funders can respond.

5 Ways You Can Stand Up for Immigrant Children & Families TODAY

Ana Marie Argilagos, president and CEO of Hispanics in Philanthropy

It was 136 years ago when the funds to build the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty ran short. New Yorkers took action. They formed fundraising committees and collected donations from people across the city, including a kindergarten class that donated $1.35. Poet Emma Lazarus wrote a sonnet, “The New Colossus,” to help raise money. Her words — “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free” — have inspired America’s approach to immigration ever since.

Today, these words etched into the Statue of Liberty are at risk. This month is Immigrant Heritage Month, intended to recognize and celebrate the vast contributions of immigrants in this country which was founded by immigrants. Instead, we are witnessing the worst human rights violations in generations.

Despite President Trump’s executive order ending his administration’s policy of separating immigrant children from their parents, the government will continue to treat all immigrants as criminals and to lock families in cages along the U.S.-Mexico border. Make no mistake: this executive order does not fix the damage inflicted on children or their families. Nor does it prevent future trauma. The Trump administration’s zero-tolerance immigration policy is intended to inflict pain, fear, and suffering on children and their parents.

We are better than these xenophobic government policies. We cannot stay silent. We cannot sit by and allow thousands of children and families to suffer traumas that will last a lifetime.

We must remember the lessons learned by our predecessors. We must look back at how Americans mobilized to bring our nation’s beacon of freedom, Lady Liberty, to our shores. Her existence is a constant reminder that we were once a country unified by the immigrant experience. We were and still are proud to be a country of immigrants.

Today, we must once again mobilize to show the world that new immigrants are cared for and welcomed with open arms. You do not have to be wealthy or a government official to take action. Just like the children who donated money to help raise the Statue of Lady Liberty two centuries ago, you too can do your part to ensure we remember our shared values.

HERE ARE A FEW WAYS YOU CAN HELP TODAY:

  1. Donate to HIP’s fund to support lasting services and support for immigrant families detained at the border.
  2. Contact your elected officials and hold them accountable. Tell them you expect them to do better, and to do it NOW.
  3. Contact the U.S. Department of Justice and submit your comments about the damage the current policies are inflicting on children and families.
  4. Contact the White House to demand they put an end to this cruelty and treat our immigrants humanely and with the dignity they deserve.
  5. Elevate your voice! HIP along with many other organizations will be gathering this June 30th at Lafayette Square in Washington, D.C. to protest this administration’s inhumane policy of ripping children away from their parents at the border. Join us in DC or at an event near you. Find out more at the Families Belong Together website.

Thank you, and may we all remember: We are in this together.

Associated Grant Makers Resources

http://www.agmconnect.org/grantmakers-philanthropic-advisors/resources/disaster-and-emergency-relief-resources

  • Greater Boston Immigrant Defense Fund is building Greater Boston’s capacity to protect and defend immigrant and refugee communities by increasing access to legal representation for individuals facing deportation proceedings and community education and preparedness programming
  • Cambridge Legal Defense Fund for Immigrantshas been established to help immigrants in Cambridge, Massachusetts get the legal services they need to stay, legally, in our country.
  • The ACLUis litigating this policy in California.
  • Al Otro Ladois a binational organization that works to offer legal services to deportees and migrants in Tijuana, Mexico, including deportee parents whose children remain in the U.S.
  • American Immigrant Representation Project(AIRP), which works to secure legal representation for immigrants.
  • CARA—a consortium of the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, the American Immigration Council, the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, and the American Immigration Lawyers Association—provides legal services at family detention centers.
  • CASAin Maryland, D.C., Virginia, and Pennsylvania. They litigate, advocate, and help with representation of minors needing legal services.
  • CLINIC’s Defending Vulnerable Populationsproject offers case assistance to hundreds of smaller organizations all over the country that do direct services for migrant families and children.
  • The Florence Projectis an Arizona project offering free legal services to men, women, and unaccompanied children in immigration custody.
  • Houston Immigration Legal Services Collaborativehas a guide to organizations throughout Texas that provide direct legal services to separated children. Also listed within the guide are resources for local advocates, lawyers, and volunteers.
  • Human Rights Firstis a national organization with roots in Houston that needs help from lawyers too.
  • Kids in Need of Defenseworks to ensure that kids do not appear in immigration court without representation, and to lobby for policies that advocate for children’s legal interests.
  • The Kino Border Initiativeprovides humanitarian aid to refugees and migrants on both sides of the border. They have a wish-list of supplies they can use to help migrants and families staying in the communities they serve.
  • The Legal Aid Justice Centeris a Virginia-based center providing unaccompanied minors legal services and representation.
  • The National Immigrant Justice Centerrepresents and advocates for detained adults and children facing removal, supports efforts at the border, and represents parents in the interior who have been separated from their families as a result of aggressive enforcement.
  • The Northwest Immigrant Rights Projectis doing work defending and advancing the rights of immigrants through direct legal services, systemic advocacy, and community education.
  • Pueblo Sin Fronterasis an organization that provides humanitarian aid and shelter to migrants on their way to the U.S.
  • RAICESis the largest immigration nonprofit in Texas offering free and low-cost legal services to immigrant children and families.
  • Together Risingis another Virginia-based organization that’s helping provide legal assistance for 60 migrant children who were separated from their parents and are currently detained in Arizona.
  • The Urban Justice Center’s Asylum Seeker Advocacy Projectis working to keep families together.
  • Women’s Refugee Commissionadvocates for the rights and protection of women, children, and youth fleeing violence and persecution.
  • Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rightsworks for the rights of children in immigration proceedings.

Hasbro and CVS Health Recognized as Exemplary Corporate Citizens

by Posted in Corporate Citizenship, Global Philanthropy, Member Highlights, Member News, Philanthropy

Two GCRI members, Hasbro and CVS Health, were recognized as part of Corporate Responsibility Magazine’s recently released 19th Annual “100 Best Corporate Citizens” recognizing the standout environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of public companies across the United States.  Hasbro was ranked 5th, and CVS Health was ranked 26th.  

“CR Magazine is proud to present the only ESG ranking list that doesn’t rely on self-reporting,” said Dave Armon, publisher of CR Magazine in a release.  “Each year, the 100 Best Corporate Citizens ranking measures the success of the Brands Taking Stands movement by celebrating the most successful, most transparent companies that report on their responsible practices. We congratulate those honored on this year’s list for their commitment to corporate responsibility.”

The 100 Best Corporate Citizens list documents 260 ESG data points of disclosure and performance measures—harvested from publicly available information in seven categories: environment, climate change, employee relations, human rights, governance, finance, and philanthropy & community support.

“The 100 Best ranking demonstrates that a company is dedicating resources towards its corporate responsibility and sustainability efforts,” explains Jen Boynton editor of CR Magazine. “Public disclosure allows its stakeholders to gain greater insights into a company’s business practices.”

 

Collette Recognized with Hearts of Travel Award

by Posted in Corporate Citizenship, Global Philanthropy, Member Highlights, Member News, Philanthropy

Collette Recognized with Hearts of Travel Award

GCRI member Collette was recognized by Tourism Cares with a Hearts of Travel Award for long-term excellence in corporate giving for a small company.

The Hearts of Travel Awards celebrate and share models of corporate social change to spotlight excellence and inspire others, reflecting Tourism Cares’ belief that corporate citizenship, especially in travel, is good for business and employees as well as the community.

The committee scored submissions in the following areas: theory of action and execution (problem statement, activities, and outcomes); community engagement; storytelling; communications and advocacy; integration into their core business; and overall financial commitment.

According to Lynne Kelly, Community Relations Manager at Collette, “Although the award points backward in celebrating Collette’s last decade of giving, it comes at a time when we are looking forward, trying to see how we can make even more of an impact. This recognition is a reflection of the work of the entire Collette community, our culture of giving, and the fact we are dedicated to the value of social responsibility.”

 

Disaster Relief Updates

by Posted in Basic Need, Community Development, Disaster Philanthropy, Global Philanthropy, Housing and Homelessness, Immigrants and Refugees, Philanthropy

Many GCRI members have stepped up with donations and support in the wake of multiple hurricanes, as well as the California wildfires and Mexican earthquake.  See some of their efforts

GCRI’s United Philanthropy Forum Partners are invested in various relief efforts as well:

PEAK Grantmaking Webinar

Working Together: Effective Funder Collaboration in Disaster Grantmaking, October 24

Through a national partnership with the Council on Foundations and the Center for Disaster Philanthropy this webinar will offer lessons learned and practical tools to maximize funder collaboration for effective disaster grantmaking. Participants will also get to hear about a successful funder collaboration.

California Wildfires

Forum member Northern California Grantmakers has a helpful resource page on responding to the ongoing wildfires in Northern California.

  • Forum member Grantmakers Concerned With Immigrants and Refugees, which along with NCG is located in Northern California, also has a helpful list of resources on responding to the wildfires – including a list of immigrant-serving organizations that are helping the local immigrant communities being impacted by the wildfires.

Puerto Rico — FORWARD Puerto Rico Fund / Fondo ADELANTE Puerto Rico

  • The Forum’s colleague organization in Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Funders Network (Red de Fundaciones de Puerto Rico) has just launched the FORWARD Puerto Rico Fund (Fondo ADELANTE Puerto Rico). The Fund supports key nonprofit institutions that are working to achieve a better Puerto Rico in the short-, medium- and long-term. Initially, FORWARD Puerto Rico will provide funds to organizations that are assisting communities affected by the devastating hurricanes Irma and Maria. Subsequently, it will target its support to strengthening these organizations and ensuring their resilience and continued contribution to Puerto Rico. The Fund will also support work on issues of government transparency, inequality, and community economic development. The Funders Network is comprised of longstanding and prestigious Puerto Rican foundations with extensive experience in strategic grantmaking and deep involvement in the nonprofit sector. The Funders Network will administer the Fund without charging administrative costs, and will distribute the funds to nonprofits with a proven track record in Puerto Rico.  The Fund is housed at the Foundation for Puerto Rico, which has a designation of 501c3 of the US tax code, and is thus domestic.

U.S. Virgin Islands

  • The U.S. Virgin Islands were devastated by Hurricanes Irma and Maria, but seem to have lost the attention of the media and the country. So a reminder that the CARE (Caribbean Assistance and Relief Effort) Fund has been established by the St. Croix Foundation for Community Development to address the basic needs of individuals and families directly impacted by the disaster, and to support the transition of hundreds of displaced students and families who are currently being (re)settled on St. Croix.

Center for Disaster Philanthropy Update

State of Disaster Philanthropy 2017 — CDP will be presenting a half-day convening on October 25 in New York, “From Hurricanes Sandy to Maria: Can Disaster Philanthropy Be More Strategic?”  On November 8, CDP and Foundation Center will be presenting a webinar on “Measuring the State of Disaster Philanthropy”  to discuss highlights from the 2017 report and data dashboard.

Recovery from the recent string of catastrophes is going to take billions of dollars and strategic cross-sector collaboration between funders, government, nonprofits, and humanitarian organizations. CDP has established four collaborative disaster funds to support long-term recovery challenges:

Responses to DACA Decision

by Posted in Advocacy, Basic Need, Children & Youth, Education, Events, Forum News, Global Philanthropy, Immigrants and Refugees, Philanthropy, Policy, Resources

September 14 GCIR Webinar for Funders

The Forum will be co-sponsoring  a Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees webinar, Dreams in Limbo: A Look at the Future of DACA, Young Immigrants, and How Funders Can Respond, that is being held on September 14, 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. PDT.

Philanthropic Responses to the DACA Decision

  • Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees issued a statement declaring that  “DACA’s repeal demands a robust response from philanthropy.” GCIR is compiling statements from foundations and PSOs, along with related resources. To add your statement or other resources to GCIR’s resource page on DACA, please send them to Michael@gcir.org.
  • Funders for LGBTQ Issues issued a statement noting that “nearly half of the estimated 75,000 eligible LGBT young undocumented immigrants have taken advantage of DACA, allowing them to dramatically improve their lived experience.”
  • Philanthropy California issued a statement urging policymakers to “develop a solution that protects these young people and upholds our nation’s promise of freedom, fairness, and prosperity for all.”

 

 

 

GCRI Members Support Relief Efforts

by Posted in Basic Need, Children & Youth, Disaster Philanthropy, Employee Engagement, Global Philanthropy, Health and Wellness, Housing and Homelessness, Member Highlights, Member News, Philanthropy, Uncategorized

GCRI Members Support Relief Efforts

Tufts Health Plan Foundation

The Tufts Health Plan Foundation matched employees’ contributions to nonprofit organizations providing hurricane relief to communities affected by Hurricane Harvey and Irma.  150 Tufts Health Plan employees and board members donated nearly $23,000, and the Foundation match meant that $45,000 were given for relief efforts.  Hurricane Harvey donations were given to the American Red Cross, Massachusetts Chapter.  For Hurricane Irma, the donation was given to One America Appeal.    

Tufts Health Plan was also one of the first organizations to partner with the Massachusetts United for Puerto Rico effort, committing a minimum of $50,000 to this effort to help Puerto Rico, which was hit by both Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria.  The Tufts Health Plan Foundation will match two-to-one employee donations to nonprofit organizations providing relief in Puerto Rico.  The Foundation match will be directed to The Latino Legacy Fund at The Boston Foundation, which is partnering with the Alliance for Puerto Rico to support those who have seen their community devastated by the recent storms. Money raised through this fund will be distributed immediately for relief efforts and deployed during the next two years for reconstruction and economic recovery projects. Additionally, the fund will make grants to support resettlement efforts here in Massachusetts in response to the substantial migration of Puerto Ricans who are expected to arrive here in the months ahead.

Collette

Collette matched employee donations up to $5,000.  The company’s foundation is also making a donation of $10,000 to Save the Children for their efforts in support of Hurricane Harvey relief.  Save the Children provided supplies and resources to support children in shelters, and will be supporting organizations providing trauma support for children and families as they recover and rebuild.  They will also be providing funding and support to rebuild childcare facilities affected by the flooding.

Hasbro

Through its Play Relief program, Hasbro donated 15,000 toys and games to hurricane shelters and family support programs.  Employees volunteered to pack the kits.  Hasbro also donated $50,000 to the American Red Cross and matched employee donations up to $25,000.

Pawtucket Credit Union

Pawtucket Credit Union is matching employee donations to the American Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund.

CVS Health

GCRI Member CVS Health has deployed emergency pharmacy resources and general assistance to the victims of Hurricane Harvey. A mobile pharmacy unit was set up outside the NRG Center in Houston, where evacuees were now able to pick up prescriptions, purchase over-the-counter medications and receive recommended vaccines.

CVS Pharmacy Deploys Additional Pharmacy Resources to Impacted Communities Following Hurricane Harvey. Mobile Pharmacy Unit Ready to Assist Patients at NRG Center in Houston.

Additionally, CVS Pharmacy, in cooperation with the Texas Department of State Health Services, will provide pharmacy services to Texas residents who have been displaced by the Hurricane through “pop up” pharmacies that are being deployed at emergency shelters in Austin, Dallas and San Antonio. “Pop up” pharmacies place pharmacists and pharmacy personnel at the shelters to counsel patients and facilitate the delivery of prescriptions from nearby pharmacies. These new actions follow a donation from the CVS Health Foundation announced earlier this week of $200,000 towards relief and recovery efforts, which includes $50,000 each to the Greater Houston Community Foundation and the American Red Cross, as well as $25,000 to Salvation Army, to aid the greater Houston area in supporting local residents as they begin the recovery and rebuilding process. The CVS Health Foundation will also match colleague donations up to $25,000.  In addition, CVS Health has donated more than $90,000 worth of in-kind products including personal hygiene, clean-up and over-the-counter items to area shelters and continues to work with shelters throughout Texas to support those displaced.

CVS also provided toiletry and hygiene donations to those displaced by the California wildfires.

Bank of America

GCRI Member Bank of America’s Hurricane Harvey Relief efforts have included sending mobile financial centers and mobile ATM’s to the region, and nearly $2 million in donations from the company, its foundation and its employees.  The company is matching employee donations through an internal program, and to date, bank employees have donated $457,000, matched dollar for dollar by the company for a total of $914,000. Those funds will be distributed to charities selected by the donating employees.  That amount is in addition to $1 million in relief funding provided by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, with $250,000 directed through the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and the remainder to be allocated as the company learns more about specific recovery needs.

“We are activating our resources to bring relief to the individuals, families, customers and communities that will continue to be impacted by the unprecedented challenges Harvey is creating across the region,” said Hong Ogle, Houston market president for Bank of America. “We are humbled and heartened by the outpouring of support.”

United Way Worldwide

  • United Way Worldwide has established multiple funds for relief and recovery efforts.  There is a United Way Worldwide Mexico Earthquake Recovery Fund, a United Way Irma Recovery Fund that also includes Hurricane Maria, and United Way Harvey Recovery Fund.  The Hurricane Harvey Fund began disbursing support in mid-September.  All three funds are accessible from unitedway.org/recovery.

 LISC

LISC has committed $100 million to Hurricane Harvey recovery work, both in Houston and in hard-hit rural counties in Texas and the Gulf Coast.  It will be working with new and existing partners and funders to expand this investment through grants, loans and equity assistance—especially in underinvested communities, where LISC has a long history.  More info

If you are a GCRI member, and have been active in supporting hurricane relief efforts in other ways, let us know!

Impacts of Tax Reform on Charitable Giving

by Posted in Advocacy, Family Philanthropy, Global Philanthropy, Philanthropy, Policy

What effect would the proposed tax reforms have on charitable giving? What would be the impact of allowing all taxpayers to take the charitable tax? How might these proposals impact tax revenue collected by the Treasury? New research commissioned by Independent Sector and conducted by Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy provides insights on these and others questions, and research highlights were shared during a recent webinar jointly hosted by the Forum and Independent Sector. This new research is designed to help educate and inform lawmakers as they consider tax reform proposals.

Download the slides or watch the recording

Immigration Workshop Available for Community Leaders and Practitioners

by Posted in Basic Need, Children & Youth, Global Philanthropy, Immigrants and Refugees, Philanthropy, Resources, Resources for Community Organizations, Uncategorized

Immigration lawyers from Roger Williams Immigration Law Clinic, Rhode Island Center for Justice and Rhode Island Parent Information Network will present a workshop on July 12, from 2:00-4:00pm, centered on the rights of immigrants and people who may be undocumented or unsure about their citizenship status, the rights of practitioners workingw ith people who are undocumentd, and to address any other questions people may have about immigration.  Presenters will cover the ways in which practitioners can, at best, protect their constituents, and at least, not endanger their constituents, and what healthcare and public benefits are available.  Dorcas International Institute and Economic Progress Institute are also providing resources, along with the Learning Community.

Panelists are:

  • Deborah Gonzalez, Immigration Attorney and Faculty at Roger Williams University School of Law
  • Jennifer Wood, Executive Director of the RI Center for Justice
  • Sam Salganik, Healthcare Rights Attorney at RIPIN
  • Bruno Sukys, Former Director of Citizenship and Immigration Services at Dorcas International Institute
  • Sarah Friedman, Co-Director of the Learning Community Charter School

 Topics include:

  • Understand the rights of your clients, constituents, patients, congregants.
  • Learn about immigration resources in Rhode Island.
  • Understand your rights as a provider serving foreign-born communities and how your organization can be prepared for any issues that may arise.
  • Get information about changes in immigration policy and its implications for our communities

Please share this opportunity with your grantees, community partners and others in the state who might benefit.  RSVP

Managing an Endowment in a Low Interest Rate Environment

by Posted in Corporate Citizenship, Family Philanthropy, Global Philanthropy, Philanthropy, Uncategorized

GCRI’s sister organization in Massachusetts, Associated Grant Makers (AGM) recently partnered with Fiduciary Trust on a survey of endowments and foundations to understand how leaders are operating in a low-interest rate environment.  Check out the resulting report outlining findings about fundraising, investing, grant-making, spending and board governance.