Karl Boeckmann Sets Up Providence Charitable Annuity

Auto industry executive Karl Boeckmann and his wife have established a charitable gift annuity to support Providence Tarzana and Providence Holy Cross medical centers, announced Providence Health & Services Foundation. Boeckmann, who set up the Karl and Thyra Boeckmann Charitable Gift Annuity, is vice president of Galpin Ford in North Hills. A charitable gift annuity is a contract in which a charity agrees to pay a fixed amount of income to an individual over the remainder of a lifetime in exchange for a transfer of cash or other property. Charitable gift annuities for Providence hospitals can be made by a donation of $10,000 by one or two people age 65 or older. “Our campaign to add more pediatric and cardiac services at Providence Tarzana Medical Center has taken another step toward our $10.6 million goal,” said Patty Williams, executive director of the Providence Tarzana Foundation. Boeckmann said he and his wife also believe in and support the emergency and trauma services of Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills. The hospitals serve patients who arrive by helicopter and ambulance from throughout Los Angeles County. Hasbro Gives Playground The Help Group received a new playground designed for children with autism as a gift from the Hasbro Children’s Fund. The Hasbro Children’s Fund is the philanthropic arm of Rhode Island-based children’s entertainment products company Hasbro, Inc., and its recently formed Hasbro Studios in Burbank. A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Nov. 4 for the Boundless playground that is located at the nonprofit’s autism center in Sherman Oaks. “We’re thrilled to help Hasbro Boundless playground get off to a phenomenal start,” Steve Davis, president of Hasbro Studios, said at the event. “We are so very, very impressed with the great work of The Help Group – we are inspired by the children and the great progress they make here.” The gift marks the first charitable initiative in Los Angeles by Hasbro and the recently formed Hasbro Studios. At the event, leaders from The Help Group joined with two students to present Hasbro and Hasbro Studios officials with artwork made by the children, and the nonprofit’s Children Choir performed a special song of tribute to the company. “We are so grateful that the children of The Help Group have joined more than 4 million children worldwide who have been given the gifts of hope, play and a helping hand by Hasbro,” said Dr. Barbara Firestone, The Help Group’s president and CEO. Amgen Gives to Universities Amgen Foundation’s “Amgen Scholars” initiative is moving into the second phase of its $34 million program aimed at inspiring the next generation of scientists, announced the foundation of the Thousand Oaks-based biotechnology company. The initiative partners with universities in the United States and in Europe. Universities in the Los Angeles are involved in the initiative include University of California, Los Angeles and California Institute of Technology. For the second phase, which extends through 2014, each of the 13 partner participating universities will receive about $1 million over the next four years. The U.S. and European programs will each continue to host a summer symposium that allows students to share their summer research projects, learn about biotechnology and hear first-hand from scientists. The second phase will also offer travel awards to help support Amgen Scholar alumni currently enrolled in masters, PhD and MD-PhD programs in scientific fields to share their research at scientific conferences. “There continues to be a shortage of qualified scientists and engineers entering the workforce each year,” said Jean Lim, the foundation’s president. “The Amgen Scholars Program encourages students to pursue a scientific career by providing critical hands-on experiences in laboratories of top scientific research universities across the U.S. and Europe.” Center Presents Donor Wall Child and Family Center Foundation of Santa Clarita Valley unveiled its new Donor Wall to honor its major contributors, announced the foundation for the nonprofit community mental health center. The wall was unveiled this month at the group’s installation of its new board officers. The Donor Wall is engraved with the names of its Lifetime Benefactors and Guardians of Hope, which include companies, families and individuals who have contributed to the mental health care services organization over the past three decades. The permanent tribute is located at the group’s headquarters on Centre Pointe Parkway. “We’re very happy to express our gratitude in a way that people in the SCV will see for years to come,” said Lois Bauccio, the foundation’s president and executive director. The group’s board members also presented awards to three supporters for their exceptional contributions. The Volunteer of the Year award went to Debbie Heys, the Philanthropists of the Year award went to Jacquie and Harold Peterson, and the Business of the Year Award went to Bank of Santa Clarita. Valley Groups Get Grants Bank of America’s Charitable Foundation offered grants to Valley-are nonprofits through its Neighborhood Excellence Initiative on Nov 10, the foundation announced. The Valley Economic Development Center was one of four organizations to be named as the initiatives’ 2010 Los Angeles “Neighborhood Builders,” allowing it to receive $200,000 in unrestricted grant funding from the foundation. As a grant recipient, the center will also participate in Bank of America’s Neighborhood Excellence Leadership Program with other nonprofit leaders from 44 communities across the country. Los Angeles-based Beyond Shelter, which has a Homeless Access Center in Pacoima, also received the grant. The foundation also honored individuals through the initiative’s Local Heroes category by making $5,000 donations to eligible organizations of their choice. Donations were made to Santa Clarita-based Single Mothers Outreach in honor of DaAnne Smith and to Northridge-based The Village Nation in honor of Fluke Fluker. “Through our Neighborhood Excellence Initiative, we are helping to generate meaningful and cumulative economic and social impact at the local level where it’s needed most,” said Janet Lamkin, Bank of America’s California president. NorthStar Launches Campaign NorthStar Moving Corporation has launched a campaign to raise donations for a Calabasas girl battling cystic fibrosis, the Chatsworth-based company announced. The company added “Claire’s Corner” to its new Moving Happiness Home blog, where 13-year-old Claire Wineland can write about anything she chooses. “Claire is an incredible child and she needs our help,” said Laura McHolm, co-founder of NorthStar Moving Corporation. “She needs a very costly lung surgery and already has mounting medical bills from repeated extended stays in the hospital. Her family has set up a 501c3 that will help them handle the costs.” The campaign follows the company’s move in August to help grant Wineland’s wish for a bedroom makeover through the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles’ efforts to grant the organization’s 7,000th wish. NorthStar Moving Corporation later chose Wineland to represent their online character “Snap Greene,” whose blog Moving Happiness Home is about going green, the community and moving. Jessica Vernabe