December 2012

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The Sinai Family Endowment for Pediatric Ophthamology was established with a gift from the Sinai Fund at the Community Foundation.

Premature births present one of the most persistent challenges in pediatric eye care. Retinopathy of Prematurity is a potentially blinding disorder that requires careful screening and prompt laser or surgical treatment.Resulting from this pressing need the endowment helped to establish a Fellowship specializing retinopathy of prematurity. 

The Fellow will coordinate services between UCSF and San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. Training will include detecting at-risk patients at the neonatal units and analyzing patient demographic data at various clinics while participating in follow-up care for the research patients

This year's disbursement from the Sinai Family Endowment for Pediatric Ophthalmology to the nonprofit organization, That Man May See, will  help pay fellowship costs  in pediatric ophthalmology at the University of California in San Francisco, such as a monthly stipend, health insurance and attending a American Academy of Ophthalmology Conference.

The application process for this new fellowship began in Nevada with candidates sought first at the Nevada School of Medicine. 

The Circle interviews representitives for Disabiltiy Resources during a grant proposal presentation

21 high schoolers from public and private schools in Reno and Sparks met weekly at the Foundation office since September  to learn about philanthropy, discuss their own charitable values, research local needs, and interview nonprofit directors in preperation for making $11,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations.  
 
Grant Proposal Interview days spanned three meetings and gave the Circle and opportunity to sharpen their investigative and communication skills. Each nonprofit invited to a proposal interview, had exactly 10 minutes to make their case to the Circle. The Circle then asked questions for a few minutes and before focusing their attention on the next nonprofit executive standing before them.

With only a few minutes to present, the nonprofit executives needed to think carefully about how they explained their need, their mission and service and why it fit into the Circle's philanthropic goals. With 10 minutes for interview and  questions the Circle stayed on task and disciplined in ferreting out the information to help them make their granting decisions.
 

Here is what they did with their money:

1. Bought a bike for the Reno Bike Project to use in their after-school program.

 2.Allocated funds to puchase 50 totes and supplies for Children's Cabinet to give to families moving out of Safe Embrace shelter into independent living.

3. Added $1,000 to HAWC's patient's needs fund to help cover health care costs for people in poverty.

4.Purchased incentives for new moms  to attend out-patient after care program at Casa De Vita.

5. Helped Northern Nevada Children's Cancer Foundation send families to the Bay Area for cancer treatment.

6. Purchased medication for severely mentally ill patients served by Northern Nevada HOPES.

7. Supported payee services for Disability Resources.

8. Contributed to RAVE's direct respite services to families in need.

9. Gave Urban Roots money to use as stipends for school coordinators.

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