For Yardi programmer Alexander Graf, spending time each week with his “little brother” should probably not be described as volunteer work. As he talks about his mentee through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program of Santa Barbara County (part of the nonprofit Family Service Agency), Alex tells stories as though he is talking about his own sibling. Hanging out with Jerry, his 10-year-old “little brother”, is clearly not a chore to him at all. Jerry came into Alex’s life just two years ago. Despite a very busy schedule filled with work and community activities, Alex makes time to see him every week. With four siblings and a large extended family, Jerry might not always have the chance to have an adult’s undivided attention focused just on him. During his outings with Alex, that changes. “It’s nice to be a positive influence on someone’s life. And it’s great to see the happiness in kids’ eyes when they get to do something they have never been able to do before. Most of the mentees are from low-income families, and they don’t always get a lot of individual attention,” Alex said. Alex and Jerry enjoy spending time together at the Santa Barbara Zoo, the batting cages, local parks, and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History.  Alex has realized that Jerry might not respond if he simply tells him a story, but if you show him how to do something, like a chemistry experiment or how to make a balloon animal, he will be curious and probably want to participate. In turn, Jerry might not ask his Big Brother many questions about his own life, but he loves to tell Alex long, complicated stories that he makes up. Alex’s experience with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program...

Amy Bassett, Director of Education and Community Engagement for the Santa Barbara Symphony, knows how much difference music can make in the life of a child. She has experienced its power first-hand. Growing up in a very small town in Massachusetts, Amy was exposed to the power of music via television broadcasts of the Boston Pops, performing every Fourth of July at the Fireworks Spectacular on Boston’s Esplanade. The concert was televised statewide, and she would watch every year. Drawn to their performance, she became a musician, mastering the bassoon, and eventually earned a doctorate in musical arts. “For me, music was something that came into my life and helped me define and figure out who I was, and decide where I wanted to go,” said Bassett. Her musical talent and drive has taken her all over the United States, introduced her to interesting and accomplished people, and now allows her to play a role in sharing world-class music with the next generation. The Santa Barbara Symphony’s youth programs have a strong legacy that dates back a half-century. They expose local schoolchildren to the beauty and power of classic compositions, bring them to the historic Granada Theatre for performances, and offer participatory opportunities to children who have the talent and desire to take up an instrument. Over 100 volunteers help make the programming possible. “They are very excited,” Bassett said of the students who participate in the Symphony programs. “Many of them haven’t been exposed to it before, but with a little preparation and explanation, it goes a long way.” The Symphony’s education programs, which reach 4,500 students each year, include: The Music Van, which visits nearly 60 elementary schools across Santa Barbara County each year and gives 2200 third-graders the chance to learn...

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The popular I’Madonnari Street Painting Festival brings more than 25,000 people to Mission Santa Barbara each Memorial Day Weekend to view amazing art – temporarily presented on asphalt in chalk, but as dramatic as paintings you might see in any museum. This year’s fun will take place May 25-27, so mark your calendars. Not only is the weekend an amazing period of frenzied creativity and chalk dust on the artists’ clothes, but all the proceeds go to benefit a great local program, the Children’s Creative Project, which helps return arts programming and education to Central California’s budget strapped schools. Yardi is a sponsor of the event and  also a sponsor of the Children’s Creative Project, which has helped bring in school visual and performing arts education to more than 50,000 students at 100 school campuses. Students participate in the chalk art creation, working alongside talented professional artists, amateurs, and volunteers. Watch a cool time lapse video of the 2012 festival from start to finish: (Video created by Michael Brown Photography). Want to check out this year’s event? Visit the I’Madonnari website....

For Sharon Terry, CEO, establishing PXE International was not a matter of fulfilling a personal preference or a sense of adventure. The organization was created out of necessity. “We didn’t feel like we had a choice to start PXE,” she says. “We were completely compelled. If we didn’t do it, nothing would happen.” Nearly 20 years ago, Sharon discovered that both of her young children had pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), a rare genetic disease that affects the tissues of the eyes, skin, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems. Sharon and her husband embarked on a whirlwind study of genetics to learn more about the disease and available treatments. At that time, they had woefully limited data to help them. Inconsistencies and contradictions riddled what little information they found. The Terrys decided to take matters into their own hands, initiating PXE International. Sharon details her account in the article, Learning Genetics. “We were starting from the ground up,” recalls Sharon. “Now, we are the world’s premiere organization for PXE research.” Since 1995, PXE International has encouraged and sponsored groundbreaking research while providing support for those affected by PXE. To date, the organization has raised more than $1.7 million for applied translational research, treatment development and product development. The organization also provides insurance advocacy for families who were previously denied coverage. Researchers have determined that PXE is triggered by a gene that is expressed primarily in the liver; recent research has shown that PXE is a metabolic disease like diabetes or phenylketonuria. The disease can ultimately cause skin problems, vision loss, and problems in the arteries. There is no certified treatment or cure for PXE, though recent clinical studies have made promising headway. PXE International is a collaborator in a study by Dr. Lebwohl of Mt. Sinai School of...

Phipps Community Development Corporation (Phipps CDC) is dedicated to creating programs that help lift families out of poverty. More than 40 programs provide New Yorkers with the tools needed for self-sufficiency and promising futures. Nancy Riedl, Director of Development and Communications, addresses the hurdles that many low-income families face, “Housing isn’t the only answer. Residents need other supportive services—education, career readiness and community resources—to propel them into successful and sustainable futures. Our programs address these issues,” she says. “Many people living in poverty haven’t been exposed to all of the resources that they need. We try to directly address those needs where we find them.” Each year, Phipps CDC assists more than 9,000 New Yorkers with a variety of resources to meet their unique needs. Youth Education To break the cycle of poverty, Phipps CDC begins working with expectant parents and those with young children in its Early Head Start program. Classes are held in clients’ homes or at community centers, helping parents prepare their homes, finances, and social lives for the joys and challenges of parenting. More than 1,000 children ages 5-13 partake in Phipps CDC after-school programs. Volunteers and staff offer homework assistance, computer instruction, and guidance in the visual and performing arts, culinary arts, environmental studies and sports. The activities encourage kids to set goals, work in teams, and practice self-discipline. As a result, youth discover the skills needed to build confidence, become stronger students and take leadership positions among their peers. Phipps CDC youth programs extend beyond the school year and into the vacation months. Each summer, more than 600 families participate in camps that strengthen the body and the mind. Full-day camps pull youth away from the televisions and provide a safe, structured environment in which they can thrive....

Nearly six months after Hurricane Sandy swept the east coast, thousands of Long Island residents struggle to pulls their lives out of the rubble. The dire need for assistance remains. Many aid organizations have withdrawn from the region, piling a daunting load upon the few organizations that remain. Island Harvest is one of the few nonprofits that have endured in Long Island, providing food assistance to those hardest hit by the storm. Nicole Kowaleski, Vice President of Development, recalls the spike in aid requests that followed in the wake of super storm Sandy, “In the past, we gave to 570 agencies that then helped about 300,000 people in need. After the hurricane, 90,000 additional people were in need; five months later, 30,000 of them are still displaced in addition to the population that we regularly serve.” Kowaleski maintains a level head about the extent of residents’ need. She estimates that relief efforts will continue for at least another 18 months. “We’re targeting people in the hardest hit part of Long Island, the south shore. We’re making sure that every single person has their needs met. We give out food, water, and snacks–not just to the residents but also to first responders at pop-up sites throughout the area,” she explains. “We let people know who we are, let them know that we are here for them and that we are a resource for them.” Rising to the occasion has posed a series of challenges for Island Harvest staff and volunteers. Several member agencies, which act as extensions of the organization, were disabled by the storm and remain inoperable. Island Harvest is helping member agencies get back on their feet. Once those agencies recover, they will be able to contribute more fully towards the cause. Standard...

Passage Home assists the impoverished, the previously incarcerated, and recovery program participants on their path to self-sufficiency through stable housing and life skills training. The North Carolina-based organization faces formidable odds: with unemployment hovering around 35%, nearly 90,000 Wake County residents live in poverty with more than 1,100 facing homelessness. Many of those in need are single-parent households with incomes of less than $10,000. Undaunted, the nonprofit has come up with a plan that would not just mend the problems that the community faces, but rather eradicate the problems  from their roots. “We believe in empowering people by giving a hand up, not a hand out,” says Karis Lovett Tompkins, Chief Development Officer for Passage Home. Since its inception in 1991, Passage Home has helped more than 1,000 families pursue autonomy through a series of targeted programing. The organization presents a holistic set of services that aim to empower and enlighten, thus stopping the cycle of poverty. Housing and support services, financial education, youth development, and neighborhood revitalization efforts pull together to create healthy families, healthy homes, and a healthy environment in which residents can thrive. “The ultimate goal is to have these families in a stable environment,” Karis explains. “Each family is paired with a case manager who can help them where they need it most: job training, parenting, financial literacy—creating and sticking to a budget and improving their credit. We provide a holistic approach to helping families become self-sufficient.” It is Passage Home’s emphasis on empowering marginalized residents that attracted Karis. The nonprofit furnished her with the career change that she yearned for right when she needed it.  “I worked for 12 years selling clinical research software as the head of business development for an organization. It was fine but I needed...

As Atlanta Ronald McDonald House Charities (ARMHC) enters its second phase of expansion, Atlanta families can look forward to a brighter future in children’s health care. Yardi recently joined forces with ARMHC to provide quality care for Atlanta’s families in the greatest need. ARMHC specializes in making families feel at home during their toughest hours by providing low- and no-cost housing for those who would otherwise traverse great distances to the city’s hospitals. Children are able to receive the treatment that they need for illness and injury with their families nearby. Each year, Ronald McDonald House Charities equips more than 4.5 million families with the resources that they need to reside comfortably while their young ones undergo treatment at a nearby hospital. At each home, staff members and volunteers work hard to create an atmosphere that facilitates unity and rest, allowing parents to focus on their child’s recovery rather than the daily trails of household care. More than 42,000 families have had the opportunity to stay at the Ronald McDonald Houses of Atlanta. “These houses are an absolute lifeline,” explain Carrie Bowden, Marketing and Communications Director for ARMHC. “They are a stable place, a very loving place, that provides a lot of comfort while families are going through the toughest crises in their lives.” Both Houses are located in close proximity to state-of-the-art children’s hospitals. “The facilities provide food, safe and comfortable housing, laundry services, meals and transportation. It’s just tremendous to see the benefit that the Houses provide for families.” Two Ronald McDonald Houses call Atlanta home. The Peachtree-Dunwoody house was crafted to assist families that are undergoing rehabilitation at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Scottish Rite. Demand has grown in recent years, resulting in a need for more adequate housing. The Peachtree-Dunwoody House...

Since its humble beginnings in 1993, Camp Twin Lakes has touched the lives of more than 50,000 disabled and sick children. New ventures for this year, its 20th anniversary, ensure that number will continue to grow as camp staff, sponsors, and partners team up to reach more youth. This spring, the camp buzzes with activities, even as the dog days of summer draw near. Since 1993, Camp Twin Lakes has offered weekend and week-long camp excursions for young Georgians with disabilities and serious illnesses. Set against the forested backdrop of Winder, Rutledge, and Warm Springs, participants are encouraged to develop skills sets that will prepare them for a productive and promising future. Over 50 organizations, or camp partners, join forces to form Camp Twin Lakes. Each offers the camp’s participants a wide range of opportunities and activities that foster physical, mental, and social development. Each camp experience is customized for the personal needs of the child attending. Through camp activities, children are encourages to form and meet goals, build confidence, develop friendships and—of course—have loads of fun. “Kids walk away transformed, especially our campers who come in from the outside world where they feel so different from other kids,” said Audrey McMenamy, grant writer for Camp Twin Lakes. “They may be the only child in their class undergoing chemo therapy, or struggle with severe asthma. The camp sessions are arranged for kids with similar conditions so kids don’t feel different, isolated. Together they gain new skills and the walk away with great friendships. They get confidence from trying new things together and not being afraid.” Kathy Russell, Communications Manager, noted how quickly the camps help children break through perceived impossibilities. “Our campers face various challenges, and they face limitations on what they can accomplish...

A Dos Pueblos High School program that targets students at risk of dropping out of high school has proven its success, graduating 100 percent of the students who participated from 2009-2012. As a result, The Academy at Dos Pueblos High School  is expanding, and the 32 students currently participating in the focused, supportive education experience will be joined by a second cohort of sophomores in Fall 2013. More often than not, their school life was being made challenging by difficult home lives, lack of support for their studies and sometimes conflict.  Of the 32 students who were part of the Academy’s first class, most admitted they were at risk of leaving school altogether if they stayed on a traditional track, said Kelly Choi, Academy Director. Others were likely to have become involved with gangs or drugs. “The idea was to embrace these kids and not let them fall off the radar. They need a connection here at school to make them interested in staying at school,” Choi said. The 32 Academy students stay with their classmates for all of their classes, and have the same teachers for their core classes (math, English, science and social studies) during all three years of the program. The idea of sticking with the same group of 32 for three years is unique in a high school setting, where students typically bounce from group to group in classes, clubs, sports teams, and social settings.  The Academy’s “school family” brings support and accountability, which the students may not have at home. And it requires mediating past personality conflicts so that the group can stay cohesive, a valuable life skill. For the recently graduated seniors, it was the part of the program “that they hated the most in the beginning, but...

Dr. Bob Holmes, executive director of the Colorado Springs-based Homeward Pikes Peak, isn’t trained as a social worker. He has an MBA and a background in education. Holmes is also a Vietnam veteran who fervently believes that job training, support and residential stability is the way to get homeless Americans back on their feet. His innovative model for doing so, Homeward Pikes Peak’s Homeless Outreach, is one of three programs Holmes oversees that support the homeless population of Colorado Springs. The Homeless Outreach effort focuses mainly on women and kids, and has served 1,868 homeless in the last 27 months. “Our total helped toward self-sufficiency is 1,409 or 75% of those entering our program,” Holmes said. “The program budget is $217,200 per year and I raise this through the generosity of foundations, such as Yardi; faith-based organizations and individuals.” Once jobs are found, the families are allowed to stay at the Aztec long enough to build up their savings for a deposit and first month’s rent on an apartment. Average residency time at the Aztec is two to three months.With room for up the 80 residents at the Aztec Motel, a struggling local property that agreed to rent exclusively to the program, Holmes and his team of 2 full time, one part time case workers assist their residents not just with housing but identifying job skills, seeking out interviews and support. Homeward Pikes Peak adults must make multiple job contacts daily, and they also participate in cooperative child care and eight hours of community service per week. Children – there are 42 at the Aztec this week – must be in school. The success stories come from all sides of the spectrum. One resident, a jobless tech worker, landed a position at Hewlett Packard....

John G. Picerne’s desire to give something back to the military families, many of whom who live in Picerne Military Housing properties, was the impetus behind Our Family for Families First, a non-profit that funds educational scholarships for the children and spouses of U.S. Service Members. The organization was recently feted at the White House after being honored as a winner of the People’s Choice award in the Joining Forces Community Challenge, an effort to celebrate organizations that benefit America’s military families Maria Montalvo, executive director of Our Family for Families First, told us that receiving the award was overwhelming. “It was just fantastic not only to be recognized to but see all these other great organizations that are doing such good work, which I think is one of the best things about the Joining Forces program. It’s identifying a lot of resources that are out there for military families,” Montalvo said. When John Picerne created the Our Family for Families First initiative in 2006, he wanted to do something to impact military families on a very practical level. “It is important to me that we serve the families of our active-duty Service Members, and continue to be active and dedicated members of the communities we live and work in. My daughters, Alexandra and Caroline, and I, are honored to play a small role in helping military family members attain their educational goals,” Picerne wrote on the organization’s website. Montalvo explained that the hope is to support the award recipients both financially and emotionally. The foundation stays in touch with those who receive scholarships both to monitor their academic progress but also to offer support and encouragement. The first class of graduating seniors to receive the awards finished their studies last year and are...

Yardi Systems’ philanthropic efforts take on many forms, from monetary donations to employee-powered efforts to benefit and serve their communities. Sometimes the contributions are a combination of both. One of the most impressive food drives conducted at Yardi’s offices is the collection made on behalf of the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Each year, employees in our Raleigh office surpass the amount of donations they collected the year before. In 2011, 4,000 pounds of food were collected. They’re urged on by Rose Heibert, a team member with particular personal passion for the cause. Yardi also contributed a $10,000 general operating fund donation last year. With food and the grant, Yardi has provided 45,868 meals to the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina to date.  Employees from Yardi’s Raleigh office also donate their free time as Food Bank volunteers.  Volunteer jobs include sorting food, packaging bulk items into distributable packets, administrative tasks and much more. The Food Bank of CENC has seen large growth in the need for its services over the last three years, and that need exists year round. Last year the organization distributed 42.7 million pounds of food.  Serving 34 counties, donations are distributed from the central food bank to more than 800 partner agencies such as soup kitchens, food pantries, shelters, and programs for children and adults through warehouses in Durham, Greenville, New Bern, Raleigh, the Sandhills (Southern Pines) and Wilmington. Within the Food Bank CENC’s service area, approximately 545,000 people are at risk for hunger, meaning that they “may or may not know where their next meal is coming from,” said Jennifer M. Caslin, coordinator of marketing, public and branch relations for the Food Bank. Of that population, 34 percent of those who may be...

The wishes range from the simple – “I wish to have a PlayStation 2,” one little boy requested – to the unusual – “I wish to receive a blessing from the Pope,” asked another.  But both were granted, thanks to the efforts of the Make a Wish Foundation of Georgia and Alabama. Make a Wish, a national organization with chapters around the country, is supported by Yardi Systems as part of our corporate philanthropy program.  Helping sick kids realize some of their wildest dreams is the organization’s mission. “There are parents who tell us they hadn’t seen their child smile until they got their wish,” said Jill Thornton, Director of Development for Individual Giving.  “We have children who wouldn’t eat, and after they got their wish they were able to start eating again.” The wish recipients are usually struggling with chronic, sometimes terminal illnesses. “When these children are granted a wish, they get more than just a great experience for a day, two days or a week.  That special wish improves the quality of life for them and their families.  It gives them hope, strength and joy during a very difficult and challenging time,” explained John J. Brennan,  CEO of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Georgia and Alabama. Yardi has donated over $35,000 to the organization over the last three years. “On behalf of all our “Wish” children and their families, as well as our volunteers and staff, I thank and applaud Yardi for making such a vital and far-reaching difference in the lives of our Make-A-Wish children, year after year!”  Brennan said. See some of the touching stories of the wishes granted by the organization recently on their website. Below, read about a wish that was granted for a 10-year-old girl named Jessa. Yardi...

Santa Barbara County’s Computers for Families project gets students and families access to technology that helps them learn and grow. Computers have become as important today for student success as paper and pencil were just 20 years ago. The goal of CFF is to bridge the digital divide between low-income students who cannot afford technologies in the home and their more affluent peers. Through the organization’s efforts, more than 9,000 computers have been placed into the homes of low-income students, and more than 200 teachers have been trained to improve their instruction by using technologies as teaching and learning tools. Reduced cost internet access into the homes of low-income students gives them the tools that they need to learn and succeed in the modern economy. Families and students receive an orientation, information regarding Internet, and training on applications before they take their “new” computers home. The program also trains teens in the Los Prietos Boys Camp, a County-managed residential treatment program for young men committed by local courts, in computer repair.  Graduates of Los Prietos say that the skills they’ve learned have helped them get jobs in the tech repair industry after they return home. Computers for Families is a project of the Santa Barbara Partners in Education (Partners), a non-profit organization with members from business, industry, government, and local schools and colleges. Partners’ mission works to yield excellence in Santa Barbara area schools, producing outstanding graduates. Yardi Systems is among the Santa Barbara businesses that proudly supports CFF with donations of equipment and funding support. Surplus computers are donated to Computers for Families for refurbishment by local businesses, organizations, and individuals. Ben Romo, Director of Community Education & Special Projects, Santa Barbara County Education Office, tells us that Yardi’s contributions have been beneficial...