USF Selects Winner of Statewide Prize
Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund Recognized for Enriching Lives Across Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 3, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The University of San Francisco (USF) is pleased to award its 2015 USF California Prize for Service and the Common Good to the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund. USF will honor the nonprofit during a gala dinner on Wednesday, April 29 on the USF campus, and present it with a handcrafted medal and $10,000 check to support its work. This signature university event highlights one of USF's distinguishing values—a strong focus on community engagement and public service.
"In a special way, USF's Jesuit mission and Chronicle Season of Sharing overlap in a particular concern for the most vulnerable members of our society," said USF President Paul J. Fitzgerald, S.J.
Collaborating with more than 120 community organizations, the Season of Sharing Fund provides assistance to Bay Area residents who face unexpected emergencies. Helping more than 4,000 individuals each year, the Fund has delivered more than $100 million in assistance during its 29-year history in the Bay Area. It also distributes about $1 million annually to Bay Area food banks.
"We are proud to honor the Season of Sharing Fund as an exemplary organization in hopes that the public will renew and expand its support of this great institution of good work," said Fitzgerald. "To the extent that we are a more compassionate and generous city, the quality of life for everyone is improved."
The Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and the San Francisco Chronicle cover the operating expenses for Season of Sharing, allowing 100 percent of the money it raises to go directly to help people in need. Jeffrey Johnson, Season of Sharing president and publisher of the San Francisco Chronicle, will accept the prize at the April 29 dinner.
"We are deeply honored for the Season of Sharing Fund to receive the 2015 USF California Prize for Service and Common Good," said Johnson. He added, "It is truly heartwarming to see support for the Season of Sharing reach a record level $7.4M this year. This money will help countless families and individuals in the Bay Area and this award recognizes our many donors for their strong support over the years."
The University of San Francisco California Prize for Service and the Common Good is awarded annually to an organization or individual that models selfless service in pursuit of the common good. Created and endowed through the generosity of Susan and Philip Marineau, the USF California Prize shines a light on people and organizations that reflect the university's values and enrich the lives of others. Past recipients include the San Francisco Free Clinic, San Francisco Giants, Daniel Lurie of Tipping Point Community, Beneficial State Bank (formerly One PacificCoast Bank, FSB & OneCalifornia Bank), chef Alice Waters, and social entrepreneur Lynn Fritz.
Proceeds from the dinner benefit USF's Leo T. McCarthy Center for Public Service and the Common Good and its university-wide programs that promote community engagement and public service. As the university of and for San Francisco, USF prepares students for lives and careers of ethical service to others through rigorous academics, engaged learning, and thoughtful interactions.
For more information about the University of San Francisco California Prize for Service and the Common Good, or for details about the April 29 dinner, please visit www.usfca.edu/ca_prize/
Media interested in learning more about USF California Prize Dinner or the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund, please contact Anne-Marie Devine Tasto, senior director of media relations at USF, 415.422.2699 or [email protected].
About Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund
Over the past 29 years, the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund has helped more than 100,000 Bay Area individuals and families facing an unexpected life crisis. In 1986 the idea of neighbors helping neighbors was introduced to The Chronicle by the late Walter A. Haas, Jr. and Ira Hirschfield, President of the Evelyn & Walter Haas, Jr. Fund. Since then the Season of Sharing Fund has raised over $100 million to help those in need. Each year, the Fund provides assistance to more than 4,000 families, allocating grants for housing needs and other critical necessities. The Fund also distributes $1 million each year to local food banks. All expenses are covered by the Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund and the San Francisco Chronicle, so that 100% of the money raised goes directly to help those in need. For more information, visit www.seasonofsharing.org.
About the University of San Francisco
The University of San Francisco is located in the heart of one of the world's most innovative and stunning cities and is home to a vibrant academic community of students and faculty who achieve excellence in their fields. Its diverse student body enjoys direct access to faculty, small classes, and outstanding opportunities in the city itself. USF is San Francisco's first university, and its Jesuit Catholic mission helps ignite a student's passion for social justice and a desire to "Change the World from Here." For more information, please visit www.usfca.edu.
SOURCE University of San Francisco
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