Summer 2012 Newsletter
InvestingChange in
Making an investment for tomorrow… today.
Helping Long Island’s Veterans: You know that good feeling you get when you help make things better? LICF grants are made possible in large part by generous Long Islanders who want to make a difference—and set up endowed funds with us. To find out how you can leave your own legacy, contact Marie Smith, Director of Donor Relations & Communications at (516) 348-0575, ext. 223 or msmith@licf.org.
Inside 2 Donor Profile – Marie Colvin 2 LIUU - 20 Years of Social Change 3 Board and Staff news 4 Donor Event Highlights at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
The fight doesn’t always end when our heroes come home. “James” an Iraq combat vet, was facing eviction. His experience during a violent and bloody ambush in which he was nearly killed left him traumatized, anxious, and severely depressed. He had been receiving mental health care from the VA at Northport, but the legalities of his eviction were complicated, to say the least, and moving into a shelter would have been destabilizing. Thanks to the Veterans’ and Servicemembers’ Rights Clinic at Touro College, the eviction was postponed and “James” had the time to relocate. Long Island has a military veteran population of 167,000, more than any other area in New York State. Many of Long Island’s returning veterans are National Guard and reserve members, whose civilian lives have been disrupted by multiple deployments. The range of administrative and legal hurdles these service members face can be daunting, particularly for those with psychological disorders. Veterans are barred from paying a lawyer to represent them while benefits claims are pending, but a pro bono attorney or a nonprofit can represent them. Touro College Law Center opened a Veterans’ and Servicemembers’ Rights Clinic in 2010 to provide legal assistance to veterans and their families. Recognizing the increasing need of returning veterans with mental health disorders for legal assistance, LICF made a $20,000 grant to Touro’s Law Center. This year, approximately 15 second and third year students, along with a
Touro Law students (left to right) Jusun Yook, Christina Forte, Tryan Bryks and Harrison Corcoran, on hand to provide free legal help and advice to LI vets.
supervising attorney, are providing free legal help and advice to Long Island veterans, most of whom have mental illness and are in desperate need of VA benefits.
“Dealing with the bureaucracy at the VA is a difficult task,” said Harrison Corcoran, a law student interning at the clinic. “In order to get any kind of real response, you have to be ready to send multiple e-mails and letters and follow them up with strategically timed phone calls. As difficult as it is for me to get any answers, I can only imagine how hard it must be for some of our mentally ill clients.” While veterans suffering from mental illness are entitled by law to disability benefits to sustain themselves and their families, it takes an average of more than four years for a veteran to fully adjudicate a claim; and there is no coherent system for prioritizing mental health intake appointments or tracking veterans with risk factors.
The director of the clinic, John A. Gresham, is a professor and attorney specializing in disability rights and mental illness, and has established partnerships with local VA medical centers, advocacy and support groups, bar associations, and the Suffolk County Veterans Court. “Funding from LICF is actually two-fold. Not only are we helping Long Island veterans with their legal issues, we’re building for the future by educating students on the law relevant to veterans – rare in the U.S. law schools – and exposing students to the satisfaction that comes with this work,” explains Gresham.
“Many military veterans are having to do battle on the home front to get the services they deserve,” said David Okorn, executive director of LICF. “The Veterans’ and Servicemembers’ Rights Clinic cuts through the red tape and provides a critical service to our Island’s heroes.” n
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Happy Anniversary LIUUF — 20 Years of Social Change This year marks the 20th anniversary of The Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund (LIUUF), a donor-advised fund established in the Long Island Community Foundation (LICF) in December 1992 by the Unitarian Universalist Veatch Program at Shelter Rock. Guided by a council of advisors who represent Unitarian Universalist congregations throughout Long Island, the LIUUF has awarded millions of dollars to nonprofits in Nassau and Suffolk counties to advance grassroots progressive social change. Often taking bold leadership, LIUUF has supported projects that build power among marginalized groups, advocate for policies and practices that level the playing field, and make Long Island a more equitable and peaceful place for all of its residents.
“The LIUUF is committed to strengthening social justice on Long Island by using the power and resources of philanthropy,” explains Mary Beth Guyther, LICF program officer managing the Fund. “It opens pathways to civic participation among the region’s most vulnerable.”
Highlights: Number of grants: 458 Total awarded: $4,039,650 Average grant: $20,000 Advisors use these seven Unitarian Universalist principles to guide LIUUF grantmaking decisions: 1 A belief in the inherent worth and dignity n of every person;
2 Justice, equity and compassion in human n relations;
3 Acceptance of one another and n
encouragement of spiritual growth;
4 A free and responsible search for truth n and meaning;
5 The right of conscience and the use of the n democratic process;
6 The goal of world community with peace, n liberty, and justice for all;
7 Respect for the interdependent web of all n existence of which we are a part.
Some of the goals of LIUUF grants include working to protect the civil and human rights of people of color, immigrants, women, GLBT individuals, and disadvantaged people; amplifying the voices of and provide concrete benefits to low-income communities; and promoting an inclusive vision of social, economic, and environmental justice. n
Focus Areas:
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n
Immigrant Rights
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Community Organizing
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GLBT Advocacy
n
Educational Equity
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Anti-Racism
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Legal Advocacy
public institutions have not adapted their policies to respond, causing significant alienation and community tension. The 100 year-old Five Towns Community Center (FTCC) is a nonprofit, multiservice agency that strengthens individual, family, and community life through a wide range of support services, health and education programs, community organizing, and advocacy. An investment from the LIUUF helped the nonprofit launch the Latino Empowerment Project—a program designed to provide a cadre of Latino residents with the skills, resources, and structure to advocate on behalf of their communities. The results have brought about real change for the Latino people in Inwood, improving communications and creating more inclusive policies in the school districts, like translation services and culturally sensitive practices.
“The LIUUF has had an important impact on Long Island nonprofits,” said Lisa Popovitch, Chair of the LIUUF Advisory Committee. “Monies have been granted to grassroots groups, which are day to day battling injustices that prevent people from having equal access to resources. This social justice grantmaking brings to life the seven UU principles.” n
Change, not Charity Many charitable people respond to people in need, giving, for example, to nonprofits that help the homeless and the hungry. The LIUUF supports those who deal with the underlying causes of deep-rooted social problems and work to change these conditions. The power that social change organizations bring to the table is their ability to organize, to educate and to mobilize.
LIUUF Advisory Committee Members
The following is but one example of an LIUUF grant that has produced positive change for one rapidly growing Latino community.
Lisa Popovitch, Unitarian Universalist Central Nassau Garden City
Located on the South Shore of Nassau County, the Five Towns area is made up by the hamlets of Lawrence, Cedarhurst, Woodmere, Hewlett, and Inwood. The Five Towns contains some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the metropolitan area, but Inwood is considered one of the poorest in the County. Despite the increase in Latino residents, many
Diane Cohen, Unitarian Universalist Central Nassau Stuart Lowrie, Unitarian Universalist Congregation South Fork
Susanne Richter, Unitarian Universalist Society of South Suffolk/Bay Shore Cynthia Stewart, Unitarian Universalist Fellowship at Stony Brook Nancy Van Dyke, Veatch Partner, Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock
LICF Welcomes Our Three Newest Board Members Marie Colvin
Donor Profile East Norwich native Marie Colvin, 56, a correspondent for The Sunday Times of London, was killed during a Feb. 22 rocket attack in the city of Homs, Syria as she covered a fierce government crackdown on rebel forces. The Colvin family established a memorial fund in memory of Marie at the Long Island Community Foundation. The fund will make donations to charitable and educational organizations that reflect Marie’s lifelong dedication to humanitarian aid, human rights, journalism and education. In April of this year, On the Front Lines, a collection of Marie’s finest work, was released; a portion of the proceeds will go to the Marie Colvin Memorial Fund at LICF. On the Front Line includes her various interviews with Yasser Arafat and Colonel Muammar Gadaffi; reports from East Timor in 1999, where she shamed the UN into protecting its refugees; accounts of her terrifying escape from the Russian army in Chechnya; and reports from the strongholds of the Sri Lankan Tamil Tigers, where she was hit by shrapnel, leaving her blind in one eye. It’s a street-view of historic events that have shaped the last 25 years from an award-winning foreign correspondent and an outstanding journalist of her generation. The humanity of Marie’s work was greatly admired all over the world. The Long Island Community Foundation is honored to host the memorial fund of such a profoundly talented and courageous journalist. n
John Murcott is CEO & Co-founder of KARMA411, a social networking site that raises money for nonprofits. He works with nonprofits, such as Autism Speaks, the Boys and Girls Club, and EAC on people-to-people John Murcott fundraising and social media strategies. He cofounded FatWire Software, an enterprise web content management company. He is an expert on Persuasive Content Centric Applications and has spoken many times on personalization strategies and targeted marketing best practices. He received his MBA from the University of Maryland with a concentration in Information Technology and Operations Management and his BA from Tufts University. Edward C. Palleschi is Vice President of Investment Management for First Long Island Investors (FLI), a wealth management company and multi-family “family office” which is registered with the Securities and Edward C. Palleschi Exchange Commission as an investment advisor and broker-dealer. He is a member of FLI’s Investment Committee and his responsibilities include research, client service, marketing, and investment management. Palleschi earned his B.A. from Hofstra University in 1998 with a double concentration in Marketing and Finance. He recently completed Hofstra University’s Executive MBA program and is a member of the international honor society Beta Gamma Sigma. Phyllis Hill Slater is founder and president of Hill Slater, Inc., a successful engineering and architectural support firm. Hill Slater specializes in construction management, inspection services, design drafting, and computer Phyllis Hill Slater assisted design services. Slater was president of the National Association of Women Business Owners, and serves on many corporate and nonprofit boards. She was appointed by the President to participate on the Welfare to Work Partnership Committee, the Small Business Regulatory Fairness Board, and
the National Women’s Business Council. She has received awards from numerous business and community organizations for her leadership and advocacy for women and minority business interests.
“These three prominent business leaders have incredibly diverse backgrounds, expertise, and outstanding records of achievement,” said David M. Okorn, LICF’s executive director. “We are looking forward to the invaluable contributions they will bring to LICF.” n
LICF has a new program officer LICF welcomes Mary Beth Guyther as its new program officer. Mary Beth joined the LICF team in April 2012. She manages the Foundation’s grantmaking in Health, Hunger, Arts and Technical Mary Beth Guyther Assistance. In her role as program officer, she is building on LICF’s knowledge of our community’s strengths, challenges, resources and needs. Mary Beth is also responsible for grants and projects for the Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund. Mary Beth has an extensive background working for nonprofits, including stints at The Enterprise Foundation and Girls Incorporated. For the past seven years, she has worked at the Mentoring Partnership of Long Island as director of Development and Community Outreach. Mary Beth has also served as an advisory committee member of the Long Island Unitarian Universalist Fund. A graduate of Northwestern University, Mary Beth is a long-time resident in the Town of Huntington. n
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LICF 2012 Donor Event Highlights CSHL Scientist, Ian Peikon, Ph.D. candidate, touring our donors through the laboratory in the Marks Building— which researches attention & decision-making auditory processes in (live) rodents.
Mission The mission of the Long Island Community Foundation is to enhance the well-being of the people and communities of Long Island.
David Okorn, LICF Executive Director and CSHL President Dr. Bruce Stillman
Our 2012 Spring Donor Reception at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory introduced donors to a scientific and educational gem located right in our backyard. LICF was honored to be able to offer our donors the extraordinary opportunity of touring the labs and speaking with world-class scientists about the lab’s pioneering research. “It’s a unique service that we offer our donors. It’s a great opportunity to introduce them to other like-minded donors, inform them about Long Island’s nonprofits, and of course, enhance our relationships.” –Marie Smith, Director of Donor Relations and Communications. n
Tim Kees, Ph.D., CSHL Scientist shares some of the labs approaches to activate immune cells in killing breast and pancreatic cancers.
Investing in Change Published by Long Island Community Foundation 1864 Muttontown Road, Syosset, NY 11791 www.licf.org David M. Okorn, Executive Director (516) 348-0575 x226 dmokorn@licf.org
LICF Board Members, John Murcott and Peter Klein with CSHL’s Sr. Director of Philanthropy, Diane Fagiola
Marie C. Smith, Director of Donor Relations & Communications (516) 348-0575 x223 msmith@licf.org Check out our New look at www.licf.org and friend us on Facebook, and Twitter.
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