20 January 2022

Ending the Year with Something Bigger than Ourselves – The Clune Way

Clune defines the value of Service as supporting a cause bigger than yourself through participation in community or philanthropic organizations. This statement is an important part of the values and behaviors that make up The Clune Way. It helps shape the future direction of our company by empowering each of our employee owners to embody our values to their fullest potential. With Service being one of Clune’s paramount values, our culture of giving back to the community at the end of each year is one of the things we most look forward to. In addition to our $1 million commitment to Gateway for Cancer Research, all of our offices select and contribute to organizations that hold special significance to them and their communities.

Below we have highlighted some of the charities Clune supported in 2021, and have included a full list at the bottom of this blog. Our teams are excited to bring this spirit of giving back into the New Year!

Boulder Crest Retreat

The Boulder Crest Retreat is dedicated to supporting U.S. combat veterans, first responders and their families. Their mission is to train people to thrive in the aftermath of their trauma. Boulder Crest is the world leader in advancing the science of Posttraumatic Growth (PTG), a process designed to transform times of deep struggle into profound strength and lifelong growth. Their signature PATHH (Progressive and Alternative Training for Healing Heroes) programs teach participants how to make peace with their past, live in the present, and begin planning for their future.

“As a board member, it has been an honor to help assist Boulder Crest achieve their goals and help not only veterans but also their families who have all given so much.” – Tony Giachinta, President, Mid-Atlantic Region

Children’s Health – Children’s Medical Center Foundation

For over 100 years, Children’s Health’s mission has been simple, “to make life better for children.” They are focused on giving kids the best experience, the best care and ultimately the best fighting chance to get back to being a kid again. As one of the largest and most prestigious pediatric health care providers in the country and the leading pediatric health care system in North Texas, Children’s Health cares for children through more than 750,000 patient visits annually.

“Organizations like Children’s Health directly impact the lives of sick children by helping find cures, giving amazing care, and building a community of support for the children in need in our local North Texas community.” – Claire Marr Snyder, Assistant Marketing Coordinator

Food on Foot

Food on Foot is a nonprofit dedicated to assisting Los Angeles’ unhoused and low-income neighbors with nutritious meals, clothing, and a fresh start through life-skills training, full-time employment, and permanent housing. Every Sunday for nearly 25 years, 250+ unsheltered and low-income individuals attend Food on Foot’s weekly event – a jobs, housing, food, clothing, and resource distribution hub, located in the heart of Hollywood. Volunteers distribute food, donated clothing, and essential supplies. Community partners provide additional resources including COVID-19 vaccinations, and medical/mental health assistance. Food on Foot’s Jobs & Housing program helps those experiencing homelessness get back on their feet with full-time jobs, fully-furnished apartments, and life-skills training. Program participants attend weekly personal growth workshops that cover job interview training, resume building, financial literacy, and other supportive services.

Good Street Learning Center

Located in the South Dallas/Fair Park area, the mission at Good Street Learning is to encourage healthy self-esteem, enhance growth and development, and integrate early learning and character building while creating a partnership between families and child-care staff. They enhance growth and development through activities that promote social, cognitive, physical and emotional well-being in children. Good Street has a proven history of building a strong educational foundation along with award winning, high character and self-esteem developmental programs built in the curriculum.

“Good Street has been a staple in this underserved community for over 40 years. Giving to this organization gives Clune the opportunity to support the communities where we live and build.” – Ty Jackson, Safety Manager

I AM ALS

I AM ALS is a patient-led community that provides critical support and resources to ALS patients, caregivers and loved ones. ALS (also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease) is a neurodegenerative disease that destroys nerve cells, causing a body’s muscles deteriorate until they no longer function. About 1 in 300 people are diagnosed with ALS. It can occur at any age. But nobody knows how urgently more effective treatments, and a cure are needed until they or someone they love receives an ALS diagnosis – which is always fatal. I AM ALS empowers advocates to raise mainstream awareness and lead the revolution against ALS in driving the development of cures. Their mission is to change the future for ALS patients. Not in twenty years, but as soon as possible.

Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area

Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area is a non-profit organization that fulfills the wishes of children between the ages of two-and-a-half and 18 who have critical illnesses. Founded in 1984, the organization serves 17 counties in Northern California, from Siskiyou to Monterey. The Greater Bay Area chapter has granted more than 8,500 wishes to date and, and prior to the COVID-19 pandemic they granted close to 400 wishes per year.

Mobile Hope

Although Loudoun County is considered one of the wealthiest counties in the country, it also has a large amount of homeless youth. Mobile Hope’s mission is to serve homeless and at-risk youth. They aim to meet each kid where they are, regardless of barriers, issues and traumas and stand with them on their journey from homelessness to self-sufficiency. Mobile Hope provides a non-judgmental and non-discriminatory environment where youth develop a sense of purpose and community. It also provides intense and individualized case management to address the issues that led to homelessness.

Oakland Elizabeth House

Oakland Elizabeth House (Ehouse) is a transitional residential program for women with children who have experienced homelessness, domestic violence, addiction, or poverty. Their mission is to support these women and children in their transition to independence. Ehouse is a nurturing, cooperative living environment that provides resources, hospitality, and respect. They are one of only three facilities in Oakland that provides transitional housing. Their focus is to work with residents intensively to enable them become self-sufficient. To date, 80% of the families served by EHouse have moved into permanent housing.

San Gabriel Valley New Generation Rotary Club

The San Gabriel Valley New Generation Rotary Club is made up of diverse, service-minded people dedicating their time and energy to their community. By performing a variety of services, the club is able to help different groups in need. This includes people without homes, women shelters, teachers, and their students, people living with disabilities, and cities seeking working hands to help beautify their community.

“With our Rotarians’ different skills, professions, and passions, we are able to effectively contribute physical and financial help with each service.” – Nayra Medina, Senior Project Accountant

Second Stork

Second Stork supports a network of over 100 hospitals to give every newborn a safe and healthy start in life when a parent is not equipped to provide it on their own. They give this help in an efficient and professional manner before the baby is discharged from the security of a hospital. Second Stork provide families with essential items that many take for granted, while maintaining the dignity of parents and are heavily relied upon by Social Workers in their network.

“Second Stork is important to me because I love how it helps others without making itself the point of emphasis – it doesn’t solicit feedback or gather data on the recipients like many programs. I am so very proud of my mother for growing this charity from starting in our basement to serving multiple states.” – Murphy O’Halloran, Project Manager

St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital

The mission of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family’s ability to pay. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since it opened more than 50 years ago.