Sheldon Margolis, a Vietnam War veteran, finally found a way to open up.
It was during his second visit to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. with Honor Flight San Diego, a nonprofit organization that flies veterans to visit military and other memorials.
“I opened up about things I had never talked about,” Margolis said. “It was just an amazing reconciliation. I finally acknowledged the guilt and the sadness that I had for the loss of lives of people that worked for me and with me. I was finally able to talk about it and to make sense out of it and to bring it out in the open.”
Honor Flight San Diego was one of 69 nonprofit organizations recognized by NBCUniversal Local last year with Local Impact Grants.
The grant challenge returns in 2026 for its ninth consecutive year, awarding $2.5 million to eligible nonprofits located in and servicing one of the 11 NBC- and Telemundo-owned stations’ markets across the United States.
“Local nonprofits perform a critical role in the communities we serve,” Valari Staab, chairman of NBCU Local, said in a statement. “We’re proud that for nine years our annual grant program has recognized impactful local organizations and provided funding to help them fulfill their missions and expand their efforts.”
The application period is now open and runs through April 24 at localimpactgrants.com and the Spanish-language site becasdeimpactolocal.com.
To be eligible, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving the participating market must have expenses between $100,000 and $1 million. The organization also must help resolve community issues in one of three categories: youth education and empowerment to equip youths with the tools needed to succeed; next generation storytellers that develop pathways for emerging talent to explore careers in communications, arts and other programs; or community engagement that fosters unity by enabling individuals to volunteer in their regions.
NBCUniversal’s grant program has provided $21 million to 615 organizations in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, Washington, D.C., Boston, San Francisco, Miami, San Diego and Hartford.
One of last year’s recipients was The Barn at Spring Brook Farm in Pennsylvania, which allows children with physical, cognitive, or developmental disabilities to interact with and care for farm animals.
“It actually is kind of a fairy tale,” said Jeanette Corgnati, executive director.
Another recipient was The T.R.I.G.G.E.R. Project, a Washington D.C. based organization that confronts gun violence as a public health crisis and offers a safe space for young survivors.
“I don’t have to be in survival mode when I’m around these people,” said program member Faith Johnson. “You can find a sense of calm and peace in others and they can find it in you.”
Other recipients included Project I Am, which provides temporary support and long-term solutions for the unhoused in the Chicago area; GROW North Texas, which connects North Texans to food, farms, and community to create a sustainable regional food system; and Dreamcatcher Initiative, an organization creating pathways and programs to help youths in underserved Boston-area communities achieve their dreams and realize their potential.
These organizations, as well as all other recipients, serve their communities in wide-ranging, impactful ways.
“Nonprofits are essential partners in driving progress across local communities, and the unrestricted support that we’re providing gives them the flexibility to direct resources where they’ll make the greatest difference,” said Jessica Clancy, SVP of corporate social responsibility at NBCUniversal. “We’re proud to once again offer this program and uplift organizations that empower young people, elevate emerging storytellers and build stronger, more connected communities.”
from NBC Chicago https://ift.tt/WeSkv3o
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