French Foundation Gets Alzheimer’s Grants

French Foundation for Alzheimer Research received $167,000, which includes a $50,000 donation by John Herklotz, at a Christmas Eve party at the home of opera diva and foundation founder Dorothy Kirsten French. The $50,000 donation is the balance of $100,000 promised by Herklotz Nov. 18 as a matching grant if the Alzheimer Founding Assn. was able to raise $100,000 by Dec. 24.

* Heal the Bay received $2,700, net proceeds raised at the Nov. 14 Oyster Shuck N’ Eat Contest sponsored by Ocean Avenue Seafood, Santa Monica. Proceeds will be used for ongoing programs such as public awareness, monitoring of bay water and legislative advocacy.

* American Diabetes Assn. Los Angeles Chapter received $100,000, a portion of the money raised at the Children’s Diabetes Foundation “Carousel of Hope” benefit held Oct. 26 at the Beverly Hilton. Proceeds will be used for ongoing research.

* Cedars-Sinai Medical Center’s Endowment Fund received $50,000, net proceeds raised at the preview benefit performance of “Jerome Robbins’ Broadway” Oct. 4. The event was sponsored by the Real Estate Industry Division, a Cedars-Sinai support group. Co-chairs were Joel Kurtz, Mark Kaplan, Joyce Rey and Jerry Asher.

* Los Angeles Rescue Mission received $1,410 from the cast of “The Phantom of the Opera.” Members of the cast raised that amount at a Nov. 1 Pumpkin Fest, with a pumpkin dessert bake-off and pie-eating contest. Cast member Irene Cho coordinated the event. Proceeds will go towards the mission’s new 296-bed shelter now being built on Skid Row.

* Airport Marina Counseling Service, a nonprofit private mental health clinic in Westchester, received $27,227, net proceeds raised at the Westchester Mental Health Guild’s 8th Annual Holiday Home Tour Nov. 4. Proceeds will be used to help subsidize therapy sessions.

* American Society for Technion-Israel, Southern California Chapter, held its 50th anniversary Dec. 1, with more than 250 guests participating in the celebration at the Tina and Alexander Coler mansion. The gala raised $50,000 for Technion’s Cardiac Computer Fund. Technion is Israel’s first institution of higher education and the country’s primary source of scientific and technological brainpower.

* Fourteen institutions will share in grants totaling $75,000 in support of their film programs, effective Jan. 2. The grants were awarded by the Academy Foundation, the educational and cultural arm of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. California Institute of the Arts, San Francisco State University and the American Film Institute are among grant recipients.

* Weingart Center held its holiday meal program Dec. 9. Chefs from Club Culinaire Francais de Californie prepared and served more than 1,000 meals to the homeless. Weingart Center is a 600-bed transitional housing, health and social services complex on Skid Row.

* The Seedling, an emergency food pantry, was granted $10,000 by the UPS Foundation, the charitable arm of United Parcel Service, on Dec. 17. Proceeds will go to prenatal care and an infant and child nutrition program which includes baby formula, baby food, juices and diapers.