A Dance-Themed Public Charter school, grades K-8 in Los Angeles, California

This is a GREAT school. If we had young kids, we'd send 'em here. Dance, music and the arts are thoroughly integrated into the entire curriculum. So the kids love to go to school because they think they are just having fun – but boy, are they learning! Dedicated teachers and staff – of course. Lots and lots of books to read – yes, they are part of our "A BOOK JUST FOR ME" program.

Our gratitude to the brilliant and devoted Liza Bercovici who started the school in memory of her beloved daughter, Gabriella.

Check out the pictures and visit the website and see for yourself.

Gonna be in California this summer? Love Jazz and want to sing or play it? Then get up to Stanford, California and join the wonderful people at the Stanford Jazz Workshop! We love those hard-working folks and are very grateful to them for providing lessons and workshops and a all-around great jazz atmosphere. We’ve been supporting them for years.

Stanford – in case you aren’t familiar with California – is smack-dab next to Palo Alto – home of Stanford University (one of the most gorgeous campuses I have ever seen).

Enjoy the music and tell our friends at SJW that we sent you!

Headquartered in our Nation's capitol, The BLUES ALLEY JAZZ SOCIETY is a real treasure.

They put on the "Big Band Jam" and a summer camp and they have a youth orchestra.

All these terrific programs are under the auspices of the great, the powerful (and the totally charming) Harry Schnipper Jazz Maven Extraordinaire.

(for more information on the programs for young people, you can also visit www.bigbandjam.org)

Don't forget to visit his jazz club while you're in DC-Blues Alley in historic Georgetown. Tell 'em that Fran sent you!

Every April, everywhere!
(and we’re the Founding Funder….yes, we are proud and happy)

Please visit the official JAM website
www.smithsonianjazz.org

All around the world, there are a myriad of great events going on right now All in celebration of America's own music Pop over to the JAM website and find out what's happening.

If you're in the LA area, check out our "Now, Save These Dates" page.

I tell you, heart disease stinks. And Ella had it. She had to undergo heart by-pass surgery, which thank goodness, helped her a lot. So you can understand that she was a huge supporter of the American Heart Association. She even did a big benefit concert for them. When she got too frail to travel, she used to tape spots for the AHA (we’ve got footage of one, taped in her backyard – priceless!)

So ever since Ella has been gone, the Foundation has been supporting the American Heart Association’s programs – especially their new program aimed at keeping the younger folks healthy for life. A couple of years ago, we joined forces with the Los Angeles division in working together to help fight childhood obesity which can lead right down the road to heart disease. We’re mid-way through a five-year grant and the folks at AHA have been terrific. You can learn lots more about them – and their programs, initiatives and events – just by visiting

A secular division of L.A.’s own Jewish Family Service

Providing sustenance, help and advice to hungry families and individuals, serving over 7,000 folks a month. That’s a lot of people. And tons and tons of food.

And not just food, but advocacy and literacy, plus job and nutritional counseling.

How does the Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation help SOVA?

We make a monetary grant each year in support of their programs AND We send books Hundreds and hundreds of brand-new, top-quality children’s books.

So when the kids go with their folks to pick up a week’s supply of food, they walk out – smiling- with a new book clutched tightly in their hands. Something to eat and something to read. Ella would have been proud.

So by now, you all probably know that, from 1970 until her death in 1996, Ella Fitzgerald lived in Beverly Hills, right off Sunset Blvd, just a few miles east of the beautiful UCLA campus. How handy – since UCLA honored her with their “George and Ira Gershwin Award for Lifetime Musical Achievement” in 1989. And after Ella died, we donated her magnificent collection of published sheet music to the UCLA Music Library.

Therefore, it certainly seemed appropriate to team up with the terrific folks at UCLA FRIENDS OF JAZZ – a great group of jazz lovers who are committed to supporting the Jazz programs at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music. Oh the things they do! They provide funding and support to jazz events, the Jazz Studies program, they work with the great Kenny Burrell (head of the Jazz Studies Program)…they even go around to local high schools to help raise awareness of jazz in the high school kids. And one of our favorite things – scholarships – they have raised over two hundred thousand dollars for scholarships! Yes, they are very busy folks.

And you can help. Join! It’s simple, just visit their website and you can be a member in a minute. If you live or visit L.A., you will enjoy their wonderful events. (we do, their concerts are terrific, and there’s a special concert this month honoring Kenny Burrell.)

Click Here to view FOJ's Accomplishments and Information.

Help us help others by Clicking Here to make a donation.

If you have been following our ‘site, you all know how much we love organizations that help at-risk and disadvantaged kids. Especially places that encourage kids to do well in school and go on to college. Well, the Variety Boys and Girls Club is just such a place. It’s located in the historic Boyle Heights section of East L.A…..a vibrant, largely Hispanic community where most of the residents are not native English speakers. But here’s what’s funny – years and years ago, during World War II, Boyle Heights was a largely Jewish community where the main language was Yiddish. In fact, the historic area Synagogue, the Breed Street Shul, is now being remodeled into a community center. Gotta love it.

The Club has over 1,500 registered members, plus about one thousand more who show up for programs during vacations (and for the free lunch and special activities). The Staff – well, they’re fabulous and mostly from the neighborhood so they know the challenges the kids are facing. Special kudos to Robie Aguila, the Executive Director and to Louise Simon, our liason.

We’re proud to offer financial support for Club programs, as well as books for all members. And don’t forget our newest scholarship program – “The Ella Fitzgerald Memorial Community College Scholarship”, awarded yearly to a Variety Club member.

Living in Los Angeles is wonderful – the beaches, the beautiful weather, and the Reprise Theatre Company. Yes, I do count them as one of the major benefits of living here – I love musical theatre and so did Miss Fitzgerald – think of all the Gershwin, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin songs she sang.

Anyway, Reprise Theatre Company puts on “lightly” staged versions of some of the very greatest American musicals ever written. You can catch their shows at the extremely comfortable Freud Playhouse at UCLA (plenty of easy parking). We’ve been to see “On Your Toes”, “Boys from Syracuse” and even “Fiorello” – all terrific.

And what’s even better – Reprise brings in bus loads of kids from local Title One schools to see special matinee performances. I was there when the kids came to see one of my favorite shows, “L’il Abner”….and the kids went wild. It was such a great day for them – a field trip to UCLA, a tour of the beautiful campus, a phenomenal show and a spot-on educational component. See why we support them?

If you live in an area where some of the public schools aren’t so great….and you can’t afford private school…..what do you do? If you live in the historic Watts area of Los Angeles, you head over to the Watts Learning Center. WLC is a charming small school that was established by Eugene and Sandra Fisher – and they should get a big fancy medal for running such a great school. The principal, Katherine Nelson, truly cares about each and every student. We love working with the WLC, and we recently donated a complete Yamaha Keyboard lab so the kids could all learn to play the piano. (We’re convinced that music helps kids learn)

We also supply brand-new books to the kids for their birthdays and at Holiday time in December, and we provide books for the classroom libraries as well. Books and music – that’s what we’re all about.

Enjoy the pictures, and if you would like to help support the school, please Click Here to make an on-line donation. (remember, your donations are tax-deductible)

So imagine you are in the Military…and you have young children….and you get deployed to the other side of the world. Who’s going to read your kids bedtime stories? You are.

Yep, through the wonderful programs at United Through Reading, parents and children (and grandparents, too) can stay connected.

We love these guys. And you will, too – so please visit their website. And if you would like to help, just click here to make a donation.

Or maybe the parent is incarcerated….well, they are still parents, and they can read to their kids, too.

Is that brilliant, or what?

Click on images to enlarge

OK, Parents – turn off that television set, shut down the video games and the computer, grab your offspring and head over to the historic Hollywood Bowl for their fantastic summer programs for kids. “Summer Sounds” is not simply sitting and listening to music – oh no, it’s much more than that. It’s music, history and art all rolled into one tremendously fun and entertaining morning of delight.

Don’t the kids in these photos look happy? Hope you remember to bring along lunch so you can have a picnic. (Use of the picnic areas is free) And don’t forget to stop at the Hollywood Bowl Museum – no admission charge and visiting the Museum is a like seeing the history of entertainment here in Los Angeles. (yes, of course Ella Fitzgerald is in there!)

Not sure how to get there? Just click on the Bowl’s website for driving and parking and bus information.

Click on images to enlarge

So tell me the truth – did you know that the Grammy Awards have their very own museum? I think that’s so cool. Right here in downtown Los Angeles is a place dedicated to the history and winners and music behind the beloved Grammy Awards. But don’t feel bad if you didn’t know, it’s pretty new. And it’s awesome.

Downtown L.A. has become an exciting and dynamic place to hang out – we’ve got the Staples Center (go Lakers!), the fabulous Disney Hall and Music Center and a whole new complex called L.A. Live! which encompasses the Grammy Museum, the Nokia Theatre and some wonderful restaurants. There’s even a bowling alley! (You can get more information by visiting www.lalive.com)

So please make sure to plan a trip Downtown to spend some time at the Grammy Museum – fantastic interactive displays, wonderful music and of course, a little bit of Ella Fitzgerald on display – after all, she did accumulate THIRTEEN Grammy Awards during her career! If you are a teacher or involved with a local school, make sure to take your students on a field trip – they will love it. We’ll be working closely with the Museum’s Amber Hill and Melissa Runcie to bring in as many students from Title One schools as will fit in the Museum – and you can help by clicking here to make a donation.

For Jazz Appreciation Month, let’s focus on one of L.A.’s really great high school bands – the Highlander Band in the northern L.A. suburb of Granada Hills.  Yes, the band members really wear kilts.  Plus these very cool hats (kinda like English policemen).  Go to their web site and you’ll see – these kids are beyond cute.  AND they can play jazz like crazy!  They win all sorts of awards. Under the talented baton of Al Nelson (the music/band teacher), these kids are learning about music of all kinds.  The pictures here were taken in during JAM 2008, at Gladstone’s Malibu, where the kids were performing at the beach for hundreds of happy restaurant guests.  A terrific way to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month!  It was crazy hot that day, but the kids wouldn’t quit – they just played jazz standards all afternoon.

Way back when, in my early days here at the Foundation, I read an article in the L.A. Times about the Hollywood Boys and Girls Club – one of the oldest Boys and Girls clubs in the greater L.A. area. So I called the director, grabbed my mother-in-law and headed to Hollywood. The new facility was under construction then, and we were very impressed. So impressed that we’ve been funding programs there ever since!

What a great place for the local kids to hang out. There is a homework room, a library, a gym, arts and crafts, games, sports – anything a kid could want. Melba Culpepper, the Chief Professional Officer, runs a tight ship with the help of Emilse Gonzalez who oversees the programs.

Click on images to enlarge

Listen, we all know that there are a lot of kids out there who are bright and talented and totally able to succeed…but have never had the opportunity to make the best of themselves. One woman here in the L.A. area, Roberta Weintraub, decided to do something to help these young people, and so she started the Jr. Police Academy back in 1997. What a success!

I’m pleased to report that there are now SIX Jr. Police magnet programs throughout the greater Los Angeles area – five high school programs and one middle-school; and here’s the funny part – the middle-school program is at Mulholland Middle School in Lake Balboa (a suburb of L.A.) and it’s my alma-mater! (No, I had nothing to do with the selection, and I was very surprised when I discovered that my old school was in the program! Trust me, I really enjoy those site visits).

L.A. Unified is a huge district with a very high drop-out rate - but not in Roberta’s schools! Her kids all graduate and go to college, or the Los Angeles Police Academy and even the Military. The Program provides scholarships (we fund four of them) and guidance and all-around help. The students learn study skills and – most importantly – discipline. The kids all have the regular high-school curriculum, and in addition, they study criminology, law, criminal justice, forensics and lots of science and physical fitness. And they look so great in their uniforms!

If you would like to learn a little more about the Magnets, here are links to two of them, one at San Pedro High and one at Monroe High, both L.A. Unified schools.

   

If you would like to help us help the THE LOS ANGELES JUNIOR POLICE ACADEMY MAGNETS by making a donation, please  click here.

Okay, so you live in L.A. and then one day you go to Vail to ski….and you fall in love with the beautiful alpine area. But you also love jazz and want to help introduce it to a new generation….so what do you do? Well, if you are Howard Stone, you establish the VAIL JAZZ FOUNDATION, a totally wonderful organization that provides free jazz education to 4th and 5th grade students in every single school in Eagle County, Colorado. So far, they have touched the lives of over TEN THOUSAND kids! This “Jazz Goes To School” program is wonderful, and if I had my way, it would be in every single school around the world.

But wait, there’s more: Vail Jazz also puts on the annual Vail Jazz Festival (Labor Day Weekend), the Vail Jazz Symposium, Jazz At the Market and the truly terrific Jazz Workshop (one of my favorite things)- a ten day intensive workshop for high school students. Kids come from all over the U.S.A. to participate, and then they get to perform on the main stage at the Vail Jazz Festival.

If you find yourself in the Vail area over Labor Day, get your tickets now ‘cause the Festival is always fun and the music is always great. And tell them we sent you!

                     

If you would like to help us help the Vail Jazz Foundation by making a donation, please  click here.

Dramatic Results
Long Beach, California
July 2007

It was a long time ago (in Foundation time) that I first heard about Dramatic Results. There was an article about it in the L.A. Times and at first, I thought it must be some kind of performing arts club. Boy, was I wrong - the name of the organization refers to the truly DRAMATIC RESULTS they get when this program is implemented in the disadvantaged and at-risk areas of the greater Los Angeles area.

I remember schlepping down to some fairly unsavory part of Long Beach and accompanying the founder, Christi Wilkins, to see the program in action at a Title One elementary school. (By the way, I'm nominating Christi for sainthood..) Well, I was just blown out of the water - Dramatic Results is unbelievably terrific. And they make a HUGE impact on these kids, helping bolster their self-esteem, their sense of self-worth, helping them excel in school, improving their understanding of math - and all this in a warm, fun and truly caring way.

So we started funding their programs in 2000 and since then, we've doubled the amount we give them because we think their enrichment and intervention programs are so terrific. They've been a part of our "A Book Just for Me" since its inception, and we provide Christi and her staff with new books and dictionaries for all their kids - now that's a lot of books!

I hope you will visit their website and learn more about Dramatic Results - you will be dramatically impressed! www.dramaticresults.org

The Skirball Cultural Center
Los Angeles, California
June 2007

Promise me that the next time you are on the Westside of Los Angeles, you will go spend an afternoon at the Skirball Cultural Center. What a wonderful place! It's located just north of the Getty Center, and like its famous neighbor, it's a gem. Stop by, have lunch at Zeidler's Café (yum) and spend the afternoon marveling at the core exhibit "Visions and Values" - kids will love the replica of the Statue of Liberty's torch, and adults will be mesmerized by the artifacts, photos and stories from around the world. And don't forget to stop at Audrey's Museum Store for a little shopping (I go at least once a month to check out all the great jewelry and gifts and books).

News Flash: The Skirball is proud to announce the opening of their newest permanent exhibit: "Noah's Ark" - a walk-through, participatory celebration of everyone's favorite story. I was honored with a sneak preview and I didn't want to leave. Bring your children and grandchildren and have fun! The exhibit opens to the public on June 26th, tickets are available beginning June 1st.

As much as we love the exhibits at the Skirball, what we really truly admire most are their programs for children - well thought out, interesting even to the kids and essential to teaching people how to get along, no matter their background or culture. If I had my way, these programs would be mandatory for every student in the greater L.A. area! Thank you to all the wonderful staff at the Skirball for promoting tolerance and acceptance.

For more information, for tickets or reservations, please visit www.skirball.org or call 310/440-4500.

For the last five years, we have been supporting the music outreach program run by the Thornton School of Music at USC, right here in Los Angeles. We love JazzReach, as this program is officially called, how could you not love knowing that the very talented Thornton jazz students go out into the community and teach music to our local at-risk and disadvantaged kids? Kids who otherwise could not afford private music lessons. Kids who are talented, enthusiastic and totally in love with jazz. Kids who are very, very cute as you can see from the photos. What a win-win situation!

JazzReach is run by the talented Dr. Susan Helfter, who received her DMA at USC. Here, in her words, is a brief summary of the program:

"JazzReach is an exciting and motivating after-school program that fosters the development of skills and appreciation of jazz for underserved students, and, through its mentoring component, helps build relationships between local and USC students. It's the longest, continually run outreach program offered by the Thornton School of Music and has served as the model for several, newer, initiatives which provide weekly music classes in violin, guitar, choir and general music".

During the 2006/07 school year, JazzReach provided:

· In-School Concerts for over 1,100 children in schools located near USC or on the campus itself

· JazzReach Lessons and Ensembles, providing 600 private Lessons and performance opportunities to local middle and High-school students.

· The L.A. Youth Jazz Ensemble ("LAYJE") performed five Concert workshops at USC or in the community schools, including the end-of-the-year concert at Newman Hall on May 6th, where the second JazzReach CD recording will be completed.

For more information, please contact Susan Helfter at helfter@thornton.usc.edu or 213-740-3129.

Jazz Appreciation Month“JAM”
An International Project Sponsored By The Smithsonian
Institution and Their Partners
April 2007

About six years ago, our friends at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History came up with the idea of designating one month of the year for an annual public spotlight on jazz. We are proud of the fact that we are a founding partner in this great endeavor to draw public attention to the glories of jazz as both an historical and a living treasure. Every single April, all around the world, musicians, concert halls, schools, libraries, museums, radio stations (and on and on) are encouraged to offer special programs on jazz. After all, it’s the one true American art form, and don’t forget that Ella Fitzgerald was born in April – in fact, this year, we are celebrating Ella’s 90 th birthday on April 25, 2007.

The Smithsonian has one of the largest collections of jazz and jazz-related materials in the world, so it makes sense that they should lead the initiative. (and yes, Ella’s archival materials were donated to the Smithsonian in 1997) With the help of the Smithsonian leadership, many federal agencies, Governmental organizations, charitable foundations and broadcasting networks (among others) have joined in to celebrate jazz.

This year, many, many exciting events are scheduled in April to bring attention to Ella’s favorite music. For more information and a schedule of events around the world, please visit www.smithsonianjazz.org. And tell them that we sent you!

The Jazz Museum in Harlem
An International Project Sponsored By The Smithsonian
Institution and Their Partners

For the last several years, the great jazz musician/educator Loren Schoenberg has been dedicated to creating a national museum dedicated to jazz – our uniquely American art form. Today, his idea is a reality at the National Jazz Museum in Harlem, with offices located at 104 E. 26th Street, just a block away from the historic Apollo Theater where Ella was “discovered”. Loren, and his co-director, the fabulous Christian McBride, are working hard to both preserve and celebrate jazz. The Museum presents programs such as “Jazz Speaks” featuring important jazz figures such as Mercedes Ellington, Dr. Billy Taylor, Clark Terry, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Paul Robeson, Jr.

Last year, the Museum, in partnership with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra, presented a tribute to Ella that played to a packed house. The featured vocalist was Delores King Williams – what a voice! It was great – I was there! The Ella concert was so popular that the Museum just held another one, this time with Jennifer Sanon (a former “Ella Fitzgerald Jazz Vocalist winner”) doing the singing.

We began supporting the Museum last year with a grant to fund their program for young musicians, “Harmony in Harlem”. I’m pleased to report that the kids are doing very well. If you would like to know more about this terrific place, please visit their website at www.jazzmuseuminharlem.org. And if you are moved to make a donation, please tell Loren that we sent you!



The United Negro College Fund
A participant in our Scholarship Program
February 2007

We love the UNCF! And so did Ella; she was a dedicated supporter for years, even before she officially started our Foundation. And since I've been here, (over ten years, who can believe it!) we've been funding four scholarships per academic year - for talented young students who otherwise could not afford to attend college. This year we have two "Ella Fitzgerald Scholars" at Fisk University in Nashville, one scholar at Talladega University in Alabama and one student at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. All four are undergraduate students in Music, and I'm happy to report that they are all doing well (they had better, if they don't keep a 2.5 GPA, their scholarships will not be renewed!)

The United Negro College Fund has been around since 1944 - and it currently supports 65,000 students at nine hundred different academic institutions, including such famous Historically Black Colleges such as Morehouse, Spelman and Tuskegee. It offers support to both undergraduates and graduate students who are often the very first members of their families to attend college. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank James Mayo, UNCF vice-president of the Western Region, for his knowledge and guidance; he works very, very hard to insure that deserving kids are able to achieve their goals. Also, thanks to Renita Tyson in the L.A. office for her dedication to making the future a better place.

For more information, or to make a donation directly (please say that we sent you!), please go to www.uncf.org



Jazz At Lincoln Center
January 2007

Since we’re going to be in New York this month for the celebration in honor of the new Ella Fitzgerald Postage Stamp, we thought we’d spotlight an organization with whom we have a long and very close history.

It’s kind of funny, but JALC (as it’s fondly called) isn’t even AT Lincoln Center any more! It’s so popular that it now has its very own space in the magnificent Time-Warner center in Columbus Circle. In fact, the Ella Stamp celebration is taking place in the Allen Room on January 10 th - the same venue where Ella was inducted into the Jazz at Lincoln Center Hall of Fame last year. If you’re in New York, please be sure to visit this special exhibit – you will hear fabulous music and see great video footage of Ella and other jazz greats.

Every year, JALC runs the “Essentially Ellington” Festival for high school bands all over North America. These bands compete for the opportunity to come to New York and compete against each other to win prizes and recognition. The high school vocalists sing and scat, trying to win the coveted “Ella Fitzgerald Vocalist Award”. You just won’t believe the talent that comes out of the Ellington Festival – I never knew there were so many gifted musicians in our schools – let’s hear it for all the devoted music and band teachers out there!

Let’s face it, keeping jazz alive and teaching it to a new generation is very expensive. So we’ve been funding JALC since the year 2000. If you would like to offer your support directly, or if you just want to learn more, please visit their website at www.jazzatlincolncenter.org , and don’t forget to mention you heard about them right here!

PUENTE Learning Center
December 2006

Los Angeles , California
To end 2006, we thought we’d spotlight an organization with whom we have a long and close history. PUENTE (People United to Enrich the Neighborhood Through Education) Learning Centers were started by Sister Jennie Lechtenberg, SNJM, who saw a need in her East L.A. community – a need for a safe and helpful place to help the neighborhood kids. PUENTE now has two locations, one in Boyle Heights and one in South L.A. These centers are places where children and families can come to do homework, learn English, and even learn how to use a computer. PUENTE also provides a nurturing and educational day care program, complete with music lessons, and after-school care and homework help.

We have been helping to support PUENTE’s educational and music programs since 2002, and we are happy to report that they are an enthusiastic member of our “A Book Just For Me” program. We hope that you enjoy some photographs of the kids with their books. If you’d like to learn more about PUENTE, please visit www.puente.org. And if you are moved to make a donation, please let them know that you learned about them here!