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THE
RIORDAN FOUNDATION |
1981-2008 |
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Founder: |
Richard J. Riordan (Lawyer, Businessman, former Mayor of L.A., former California Secretary for Education) |
Focus: |
Early Childhood Literacy & Youth and Leadership Development |
Mission: |
To ensure that all children become successful readers and writers by the end of second grade. |
Giving: |
$49.3 million in grants distributed |
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27,000 computers delivered to 2,190 schools
in 40 states |
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185,315 books purchased for classroom libraries
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Early
Childhood Literacy |
Most of The Riordan
Foundation’s resources have funded computer-assisted
literacy programs for kindergarten through fifth-grade
children. Through “Rx for Reading”, its independent
501(c)(3) organization, the Foundation has awarded
grants for the following programs:
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| Computers in the Classroom
-distributed 2,006 computers along with software
for classroom learning for grades K-5 at 145 schools. |
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| English Language Development
Program -supports oral skills in limited-English
speaking students using technology and instructional
software. Program distributed 1,667 computers
serving 126 schools and nonprofits. |
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| Recreational Reading
Mini-Grants - launched in 1993, this
program has donated over $2 million in book grants
at $1,000 each to individual teachers to establish
classroom lending libraries. Since its inception
there have been 2,159 classroom libraries funded
serving over 43,700 children |
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| Waterford Early Reading
Program - an innovative, computer-based
individualized reading program for pre-K, kindergarden,
and 1st graders. In partnership with several generous
donors, the grant has provided 273 computers to
21 schools. |
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| IBM-Riordan Young Explorers
Program - Celebrating The Riordan Foundation's
20th Anniversary, this program, in partnership
with IBM, provided computer-based learning activities
for pre-schoolers on bright, friendly hardware
created by Little Tikes (enclosing the IBM PC)
and a 2-seater bench to encourage children to
work and learn together. Offered exclusively in
2001, the grant provided 47 computers at 29 schools,
childcare centers, clinics, and nonprofits. |
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Writing to Read/Upgrades
-a computer-assisted reading and writing program
for K-1 students serving 1,500 schools with
17,376 computers. This was our signature program
until 2000. |
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Youth
and Leadership Development |
The Riordan Foundation also supports
non-profit agencies with direct grants that support
the education and well-being of children, youth
and their families, and that nurture future leaders.
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| Agency Grants
- provides general operating grants for youth-serving
agencies. Some grantees include LA’s BEST After
School Enrichment Program, Boys & Girls Clubs,
and PUENTE Learning Center. |
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| The Riordan Programs
at UCLA - career-based outreach programs
that introduce minority high school and college
students, and recent college graduates, to the
worlds of business and law. Launched in 1987,
this program has served over 1,968 students. |
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| Riordan Volunteer Leadership
Development Program - trains young professionals
for service on the boards of nonprofit organizations.
Since 1990, 32 graduations produced more than
767 leaders. Notable graduates include Pete Manzo,
director of the Center for Nonprofit Management,
and Martha Saucedo, Community Relations Manager
for the STAPLES Center. |
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Center for Service & Action/Riordan
Community Service
Awards - honors exceptional undergraduate
students who have volunteered countless hours
of community service with $1,000 awards. The
Center, located at Loyola Marymount University,
provides students community service opportunities,
and supplies faculty with a resource to facilitate
service learning. The Riordan Community Service
Awards have honored 121 students. |
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