In this issue...

Batten Gift 'Is Transformational'
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Philanthropist Frank Batten doesn't know exactly what triggered his initial focus on education. But for decades the Virginia Beach executive has "concentrated on education as an area where I thought I could make an impact. It is the most important way to help people become self-sufficient and improve their lives and opportunities."

Hirschbiel Appointed to Foundation Board
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For 17 years Paul 0. Hirschbiel Jr. dedicated himself to a successful career in venture capital. Working in New York he spearheaded investments in such powerhouse companies as Dell Computer Corp., Staples Inc. and Starbucks Corp. Hirschbiel was a member of the board of directors of Dell Inc. for 13 years until his retirement from the board in 2000.

ArtsMatch Challenges Donors to Help Arts Groups
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After several years of dwindling state funding, area arts groups were hit particularly hard this year. Funding cuts from the Virginia Commission for the Arts reached nearly 50 percent for many cultural organizations. To help the arts groups survive and find new ways to thrive. The Norfolk Foundation introduced the ArtsMatch program in September.



Community Matters Focuses on Early Education
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Two years ago The Norfolk Foundation identified early childhood education as a priority for its discretionary grantmaking. Since then the Foundation has supported the construction of early learning centers, provided administrative support for volunteers who read to children and joined with United Way's Success by Six to sponsor a parent-child reading initiative in Head Start centers. The Foundation has invested more than $620,000 in these and other projects that support the youngest members of our community.

 

Generosity Outshines Economic Woes
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Two new ways of giving are through a donor advised fund and the Community Fund.

Charitable giving in the United States reached $240 billion in 2002, according to Giving USA, a national study of philanthropy. The report notes that the 1% increase came during tough economic times and is "a testament to the resilience of philanthropy in America." Individuals used current gifts to contribute 76.3 percent of the$240 billion, while other generous people provided 7.5 percent through bequests.


Preschool Opens Doors For Students
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It's almost naptime at the JCOC Ocean front Preschool in Virginia Beach. Eighteen wiggly 4- and 5-year-old children put away their puzzles, crayons and puppets and gather around volunteer Mary Lee Wilkerson, a Virginia Beach educator. As teachers lay out mats and blankets, Wilkerson's voice soothes the children into nap mode as she reads "Prehistoric Pinkerton" - a book that reinforces the students' weeklong study of dinosaurs.



Steel Drums: Creative Outlet for Youths
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On a hot summer afternoon, the tropical sounds of Jamaica fill the fellowship hall of Brighton Rock AME Zion Church in Portsmouth as the Urban Arts Center showcases its summer camp students' talents. Dozens of young people wield mallets that coax music out of steel drums as they move through a repertoire that ranges from "Heart and Soul" to Beethoven's "Fur Elise" and "Jamaica Farewell." The applause is thundering, and one grandmother joins the musicians for some impromptu dancing.



Boy's Fund Helps Students Reach Goals
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Hunter Davis was a typical 12-year-old Virginia Beach boy who enjoyed all water sports, especially surfing and fishing. He loved to play football with his friends, and he excelled at Thalia Elementary School.