Mellon Launches $35 Million Jazz Initiative Aimed at Championing Celebrated Jazz Luminaries
The Mellon Foundation today announced a multifaceted $35 million initiative aimed at supporting the cultural preservation of jazz, championing the legacy of the artists who have played a pivotal role in its formation, and strengthening the broader jazz ecosystem.
The initiative, which will provide support for scholarly and storytelling initiatives, and partnerships with the archives, clubs, and other institutions critical to preserving and amplifying jazz’s impact on future generations, is anchored by the ‘Jazz Legacies Fellowship’—a newly created $15 million fellowship founded in partnership with the Jazz Foundation of America (JFA).
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Gilbert Family Foundation commits $1.5 million to Eastern Market
The Gilbert Family Foundation has announced a three-year, $1.5 million grant to the Eastern Market Partnership in Detroit.
The grant will support the “Authentic Eastern Market” campaign, which is focused on strengthening the regional food economy, ensuring the organization’s long-term sustainability, preserving affordable business spaces to foster racial equity, and enhancing the market’s infrastructure for vendors and visitors. A key component of the foundation’s investment will provide support for the Shed 7 Regional Wholesale Distribution Center, a special project to generate greater participation by entrepreneurs of color in the Eastern Market District.
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FHLBank Chicago commits $46 million for housing affordability
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago (FHLBank Chicago) has announced a $46 million commitment in support of housing affordability in Illinois and Wisconsin.
The commitment will support the bank’s 2025 Downpayment Plus (DPP) grant program, which provides forgivable grants to income-eligible homebuyers at closing when financing through a participating member. The bank’s DPP Advantage program extends this assistance to homebuyers in nonprofit-led programs in Illinois and Wisconsin that provide direct mortgage financing. In 2024, FHLBank Chicago disbursed more than $42 million in funding through its DPP programs.
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Firefighter sleeps rough for a month for veterans
A firefighter plans to sleep outside for the whole of March in an effort to raise money for homeless veterans.
South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue station manager Gary Devonport, 40, said he hoped to raise £3,000 for the Royal British Legion Industries charity, while also raising awareness of the problems veterans faced when they left the Army.
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Food Bank in the News
Food Bank’s mission to empower every New Yorker to achieve food security for good involves working with an array of media on the hyperlocal, local, and national level to uplift the stories of those we serve and amplify resources for those who need them most. By proactively sharing the stories of our New York City neighbors and staff with supporting and impactful food insecurity data, viewers and listeners are both empowered and inspired to join us in this fight!
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What is Food Rescue?
Food rescue is the process of redirecting perfectly good food that might go to waste to people who need it. In the United States, nearly 40% of the food we produce is wasted. Much of this food is perfectly good and healthy to consume. By redirecting that food to our neighbors in need, City Harvest is fighting hunger through food rescue.
Since our founding more than 40 years ago, City Harvest has rescued more than one billion pounds of surplus food that would have otherwise gone to waste and delivered it, free of charge, to our partner food pantries and soup kitchens, Community Partner Distributions and our Mobile Markets® to help feed New Yorkers experiencing food insecurity. More than 70% of the food we rescue and deliver is fresh produce.
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