San Diego Nonprofits Receive Largest Set of 'Green' Grants Awarded by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation in California Under New Environmental Initiative
Mayor Sanders lauds funds for four local environmental sustainability efforts
SAN DIEGO, January 15, 2008 /PRNewswire/ -- San Diego nonprofits working to improve the environment are the recipients of the first and largest set of environmental grants provided by the Bank of America Charitable Foundation in California since announcing its $20 billion Environmental Initiative to reduce climate change. San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders joined Bank of America to announce $500,000 in "green" grants as part of the city's overall strategy to increase environmental sustainability in the region.
Today's announcement was made at the future site of a new health center in the low-income neighborhood of City Heights that will be green-built by nonprofit developer La Maestra to meet gold-certified standards by the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program.
The four Bank of America Charitable Foundation green grants are:
"This is the first and largest package of environmental grants Bank of America has made here in California as part of its new Environmental Initiative," Janet Lamkin, President of Bank of America California, said. "It grew out of our working relationships with Mayor Sanders and local environmental organizations, and it represents a huge investment in San Diego and particularly in the Mayor's efforts to make this the greenest city in the world."
"The environment is the most precious gift we leave for our children. We thank Bank of America for recognizing the leadership that the City of San Diego and local nonprofit organizations are taking in the area of environmental sustainability, and supporting our efforts to create a sustainable economy," said Mayor Sanders. "With public-private partnerships like this one, San Diego can -- and will -- become a globally recognized cleantech business leader."
Bank of America has a legacy of environmental leadership dating back two decades, when it began implementing an environmental focus to its own operations and business practices. For example, it does not finance projects that would destroy primary moist tropical rainforests, certain endangered forests or companies involved in illegal logging. Internally, the company reduced paper usage per associate by 40 percent, and set aggressive, voluntary goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions across the company nine percent through the reduction of its energy consumption. Bank of America also gives its associates $3,000 to buy a hybrid car -- a program piloted in Southern California.
Today, the company is building what is expected to be the world's most environmentally-sound sky scraper in Manhattan, and recently opened its greenest retail bank branch ever in Southern California, built to meet the highest LEED Platinum green-built standards.
The $20 billion environmental initiative announced in March 2007 encourages development of environmentally sustainable business practices through lending, investing, philanthropy and the creation of new products and services. The first significant investments under this plan were in California, from outfitting the largest solar K-12 school program in the nation, to preserving redwood forests.
|
NBC 7/39 News at 4:30PM
|
|
KUSI News at 6:30PM
A local health care facility is getting a helping hand, from a major company. The Bank of America gave 100- thousand dollars in grant money to "La Maestra Community Health Center" in City Heights today. La Maestra is expanding to a large, environmentally friendly building on Fairmount Avenue. It's a one stop shop, for health care services, education and job training. "Behind me are renderings of what La Maestra Community Health Center will one day become, a world-class green built community health center. I said it in my state of the city address and I'll say it again. There's no greater gift that we can pass on to our children than the environment." The new building should be completed by spring of 2009. |
|
FOX 6 News
Four San Diego non-profit groups are going green. Today, Bank of America handed out the first and largest set of environmental grants. 500-thousand dollars was given to four San Diego groups. The announcement was made at the future site of a health care clinic in City Heights. Thanks to the grant, a green developer will build the new clinic in compliance with green codes. Mayor Jerry Sanders says the grant money will also be used in other ways to help more companies preserve the environment. "These green grants from Bank of America will support sustainability and climate change initiatives in San Diego County, spur the development of a clean tech customer in the San Diego region and help us mainstream green building practices in residential and commercial developments. "The grants are apart of Bank of America's 20- billion dollar environmental initiative to reduce climate change. |
|
News 8 at 6:30pm
|
