Hope Means Nevada, a movement to raise awareness around mental health and teen suicide, launched six months early to support Nevadans with increased stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. The campaign was created by R&R Partners and 30 partners and supporters including organizations like Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation, Las Vegas Raiders, UNLV, Vegas Golden Knights, the cities of Las Vegas and Henderson, R&R Partners Foundation and Clark County Medical Society Alliance. The goal is to connect the community to appropriate resources for help and support, creating a statewide culture of sustainable funding and caring for mental health, and ultimately reversing Nevada’s suicide rate.
The Nevada Franchised Auto Dealers Association and its southern chapter, Southern Nevada Franchised New Car & Truck Dealer Association, donated $100,000 to the state’s COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund. In addition to association donations, Bill Pearce Motors, Forman Automotive and other members of NFADA have made individual contributions as well. In conjunction with their #DriveBigger campaign, Findlay Volkswagen Henderson has transformed its Little Free Library into a food pantry stocked with fresh fruit, vegetables and nonperishable food items for employees and the community.
New Vista, a nonprofit that provides supported living arrangements for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, has partnered with HomeAid Southern Nevada to renovate one of four homes in New Vista Ranch to provide safe, clean and dignified housing for residents as part of its Youth Initiative Campaign. The campaign seeks to address the challenges plaguing children in the foster care system. Located near Gilcrease Orchard, the ranch is situated on 15 acres, and comprises four custom homes, built especially for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas, along with McDonald’s and its community partners, awarded $141,250 to 90 high school seniors and 43 returning college students through the organization’s scholarship program for 2020. Since 1999, RMHC and its partners have awarded more than $4.4 million in scholarships to eligible students and alumni in Clark and Nye counties.
The Public Education Foundation awarded more than $2.7 million in college scholarships to over 600 graduating high school seniors and college-enrolled students for the upcoming 2020-21 school year, a record-breaking year thanks to the generosity of donors. Since 1995, the foundation has worked with donors and organizations to award more than $18 million in scholarships to more than 6,400 students. Each year, approximately 350 scholarships are available, some that award to multiple students.
The Rogers Foundation awarded 25 local high school seniors college scholarships totaling more than $2 million, with each award ranging from $20,000 to $100,000. The money is valid toward educational costs at any college or university in the United States. Scholarships are awarded annually with rolling application submissions accepted in the fall and winter.
BOMA Nevada, the Nevada chapter of the commercial real estate nonprofit organization, donated $7,500 to aid in the COVID-19 relief efforts of the Salvation Army Southern Nevada to provide shelter and meals for hundreds of homeless people and equip Nevadans in need with supplies and medical beds.
The Salvation Army Southern Nevada was awarded a grant from the MGM Resorts Foundation for its anti-human trafficking program, SEEDS of Hope, which provides case management to identified victims of human trafficking. With this funding, the program, led by Erin Kauffman, plans to provide services to 40 or more victims of trafficking.
Comprehensive Cancer Centers of Nevada donated 10,000 sunscreen packets to the Cashman Isolation-Quarantine Complex (ISO-Q), which houses and treats the Valley’s homeless population who have contracted the coronavirus. The donation, secured through the Mayor’s Fund for Las Vegas LIFE, is the result of the organization’s efforts to coordinate and secure donations of cash and items needed to combat the coronavirus. The sunscreen packets will be used at the ISO-Q, a partially outdoor facility.
Goettl Air Conditioning and Plumbing donated $3,000 along with needed food items to Three Square to help families who relying on its services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The donation will help the food bank supply more than 18,000 meals. Goettl team members began collecting monetary donations as well as nonperishable food items and toiletries at their office on 6521 W. Post Road. Additionally, Ken Goodrich, CEO of Goettl, matched every item and dollar contributed throughout the drive.
Bank of Nevada committed more than $415,000 to help mitigate the impact of the pandemic on communities across Nevada and strengthen those communities as they work to emerge from the crisis. These funds are part of an overall contribution of $2 million from Western Alliance Bancorporation, the Phoenix-based parent company of Bank of Nevada, for community needs in Nevada, Arizona and California. The donation encompasses all support given to organizations within Nevada on behalf of Bank of Nevada and First Independent Bank. In Southern Nevada, funded organizations include: the COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund, Workforce Connections - Layoff Aversion Pilot, United Way of Southern Nevada, the Public Education Foundation and Delivering With Dignity.
City National Bank donated $10,000 to the Nevada COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund to support the state’s recovery efforts. Additionally, the bank made a $5,000 donation to Three Square and its Bag Childhood Hunger campaign. The funds from City National will be matched by the Bennett Family Foundation, up to $10,000, which will provide 60,000 meals to Southern Nevada’s food-insecure families and children.
Carl Icahn made a grant of $350,000 to Caesars Cares, an assistance fund established to support Caesars Entertainment team members who suffer unanticipated hardships. The donation matched those of many of the company’s business partners, for a total of $700,000. Dining partner donors include Gordon Ramsay, Giada De Laurentiis, Guy Fieri and Bobby Flay, as well as Mr. Chow, Nobu Restaurant, Old Homestead and Rao’s. Entertainment partner donors include Criss Angel, Jeff Dunham, Mat Franco, Jimmy Kimmel, Wayne Newton, Penn & Teller, Piff the Magic Dragon, Jerry Seinfeld and Donny Osmond. Show contributions include Bronx Wanderers, the Mac King Comedy Magic Show, Menopause the Musical, Paranormal and X Burlesque. Many of Caesars’ other business partners have made donations as well, including Adobe, Base Entertainment, C3 Presents, Desert Labor, Glist Entertainment, Kre8 Media, Red Mercury, Stabile Productions, Ticketmaster and We Serve.
Venetian and Las Vegas Sands partnered with Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada to provide 1,000 boxed meals a day from May 1 to May 14. The meals were used for homeless outreach while the organization’s dining facility was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each boxed meal included a “Message of LOVE,” a note that shares words of encouragement submitted online by Venetian team members, and others from around the world. In addition, each box was distributed with a Venetian hygiene kit containing body wash and lotion.