Portfolio
We work closely with our grantee partners to identify opportunities for engagement that guarantee tremendous impact. We are proud of our partners and grateful to support their important work. If you have an existing program or are looking to establish a new initiative that helps youth and families prosper, we encourage you to contact us to see what we can accomplish together!
WINGS FOR KIDS
PACE supported the very first expansion of WINGS' partner model, WINGS Across America. This expansion was catalyzed with the help of PACE funding and fund-raising over $300,000 to support a four-school partnership with the Pomona Unified School District in 2016 and the expansion to 21 schools in 2017. Funds are currently in place to support this partnership through the 2018-19 school year.
PACE has also empowered WINGS to embark on exciting, new initiatives. For example, WINGS is poised to further expand its programs in California and expects to have 120-200 partnership schools during the 2019-20 school year. With PACE's ongoing support, WINGS now has a successful blueprint from which to to replicate its successful partnerships in its home state and across the country.
ANTI-RECIDIVISM COALITION (ARC)
In 2017, ARC, in partnership with PACE, launched its first-ever entertainment internship program. PACE members secured Disney, NBC Universal and Warner Bros. as studio partners, and helped design the paid internship program that would be adopted by these studios.
PACE has identified several additional studios to join the program, and continues to support the effort to provide ARC members with the opportunity to develop disciplines and skills required to excel in the entertainment industry.
“Family, I want to humbly come before you to say that dreams do come true. As of yesterday, I started working for NBC Universal. Special thanks to Cheryl Bonacci and Scott Budnick, who helped make this happen. Thank God for putting me on this path because I’ve been blessed with a great team that is supportive of me and excited to see me grow professionally in the entertainment industry. It’s never too late to pursue your dream.”
– David, ARC Member and NBC Universal Intern
ADOPT TOGETHER
Hank Fortener, founder of AdoptTogether.org, realized there was no official day to celebrate adoption, so he asked members of PACE to co-found the day that would become a movement – #WorldAdoptionDay. Over the four years since its inception, the movement is thriving and growing stronger. Every year on November 9th, PACE and AdoptTogether.org collaborate to raise awareness and celebrate the power and beauty of families brought together through adoption. PACE has been instrumental in recruiting celebrity ambassadors to the movement by asking them to take a photo of themselves with the hands-up smiley face and posting on their social media channels with the hashtag: #WorldAdoptionDay.
Understood
Upward Roots
Covenant House California (CHC)
In 2017, PACE helped fund the expansion of Upward Roots' after-school programs to four Title 1 public middle schools in Oakland, CA. This expansion empowered nearly 100 middle-schoolers to design and lead six community service projects.
The youth-led community service projects included campaigns to feed the homeless, preparing meals for the unsheltered living in encampments; environmental projects supporting restoration and conservation efforts at Lake Merritt; and an innovative anti-bullying initiative, which included a wide range of activities designed to encourage positive, friendly relationships and behaviors among the student body.
"This has renewed my faith in humanity, by a decent amount. This has also brought up a part of me that wants to give."
– 6th-Grade Participant
For nearly three decades, Covenant House California (CHC) has been the voice of advocacy for those whose voices have been silenced by homelessness. CHC started as a street outreach program in 1988, primarily driven by a handful of dedicated volunteers who provided food, crisis intervention and genuine concern to homeless youth. In 1996, CHC celebrated the opening of its first residential center in Hollywood, CA.
PACE is collaborating with Covenant House to design a new event, engaging professional sports teams and influencers from the community in friendly competition to fund-raise and elevate awareness for the incredible work Covenant House does to support homeless youth. To this end, PACE has been instrumental in connecting Covenant House to the Los Angeles Dodgers and securing Dodger Stadium as the location for the event.
Celebrating the wonders and challenges of "the 1 in 5" who have learning and attention issues, PACE co-hosted an event in Los Angeles to raise funds and awareness for Understood, and to honor the extraordinary efforts of the Westmark School on behalf of students who face these challenges every day. In addition, PACE is developing a feature film in collaboration with the Poses Foundation, (who founded Understood), to highlight the achievements of "the 1 in 5".
understood.org
Springboard Collaborative
Springboard Collaborative offers a diverse range of products and services to cost-effectively increase literacy. Their programs empower teachers, parents and site leaders to help children become better readers. In order to support their efforts, PACE recently hosted a fund-raiser in Oakland, CA with a goal of helping to replicate Springboard's program in Detroit.
Free Spirit Media
PACE has identified Free Spirit Media’s programs in Chicago as highly effective and replicable. Recently, PACE donated a new van to their HoopsHIGH program - which focuses on providing in-depth instruction and hands-on experience in the art of sports broadcasting to Chicago teens interested in mastering media. This van allows their youth to safely transport themselves and their gear to local schools to broadcast games on local television stations.
Harold Robinson Foundation
PACE is working hand-in-hand with Jeff and Joyce Robinson (principals behind the Harold Robinson Foundation), to support their Camp Ubuntu's efforts to empower inner-city youth. PACE continues to raise funds, has featured Ubuntu in a high-profile documentary, and is in discussions to replicate the camp's programs in a soon-to-be-identified midwestern city.
The Hidden Genius Project
The Hidden Genius Project trains and mentors Black male youth in technology creation, entrepreneurship, and leadership skills to transform their lives and communities.
In November 2020, they launched their inaugural Alumni Venture Seed Fund — a dynamic program designed to support the advancement of their young, student-alumni entrepreneurs through the five phases of startup development, while intentionally supporting a deeper understanding of the space and application.
Throughout the course of five months, five Genius Founders actively participate in their rigorous program to receive coaching, training, and early-stage funding to empower them with the resources, networks, and capital needed to support their entrepreneurial ambitions. PACE invested critical funding into their first two cohorts, supporting 10 Genius Founders.
Bananas Foster
In 2022, PACE visited Savannah, GA, home of The Savannah Bananas – the larger than life barnstorming baseball team. Their founders and owners, Jesse and Emily Cole, are proud foster parents. During the retreat, PACE facilitated a workshop to help them advance their vision of launching a nonprofit arm of their business – one that would be dedicated to serving the foster care community. With support from PACE, Bananas Foster officially launched in 2023 and their first hire was made. Their organization celebrates the foster care community while educating and inspiring others to get involved. We are thrilled to be their partner, and we're excited to witness their impact and growth.
