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MISSISSAUGA, ON, Nov. 23, 2021 /CNW/ – With a month’s worth of rainfall within 24 hours, the situation in British Columbia is dire, impacting transportation infrastructure, personal shelter and access to the necessities. With many areas unable to access much-needed resources, PepsiCo Canada and The PepsiCo Foundation are working directly with the Canadian Red Cross to provide impacted residents with much-needed assistance through a $125,000 grant. rnrnThrough the British Columbia Floods and Extreme Weather Appeal, the Canadian Red Cross will carry out relief, recovery, and risk reduction activities in and beyond the region, including but not limited to:rnrnEnsuring emergency lodging for evacuees who have nowhere else to go.rnProviding families with necessities such as food and clothing.rnProviding tailored emotional support to survivors coping with loss and hardship.rn”We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support the Canadian Red Cross has provided to our communities and associates in British Columbia, many of whom were also recently impacted by the dangerously high temperatures and severe wildfires this summer,” says Mike Ruff, President of PepsiCo Beverages Canada. “Their work is more important than ever as our communities face another extreme weather event amid the ongoing pandemic.”rnrn”Our local teams are working tirelessly to support the Canadian food supply despite the challenges they’re personally facing,” says Cara Keating, President of PepsiCo Foods Canada. “We’re so grateful to our local teams, the Canadian Red Cross and the countless local organizations for their tireless efforts to support those who have been impacted by these floods.” rnrnThe PepsiCo Foundation and PepsiCo Canada have a long-standing history of community relief efforts in Canada. In 2021, the PepsiCo Foundation and PepsiCo Canada also supported Canadian charities through a number of community impact grants and donations totaling nearly $450,000.rnrnAbout PepsiCo CanadarnPepsiCo Canada is the country’s largest food and beverage company, employing over 11,000 Canadians and operating over 384 manufacturing and distribution facilities across the country. The company is organized into two business units: PepsiCo Beverages Canada and PepsiCo Foods Canada. PepsiCo Beverages Canada includes brands such as Pepsi, Gatorade, Tropicana and Aquafina. PepsiCo Foods Canada is comprised of Frito Lay Canada (which includes brands such as the Lay’s, Doritos, and Tostitos brands) and Quaker (which includes brands such as Quaker Chewy, Life, and Harvest Crunch). PepsiCo Canada, in turn, is part of the global PepsiCo, Inc., family. For more information, visit www.pepsico.ca.rnrnAbout PepsiCo rnPepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $70 billion in net revenue in 2020, driven by a complementary food and beverage portfolio that includes Frito-Lay, Gatorade, Pepsi-Cola, Quaker, Tropicana, and SodaStream. PepsiCo’s product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including 23 brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales. Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Convenient Foods and Beverages by Winning with Purpose. “Winning with Purpose” reflects our ambition to win sustainably in the marketplace and embed purpose into all aspects of our business strategy and brands. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com.rnrnAbout The PepsiCo FoundationrnEstablished in 1962, The PepsiCo Foundation, the philanthropic arm of PepsiCo, invests in the essential elements of a sustainable food system with a mission to support thriving communities. Working with non-profits and experts around the globe, we’re focused on helping communities obtain access to food security, safe water and economic opportunity. We strive for tangible impact in the places where we live and work—collaborating with industry peers, local and international organizations, and our employees to affect large-scale change on the issues that matter to us and are of global importance. Learn more at www.pepsico.com/sustainability/philanthropy.rnrnSOURCE PepsiCo CanadarnrnrnCONTACT: Sheri Morgan, PepsiCo Foods Canada – sheri.morgan@pepsico.com & Canadian Red Cross: B.C. Media (604) 709-6747, English National Media 1-877-599-9602, French Media 1-888-418-9111rnrnRelated Linksrnwww.pepsico.ca

SEATTLE, Nov. 14, 2021 – A Way Home Washington (AWHWA), the movement to prevent and end youth and young adult homelessness across Washington, is proud to announce a new partnership with the Seattle Seahawks and Tableau Foundation on a statewide initiative to help the 13,000 – 15,000 unaccompanied youth and young adults experiencing homelessness each year. The partnership brings together three organizations who have all found great success through data.

“In each Anchor Community, a diverse coalition brings together all parts of a community with partners committing to work across systems and silos, sticking with their collective approach until they have functionally ended youth homelessness. This means they have the capacity to prevent most homelessness, use personalized, real-time data to identify all the unaccompanied young people who are experiencing homelessness, and quickly provide connections to safe and stable housing,” said Julie Patiño, Executive Director, A Way Home Washington.

The ACI, which began in four communities, is in the process of expanding to include additional communities across the state. This expansion builds on recent milestones achieved by Anchor Communities, including Spokane, which has become the largest community in the United States to achieve a reduction in youth and young adult homelessness, and Walla Walla, which has reduced homelessness for young people by 20 percent in the last six months.

“A Way Home Washington’s data-driven approach to preventing and ending youth and young adult (YYA) homelessness in the state is something that really resonated with us in the Seahawks organization” said Jeff Richards, Vice President of Marketing & Community Engagement for the Seattle Seahawks. “We know how clearly communicated insights keep our teams moving in the right direction on and off the field. The same is true for community organizations working together to make sure young people have a safe place to call home and the support needed to thrive.”

As part of the partnership, the Seahawks will host and celebrate several direct service providers from the Anchor Communities at the Seahawks game on Sunday, November 21. Throughout the pandemic, local homeless service providers across the state have worked tirelessly to support young people in need.

“Welcoming the ACI partners to Lumen Field is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to those who have given so much of themselves to help others,” said Richards.

“A Way Home Washington and the Anchor Communities Initiative are proving that we can not only address the total number of homeless youth and young adults in Washington state, but that data empowers communities to be intentional about addressing the disproportionate number of kids of color who experience homelessness each year,” said Jason Schumacher, Tableau Foundation’s lead on homelessness and housing initiatives. “Seattle has been Tableau’s home since its founding in 2004, and we’re thrilled to be joined with another iconic Washington organization in the Seahawks to support this statewide effort to help kids in need.”

Addressing YYA homelessness is often helping a young person address family disruption related to sexual orientation, gender identity, family abuse, and other issues that are exacerbated by the vulnerability and diminished power young people have in the United States. Additionally, the leading indicator of homelessness later in life (e.g., chronic homelessness, vehicular homelesness, etc.) includes previous episodes of homelessness.

Recognizing the impact that the spread of COVID-19 has had on these vulnerable young people, AWHWA recently sought out additional information to better understand the impact that the pandemic has had on them in Washington. From the Household Pulse Survey, which is conducted every two weeks and gathers data on how the coronavirus pandemic is impacting households across the United States from social and economic perspectives, our analysis shows that 18-25 year olds in Washington state have been deeply impacted by the pandemic, including:

Mental well-being is precipitous among those surveyed. 71% reported being depressed and 82% reported experiencing anxiety.
Only 52% of respondents indicated that they were very confident they could afford food.
Across the board, young people are more vulnerable and are having more acute negative experiences than other age groups in Washington state.
“We expected the impacts of COVID-19 on young people experiencing homelessness to be bad, but what we learned was truly eye opening. Young people fared worse than every other age group in our state, with young people of color being disproportionately impacted,” says Patiño. “The insights provided by this tailored, real-time data are essential to informing policies and practices that help us to provide the right services and take the right steps to prevent and end youth and young adult homelessness.”

About A Way Home Washington
A Way Home Washington (AWHWA) is a statewide movement to prevent and end youth and young adult homelessness, with a focus on prioritizing young people of color and LGBTQ+ youth who experience homelesness at higher rates than their white, straight, cisgender peers. Co-Chaired by First Lady Trudi Inslee, AWHWA unites passionate stakeholders across the state to build systems that respond to the unique needs of all young people.

SOURCE A Way Home Washington; Tableau Software

CONTACT: A Way Home Washington, Julie Patino, jpatino@awayhomewa.org

Related Links
www.tableausoftware.com

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 31, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Ashley HomeStore celebrated the launch of Fall with their “Spice Up the Season,” event in Nashville, Tennessee, where locals were invited to shop and support small businesses in their community at this market-style event. Among these businesses was Nashville Rescue Mission, a local nonprofit committed to giving transformational hope to all individuals who walk through their doors. With their goal of “providing hope for today, hope for tomorrow, and hope for eternity to the hungry, homeless, and hurting,” Ashley HomeStore has donated over $30,000 in furniture in support of their organization.

“Nashville Rescue Mission is so grateful for this furniture donation from Ashley HomeStore. We plan to use this furniture to replace worn furniture in our common areas for participants in the Mission’s Life Recovery Program,” says Lisa Spelta, Director of Major Gifts at Nashville Rescue Mission.

“The Mission’s Life Recovery Program is a transformational program, free to those suffering from drug or alcohol addiction, mental instability, homelessness, or other broken lifestyles that have led to their needing help in getting back on their feet. It is an intensive 7-24-month program. The Mission offers common areas with sofas, chairs, and dining tables, where participants can gather, watch television, read, relax, and more. Once an individual has graduated from the Program, they are invited to live in the Mission’s Transitional Housing, where they can stay for up to two years. If a participant keeps a job, stays clean and sober, and finds a church home, they can benefit from this free housing. There are also common areas where participants can relax and participate in a Friday Night Coffeehouse Program, where they can enjoy coffee, listen to music, and learn to socialize without drugs or alcohol.”

Since opening their doors in 1954, Nashville Rescue Mission has provided food, shelter, and rehabilitation to those who come through their facility. Never turning anyone away, the Mission is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Serving over 600 men, women, and children daily, Nashville Rescue Mission provided over 424,000 meals and over 212,000 nights of shelter in 2020 alone.

On August 29th, Ashley HomeStore celebrated the launch of their Fall Campaign to bring the season’s cozy, autumnal spirit home. With over 25 vendors and Nashville businesses, guests were invited to interact with Ashley product while shopping local at their market-style event. The change in season signifies more than just a change in weather. More gatherings, more holidays, and most importantly, more time at home. All the furniture and accessories that were featured in the event will be used at Nashville Rescue Mission to refresh their living spaces.

“Ashley HomeStore is grateful to partner with Nashville Rescue Mission to help positively impact the lives of those who seek shelter at the Mission’s facility during this time of year when a place to call home can mean so much,” said Kelly Davis, Senior Director of Marketing Strategy at Ashley HomeStore. “We are confident that this furniture donation will help the Mission create a positive impact in the local Nashville community.”

Ashley HomeStore is committed to being your trusted partner and style leader for the home. This commitment has made Ashley HomeStore the largest retail furniture store brand in North America and one of the world’s best-selling furniture store brands with more than 1,050 locations in 60 countries. Start designing your dream home today. Visit Ashley HomeStore online at www.ashleyhomestore.com. “Like” Ashley HomeStore on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram, or see our design-focused boards on Pinterest.

Nashville Rescue Mission is a Christ-centered community dedicated to providing hope for today,
hope for tomorrow, and hope for eternity to the hungry, homeless, and hurting. The Mission provides meals, safe shelter, and clothing to those in need, as well as support and long-term assistance for those struggling with homelessness, addictions, and other life-debilitating problems. With a focus on two ministries—Guest Services Ministries and Recovery Ministries—the Mission operates almost entirely from donated foods, materials, and generous contributions from individuals, churches, and organizations. Established in 1954, Nashville Rescue Mission is a faith focused, 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and does not rely upon government funds. Visit nashvillerescuemission.org to learn more.

Media Contact:
Carolina Meneses
cmeneses@ashleyfurniture.com

SOURCE Ashley HomeStore

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Zelle® and Oprah Daily have teamed up to give back to deserving teachers during two special episodes of Oprah Daily’s series, The OG Chronicles. As a show of appreciation for all these teachers do, Zelle® is sending monetary giveaways directly into their bank accounts.

In the first episode, which will debut on August 26th on OprahDaily.com, best friends Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King share their deep admiration for teachers, highlighting the accomplishments of four teachers that went above and beyond during the pandemic for their students.

Kazumi Igus and Justin Cohen, Los Angeles, California: This married teaching duo at Westchester Enriched Sciences Magnets created a teacher and student joint Advisory Program. Teachers introduced passionate topics to their students to bring connection, care, and engagement during the pandemic.
Meredith Lauricella, Melville, New York: A second-grade co-teacher at Half Hollow Hills Elementary School created the “Silver Lining” Project. Her students were encouraged to write what they were grateful for on an index card she pinned on a bulletin board. Her room was quickly filled with uplifting sentiments from students, parents, and other family members.
Jensyn Oertel-Modero, Rahway, New Jersey: When the pandemic canceled their planned production, this theater teacher at Rahway High School creatively organized and produced a virtual radio drama and spring musical. Students recorded their scenes at home, doing hair, makeup, and costumes themselves.
In the second episode, launching September 13th, Oprah and Gayle honor three recently retired teachers and their career accomplishments.

To watch the episode and for more information on The OG Chronicles, visit https://www.oprahdaily.com/og-chronicles/.

About Zelle®
Brought to you by Early Warning Services, LLC, an innovator in payment and risk management solutions, Zelle® makes it fast, safe and easy for money to move. The Zelle Network® connects financial institutions of all sizes, enabling consumers and businesses to send fast digital payments to people they know and trust with a bank account in the U.S. Funds are available directly in bank accounts generally within minutes when the recipient is already enrolled with Zelle®. To learn more about Zelle® and its participating financial institutions, visit www.zellepay.com.

Zelle® and the Zelle® related marks are property of Early Warning Services, LLC.

SOURCE Early Warning Services, LLC

CONTACT: Meghan Fintland, Early Warning Services, LLC. (Network operator of Zelle®), +1.925.785.9192, Meghan.Fintland@earlywarning.com

Related Links
http://www.earlywarning.com

SAN DIEGO, Aug. 26, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — With millions more children facing hunger than before the pandemic hit, QDOBA, the leading fast-casual Mexican restaurant, today announced it is partnering with No Kid Hungry, a national campaign to end childhood hunger in America, for its fifth consecutive year supporting the organization’s fall fundraising efforts. Since the partnership was established in 2017, QDOBA has raised over half a million dollars for No Kid Hungry through in-store and online donations, which can help provide up to 5 million meals to children in need1.

QDOBA Mexican Eats Supports No Kid Hungry with Limited-Time Promotion
QDOBA Mexican Eats Supports No Kid Hungry with Limited-Time Promotion
Before the pandemic, the number of children struggling with hunger had been steadily decreasing for a decade. According to the USDA, in 2019, 10.7 million children lived in a family considered “food insecure,” a record low. However, in the wake of the coronavirus, as many as 1 in 6 kids in the United States, or about 13 million, live in food-insecure homes and may face hunger this year.

To support this worthy cause, now through October 3, 2021, any in-restaurant guest who donates $2 to No Kid Hungry at participating QDOBA locations will receive a free order of chips and queso with the purchase of any entrée (coupon redeemable through October 10, 2021). Guests will also be able to show their support of No Kid Hungry by adding their name to a wall hanging in their local restaurant.

“Children and their families will feel the impact of the COVID-19 crisis well into the future,” said Diana Hovey, senior vice president at Share Our Strength, the organization behind the No Kid Hungry campaign. “But childhood hunger remains solvable, and we are incredibly grateful for partners like QDOBA, who make it easy for people everywhere to get involved.”

“We applaud No Kid Hungry’s outstanding efforts to end childhood hunger in America,” said Keith Guilbault, QDOBA CEO. “QDOBA is proud to have helped raise nearly $600,000 to benefit No Kid Hungry through our long-standing partnership, but food insecurity remains a serious issue. We recognize that even the smallest donation can make a big impact, and through a very simple gesture we are able to provide critical meals to children in need across the country with the help of our guests, employees and friends.”

For more information, visit www.QDOBA.com.

About QDOBA Mexican Eats
QDOBA is a fast-casual Mexican restaurant with more than 740 locations in the U.S. and Canada. QDOBA uses ingredients prepared in-house, by hand, and fresh throughout the day, to create delicious menu options. Guests can experience QDOBA’s delicious flavors by enjoying one of its signature menu options that are chef-crafted for convenience and ease or by customizing their burritos, bowls, tacos, quesadillas, nachos and salads to fit their personal tastes. For three years running, QDOBA has been voted the “Best Fast Casual Restaurant” as part of the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. Discover more at www.QDOBA.com or on the QDOBA app, which is available for download on the iTunes App Store or Google Play. Fans can also connect with QDOBA on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

1 $1 can help provide up to 10 meals. Meal equivalency varies during COVID-19 relief. No Kid Hungry does not provide individual meals; your donations help support programs that feed kids. Learn more at NoKidHungry.org/OneDollar.

SOURCE QDOBA

CONTACT: Aleaha Kopec, Havas Formula, (619) 234-0345, QDOBA@HavasFormula.com

Related Links
https://www.QDOBA.com

SEATTLE, May 3, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Christian humanitarian organization, World Vision, is launching the largest capital campaign in its 70-year history, aiming to raise $1 billion by 2023 to help 60 million people lift themselves out of extreme poverty.

Amid this suffering, World Vision’s staff also are seeing child marriage and violence against women and girls on the rise. The essential community development programs that make up Every Last One work together to respond to these needs in areas where World Vision works, and its focus on empowering women and girls is integrated into everything it does.

The campaign invites Christian philanthropists to support seven key areas of development through multi-year programs in over 50 countries. These include giving 25 million people access to clean water – a cornerstone of World Vision’s poverty-fighting programs – and providing vital healthcare for mothers and their children, including nutrition support and treatment to two million pregnant women, newborns and children under five.

Every Last One also aims to offer emergency assistance to 16 million people when disasters and humanitarian crises strike; protect children from violence, and provide parents, teachers and Christian leaders with training and resources for children to discover their faith in Jesus.

The campaign also will provide educational opportunities such as literacy programs for children, targeting one million people with books and training. It also aims to empower 4.4 million people with resilient livelihoods by providing recovery loans for families affected by COVID-19 and teaching better farming techniques to equip families to anticipate and overcome economic and weather-related shocks, ultimately improving livelihoods.

“For 70 years, wherever and whenever people were hurting, World Vision and our donors have come to their aid,” said Edgar Sandoval Sr., World Vision’s president and CEO. “The COVID-19 pandemic is our generation’s Vietnamese refugee crisis, Ethiopian famine, Rwandan genocide, or HIV/AIDs crisis. This is the most ambitious initiative that we’ve ever launched, but we are God’s people. This is God’s ministry. And this is our time.”

World Vision operates its development programs in nearly 100 countries around the world. Monthly donors also empower communities through its popular child sponsorship model. The organization leverages gifts – large cash donations, corporate gifts-in-kind, and public grants to maximize impact.

Major capital campaigns like Every Last One are a catalyst to this work. Investments from thousands of philanthropists, corporations and foundations build on World Vision’s proven development expertise and its commitment to lasting change in the communities it serves. World Vision typically works in a country for an average of 12-18 years, developing long-term solutions and assisting communities to own their development outcomes by partnering with local leaders and community members.

World Vision sees providing access to clean water as a crucial weapon in the fight against poverty since it solves many of the factors that keep a family impoverished such as poor nutrition, health and the inability to earn an income. The organization is the largest non-governmental provider of clean water in the developing world, reaching one new person every 10 seconds and three more schools every day. In February it announced it met its goal of bringing clean water to 20 million people worldwide.

The new campaign will bring clean water to additional 25 million people, halfway towards World Vision’s ambitious goal of bringing clean water to everyone, everywhere they work by 2030, or 50 million people.

“With the support of our donors, we have seen meaningful progress in the fight against extreme poverty, but COVID-19 threatens to undo it, especially in the toughest places in our world,” Sandoval said. “Through our Every Last One campaign we’re envisioning lasting change, leaning into our proven, comprehensive solutions that bring life, hope, and a future to the world’s most vulnerable people, each precious in God’s sight.”

About World Vision:
World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization conducting relief, development, and advocacy activities in its work with children, families, and their communities in nearly 100 countries to help them reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. World Vision serves all people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender. For more information, please visit www.WorldVision.org/media-center/ or on Twitter @WorldVisionUSA.

SOURCE World Vision U.S.

CONTACT: Nicole Harris, nharris@worldvision.org, 404-735-0871

Related Links
http://www.worldvision.org

WILMINGTON, Del., April 5, 2021  — Systemic racism in America has shown itself to be a public health crisis, particularly as COVID-19 has affected Black Americans at disproportionate rates.

The Gift of Black Theological Education and Black Church Collaborative, a unique movement of historic Black schools and denominations, is bringing together congregations across America and experts to address the issues.

In April, the Gift Collaborative is hosting a series of five free Zoom presentations exploring the issues surrounding health disparities as well as finding positive solutions.

The presentations start on April 13 with Rev. Dr. Miriam J. Burnett, MD, MDiv., MPH, speaking on “The Intersection of COVID-19 and Health Disparities.” Burnett is the founder of RAPHA Health Inc., which provides information and education about health issues to faith-based and community organizations and brings many resources to the discussion. Four other cutting-edge presentations (listed below) will follow throughout the month, covering topics including mental health, addiction, nutrition, and reproductive health.

These sessions are part of an ongoing series of presentations by The Gift Collaborative, which has brought together leaders of Historically Black Theological Institutions (HBTIs), denominational leaders, scholars, and congregants to not only address racism and social issues but also build leadership capacity in congregations. The Collaborative intends to inform a new generation of leaders engaged in building new pathways forward in America.

The Gift Collaborative is a critical alignment of the relationship development and collegiality among the six HBTIs: Hood Theological Seminary in Salisbury, North Carolina, the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio, Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University in Richmond, Virginia, Shaw University Divinity School in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, D.C.

The denominations participating in the collaborative include: The African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church (AMEZ), Baptist General Convention of Virginia, Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME), Church of God in Christ (COGIC), General Baptist State Convention of North Carolina Baptist, and the United Methodist Church.

Registration is free and open to the public. To register for the Feb. 16 event – and watch past presentations – and learn more visit: http://www.thegiftcollaborative.org/

Collaborative Health Meetings
Free via Zoom, all times 7 p.m. ET
April 13 – Overview of the Social Determinants of Health and COVID
April 15 – Mental Health and Addictions in the Midst of COVID-19
April 20 – Nutritional Health
April 22 – Chronic Medical Conditions and Reproductive Health and the Impact of COVID-19
April 29 – The Environment and Health

Contact:
John Thomas III,
Paynefellow@thegiftcollaborative.org,
(615) 601-0450

GLENDALE, Calif., April 1, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Front Porch and Covia announced their affiliation today, completing a process that brings two successful California non-profit organizations together under a single management team and governance, as Front Porch. The new organization supports 54 communities, 3,000 employees, 7,500 residents, and more than 6,000 participants in programs and services nationwide.

“This affiliation combines outstanding people and resources from across California and beyond. Our expanded scale, flexibility, and resources further improve our stability, particularly during periods of volatility,” said John Woodward, CEO of Front Porch since 2015. “Our combined expertise will better meet the needs of current and future residents as we stay ahead of trends and anticipate changing market conditions.”

As its first action, the newly organized Front Porch board of directors, drawn from both Covia and Front Porch, approved updated mission, vision and core values for the unified organization. “Covia and Front Porch decided to affiliate with the belief that we are better together,” said board member Vince Forte. “We look forward to fulfilling our vision to empower individuals to live connected and fulfilled lives through community and innovation.”

Headquartered in Glendale, California, Front Porch has 51 communities throughout the state, stretching from Santa Rosa to San Diego, and one each in Florida, Louisiana, and Arizona. The organization also serves people throughout the United States through community services and other programs.

Board members who have been working towards this affiliation see tremendous potential in the new organization. Prior to beginning affiliation discussions in late 2019, Front Porch and Covia already had a strong working relationship, as Covia’s Resident Service Coordinators provide support for Front Porch’s CARING Housing Ministries.

“With this affiliation Front Porch will be stronger in an evolving marketplace and will increase our ability to support service and community growth,” said board member Oliver Wesson. “The affiliation increases access to financial capital to support timely modernization of communities and services as well as investments in technology, innovation and growth.”

About Front Porch:
Front Porch is an innovative not-for-profit family of companies and communities, dedicated to doing everything Humanly Possible® to meet the dynamic interests and changing needs of the many people we serve. Our mission is to inspire and build community, cultivating meaningful relationships and experiences that respond creatively to changing needs. Learn more at frontporch.net.

More people are going hungry, an annual study by the United Nations has found. Tens of millions have joined the ranks of the chronically undernourished over the past five years, and countries around the world continue to struggle with multiple forms of malnutrition.

The latest edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, published today, estimates that almost 690 million people went hungry in 2019 – up by 10 million from 2018, and by nearly 60 million in five years. High costs and low affordability also mean billions cannot eat healthily or nutritiously. The hungry are most numerous in Asia, but expanding fastest in Africa. Across the planet, the report forecasts, the COVID-19 pandemic could tip over 130 million more people into chronic hunger by the end of 2020. (Flare-ups of acute hunger in the pandemic context may see this number escalate further at times.)

The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World is the most authoritative global study tracking progress towards ending hunger and malnutrition. It is produced jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Writing in the Foreword, the heads of the five agenciesi warn that “five years after the world committed to end hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition, we are still off track to achieve this objective by 2030.”

The hunger numbers explained

In this edition, critical data updates for China and other populous countriesii have led to a substantial cut in estimates of the global number of hungry people, to the current 690 million. Nevertheless, there has been no change in the trend. Revising the entire hunger series back to the year 2000 yields the same conclusion: after steadily diminishing for decades, chronic hunger slowly began to rise in 2014 and continues to do so.

Asia remains home to the greatest number of undernourished (381 million). Africa is second (250 million), followed by Latin America and the Caribbean (48 million). The global prevalence of undernourishment – or overall percentage of hungry people – has changed little at 8.9 percent, but the absolute numbers have been rising since 2014. This means that over the last five years, hunger has grown in step with the global population.

This, in turn, hides great regional disparities: in percentage terms, Africa is the hardest hit region and becoming more so, with 19.1 percent of its people undernourished. This is more than double the rate in Asia (8.3 percent) and in Latin America and the Caribbean (7.4 percent). On current trends, by 2030, Africa will be home to more than half of the world’s chronically hungry.

The pandemic’s toll

As progress in fighting hunger stalls, the COVID-19 pandemic is intensifying the vulnerabilities and inadequacies of global food systems – understood as all the activities and processes affecting the production, distribution and consumption of food. While it is too soon to assess the full impact of the lockdowns and other containment measures, the report estimates that at a minimum, another 83 million people, and possibly as many as 132 million, may go hungry in 2020 as a result of the economic recession triggered by COVID-19. iii The setback throws into further doubt the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger).

Unhealthy diets, food insecurity and malnutrition

Overcoming hunger and malnutrition in all its forms (including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, overweight and obesity) is about more than securing enough food to survive: what people eat – and especially what children eat – must also be nutritious. Yet a key obstacle is the high cost of nutritious foods and the low affordability of healthy diets for vast numbers of families.

The report presents evidence that a healthy diet costs far more than US$ 1.90/day, the international poverty threshold. It puts the price of even the least expensive healthy diet at five times the price of filling stomachs with starch only. Nutrient-rich dairy, fruits, vegetables and protein-rich foods (plant and animal-sourced) are the most expensive food groups globally.

The latest estimates are that a staggering 3 billion people or more cannot afford a healthy diet. In sub-Saharan Africa and southern Asia, this is the case for 57 percent of the population – though no region, including North America and Europe, is spared. Partly as a result, the race to end malnutrition appears compromised. According to the report, in 2019, between a quarter and a third of children under five (191 million) were stunted or wasted – too short or too thin. Another 38 million under-fives were overweight. Among adults, meanwhile, obesity has become a global pandemic in its own right.

A call to action

The report argues that once sustainability considerations are factored in, a global switch to healthy diets would help check the backslide into hunger while delivering enormous savings. It calculates that such a shift would allow the health costs associated with unhealthy diets, estimated to reach US$ 1.3 trillion a year in 2030, to be almost entirely offset; while the diet-related social cost of greenhouse gas emissions, estimated at US$ 1.7 trillion, could be cut by up to three-quarters.iv

The report urges a transformation of food systems to reduce the cost of nutritious foods and increase the affordability of healthy diets. While the specific solutions will differ from country to country, and even within them, the overall answers lie with interventions along the entire food supply chain, in the food environment, and in the political economy that shapes trade, public expenditure and investment policies. The study calls on governments to mainstream nutrition in their approaches to agriculture; work to cut cost-escalating factors in the production, storage, transport, distribution and marketing of food – including by reducing inefficiencies and food loss and waste; support local small-scale producers to grow and sell more nutritious foods, and secure their access to markets; prioritize children’s nutrition as the category in greatest need; foster behaviour change through education and communication; and embed nutrition in national social protection systems and investment strategies.

The heads of the five UN agencies behind the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World declare their commitment to support this momentous shift, ensuring that it unfolds “in a sustainable way, for people and the planet.”

FIFA, WHO, and the European Commission have joined forces, to launch the #SafeHome campaign to support women and children at risk of domestic violence. The campaign is a joint response from the three institutions to the recent spikes in reports of domestic violence as stay-at-home measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 have put women and children experiencing abuse at greater risk.

Almost one in three women worldwide experience physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence by someone else in their lifetime. In a majority of cases, that violence is committed by a partner in their home – indeed, up to 38% of all murders of women are committed by an intimate partner. It is also estimated that one billion children aged between two and seventeen years (or half the world’s children) have experienced physical, sexual, or emotional violence or neglect in the past year.

There are many reasons why people perpetrate domestic violence, including gender inequality and social norms that condone violence, childhood experiences of abuse or exposure to violence and coercive control growing up. Harmful use of alcohol can also trigger violence. Stressful situations, such as those being experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic and economic instability, exacerbate the risk. Moreover, the current distancing measures in place in many countries make it harder for women and children to reach out to family, friends and health workers who could otherwise provide support and protection.

“Just as physical, sexual or psychological violence has no place in football, it has no place in the home.” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “We are so pleased that our partners today are joining us to draw attention to this critical issue. As people are isolated at home because of COVID-19, the risks of domestic violence have tragically been exacerbated.”.

“Together with the World Health Organization and the European Commission, we are asking the football community to raise awareness to this intolerable situation that threatens particularly women and children in their own home, a place where they should feel happy, safe and secure,” said FIFA President Gianni Infantino. “We cannot stay silent on this issue that negatively affects so many people. Violence has no place in homes, just as it has no place in sports. Football has the power to relay important social messages, and through the #SafeHome campaign, we want to ensure that those people experiencing violence have access to the necessary support services they need.”

“Violence has no place in our societies,” said Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. “Women’s rights are human rights and should be protected. Often abused women and children are afraid to talk because of fear or shame. This ‘window’ to speak-up and seek help is, during confinement, even more restricted. As a matter of fact , in some countries, we have seen an increase in reports of domestic violence since the outbreak of COVID-19. It is our responsibility as a society, as institutions to speak up for these women. To give them trust and support them. This is the purpose of this joint campaign which I am honoured to be part of.”

“We call upon our member associations to actively publish details of national or local helplines and support services that can help victims and anyone feeling threatened by violence in their locality,” added the FIFA President. “We also call upon our members to review their own safeguarding measures using the FIFA Guardians toolkit to ensure that football is fun and safe for everyone in our game, especially the youngest members of the football family.”

The five-part video awareness campaign features 15 past and present footballers – Álvaro Arbeloa, Rosana Augusto, Vítor Baía, Khalilou Fadiga, Matthias Ginter, David James, Annike Krahn, Marco Materazzi, Milagros Menéndez, Noemi Pascotto, Graham Potter, Mikaël Silvestre, Kelly Smith, Óliver Torres and Clementine Touré – who have stressed their support to addressing this critical issue. The campaign is being published on various FIFA digital channels, with #SafeHome also being supported with multimedia toolkits for the 211 FIFA member associations and for various media agencies to help facilitate additional localisation and to further amplify the message worldwide.

WHO, the United Nations’ specialised health agency, and FIFA, football’s world governing body, collaborate closely to promote healthy lifestyles, which includes being free of violence, through football globally. The two organisations jointly launched the “Pass the message to kick out coronavirus” campaign in March 2020 to share advice on effective measures to protect people from COVID-19. This was followed by the #BeActive campaign in April 2020 to encourage people to stay healthy at home during the pandemic.

Factsheet
According to WHO, violence is a pervasive public health and human rights problem around the world. It affects women, men, boys and girls in all countries and cuts across boundaries of age, race, religion, ethnicity, disability, culture and wealth. Statistically, women and children (both boys and girls) are most affected by violence in the home and it is often perpetrated by men they know and trust.

Data (Source: WHO and others)

Almost one in three women worldwide have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner or sexual violence, not including sexual harassment, by any perpetrator
Globally, 30% of women have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime
Globally up to 38% of murders of women are committed by intimate partners
Adolescent girls, young women, women belonging to ethnic and other minorities, transwomen, and women with disabilities face a higher risk of different forms of violence
The majority (55% to 95%) of women survivors of intimate partner violence or sexual violence do not disclose or seek any type of help or services
Being abused as a child or exposed to violence in the family when growing up, attitudes accepting of violence and gender inequality including gender norms increase the risk of perpetrating violence against a partner; in some settings violence is associated with excessive use of alcohol
Globally, over one billion children – over half of all boys and girls aged 2–17 years – experience some form of emotional, physical or sexual violence every year
The lifetime prevalence of childhood sexual abuse is 18% for girls and 8% for boys
Homicide is among the top five causes of death in adolescents, with boys comprising over 80% of victims and perpetrators
Regional statistics also exist. For example in Europe, it is estimated that one in five (20%) children have experienced sexual abuse, and in the WHO European region, a quarter of women (15-49 years) have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime. In Latin America and the Caribbean, it is estimated that 58% of children experience sexual, physical or emotional violence each year, and 30% of women have experienced intimate partner violence in their lifetime.

New York – The United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) today announce their joint support for a Member State-led initiative to call on policymakers, regulators and remittance service providers to improve migrants’ access for sending and receiving remittances, and to reduce transfer costs during the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 outbreaks.

Spearheaded by the Government of Switzerland and the Government of the United Kingdom, the call to action, Remittances in Crisis – How to Keep Them Flowing, is also supported by the global knowledge partnership on migration and development KNOMAD, the World Bank, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and the International Association of Money Transfer Networks (IAMTN), and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). The goal is to remove the obstacles that migrants and their families face when sending and receiving money so that they can continue to cover basic needs and services such as food, housing, education and health care.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted health systems worldwide, but in terms of economic impacts, low- and middle-income countries may take a greater hit due to the projected decline in remittances for this year. Data from the World Bank show that remittance inflows are expected to shrink by about 20 percent, which amounts to a fall of around US$110 billion. Reduced remittances can have major ripple effects across economies as investment and consumption spending decrease. It can also slow down the progress countries have made in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

To mitigate these impacts, the joint call to action encourages stakeholders in the remittances sector to enhance physical and digital access to cross-border financial services, and to bring together actors in the public and private sectors, especially remittance service providers, to innovate solutions that would improve remittance flows.

“The hardship of COVID-19 felt by migrants in the form of lost wages and employment – often without government safety nets – is a large part of this crisis in remittances. The decline also results from a host of issues caused by the coronavirus that impact the services migrants use to send money home – including the restrictions placed on remittance services providers and their agents. The loss of this crucial financing lifeline is devastating for both the migrant households and receiving countries,” said Judith Karl, Executive Secretary for UNCDF. “UNCDF, together with UNDP, is committed to supporting the Member State-led call to action and to ensuring that every measure is available to facilitate migrants in sending remittances home.”

“Remittances are essential for COVID-19 response and recovery,” said Asako Okai, UNDP Assistant Administrator and Director of its Crisis Bureau. “In countries with limited social safety nets and less diversified economies, they often serve as a lifeline, and more so in times of crisis. The existing obstacles to send and receive money can lead to increased poverty and social insecurity, which would further destabilize national economies,” Ms. Okai added.

By building capacity for a conducive regulatory and policy environment, strengthening open digital payment ecosystems, and fostering innovation for inclusive digital solutions for migrants, UNCDF and UNDP are supporting governments and the private sector to ensure continuity in the remittance flows to the countries and families hardest hit by the effects of the coronavirus. The call to action is also an opportunity for UNCDF and UNDP to strengthen and advance their shared agenda around financial inclusion for migrants and families, as well as to enhance migrant contributions to local development.

SAN FRANCISCO – Today, on Giving Tuesday, Jessica Alba helps raise awareness for Janie and Jack’s national donation campaign with Baby2Baby, a non-profit organization where she is a proud ambassador and board member, that provides children, ages 0-12 years, living in poverty with the basic necessities that every child deserves. As a call to action, to give back this holiday season, customers will have the opportunity to donate while checking out at Janie and Jack stores nationwide and online at janieandjack.com through December 31.rn\\\”As a Baby2Baby Board Member, Ambassador and mom of three, I am committed to helping children living in poverty receive the basic essentials they deserve,\\\” said Jessica Alba. \\\”Families should never have to choose between diapers, providing food and other basic necessities for their family. We are so grateful to Janie and Jack for their generosity in helping us to fulfill our mission and hope everyone will support Baby2Baby by donating at checkout while shopping at Janie and Jack this holiday season.\\\”rnThe giving campaign communicates Janie and Jack’s goal of giving back and features Baby2Baby ambassador Jessica Alba across online marketing, a campaign video and social posts. Beyond the point-of-sale donations, customers are also invited to shop the Rachel Zoe x Janie and Jack Party Collection, with 100% of net proceeds benefiting Baby2Baby*, available at select stores and janieandjack.com.rn\\\”We are proud to support Baby2Baby and offer our customers two ways to give back this holiday season,\\\” said Shelly Walsh, SVP and General Manager, Janie and Jack. \\\”As a brand, kids are at the heart of everything we do, and we hope to make this time of year a little more special for families in need.\\\”rnBaby2Baby has distributed over 70 million items to hundreds of thousands of children in homeless shelters, domestic violence programs, foster care, underserved schools and hospitals. Over the past eight years alone, the organization has distributed 40 million diapers. Baby2Baby also serves children who have lost everything in the wake of disaster through their Disaster Relief & Emergency Response Program. They have distributed over 10 million basic essentials through this program, from children affected by hurricanes and floods to most recently children evacuated to shelters as a result of the fires that burned across California.rnTo donate to Baby2Baby, please visit a Janie and Jack store or janieandjack.com/baby2baby and join the conversation on social media by tagging #rachelzoexjanieandjack, @janieandjack and @baby2baby. For more information on the collection with Rachel Zoe, please visit janieandjack.com/rachel-zoe-party.rn*Baby2Baby will receive (i) 100% of the net proceeds from the sale of the Rachel Zoe x Janie and Jack Party Collection and (ii) 100% of donations collected at checkout at janieandjack.com and at Janie and Jack stores in the U.S. from Nov. 18, 2019 through Dec. 31, 2019. In the event that the combination of (i) and (ii) is less than US $250,000, Janie and Jack will donate the difference.

NEW YORK- MTV and Save the Music—a non-profit organization that has launched over 2,000 music programs within schools across the country—today announced a first-of-its-kind program supporting electronic music production to develop students’ creative and technical talents and reflect how modern music is being made today.

The grant, which was developed in partnership with Pharrell Williams’ creative collective i am OTHER and Arizona State University (ASU), is named the J Dilla Music Tech Grant after the legendary producer who worked with De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Common and Erykah Badu, among others, and whose revolutionary approach to making beats continues to inspire artists more than a decade after his death. The program’s innovative combination of music technology and a forward-looking curriculum focuses on the fundamentals of electronic music creation, recording and production, bringing out each student’s inner creativity, talent, and confidence.

Beginning next month, seven high schools across the country will participate in the multi-year initiative. The schools include:
Barringer HS, Newark, NJ
High School for Public Service, Brooklyn, NY
South Philadelphia HS, Philadelphia, PA
Hialeah Senior HS, Miami, FL.
Arts High School, Newark, NJ
McDonogh 35, New Orleans, LA
Belmont HS, Los Angeles, CA

“This expanded focus into electronic music technology was driven by listening to the needs of the community and realizing where we could make the most impact on kids,” said Henry Donahue, Executive Director of Save the Music. “After 20 years of providing students and teachers with more than $50 million of band and string instruments, we have now added mixers, turntables, and drum machines to accurately and equitably reflect the music ecosystem today.”

“DJs with turntables and producers with MIDI controllers and state-of-the-art technology are the vanguard of new music makers today—across all musical genres,” said Amy Doyle, General Manager of MTV, and Board Co-chair of Save the Music. “The J Dilla Music Technology Grant underscores MTV and Save the Music’s commitment to cultivating the future creators, providing them with cutting edge tools and innovative instruction to enable them to participate in the future of music.”

“With the J Dilla Music Tech Grant we are deepening our collective efforts to broaden access to the highest quality music education and thinking equitably about the communities we serve to build and expand the pedagogy and curricula that foster young people’s skills, creativity, and expression,” said Evan Tobias, Associate Professor of Music Education at Arizona State University and head of the Consortium for Innovation and Transformation in Music Education.

Save the Music
Save The Music Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that helps kids, schools, and communities realize their full potential through the power of making music. Founded in 1997, Save The Music partners with school districts and raises funds to restore music programs in public schools. Since inception, we have donated over $58 million worth of new musical instruments and technology to over 2,159 schools in 276 school districts around the country– impacting the lives of countless students. Learn more about us and our efforts at www.savethemusic.org.

Arizona State University
Arizona State University has developed a new model for the American Research University, creating an institution that is committed to access, excellence and impact. ASU measures itself by those it includes, not by those it excludes. As the prototype for a New American University, ASU pursues research that contributes to the public good, and ASU assumes major responsibility for the economic, social and cultural vitality of the communities that surround it. https://citme.music.asu.edu

i am OTHER
i am OTHER is the strategic consulting and creative collective assembled and led by Pharrell Williams. That which makes you different makes you special. https://iamother.com/

NEW YORK- May 9, 2019– In response to the shocking rise of maternal mortality in the U.S., MTV – the brand that created the “16 and Pregnant” franchise, which helped reduce teen pregnancy – as well as Emmy® Award-winner Lena Waithe, Christy Turlington Burns’ Every Mother Counts, and the Black Mamas Matter Alliance are joining forces this Mother’s Day to provide life-saving resources for expectant mothers, their friends, and families. In the past 30 years, deaths from pregnancy-related complications in the have doubled in the United States. Today, it is the most dangerous place in the developed world to give birth.*

Kicking off today, the “Save Our Moms” campaign will activate across MTVand MTV News on all platforms with original content and educational resources, articles and op-eds, and talent testimonials. The centerpiece of the campaign will be an original video piece directed by “HALA” filmmaker and Sundance Film Festival sensation Minhal Baig and produced by Waithe’s Protest Art Productions.

“Every mother deserves the right to go home with their child,” said Waithe.
This campaign was inspired by three students from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs – Maria Jose Diaz, Justine LaVoye and Jenise Ogle – who pitched MTV leadership on their idea to leverage the brand’s platforms as a way to shine a bright light on this overlooked crisis.
“It’s shocking that the U.S. is the most dangerous place in the developed world to give birth,” said Chris McCarthy, President of MTV. “The positive news is that 60% of these deaths are preventable and that’s why we launched this campaign.”

Elements of the “Save Our Moms” campaign will include:
PSA
Produced by Waithe’s Protest Art Productions
Helmed by Sundance maverick Minhal Baig and narrated by Waithe
Airing in primetime on MTV and its suite of brands, appearing across all platforms with a combined reach of more than 700 million
Digital action hub (saveourmoms.mtv.com):
Joint effort between MTV, Every Mother Counts and Black Mamas Matter Alliance
Provides educational resources for expectant mothers and their partners, friends and families
MTV News and talent activations:
MTV News will include short features and op-eds to raise awareness

Marquee MTV talent will throw their weight behind the campaign, sharing personal stories
*According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and The Lancet, as reported in USA Today:
The U.S. is the most dangerous place in the developed world to give birth.
Every day, 2-3 women die in the U.S. from pregnancy-related complications, doubling in the past 30 years.
The risk is 3-4 times higher for black women than for white women.
60% of these deaths are preventable.

About MTV
MTV is the leading global youth media brand in 180 countries, reaching 450 million households in nearly 30 different languages across every platform. A unit of Viacom Inc. (NASDAQ: VIAB, VIA), MTV operations span cable and mobile networks, live events, theatrical films and MTV Studios.
About Black Mamas Matter Alliance
Black Mamas Matter Alliance is a Black women-led cross-sectoral alliance that centers Black mamas to advocate, drive research, build power, and shift culture for Black maternal health, rights, and justice. We envision a world where Black mamas have the rights, respect, and resources to thrive before, during, and after pregnancy. Learn more about our work at blackmamasmatter.org.

About Every Mother Counts
Every Mother Counts (EMC) is dedicated to making pregnancy and childbirth safe for every mother, everywhere. EMC works to achieve quality, respectful, and equitable maternity care for all women by supporting quality programs through grants and working collaboratively with partners and thought leaders to increase awareness and mobilize communities to take action. EMC currently supports programs that improve access to maternity care in Bangladesh, Guatemala, Haiti, India, Tanzania and the United States. Learn more at everymothercounts.org.

About the Congressional Caucus on Black Maternal Health
On April 9, 2019, Congresswomen Alma Adams and Lauren Underwood launched the first-ever Congressional Caucus on Black Maternal Health. They established this Caucus to call greater Congressional attention to the national crisis of worsening maternal health outcomes, specifically the intolerable disparities experienced by Black women. Through bold policymaking, collective action and stakeholder engagement, the Caucus will work to reverse current trends and achieve optimal birth outcomes for all families. The Caucus will raise awareness within Congress to establish Black maternal health as a national priority, and explore and advocate for effective, evidence-based, culturally-competent policies and best practices for improving Black maternal health. The Caucus will ensure that Black women and infants have the rights, respect, and resources needed to thrive before, during, and after pregnancy.

MINNEAPOLIS – Thrivent, a not-for-profit membership organization of Christians, today announced it will match one dollar for every two dollars made in personal donations on Thrivent.com to featured organizations supporting victims impacted by recent flooding and tornadoes. Thrivent will match up to $250,000. In addition, the organization is encouraging its members to volunteer by forming Thrivent Action Teams or for eligible members to consider directing Thrivent Choice Dollars to relief organizations.

“Our hearts go out to those who have been impacted by the devastating floods in the Midwest and tornadoes in the South, said Terry Rasmussen, CEO of Thrivent. “Our members always band together in tough times and we’re honored to come alongside them to help support disaster victims.”

This matching opportunity is open to anyone and will run until the match is met or June 1, 2019 – whichever comes first. The following organizations have been selected to receive the match dollars:

Convoy of Hope
LCMS Disaster Response
Lutheran Disaster Response
Orphan Grain Train (flooding only)
Samaritan’s Purse
WELS Christian Aid and Relief (flooding only)
To participate in the match, visit Thrivent.com, click on “Learn How” and then follow instructions for personal donations.

Beyond donations, Thrivent members can raise funds or volunteer for disaster relief by forming a Thrivent Action Team. Through this grassroots program, members join together in a one-time fundraiser or service activity that can be completed within 90 days. Thrivent provides promotional materials, t-shirts, and a $250 Community Impact Card that can be used as seed money to purchase project supplies and create promotional materials.

Finally, eligible Thrivent members can direct Thrivent Choice Dollars® to relief organizations responding to these disasters.

For more information on how to get involved and continue to make a difference, visit Thrivent.com.

About Thrivent
Thrivent is a not-for-profit financial services organization that helps Christians on the wise with money journey. As a mission-driven, membership-owned organization, it offers its more than 2 million members and customers a broad range of financial products, services and guidance to help them obtain a life of contentment, confidence and generosity. Thrivent and its subsidiary and affiliate companies offer insurance, investments, banking and advice over the phone, online as well as through financial professionals and independent agents nationwide. Thrivent is a FORTUNE 500 company with $134 billion in assets under management/advisement (as of 12/31/18). For more than a century it has helped Christians make wise money choices that reflect their values while providing them opportunities to demonstrate their generosity where they live, work and worship. For more information, visit Thrivent.com. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.
The Thrivent Choice® charitable grant program engages Thrivent members and Thrivent Member Networks in providing grants that support charitable activities, furthering Thrivent’s mission and its purposes under state law. All grant decisions, including grant recipients and amounts, are made at the sole discretion of Thrivent. Directing Choice Dollars® is subject to the program’s Terms and Conditions available at Thrivent.com/thriventchoice.

UN Climate Change News, 3 December 2018 – At the UN Climate Change Conference COP24 in Katowice, the payments network Visa Inc. is presenting an innovative way to make donations for climate action using a new digital platform, with benefits of the activity going toward the climate resilience projects of the Adaptation Fund, many of which involve ecosystem-based measures that improve peoples’ lives and livelihoods while restoring natural protections such as forests to protect soils and sustainably manage land and water resources.

A digital screen installation at the conference venue shows a virtual forest ecosystem in a lush state. Viewers see images of the ecosystem slowly degrading and can help halt the process by tapping an electronic reader with a Visa contactless card to simulate the act of making a donation. The health of the virtual ecosystem will improve after an accumulation of taps, demonstrating the importance of collective action to reverse the effects of climate change. For each tap that is made throughout COP24, Visa will donate €3 to the Adaptation Fund.

“A key aspect of many Adaptation Fund projects is their linkages to the protection of ecosystems, and how that often goes hand in hand with enhancing livelihoods and lives of the vulnerable communities we serve and improving their resilience to climate change,” said Victor Viñas, Chair of the Adaptation Fund Board. “Afforestation as well as restoring degraded forests strengthens soils, water supplies, sustainable land management and biodiversity, and reduces erosion in critical watersheds.”

The installation is intended to demonstrate how a powerful narrative can spur individuals to take action on climate change, and how the impact of that collective action has the potential to make a substantial difference. Visa hopes to replicate the system elsewhere after having demonstrated its value at COP24.

As a global payments technology company, Visa’s primary opportunities for reducing its direct environmental impacts lie in efforts to operate data centers and office buildings efficiently and responsibly, as the energy usage associated with these types of facilities comprise approximately 75% of their greenhouse gas emissions. Visa is advancing efforts to reduce these emissions through its commitment to using 100% renewable electricity across its global operations by the end of 2019.

This initiative is part of a broader, ongoing effort by Visa to minimize the environmental footprint of the payments ecosystem. Visa pursues certifications for its facilities through the U.S. Green Building Council’s (USGBC) Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program and has achieved significant improvements in energy and water efficiency across its sites. Visa also seeks to curtail paper usage, source supplies and electronics responsibly, divert waste from landfills and promote a culture of sustainability among employees at work and at home.

How the Digital Installation Supports the Adaptation Fund
The narrative of the installation mirrors the positive outcomes of projects implemented by the Adaptation Fund, which are designed to restore nearly 185,000 hectares of natural habitat and protect more than 121,000 meters of coastline worldwide while building vulnerable communities’ resilience to climate change.

The work of the Adaptation Fund is already having tangible positive effects in vulnerable communities, helping them to adapt and build resilience to climate change through concrete projects in 81 developing countries to date, including Cambodia, Honduras and India, as well as Cuba and Small Island Developing States. Leveraging funds from private donors is meanwhile one source of revenue for the Fund.

As the impacts of climate change have become more evident over the last few years, the Adaptation Fund has seen record-breaking demand and has a growing project pipeline of more than a quarter-billion U.S. dollars. The fund set a US$90 million resource mobilization goal this year to help meet this increased demand. Although it receives a share of proceeds from Carbon Emission Reduction credits, since the carbon market dropped several years ago, it largely relies on voluntary public and private donations.

The Adaptation Fund’s concrete projects directly contribute to the goals of the Paris Agreement, which calls for a balance of adaptation to the impacts of climate change, reduced carbon emissions and accelerating climate action to the most vulnerable countries. Up to 33% of the efforts to reduce carbon emissions depend on preserving forests, which is why this topic was chosen for the installation.

VISA installation at COP 24
VISA
Adaptation Fund Project Examples:

Cambodia: An Adaptation Fund project is helping vulnerable communities adapt to floods and droughts in Cambodia in recent years that have affected food and water security and led to unsustainable use of forest resources. The project is restoring degraded forests through a tree nursery where the community has planted nearly one million indigenous trees across several sites that are crucial for sustainability, while another 342,000 fruit trees were distributed to communities for household and garden use.

Honduras: Two projects in Honduras are currently contributing to reforestation. The first safeguarded vulnerable communities to extreme climate events, such as floods, mudslides and drought by improving water drainage and storage, and climate-proofing homes. It also enhanced forest protection in watersheds that are critical to urban water supplies by protecting 60,000 HA of forest corridors. A follow-up project is increasing climate resilience of the most vulnerable communities in the Central Forest Corridor of Tegucigalpa.

India: A forestry project is building adaptive capacities of communities, livelihoods and ecological security in Madhya Pradesh. Training in villages on conservation, adopting climate-resilient agricultural practices and natural resource management are among its activities.

Cuba: An Adaptation Fund project is helping communities in Cuba that have been vulnerable to coastal flooding and sea level rise recover protective marine ecosystems and forests. By planting mangroves and fostering their natural regeneration, placing stake lines to reduce sea surges, cleaning canals and promoting coastal forest growth, the project is making a positive difference in reducing vulnerabilities to climate change in communities of Cuba’s southwestern Gulf of Batabanó. It is establishing and restoring 3,000 HA of mangroves on vulnerable coastal lands, and another 4,300 HA of landward edge woodlands.

Mauritius: An AF-funded project is involving local communities, fishermen and female leaders in restoring natural coastal systems in Mauritius through activities such as mangrove planting.
About partnerships between UN Climate Change and non-Party stakeholders

The partnership with the Adaptation Fund and Visa is part of a series of partnerships between UN Climate Change and relevant stakeholders to support climate action. The partnerships for COP24 promote increased involvement of non-Party stakeholders as foreseen in the Marrakesh Partnership for Global Climate Action (MPGCA).

The MPGCA was launched at COP22 by the Conference of the Parties, explicitly welcoming climate action of all non-Party stakeholders, including the private sector, to help implement the Paris Climate Change Agreement. All entities of society and business are strongly encouraged to scale up their efforts and support actions to reduce emissions, as well as to build resilience and decrease vulnerability to the adverse effects of climate change.

About the Adaptation Fund
Since 2010, the Adaptation Fund has committed about US$ 532 million for climate change adaptation and resilience projects and programmes, including 80 concrete localized adaptation projects in the most vulnerable communities of developing countries around the world with approximately 5.8 million direct beneficiaries. It also pioneered Direct Access, empowering countries to access funding and develop projects directly through accredited national implementing entities. For further information, visit adaptation-fund.org.

About Visa
Visa Inc. is a global leader in digital payments. Its mission is to connect the world through an innovative, reliable and secure payment network – for individuals, businesses and economies. Its advanced global processing network, VisaNet, provides secure and reliable payments around the world and is capable of handling more than 65,000 transaction messages a second. For more information, visit About Visa, visa.com/blog and @VisaNews.

“At Visa, we are striving to embed sustainability across the company – in our operations, our workforce and our broader ecosystem,” said Douglas Sabo, vice president and head of Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability at Visa. “We are committed to collaborating with a variety of stakeholders, including UN Climate Change and the Adaptation Fund, to achieve a more inclusive and sustainable world.”

MINNEAPOLIS – Thrivent today announced that Brad Hewitt will retire as CEO and Terry Rasmussen has been appointed as his successor.

“Brad has provided visionary leadership in moving Thrivent forward in its mission of serving the broader Christian community and ensuring the organization has the tools and talent to meet the expectations of our members and position us for long-term growth,” said Bonnie Raquet, Chair of the Thrivent Board of Directors.

“We wish Brad well as he moves to the next chapter of serving others and demonstrating faith through service,” she said.

Rasmussen has served as president of Thrivent’s core fraternal business unit for the last three years.

“Terry has distinguished herself as a strong leader with extraordinary business and legal acumen, as well as a deep understanding of Thrivent’s charter as a fraternal benefit society,” Raquet said. Thrivent is the nation’s largest fraternal benefit society.

“What’s more, she has deep-seated values and a practical approach to aligning our workforce to serve our members and drive growth,” Raquet added.

More about Brad Hewitt

Hewitt joined Thrivent in 2003 as chief fraternal officer. He was named COO in 2008 and CEO in 2010.

He began his career with Securian in the Actuarial Services department. He held positions with increasing levels of responsibility at UnitedHealth Group and Diversified Pharmaceutical Services. He later felt called to serve in administrative roles with the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod.

Hewitt graduated from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls with a Bachelor of Science in mathematics.

Hewitt currently serves as vice chair of the board for Habitat for Humanity International; and the International Cooperative and Mutual Insurance Federation.

He also volunteers as chair of Itasca, an employer-led, cross-sector collaborative group that works to improve the quality of life for all in the Twin Cities; and is vice chair of Greater MSP.

More about Terry Rasmussen

Rasmussen joined Thrivent in 2005. She was named president in 2015, after serving for 10 years as senior vice president, general counsel and secretary.

Before joining Thrivent, Rasmussen served in progressively responsible legal positions with American Express and Ameriprise Financial. At American Express she was responsible for global legal support of financial service products and services.

She began her legal career as a trial attorney in the U.S. Attorney General’s Honors Program.

She received a BS in accounting from Minnesota State University-Moorhead and passed the CPA exam. She earned her JD from the University of North Dakota.

Rasmussen is past chair of the American Fraternal Alliance, the trade association for fraternal benefit societies; and Lutheran Social Service of Minnesota.

She currently serves on the boards of the Walker Art Center and InFaith Community Foundation.

About Thrivent Financial
Thrivent is a fraternal benefit society that helps Christians on the wise with money journey. As a mission-driven, membership-owned organization, it offers its more than 2 million members and customers a broad range of financial products, services and guidance to help them obtain a life of contentment, confidence and generosity. Thrivent and its subsidiary and affiliate companies offer insurance, investments, banking and advice over the phone, online as well as through financial representatives and independent agents nationwide. Thrivent is a FORTUNE 500 company with $136 billion in assets under management/advisement (as of 12/31/17). For more than a century it has helped Christians make wise money choices that reflect their values while providing them opportunities to demonstrate their generosity where they live, work and worship. For more information, visit Thrivent.com. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

MINNEAPOLIS – Thrivent, a not-for-profit membership organization of Christians, today announced it will match up to $1 million dollars in personal donations made on Thrivent.com to selected nonprofit organizations supporting Hurricane Florence relief efforts. In addition, Thrivent is encouraging its members to volunteer for disaster relief by forming Thrivent Action Teams or for eligible members to consider directing Thrivent Choice Dollars to relief organizations.

“Our hearts go out to everyone who has been impacted by this catastrophic storm,” said Brad Hewitt, CEO of Thrivent. “At Thrivent, our members believe in being generous and offering their time, talent and treasures to help others in need. We are committed to supporting hurricane victims as they work to rebuild.”

This matching opportunity is open to anyone and will run until the match is met or until December 31, 2018 – whichever comes first. The following organizations have been selected to receive the match dollars:

Convoy of Hope
Habitat for Humanity International
LCMS Disaster Response
Lutheran Disaster Response (ELCA)
Orphan Grain Train
Samaritan’s Purse
United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR)
WELS Christian Aid and Relief
To participate in the match, visit Thrivent.com, click on Hurricane Florence Relief and then follow instructions for personal donations.

Beyond donations, Thrivent members can raise funds or volunteer for disaster relief by forming a Thrivent Action Team. Through this grassroots program, members join together in a one-time fundraiser that can be completed within 90 days. Thrivent provides promotional materials, t-shirts, and a $250 Community Impact Card that can be used as seed money to purchase project supplies and create promotional materials. Finally, eligible Thrivent members can direct Thrivent Choice Dollars® to relief organizations responding to the hurricane victims. For more information on how to get involved and continue to make a difference, visit Thrivent.com.

About Thrivent Financial
Thrivent is a not-for-profit financial services organization that helps Christians on the wise with money journey. As a mission-driven, membership-owned organization, it offers its more than 2 million members and customers a broad range of financial products, services and guidance to help them obtain a life of contentment, confidence and generosity. Thrivent and its subsidiary and affiliate companies offer insurance, investments, banking and advice over the phone, online as well as through financial representatives and independent agents nationwide. Thrivent is a FORTUNE 500 company with $136 billion in assets under management/advisement (as of 12/31/17). For more than a century it has helped Christians make wise money choices that reflect their values while providing them opportunities to demonstrate their generosity where they live, work and worship. For more information, visit Thrivent.com. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

The Thrivent Choice® charitable grant program engages Thrivent members and chapters in providing grants that support charitable activities, furthering Thrivent’s mission and its purposes under state law. All grants are made at the sole discretion of Thrivent. Directing Choice Dollars® is subject to the program’s terms and conditions available at Thrivent.com/thriventchoice.

MINNEAPOLIS – Thrivent announced today that Nikki Pechet has been appointed to serve on Thrivent’s board of directors. She will join the board along with 13 other directors. Her term became effective on June 1, 2018.

The Thrivent board of directors is responsible for overseeing all matters pertaining to the not-for-profit, Fortune 500 membership organization. Thrivent’s mission is to help Christians on the Wise with Money Journey so they can live content, confident and generous lives. The organization serves more than 2 million members and has $136 billion in assets under management and advisement (as of 12/31/17).

“We’re excited to welcome Nikki to the board of directors and look forward to her contributions,” said Thrivent CEO Brad Hewitt. “Her unique experience will be an asset to the board as we work together to serve more Christians on their wise with money journeys and be their trusted guide along the way.”

Pechet will serve on the Thrivent Financial and Audit Committees of the board. Her background in marketing and technology will be beneficial as Thrivent seeks to reach more Christians in more ways across the United States. Her insights will be particularly helpful as Thrivent increasingly uses technology to attract, serve and delight its members.

Pechet is currently vice president of marketing and a member of the core executive team at Thumbtack, a growth-stage technology company that is addressing the $700B+ U.S. local services market. In her role, she drives performance marketing by overseeing Thumbtack’s brand narrative, developing new acquisition channels for the digital world and building world-class teams focused on diversity and inclusion. She previously was a principal at Bain & Company where she led growth strategy for dozens of Fortune 500 companies across a spectrum of industries.

Pechet earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a master’s degree in business administration from Harvard Business School. She and her family reside in San Francisco, Calif.

To learn more about Thrivent’s board of directors and read board member biographies, visit: www.thrivent.com/governance.

About Thrivent Financial
Thrivent is a not-for-profit financial services organization that helps Christians on the Wise With Money Journey. As a mission-driven, membership-owned organization, it offers its more than 2 million members and customers a broad range of financial products, services and guidance to help them obtain a life of contentment, confidence and generosity. Thrivent and its subsidiary and affiliate companies offer insurance, investments, banking and advice over the phone, online as well as through financial representatives and independent agents nationwide. Thrivent is a FORTUNE 500 company with $136 billion in assets under management/advisement (as of 12/31/17). For more than a century it has helped Christians make wise money choices that reflect their values while providing them opportunities to demonstrate their generosity where they live, work and worship. For more information, visit Thrivent.com. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.

A.M. Best announced today it has affirmed Thrivent Financial’s A++ (Superior) rating as well as its stable outlook. The A++ (Superior) rating is the highest of the ratings agency’s 16 ratings categories.

The A.M. Best rating recognizes the organization’s balance sheet strength, strong operating performance, favorable business profile, and very strong enterprise risk management. In addition, the agency cited Thrivent’s efforts to expand its membership in the Christian community and noted the loyalty it enjoys among its membership base. Ratings from agencies like A.M. Best are indicative of Thrivent’s financial strength and claims-paying ability to meet policyholder obligations.

About Thrivent Financial
Thrivent is a not-for-profit financial services organization that helps Christians on the wise with money journey. As a mission-driven, membership-owned organization, it offers its more than 2 million members and customers a broad range of financial products, services and guidance to help them obtain a life of contentment, confidence and generosity. Thrivent and its subsidiary and affiliate companies offer insurance, investments, banking and advice over the phone, online as well as through financial representatives and independent agents nationwide. Thrivent is a FORTUNE 500 company with $136 billion in assets under management/advisement (as of 12/31/17). For more than a century it has helped Christians make wise money choices that reflect their values while providing them opportunities to demonstrate their generosity where they live, work and worship. For more information, visit Thrivent.com. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter.