Big Grant for Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood Los Angeles has announced the award of a $750,000 grant--one of the largest single donations it has ever received--from the Mark Taper Foundation; $250,000 is earmarked for the organization’s first new clinic in seven years, and the rest is a challenge grant. The new facility will be in Torrance and serve patients from the South Bay area. The foundation grant launches Planned Parenthood’s Campaign ’91 Challenge, a 10-year clinic expansion program.

* UCLA has received a gift of one of the largest solar-powered residential hot-water systems in California, installed in four high-rise residence halls on the university’s campus. Its cost was $1.6 million, paid by donor Jerry Fields. The gift from the UCLA alumnus and former president of the Los Angeles Board of Fire Commissioners and the Los Angeles Public Utilities and Transportation Commission, will save UCLA a projected $2.5 million to $5 million over the life of the system.

* Family Assistance Program, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rehabilitating homeless families, received more than $33,000 at the second annual Spare Change Project Bachelor Auction Feb. 12 at Ma Maison Sofitel. Henry Polic II was auctioneer for the event. Joyce DeWitt was hostess.

* Six youth-related charities will share net proceeds of $20,000 raised by Movie Awards, produced by Elise and Marty Pasetta at Universal Amphitheatre Jan. 30. The charities: ARCS, which offers scholarships to young scientists; Dream Street Foundation; Child Guidance Clinic; Operation Children; the Children’s Bureau and Starlight Foundation. Movie Awards also underwrote the cost of 1,500 tickets given to six youth-related charities.

* UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund) has received more than $40,000 raised by drummer Eddie Tuduri. With volunteer friends wearing “Musicians for UNICEF” T-shirts, Tuduri has been performing benefit concerts around Los Angeles since 1986.

* Daniel Freeman Hospitals netted $3,500 at a benefit held Feb. 11 at the new California Pizza Kitchen in Marina del Rey. Proceeds will be used for programs at Daniel Freeman Marina Hospital in Marina del Rey.

* Natural Resources Defense Council received $63,000 from a benefit patrons dinner held at Morton’s and an opening night preview at the Los Angeles Convention Center for the fifth annual International Contemporary Art Fair, ART/LA90, held Dec. 6 through 10. The council is a nonprofit environmental advocacy agency.

* Youth News Service, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization that involves inner-city youths in a news operation, has recently received grants totaling $44,000. The group publishes a monthly tabloid, L.A. YOUTH.

* The Los Angeles chapter of the Muscular Dystrophy Assn. has been pledged $20,000 from Everest & Jennings of Camarillo, a wheelchair manufacturer. The funds will support MDA’s local program, including research clinics, patient care and a summer camp program for physically challenged children with muscle disorders.

Casa Colina Community’s Wheelchair Sports, Outdoors and Recreation Program received a $10,000 check from the National Hot Rod Assn.-Budweiser Celebrity Challenge Race on Feb. 2. Event sponsors were Foothill Beverage of Pomona, Anheuser-Busch of Riverside, Straub Distributing of Orange and Triangle Distributing of Santa Fe Springs. Proceeds will help provide year-round sports and recreation programs for disabled children and adults in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Orange counties.

* Fred Jordan Mission was assisted in its Christmas giving by Brad Johnson of Roxbury, a dinner and entertainment club, and Lisa Pantone of Mick Dowd Casting. They raised $322,000 in toys, food, blankets and other items for homeless families.

* American Red Cross will receive net proceeds of $1,500 from the first Tom Flavin Invitational Golf Tournament, held Feb. 4 under the sponsorship of Whittlesey Infiniti Cars.

* UCLA UniCamp, a summer camp for underprivileged children, will receive $102,000 from net proceeds of the third annual Jamaal Wilkes/UCLA UniCamp Invitational Golf Tournament last December. UniCamp provides camp experiences in the San Bernardino Mountains for more than 1,000 children each summer. Golf co-chairs were Jamaal Wilkes, John G. Morris and Kenneth B. Roath.