NBCUniversal Foundation's 21st Century Solutions grant challenge in partnership with NBCU-owned stations has awarded 30 local nonprofits a total of $1.2 million to support various initiatives in 10 NBC O&O markets.
In its third year, the program supports what NBCU calls “innovative, high-impact initiatives” in civic engagement, education, technology and other fields.
“Our foundation’s mission is to support dynamic and progressive programs in our communities in order to further innovative thinking that will move our cities and nation forward,” said Beth Colleton, senior VP of corporate social responsibility, for NBCUniversal, in announcing the latest grant winners.
Among the winners:
In New York: Girls Write Now for its Digital Media Mentoring Program, which pairs aspiring writers with writers and media professionals.
In Dallas-Fort Worth: Big Thought is getting a grant for its Dallas City of Learning digital skills programming. The program is part of a partnership with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and Mozilla.
In San Francisco: Youth Radio's grant is for its Youth Radio Innovation Lab, a partnership with MIT Media Lab’s Center for Mobile Learning to create new "storytelling" platforms.
In Los Angeles: The Family Service Association’s Mobile Fresh program in Los Angeles and the Hartford Food System’s Hartford Mobile Market in Connecticut are being awarded for their mobile food pantries. The nonprofits are implementing mobile food stores that travel to the communities with limited availability to healthy food.
In Philadelphia: The Food Bank of South Jersey has collaborated with Campbell’s Soup and local farmer cooperatives to feed the hungry.
In San Diego: United Through Reading has created a pilot program connecting the troops abroad and their families at home through a reading program that keeps deployed service members involved in their children's literacy development.
In South Florida: the Legal Aid Service of Broward County partnered with the United Way of Broward County to provide pro bono legal services to members of the military members and their families.
In Washington, D.C. : Operation Renewed Hope Foundation is getting a grant for a program to provide housing for at-risk veterans and their families.
