This regular feature focuses on philanthropic activities by Valley-area companies and businesspeople. The Fritz B. Burns Foundation gave a $1 million grant to Valley Presbyterian Hospital to fund the renovation of the hospital’s operating rooms into surgery suites. “The advanced surgical room upgrades are part of Valley Presbyterian Hospital’s ongoing commitment to bring innovative medical technology to the hospital for the benefit of our patients,” said Valley Presbyterian Hospital President/CEO Albert L. Greene. Valley Presbyterian was founded in 1958 and is the largest acute care hospital in the San Fernando Valley. It is a 380-bed facility and has over 500 physicians. Contractors Help Facility Safe Harbor East in Simi Valley is getting a makeover to their facility from the California Landscape Contractors Association. Safe Harbor is a center for physical and sexual assault victims. Safe Harbor opened in 2003 in a home purchased by the city of Simi Valley, the Chamber of Commerce and Home Aid. Last year, Safe Harbor lost a 100-year-old tree that shaded the front yard. Safe Harbor didn’t have the money to replace the tree or add any other plants to the yard. The Contractors Association selected Safe Harbor as its community project and helped spruce up the center. Safe Harbor’s program coordinator Jacquie Richardson said, “Now when families come to Safe Harbor East they will be comforted by the inside and the outside of our facility.” Baskin-Robbins Donation A Baskin-Robbins in San Fernando hosted a grand reopening party on Feb. 6 and donated $500 to the San Fernando Police Explorers and San Fernando Police Department. Brand officer for Baskin-Robbins Ken Kimmel said, “We are confident that the residents of San Fernando will embrace the new look and our commitment to the community through our non-profit partnership with the San Fernando Police Explorers and San Fernando Police Department.” Baskin-Robbins is headquartered in Canton, Mass. and is part of Dunkin Brands, Inc. It has 5,600 retail shops around the globe and more than 1,000 ice cream flavors. Alpha Charter Guild Gift The Alpha Charter Guild recently gave $25,906 to Antelope Valley Hospital to raise money for special equipment purchases and programs. Alpha Charter made a $152,500 pledge in 2001, which will help buy equipment for the breast imaging center and a defibrillator for the outpatient treatment center. The funds also will be used toward the continued operation of the Alpha Charter Guild Family Resources Center. AVH CEO Les Wong said, “The many contributions of the Alpha Charter Guild to Antelope Valley Hospital are immeasurable. They are a dedicated group of individuals who understand our hospital’s vital role in the community. The new equipment purchases and programs made possible with their gifts have benefited countless people over the years.” Artificial Intelligence CSUN’s college of engineering and computer science received software from MindBox to help students and faculty try to re-create human intelligence on a computer. CSUN is the only campus in the California State University system to have an artificial intelligence lab featuring MindBox software. “The goal of artificial intelligence is to simulate human intelligence on the computer. The scope of that involves everything from logical reasoning, creativity, natural language understanding, learning ability, consciousness (awareness of one’s self) and intuition,” said Peter Gabrovsky, director of the lab. Hospital Grant Glendale Adventist Medical Center recently received a $10,000 hospital grant from Glendale Community Foundation. The grant will be used for a family waiting room in the medical/surgical unit in the hospital’s new patient care West Tower. This waiting room will be named in honor of former executive director Tom Miller. President of the GAMC Healthcare Foundation David Burghart said, “It will be a place where leading-edge technology and medical expertise are blended for patient comfort and convenience. Additionally, we are making sure that the family members of those in our medical care are also being served, and this gift enables us to do that.” Compiled by Anne Littlepage
