American novelist and philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has donated two Beverly Hills homes to charity for a total of $55 million. The California Community Foundation (CCF), a nonprofit philanthropic organization based in Los Angeles announced that Scott, 52, donated “two single-family residences valued at $55 million” to the foundation in July. The gated 2.5 acre compound includes a 12,000 square foot main residence built in the 1990s, a 4,500 square foot guesthouse, a swimming pool, a full size tennis court and 6 car garage.
The first home was purchased by Scott and her ex-husband Jeff Bezos in 2007 for $24.45 million. The second home was purchased by the couple in 2017 for $12.9 million. The CCF hopes to quickly sell the high-maintenance spread, with the proceeds going towards affordable housing projects and an immigrant integration program. “The cost of housing stands out as one of the most critical issues affecting the lives of millions of Los Angeles residents. A priority for Ms. Scott, the primary focus of the $55 million will be to permanently endow grantmaking efforts to benefit Angelenos in need of affordable housing,” CCF said in a statement.
CCF has been an advocacy leader for increased affordable housing production, helping lead the passage of Proposition HHH, an initiative to add 10,000 new units in the City of Los Angeles by 2026. Los Angeles is poised to exceed its target by funding 10,510 units in 178 projects. Scott’s gift will permanently support the expansion of these grantmaking efforts. This is the second time Scott has donated to the organization, giving the nonprofit $20 million last year to create the LA Arts Endowment Fund.
Scott, whose estimated net worth is $37 billion makes her the 29th richest person in the world. Scott still owns 4% of Amazon after selling $8.5 billion in company stocks. After her divorce from Jeff Bezos, Scott signed the Giving Pledge, promising to donate at least half of her wealth over her lifetime, and has since gifted billions of her dollars to large and small organizations dedicated to social equity. She has so far donated more than $12 billion to charitable causes and groups as part of the Giving Pledge. Earlier this year, Scott donated $436 million to Habitat for Humanity. Last year she announced donations of $2.7 billion to nearly 300 organizations.
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A 12-year-old from Oklahoma City became the youngest black college student in Oklahoma history. Elijah Muhammad Jr. started his freshman year at Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) last month, enrolling in three classes as part of his cyber security major. Muhammad, who is home-schooled and currently a senior, graduating with his associate’s degree and his high school diploma at the same time next year.
Muhammad is also a three-time state champion wrestler and began a clothing line called Smart Boy. The soon-to-be teen plans to go to an HBCU after he graduates. His proud father, Elijah Muhammad Sr., said “He was very attentive, and there were things I noticed from when he was two years old that were just different, and I was like it’s time to cultivate this.”
Elijah Sr. said his son is not the only prodigy in his family. His sister, Shania, became the youngest person to enroll at OCCC at 13. She was also the youngest to graduate, at 14, in May. She held the record until her little brother beat her. “His sister just made history as the youngest graduate from Langston University and Oklahoma Community College with two associate’s degrees on the same day,” Muhammad Sr. said.
“We have a bunch of competitiveness but she really helps me out with a lot of my studying,” said Elijah Jr. Now that Muhammad Jr. has broken his sister’s record, he plans to follow in her footsteps to land scholarships to help pay for his education. “I’m very excited about getting scholarships because I’ve seen my sister get multiple scholarships and I was like, man, I can’t wait until I start getting my scholarships.” While he hasn’t decided where he will attend school he says he’s keeping his options open. “I heard Hampton does have a good cybersecurity program, but I’m just exploring my options right now.”
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Thousands of runners rally around the U.S. to finish the run by Eliza Fletcher, the Memphis teacher who was kidnapped and killed during an early morning jog. In cities across the country, runs were organized to honor the mother of two on September 9th, one week after her abduction while on an early morning jog near the University of Memphis campus.
The runs were organized on social media in multiple cities across the U.S. At 4:20 a.m. — alluding to the last time Fletcher was seen alive — friends and strangers wearing bright colors and lights ran, jogged and walked in her honor. Runners in Memphis ran the same 8.2 mile path Fletcher regularly ran. Runners in Boston, Philadelphia, Charlotte, Dallas, Nashville, Tupelo and elsewhere organized their own events as a tribute to Fletcher. Hundreds logged their runs on a website dedicated to the event.
Fletcher’s Sept 2nd abduction, which was caught on a surveillance camera on Central Avenue, sparked an intense search for the vehicle. Members of the U.S. Marshals Service located the GMC Terrain in a parking lot the next day and the suspect was arrested after trying to flee the area.
Many organizers of the Finish Eliza’s Run events have declined interviews out of respect to her family saying they want the focus to stay on Eliza Fletcher and other women who have gone missing, been harassed or felt unsafe while exercising. Fletcher’s family have requested privacy while they grieve and released a statement thanking people for their support.
“Now it’s time to remember and celebrate how special she was and to support those who cared so much for her. We appreciate all the expressions of love and concern we have received. We are grateful beyond measure to local, state and federal law enforcement for their tireless efforts to find Liza and to bring justice to the person responsible for this horrible crime.”
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The cast and crew of the Gravesend TV series reunited with the teenager they saved while filming in Brooklyn last November. Nam Phuong, 14 was walking his dog when a driver lost control of her vehicle and hit him along with a parked car. The teen and his dog were trapped under the vehicle when the cast heard the commotion.
Good Samaritans and members of TV mob show “Gravesend” acted quickly to free the 14-year-old. The crew was shooting a scene in a video store when they heard a loud crash but they didn’t see anything in the street. When Michele Frantzeskos, a producer for “Gravesend,” wandered outside, she heard yelling bystanders and saw the crash. She immediately grabbed the elderly couple out of the car.
That’s when she heard a voice saying “Help me, help me!.” She looked under the cae and saw the child injured and pinned underneath. Frantzeskos grabbed actor William DeMeo as he was walking to his trailer and called on other crew members to help. They quickly rushed over to help and assess the situation.
Members of the film crew and neighborhood banded together to lift the car up, allowing the teen to get out from under the car. The teen’s dog also escaped from under the car as its leash was released. The dramatic video of the rescue, taken by a bystander, shows the teens legs flailing from underneath the car around 10 people begin lifting it off of him.
Paramedics transported the teen to the hospital in critical but stable condition. The teen says he remembers looking behind him just before the car hit and then blacking out and waking up to being dragged by the car. Phuong sustained serious injuries but is recovering. He and his family visited the scene of the crash to meet the cast and crew that saved him. He said he is thankful for their quick thinking.
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#BeKind21 Kindness Challenge is an invitation for you to practice kindness toward yourself and others each day from September 1 to September 21 to build kinder, more connected communities that foster mental wellness. Inspired by the idea that habits are formed by repeating an activity for 21 consecutive days, Born This Way Foundation annually hosts #BeKind21 and invites participants to build a habit of kindness.
Those who sign up pledge to be kind to themselves and their community and share their experiences on social media using the hashtag #BeKind21. Born This Way Foundation, founded in 2011 by Lady Gaga and her mother Cynthia Germanotta launched #BeKind21 with the aim to make kindness cool, validate the emotions of young people, and eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health.
#BeKind21 had more than 6.8 million people last year who collectively pledged and encouraged over 143 million acts of kindness in just 21 days. Over 400 partners, including entire school districts, cities, nonprofits, and corporations, participated in the campaign and helped to spread the word. The annual program is now in its fifth year and has generated over 291 million pledged acts of kindness since it’s launch in 2018.
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Brian Schwartz, a former ad agency vice-president from Wayne, New Jersey started mowing lawns for free after being laid off due to the pandemic crisis in the summer of 2020. Schwartz said he started it just as a way of keeping himself busy during a difficult time while doing some good in the world.
I Want To Mow Your Lawn now operates in 42 different states, with 300 volunteers. They mow the lawns of the elderly, disabled, veterans, and anyone in need. They have mowed hundreds of lawns across the country. Anyone in need of help can submit a request on the website and they match them with a local volunteer or landscaping company volunteering their services.
They welcome any and all help, which can range from college students to professional landscapers, community service organizations, educational institutions, charitable corporations, families, busy working professionals, early retirees & their neighbors with a bit of extra time. Anyone with a desire to help however much time they can is welcome.
Vietnam veteran Larry Dbowsky and his wife Sandra met Brian two years ago, and since then, a volunteer has been showing up at their home twice a month to provide free mowing. Volunteers donate their time for various other landscaping tasks as well. Schwartz founded the non-profit I Want To Mow Your Lawn as what started out as a way to cope and help others but it has become a national movement that is still going strong.
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A Pennsylvania retiree is cultivating a garden and her community. Jeri “Momma J” Brockington, of Ambler, PA started Momma J’s Country Gardening as a way to teach her friends and neighbors how to grow vegetables and plants. Her memories of her great-grandmother picking and giving away vegetables from her own garden inspired her.
Brockington said as soon as she bought her home, she visualized using every area of the space to grow food. She went door to door introducing herself and encouraging neighbors to grow their own food. Her neighbors know they are always welcome to come over for some fresh produce or to pick up a new gardening tip. Brockington said it’s the smiles and sense of community that motivates her.
She encourages people to think back to a simpler time and learn how to provide for one another. In the wake of pandemic lockdowns and the September 2021 tornado, it’s become more important to her than ever.”These are times when the only way we’re going to get through it is that we work together,” Brockington said.
She also records educational videos for her YouTube page, encouraging followers on social media to post pictures of their own crops. “You can frequently go for years without knowing any of your neighbors,” said neighbor Frank Dunsmore. “And whenever I came down to this area, she was one of the few people that was always around. I’m not the kind of person who grows plants, but she’s done an amazing job with gardening and stuff like that,” said Dunsmore. “If knowledge is power, she’s giving it away.”
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Since 2009, LA-based non-profit, Food Forward has rerouted 250 million pounds of food from landfills and delivered over a billion servings of fresh produce to food insecure communities.
The non-profit helps reroute perishable produce to communities in need of more fresh fruits and veggies all over the country. A combination of inflationary governmental fiscal policy and the centrally-planned response to COVID-19 has really damaged the ability of rural or food-desert-based communities to buy fresh produce.
Food Forward has mastered the logistical challenge of rerouting produce destined for landfills. Southern California is the largest exporter and importer of produce in the country, making the non-profit centrally located where there is a great need. From its refrigerated food distribution center in south east LA, the group works with 350 direct partners coordinating food donations, which have so far made it out to 12 California counties, six other states, and two Tribal nations. Coming out of the centrally-planned chaos of the pandemic, Food Forward feels they are getting a grip on the demand for fresh produce rather than reacting to it in difficult or emergency circumstances.
CEO Rick Nahmias said “We understood workflows well enough, we understood efficiencies, we understood the network and how food flows through the L.A. area, the contiguous county, and the region. We’re all kind of under this umbrella, feeling like the last 10 years for Food Forward were a dress rehearsal for the pandemic.” Nahmias said among the many problems in this line of work, is the fact that often the food has just days of shelf life left.
Food Forward’s Wholesale Produce Recovery program staff rescue fresh fruits and vegetables from wholesale vendors by the truckload to prevent this unnecessary waste. The Farmers Market Recovery program prevents quality produce from being wasted, and provides a solution to farmers who have unsold produce and want to help fight hunger. A single market can yield over 2,000 pounds of seasonal produce that in many cases is organic. The Backyard Harvest program connects generous homeowners with volunteers ready to harvest surplus fruit on hundreds of private properties, public parks, orchards, and farms throughout Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
Nahmias credits his team’s nimbleness and excellent reactivity to the success that saw them win 2018 CA non-profit of the year. Their operation is so tight that every $1 donated allows them to redirect 10 pounds of produce from restaurants, grocery stores, or farms before sending them to communities that rarely get to buy fresh produce. Keeping perishing produce out of landfills also reduces methane gas emissions from its decomposition, reducing America’s methane footprint after about ten years.
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A beloved math teacher in L.A. entered what he believed was a faculty appreciation ceremony but instead walked out with the keys to a car. Julio Castro, 31, lives in Santa Clarita Valley and teaches at YULA Boys High School. He had been commuting about four hours a day by scooter and bus to get to and from school because he didn’t have a car, sometimes getting home as late as 9:30 p.m. — long after his three young children went to sleep.
Joshua Gerendash, a senior at the private, all boys school said “He still makes sure to devote all this time to students,“he made sure I understood all of the material by sitting down with me during his lunch breaks and sacrificing his time after school where he could be getting to the bus stop going back home.” Gerendash said Castro even helps students who aren’t in his class and that he’s “really dedicated to our futures.”
Gerendash was determined to get Castro a car after he happened to see him looking at cars online. After a months-long fundraising campaign, Castro’s students secretly raised more than $30,000 to buy him a 2019 Mazda CX-3. They also bought him a year’s worth of gasoline and car insurance.
Castro said “I feel surprised. I feel special. So thank you to my students. They are like my kids as well. Now that I have a car, I get to drop off my kids every morning. And then coming here with time to spare, I can use it on my lesson plans. Then on my way back, traffic is still bad, but I’ll be able to make it for dinner.”
Another senior at the school, Charlie Leeds said “No matter what happens with him, he is gonna find some way to pay it forward. We’ve been taught certain values like empathy” and to “treat your fellow person as you’d want to be treated. Mr. Castro is the embodiment of that. With this car, with this new opportunity, he’s only going to find more and more ways to help other people around him.”
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A group of high school football players in Georgia are being recognized for helping get a woman out of her wrecked car. The six students ran to the aid of a woman trapped in her car minutes after an accident near the school. As the vehicle began to smoke, they worked together to pry her bad mangled door open to get her out.
The Rome High School football players were identified as Cesar Parker, Treyvon Adams, Antwiion Carey, Messiah Daniels, Tyson Brown and Alto Moore. As soon as they saw the wrecked car they leapt into action. “We just ran as fast as we could to the lady and check on her to see if she was alright. We saw she was in pain, she was screaming and asking us to help her. We used all our muscles,we’re pretty big people, we’re strong. We play football, so we lift weights a lot, but the door was just extremely bent and broke.” Adams said.
It all happened in about a minute, once the woman was freed the teens checked on the other driver involved in the accident and carried on their way back to class. The 50 year old woman was transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. Their heroic actions were witnessed by staff at the school and they have been recognized by both the Rome City Schools and the Rome Police Department.
Ninth grade teacher Luis Goya witnessed the incident and praised them in a social media post that included a picture of them while they pulled the door open. “This morning I witnessed something amazing that our Rome High Football players did. While I was in front of the school during my morning duty, I heard a loud noise at the intersection that appeared to be a wreck. While I was running to the intersection, I noticed that two cars were involved. There was a 50 year old lady trapped in her car and couldn’t get out. Smoke started to come out of the car, and fluid started to spill everywhere in the intersection. The door was jammed and in terrible shape. While I was on the phone with the 911 dispatcher, the football players who witnessed the wreck, ran to the car and started helping the lady. They literally started using their strength to pry the door open, so the lady could be released. After a few seconds of pulling and pushing the door, the boys ended up opening it and helped her get out of the car. She was shaking and still in panic, but our RHS boys gave her comfort and were able to help her. The Rome High School football players really showed up today. They went above and beyond to help this lady without hesitation” Goya said.
Adams admitted that the team has been getting a lot of love and recognition for their act, which teachers said they deserved, and the school has helped drive. In true hero fashion, the teens say while the recognition was nice, it was something anyone would do.
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