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