Iowa is getting more than $9 million to improve its system of care for stroke patients, and to address staffing issues among public-health workers in rural areas.
The money is being donated by the Helmsley Charitable Trust, with $6 million of it going to the American Heart Association’s (AHA’s) “Mission: Lifeline Stroke” initiative across the state.
Michelle Scharnott, national vice president for business development and strategic initiatives for the American Heart Association, said the program strives to bring more coordination and efficiency to hospitals, first responders, rehabilitation centers and others when delivering this kind of care.
“It’s figuring out that destination decision and who has what capabilities within the state,” Scharnott outlined. “And assessing that patient immediately to make sure the best decision is made.”
The association, which is also contributing funds, noted stroke is among the leading causes of death in Iowa, with more than 1,400 such cases in 2020.
Helmsley is also granting $3 million in Iowa and two other states for AHA to launch its “HeartCorps” program. It involves adding public-health workers in rural settings, especially in counties ranking among the least healthy.
Officials explained the workers can focus on helping people improve their cardiovascular health. As for streamlining stroke care.
Walter Panzirer, trustee for the Helmsley Charitable Trust, said it helps to ensure patients return to their lives and their communities.
“In small towns, if the owner of a lumber mill, for example, or any small-town business, has a life-threatening stroke, that business might not be around anymore,” Panzirer emphasized.
Previously, the philanthropic organization donated nearly $5 million for a similar AHA program in Iowa to address heart-attack care. And it recently provided funding for large trucks to travel to smaller Iowa communities, allowing rural health providers more access to training and equipment for general health care needs.
Disclosure: The American Heart Association of Iowa contributes to our fund for reporting on Health Issues, Hunger/Food/Nutrition, Smoking Prevention, and Women’s Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
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Higher consumer prices are dominating financial headlines, but an investment trend is making noise. It encourages putting money into causes that provide a social benefit, and this movement gaining steam in Minnesota.
Socially responsible investing is coming off a record year, with nearly $650 billion flowing into these funds.
Casey Shultz – director of investor relations with the Saint Paul & Minnesota Foundation – said in the world of philanthropy, it can mean shifting a portfolio away from fossil fuels to clean energy.
She said it doesn’t have to just involve larger institutions. Separately, smaller investors can jump in.
“We’re in a really lucky time where there are so many more investment vehicles being offered,” said Shultz. “So, there truly is an opportunity for any type of investor – whether that’s you as an individual or going all the way up to larger pension funds or other institutional investors.”
On a larger scale, the Foundation recently became the first community foundation in the US to sign on to the Principles for Responsible Investment network, which is backed by the United Nations.
Research has shown this type of investing results in strong financial returns, but some analysts warn to be wary of companies who pledge responsible actions, but fail to follow through.
Shultz echoed the sentiments of researchers who suggest sustainable investing can be a good business decision. She predicted that this will be more of a factor as governments around the world craft policies meant to address climate change.
“We’re looking at companies that are forward thinking,” said Shultz, “that they see these regulations that are coming and they’re like, ‘Oh, we better start making investments to address this now so that it’s not a huge financial burden down the line.'”
At the end of the day, she said this approach shapes a better future for the nonprofits the Foundation works with. She said they already started going this route before joining the UN PRI movement this spring, pointing to their community investment fund, which accepts individual donations.
A 2020 analysis from Arabesque Partners found that 80% of sustainability business practices have a positive influence on performance.
Disclosure: The Saint Paul and Minnesota Foundation contributes to our fund for reporting on Education, Health Issues, Human Rights/Racial Justice, Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
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Ukrainians continue to suffer in their country from the Russian invasion – and in Oregon, credit unions have banded together to send aid to the people there.
Aaron Goff is president and CEO at Clackamas Federal Credit Union. He said he and the heads of other credit unions were inspired after hearing from the Ukrainian ambassador.
“It didn’t take long at all for people to jump on board and say, ‘Yeah, we’d like to donate, contribute to that,'” said Goff. “And then along the way, we found a few credit unions who had personal connections there – employees that were Ukrainian, or had Ukrainian spouses or family – and of course, they were very motivated to be involved.”
Fifteen Oregon credit unions have raised $77,000 for the relief effort. Part of it is going to the Oregon-based organization Mercy Corps, which is providing on-the-ground humanitarian aid in the region.
Relief also is going to the Worldwide Foundation for Credit Unions’ Ukrainian Credit Union Displacement Fund, providing support to mitigate the effects on Ukraine’s credit-union system.
Goff said credit unions are charitable, but it isn’t every day they come together to aid people halfway around the world.
“It’s just such a horrific atrocity that’s happening over there that we just felt compelled,” said Goff. “We felt like we had to do something. I mean, I wish we could do more, I wish there were more funds available. But just very motivated.”
Last week, the United States approved an additional $800 million in aid to Ukraine, bringing the total since the February invasion to $2.5 billion.
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Philanthropy groups are pointing out a big gap in donations toward groups focused on women’s and girls’ issues during Women’s History Month this year.
According to the Women’s Philanthropy Institute, less than 2% of philanthropic dollars go to such organizations, but a different model for giving could help fill the gap.
Giving circles are a collective philanthropy model where people pool their resources and decide which causes to support.
Tammy Wilhoite, co-chair of the coordinating council for the Portland-based giving circle Ninety-Nine Girlfriends, said many circles bring women together because they historically have been excluded from philanthropy.
“People who may not have ever seen themselves as somebody who could invest money in their community are being invited to say, ‘Hey, come help us figure out where this money should go,’ and your money makes a difference,” Wilhoite explained.
Wilhoite pointed out her organization is inclusive of all women, including people who are gender nonbinary and gender-nonconforming, and trans women. She said members of the circle contribute $1,100, $1,000 of which goes into a grant pool awarded to a nonprofit each year.
Wilhoite noted Ninety-Nine Girlfriends recently allocated $90,000 to Constructing Hope, a Portland-based organization training women, people of color and formerly incarcerated individuals for jobs in the construction sector.
“It develops a diverse workforce,” Wilhoite outlined. “It helps with long-term unemployment, it helps those people that are impacted by that to develop sustainable careers, it’s reduced recidivism, and it’s provided people to the construction industry, which never has enough participants.”
Sara Lomelin, CEO of Philanthropy Together, a group supporting giving circles worldwide, said circles can be flexible with their funds and most groups are making impacts in their local communities.
“Eighty-four percent of giving circles give locally,” Lomelin reported. “So we tend to support those small, grassroots, local nonprofits that are invisible to traditional philanthropy.”
Lomelin added there are about 2,500 giving circles around the globe.
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