Palisades-Based Everychild Foundation Alters Grant Process in Response to COVID-19

By LILY TINOCO | Reporter

For the second year in a row, Pacific Palisades-based Everychild Foundation pivoted from its normal grantmaking approach to support local agencies.

Founded in 2000 by Palisadian Jacqueline Caster, the organization typically amasses dues contributed equally by members to award a single $1 million grant to a local child-related agency to fund a new innovative and replicable project.

“The group … is dedicated to easing the suffering of local children, whether due to disease, disability, abuse, neglect or poverty,” according to a press release.

Last year, for the first time ever, the organization broke protocol to grant $1 million to be spread equally among eight worthy recipients to help ease the pain and suffering of children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to the ongoing impact of the pandemic, the foundation has shifted gears again this year to distribute relief grants among multiple nonprofit agencies in the community.

Instead of offering a single $1 million donation, four agencies will each receive an Everychild Foundation 2021 Relief Grant of $250,000, chosen from a pool of over 70 organizations.

The equal recipients of this year’s Everychild Foundation 2021 COVID-19 Relief Grants are the Antelope Valley Partners in Health, Child Development Institute, Covenant House California and Jenesse Center.

The organization also selected an additional four agencies to receive an Everychild Foundation Special Recognition Grant of $25,000. The recipients include the Clinica Monsenor Oscar A. Romero, Extraordinary Families, No Limits for Deaf Children and Strength United.

Past recipients of the grant include the Alliance for Children’s Rights, CASA of Los Angeles, Harbor Community Clinic, LA Family Housing, Pacific Clinics, Peace Over Violence, United Friends of the Children and Wellnest.

“During these extraordinary times, Everychild, along with the entire local community of grant makers, has had to pivot to meet the needs where they lie,” Caster said in a statement. “The catastrophic and urgent problems the pandemic has created, especially for children and families, are unlike anything we’ve seen in decades, and we all hope that we can help ease the burden for the agencies who are in the trenches.”

For more information about the organization, visit everychildfoundation.org.