Innovative Southern California Businesses Address Homelessness

credit:

According to a 2019 point-in-time count, there are more than 612 unsheltered homeless individuals in the Coachella Valley. A Southern California company, Renova Energy, has handed out a few dozen cell phone solar chargers to homeless individuals living in Sunrise Park in downtown Palm Springs to power their phones while living unsheltered so they can reach public safety, caseworkers, family members, doctors and friends.

Renova Energy CEO Vincent Battaglia believes that any business no matter how large or small has the responsibility to give back. And he's not alone.

Companies around the country are doing more to tackle homelessness. Some companies, like Microsoft, are providing loans for affordable housing in Seattle. Others are small start-ups like The Giving Keys, an L.A. jewelry company that hires homeless individuals, or Detroit's Empowerment Plan, which hires homeless women to sew jackets for people on the streets.

According to experts, there are several ways businesses can work toward being socially responsible: philanthropy, volunteering, using company skills to create human-centered products or services, or providing innovative opportunities for community members.

For any business wanting to be sustainable and mission-based, it needs to be innovative. Abby Fifer Mandell, a University of Southern California business professor and the Brittingham Social Enterprise Lab director, requires the need for business models that are "financially sustainable, which means they have to be clever, creative and innovative, and are also digging deep on pressing problems by addressing long-term solutions."

Read the Entire Article

A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.

How's Your Community Doing?
Check Out it's
Community Vital Signs

Glacier Bank, Federal Home Loan Bank Award $190K to Montana Nonprofits
Foundation: Whitefish Community Foundation

"Through our collective efforts, we're not just providing financial support, but we're investing in Montana's vitality and resilience." That from Mike Smith, president of Glacier Bank, which...more

Starting with Place

If you're looking for a way to boost your community's sense of place, researchers at Gustavson University in Sweden have just the thing. They've developed a set of five principles that community...more

Entrepreneur Seri Roth to Launch an Online Directory and Community for Lgbtq+ Businesses

Seri Roth is an entrepreneur "with a passion for empowering communities and fostering positive change," according to her website. She's just launched Boston Queers, an online directory and...more

International Storytelling Center Names New Executive Director

The new president of the International Storytelling Center in Jonesborough, Tenn., says he'll bring a "keen appreciation for the arts and Appalachian history" to the job, the Knoxville News Sentinel...more

10+ Can'T-Miss Houston Business and Innovation Events for April

Google is teaming up with Rice University to create a Houston-area startup accelerator, the Houston Chronicle reports. The accelerator will focus on the "Internet of Things," with a particular...more

Climate Tech + Community = A Winning Housing Strategy for Nola?

"We want homes that last longer than eight to 10 years," says Avra van der Zee, COO of Hawaii-based nonprofit Elemental Excelerator, which has teamed up with New Orleans' Finance New Orleans to...more

Power of One Initiative Unveils Transformative Agenda in Enugu Conference

When Jude Chinedu heard Chisimdi Okoh talk about how he wanted to change the world, he thought it would be a good idea to do something about it. And so he founded the Power of One Initiative, a...more

Geeta Pradhan: Inspired by Everyday Struggling People, She Leads $60 Million Endowment ...
Foundation: Boston Foundation, Cambridge Community Foundation

Geeta Pradhan is the president of the Cambridge Community Foundation in Massachusetts, and in 2024 she'll become the state's outstanding woman of the year. That's thanks to her work to fight...more

Secu Foundation Welcomes 16 Non-Profits to Mission Development Grant Program With ...

"We are seeing positive, tangible outcomes for grant recipients working to boost their capacity and impact for programs and services that are vital to those in need." Those are the words of the...more

Regions Foundation Grants To Support Louisiana Small-Business Ecosystem

"Small businesses are the heart of our communities, and when we invest in their success, we're investing in a stronger economy and quality of life, benefiting people across the region." So says...more