LOS ANGELES (February 4, 2012) – On Saturday, February 4, 2012, “It’s Our Turn—Young Women’s Conference at Brentwood School” included presentations and panel discussions by an impressive range of 32 female leaders who addressed topics relevant to young women in the process of defining themselves and finding their own voice. Experts in their fields tackled topics such as activism, body image, bullying, feminism and equality, global issues for women, women in entertainment and media, and women in sports. Honorary Chair Maria Shriver and special guest Mary J. Blige were among the icons present to speak with girls in Grades 8 through 12 representing over 110 different schools from throughout the Los Angeles area. An ambitious group of high school students at Brentwood School, a K-12 independent school in Los Angeles, CA, conceived of “It’s Our Turn” to empower young women to take charge of the future in positive ways that influence and inspire others. Jade Iovine, one of the student organizers of the event, said, “I realized that how girls treat each other is important, and that begins with them feeling empowered. We need to be educated early on how to fulfill our potential in order to actually change the world. For many of the young women at the conference, this education started today.

Page Adler, Co-Founder, The Painted Turtle
Carolyn Blashek, Founder, Operation Gratitude
Tanya Lopez-Brooks, Founder, One Voice

I produced the video below which was screened at our “Giving Back” breakout sesson:

When you buy or sell a house, you can support the Gaines-Jones Education Foundation at zero cost to you. My Broker Donates connects you with best-in-market real estate agents who will donate 15% of their fee to GJEF. Buy or sell your home, and help GJEF fund college scholarships for African-American students.

Who do you know that is thinking about buying or selling a home?

Now there’s a way for that sale to generate a big donation for the Gaines-Jones Education Foundation – at no cost to you.

GJEF is partnering with My Broker Donates so your home sale can help us fund scholarships for African-American students in Southwest Georgia and the San Francisco Bay Area.

My Broker Donates connects non-profit supporters with best-in-market real estate professionals who agree to donate 15% of their fee to GJEF. You choose the real estate agent you like best! It costs you and GJEF nothing. It’s just like a normal real estate transaction, only your broker donates part of his fee to GJEF – in your name.

A $500,000 real-estate transaction generates a donation of more than $2,000.That money will help GJEF fund college scholarships for African-American students.

Even if you have an existing relationship with an agent or broker, My Broker Donates can help you create a donation for GJEF. Just visit www.MyBrokerDonates.com. They’ll take care of everything. You’ll work with a great agent, and GJEF will receive much-needed funding.

These are real estate transactions that are going to happen either way, so why not help GJEF benefit from them?

In the quarter from September 2011 to January 2010, GJEF was chosen by Whole Foods Market Novato as one of two non-profits in their Nickels for Non-Profit program. In this program, Whole Foods donates 5 cents for every reusable bag at the register.

“Your organization has been a pleasure to work with. I will continue to use the Gaines-Jones Foundation as an example of the kind of partnership and cross-promotion that can be fostered through this program. I sincerely appreciate all of your efforts to drive traffic to the store and your commitment to having a presence in the store as well.”

— Lynda Berrios, Marketing and Community Relations Team Leader, Whole Foods Market Novato

A big thanks also to our supporters who shopped at the store, and our teen board, Positive Impulse, for representing GJEF well by tabling three times over the quarter.

On Sunday, January 22, 2012, Positive Impulse launched a new project, spending two hours engaging children at Homeward Bound of Marin’s Family Emergency Center  (FEC) in San Rafael, California. FEC provides short-term, emergency housing for 14 homeless families at a local motel site.

It was raining pretty hard that day. Nine kids ranging in age from 2-13 showed up and we were allowed to use the vibrant Head Start classrooms on the site, which gave plenty of space to spread out. PI immediately made new friends, teaching finger-knitting, playing dress-up, Legos, concentration or simply talking one-on-one.

The teens have committed to visiting the FEC children on a bi-monthly basis for the next three months….for starters…

ALBANY, GA. June 2011

In this photo Benjamin Jealous, president of the NAACP, visits with a group of 2011 GJEF Scholars in the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn. Mr. Jealous was in town for the 50th Anniversary of the Albany Civil Rights Movement held on the campus of Albany State University. GJEF sponsored a reception in the Hilton Garden lobby for this year’s scholarship recipients, and when Mr. Jealous walked thorough on his way to his room, he gladly accepted the offer to pull up a chair and chat with our students about their college plans.

Kaila Barrett

Jordan Conway

Matthew Parker

As they continue to work within their mission to “help others locally and globally”, our teen board of directors is now in its third year of philanthropic projects.

Shown here, founding members Miranda Roehrick (Chairman) and Tristan Gounard dismantle a temporary art installation at their Story of Stuff party. The installation was used to show the many items that end up in our landfills when they should be recycled, reuse or composted.

Title: Carbon Footprint
By: Unconscious Household Consumer
Medium: Mixed-up
Cost: Immeasurable Damage to the planet