Recognizing Our Nonprofit Clients for Their Innovation

By Armanino LLP | April 23, 2020

From our very origin, nonprofits have always been an important part of how Armanino defines itself as an organization. They are created to solve human and societal needs and to unite and heal communities in good times and bad. We connect with their missions in so many ways, and our employees who work with them do so with great passion. The needs filled by these organizations still exist (and perhaps on an even greater level) during COVID-19.

As we stay more closely connected than ever to our nonprofit clients in these difficult times, we have heard about some of the innovative things they are doing to continue to serve their communities. We couldn’t wait to share some of this good news (especially with all the not-so-good news lately, which  can be draining) to recognize them for their creativity.

• Easterseals Southern California is actively continuing to serve its community, although with all programs operating in new and different ways. Through the organization’s Autism Services telehealth program, parents are watching on video as many kids do things for the first time, such as zip a jacket or try new foods. And their Child Development Services team is handing out grab-and-go meals, school supplies, toilet paper, wipes, diapers and formula to families in need.

• Latino Community Foundation launched the Love Not Fear Fund to channel critical funds to Latino-led organizations serving the elderly, undocumented, farmworkers and working-class families in California’s Central Valley and Inland Empire. They are some of the most heavily impacted groups during this crisis, and many do not have internet access at home.

• Recognizing a need for distance learning tools, Western Justice Center (WJC) expanded its online content to help schools with peer mediation and restorative justice programs continue their students’ social and emotional development. During the month of March, WJC had 5,000 new unique viewers on its site. Half were from outside the U.S., showing that educators around the world are united in their needs.

Several of our museum and performing arts clients have made their resources and content available virtually so the arts can still be enjoyed while venues are physically closed.

• After shelter-in-place orders caused Berkeley Rep to cancel all performances between March 12 and May 3, the theatre shifted by making shows Culture Clash (Still) In America and School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Playavailable to ticket holders through the streaming service Broadway HD.

• Oakland Museum of CA is continuing to stay connected with its community by sharing resources online, including videos exploring past exhibitions and events, educational resources for students and teachers, favorite works from the museum’s collection and more.

• Bay Area Discovery Museum (BADM) launched “Bringing BADM to You,” a series of fun, research-backed learning experiences for parents and children to do together. Each activity centers around one of three themes: science & math, body & brain or talk & play.

• The curtain may be up, but the opera is still on. San Francisco Opera launched a new online project, “Opera is ON,” to provide beauty and joy during the COVID-19 crisis.

• New York Philharmonic is offering “NY Phil Plays On,” a portal for free digital content to provide comfort and connection to the millions of classical music fans worldwide.

These are just a few of the stories of mission-driven nonprofit organizations stepping up to support their communities through this crisis. We hope their efforts inspire you as much as they have us.

Click HERE to read post

In Tribute - Judge Raymond Fisher (1939 - 2020)

The Honorable Raymond C. Fisher was born months before the start of World War II and passed away weeks before the full force of Covid-19 reached our shores. Between those bookend events of global import, he lived a life of great purpose. Cesar Chavez once wrote that “[o]ur lives are all that really belong to us[,] so how we use our lives determines what kind of people we are.” By that measure, Judge Fisher was an extraordinary person who used his life in the pursuit of justice and equality.  

Judge Fisher joined WJC’s board of directors in 2004, less than five years after he was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit by then president Bill Clinton. Prior to joining the Ninth Circuit, Fisher served as Associate Attorney General -- the third highest ranking official in the U.S. Department of Justice. During his tenure as WJC Board Chair, Judge Fisher steered the organization through a significant change in leadership.

Throughout his time on the WJC board, Judge Fisher was appreciated for his wisdom and insights by all those who grew close to him. He occupies a special place in the hearts of his fellow board members and his former clerks. One who holds both honors is WJC Vice-President Kalpana Srinivasan.

“Judge Fisher made enormous and lasting contributions to the rule of law and the pursuit of justice -- from his storied tenure on the bench to his work at the Department of Justice to his time on the L.A. Police Commission and beyond,” said Srinivasan. “He matched his intellectual rigor with thoughtfulness, reason, and compassion. His commitment to achieving a more fair and just society remains an inspiration to us all.”

WJC is grateful for the many articles extolling Judge Fisher and chronicling his accomplishments in public service, including the more than 400 opinions he produced as a judge for the U.S. Court of Appeals. (Police Reformer Passes, Ninth Circuit Mourns, A Rare Judge and Fisher in Focus).For more on Judge Fisher’s role in Los Angeles police reform, see The Legacy of the Christopher Commission, Towards Accountability or Riots and Rebellions. 

Judge Fisher is survived by his wife, Nancy; his daughter, Amy; his son, Jeff; and four grandchildren. The family welcomes contributions to The Honorable Raymond and Nancy Fisher Scholarship Fund at the University of California at Santa Barbara. 

WJC Offers Tools for Relational Health During Covid-19

Since the World Health Organization designated covid-19 as a pandemic, we have seen widespread cancellations of large public gatherings and a flood of emails as government officials share tools and tips for personal health and hygiene.

“Just as people are learning how to mind their personal hygiene during covid-19, we also have an opportunity to practice sound social and emotional hygiene,” said Elissa Barrett, Executive Director of the Western Justice Center (WJC).

WJC’s mission is to empower people to strengthen their communities by growing the conflict resolution capacity of youth, educators, schools, and community partners.

In keeping with sound health and safety practices, WJC has postponed its 17th Annual Peer Mediation Invitational (PMI), which had been set for March 24 and 25 at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. At PMI, the nearly 200 student peer mediators who attend each year get to sharpen their skills, meet other mediators from around Southern California, and be celebrated as leaders in their school communities. Many peer mediation programs in SoCal have been started by graduates of ABC’s of Conflict – the four-day intensive conflict resolution education program that WJC offers to educators, counselors and administrators every summer.

“After postponing PMI, we asked ourselves: How can we be of service during these challenging times? What are the tools that we teach student peer mediators that would actually serve all of us right now?” shared Shaune Gatlin, Program Director for Conflict Resolution Education at WJC.

In addition to getting ready to offer virtual lessons on conflict resolution, WJC has created Tools for Relational Health During Covid-19 to help people navigate the inter-personal stress that often arises when people feel afraid or anxious. 

“We hope these tools help kids, parents and teachers be a source of calm and help others to carry on,” said Barrett.

“We hope our Tools for Relational Health call people to be their best selves. As Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ‘Everyone can be great because anyone can serve. You only need a heart full of grace [and a] soul generated by love.’”

For more details, call 626.584.7494.