Van Nuys senior and family services agency OneGeneration finalized its acquisition of Canoga Park-based nonprofit Grandparents as Parents on July 1. The two charities sought the deal to combine their services and shore up their finances. Both provide “intergenerational” services to seniors and children, including trauma care, long-term illness treatment and education. “It made business sense but also mission sense,” said OneGeneratrion President Eva Goetz. “Because both have worked in the same community, we have crossed paths on a number of projects.” OneGenerartion will take over Grandparents as Parents’ entire staff and operations to develop a new program within the organization. No money changed hands in the deal. The merger comes as nonprofits in the Valley have seen overall fundraising decline in recent years. As a result, many are pooling their resources and finding ways to work together when their constituencies overlap. After the Great Recession, total contributions in L.A. County dropped from $7 billion in 2007 to $5.8 billion the following year, according to a report by the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs. In 2013, contributions remained stagnant at just over $6 billion. Nonprofit leaders say that total donations, particularly in the Valley, have yet to rebound to pre-recession levels. “Of the eight areas in L.A. County, we have the largest population and most wealth but we give the least and we have the most poverty,” Brigette Loden, executive director of Community Foundation of the Valley told the Business Journal last month. Loden said this could be because more people are giving to national and international organizations instead of local causes. While the Valley’s nonprofit sector has struggled, total contributions in the U.S. actually increased last year. Goetz hopes OneGeneration’s expanded services will help convince institutional donors to give more. “Foundations look at their donations as a return on investment, just as any investor would,” she said. Applebee’s Cancer Campaign Applebee’s Neighborhood Grill and Bar has partnered Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation to raise $1 million for pediatric cancer research. The restaurant chain, which is owned by Glendale-based Dine Brands Global Inc., aims to raise the money by donating a portion of lemonade sales, selling paper lemons and hosting a series of neighborhood events. Through Aug. 12, 1,050 Applebee’s locations will participate in the campaign. “Since 2005, Applebee’s restaurants have raised more than $8.2 million for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation, and we are driven to bring that total to more than $9.2 million this year,” said Applebee’s President John Cywinski in a statement. “Our franchisees and team members are incredibly passionate about Alex’s mission, and it’s wonderful to see everyone come together to support a cause that’s so important.” Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation is a Pennsylvania-based nonprofit dedicated to childhood cancer research and treatment. Sinise Foundation Dinner The Gary Sinise Foundation held its seventh annual fundraising dinner for military veterans and their families July 2 in Woodland Hills. Veterans Travis Mills and Bonnie Carroll were recognized for their service and received donations from Sinise and his wife to support their own nonprofit organizations. Republican political consultant and pollster Frank Luntz was also recognized at the event. “From the beginning of this work I’ve been involved in for so many years, I’ve met incredible people. Individuals who have sacrificed themselves, who have given so much, and then turned that sacrifice into service for others,” said Sinise in a statement. “This year my wife and I decided we wanted to honor a few friends who have certainly given a lot and who have inspired others by doing more each day to give something back.” The actor founded the nonprofit in 2011 to raise money for servicemembers and first responders. Semtech Donations Camarillo-based semiconductor supplier Semtech Corp. raised more than $90,000 in donations at its sixth annual charity golf tournament on June 15 at the River Ridge Golf Course in Oxnard. The money will go to Ventura County social services agency Interface Children & Family Services. The nonprofit provided support to communities during the Thomas Fire and Montecito Mudslides last winter. “Interface is extremely grateful for Semtech’s commitment to the safety, health and well-being of children, families and communities of Ventura County,” said Interface Marketing Director Catherine Kort in a statement. “The generous donations from the tournament will support our ability to respond to calls for help when crises like the Thomas Fire occur.” Staff Reporter Ethan Varian can be reached at (818) 316-3130 or [email protected].
