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Rockler Announces $50,000 Donation to the Hardwood Forestry Fund

MEDINA, Minn., Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Rockler Woodworking and Hardware announced the company has made a $50,000 donation to the Hardwood Forestry Fund (HFF) to support 2021 tree-planting projects across the country. The contribution to HFF continues Rockler’s…

«We are proud this contribution will help with the important work of growing beautiful hardwood forests for everyone to enjoy,» said Ann Jackson, executive chairman of Rockler Woodworking and Hardware. «The Hardwood Forestry Fund is working to ensure future generations of woodworkers and furniture-makers have access to renewable hardwood lumber resources.»

Since 2008, Rockler has donated more than $100,000 to HFF to fund tens of thousands of tree-plantings across the country. Rockler’s donations to HFF have helped fund reforestation projects in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Wisconsin and more.

«We are grateful for the ongoing support of Rockler, a company that has continued to provide considerable contributions over the years that have advanced our mission to establish high quality hardwood forests,» said John Varner, chairman of the board for HFF. «These important donations provide for the key resources to help our organization plant new, thriving forests.»

Since 1990, HFF has planted and managed more than 4 million trees in 30 states across the US, as well as in four international countries. Native tree species are selected for each unique site, but common species planted include black cherry, black walnut, red oak, hard maple, hickory and ash. Every sponsored project is required to have a management plan and harvest and regeneration schedule.

More information about Rockler’s commitment to the hardwood forestry fund and how individuals can participate can be found at rockler.com/forestry-fund.

About Rockler Woodworking and Hardware
Celebrating its 66th anniversary as a family-run business, Rockler Woodworking and Hardware supplies lumber to woodworkers online and in stores, with an expanded selection of wood now in many stores. Rockler is the nation’s premier supplier of specialty hardware, tools and other high-quality woodworking products. Rockler has 37 retail locations across 20 states, as well as extensive catalog and internet operations.

To learn more about Rockler, please visit http://www.rockler.com or call 1-877-ROCKLER, and follow us on social media:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rockler
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockler_woodworking/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rockler
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/RocklerWoodworking
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/Rockler/

About the Hardwood Forestry Fund
Using seedling planting, direct seeding, and forest management techniques to promote natural regeneration the Hardwood Forestry Fund creates sustainable forests on suitable and quality public sites. The young forests are managed for wildlife habitat, water quality, soil conservation, timber products, and natural resource education.

The Hardwood Forestry Fund is a 501 (c) (3) educational foundation based in Sterling, Virginia, and is supported by the forest products industry, conservation-focused foundations, and individuals. To make a donation or submit a grant application to the Hardwood Forestry Fund, please visit: https://www.hardwoodfund.org/. Contributions are deductible to the extent allowed by law. Tax ID 54-1674210.

Media Contact

Nathan Bowie, Rockler Woodworking & Hardware, 612-677-2250, nathan.bowie@onesimpleplan.com

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SOURCE Rockler Woodworking & Hardware

Alion to Participate in U.S. Air Force AFWERX Reimagining Energy for the Department of Defense (DoD)

WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Alion Science and Technology announced today that it will be a participate in the U.S. Air Force AFWERX Reimagining Energy for the DoD Challenge on February 9, 2021. There were over 1,000 submissions to the challenge, with 170+ companies selected to pitch their cutting-edge ideas to a panel of evaluators and subject matter experts to help the DoD rethink the way they generate, transmit, store, and use energy.

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AFWERX, the U.S. Air Force’s innovation catalyst, recently launched the Reimagining Energy for the DoD Challenge, that aims to reduce the U.S. military’s reliance on fossil fuels and accelerate its shift toward renewable and resilient energy sources. This effort supports the DoD’s mission to deter conflict and ensure the nation’s security, and it also stands to supercharge the clean energy industry.

«Alion is honored to be included in this showcase and excited to be able to demonstrate our technology and solutions to support such an important global DoD energy effort,» said John Eubank, Alion’s Director of Artificial Intelligence. «This is a phenomenal opportunity to apply Alion’s expertise to solve and contribute to the future of resilient energy production, transmission, use and storage for the DoD and to come together with other leader’s in the energy industry to solve this global issue.»

Alion’s subject matter experts will present Fortis AI and Big Data Platform (BDP) technologies and solutions. Fortis AI is an Alion developed algo gymnasium for the rapid processing of text- based data sets using a highly scalable cloud-based architecture. BDP is a government-owned knowledge management platform for securely processing massive data sets at the speed of DoD operations. BDP and Fortis AI provide a comprehensive architecture for storing, processing, and deriving value from the DoD’s Energy Data. These capabilities create a knowledge management capability for Energy Data Scientists to explore DoD energy policy, education, usage, and other data sets and then provide recommendations and solution implementation to enable and monitor change in the DoD Energy Culture.

ABOUT AFWERX

Established in 2017 by the Secretary of the Air Force and reporting to the Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, AFWERX is a catalyst for agile Air Force engagement across industry, academia and non-traditional contributors to create transformative opportunities and foster an Air Force culture of innovation. The aim is to solve problems and enhance the effectiveness of the Air Force. To learn more about AFWERX, visit: www.afwerx.af.mil –

ABOUT ALION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION

Solving some of our nation’s most complex national security challenges, Alion works side-by-side with our Defense and Intelligence communities as we design and deliver advanced engineering solutions to meet current and future demands. We go beyond the superficial and dive deep into the root of the engineering complexities and bring innovation to reality. With global industry expertise in Big Data, Analytics, and Cyber Security; Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning; Live, Virtual, and Constructive Training; Electronic Warfare and C5ISR; and Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing, Alion delivers mission success where and when it matters most. To learn more, visit www.alionscience.com.

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SOURCE Alion Science and Technology Corporation

Waiting for Vaccines, New Data Shows Black, Latino and Asian American Seniors Dying of COVID-19 at Alarmingly Higher Rates

CHICAGO, Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — As older adults anxiously await vaccines to protect them, African American/Black, Latino and Asian American older adults in Chicago and statewide are getting sick and dying of COVID-19 at rates much higher than their share of the population, according to new data from AARP Illinois, the Chicago Urban League, The Resurrection Project and Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago released…

The sobering statistics – evidence that longstanding inequities have only been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic – have prompted the creation of a collaboration to urge officials and influencers across the state to find ways to create systemic policy changes on behalf of, and with, older adults of color.

«The disproportionate number of Illinois’ older adults of color dying from COVID-19, while heartbreaking, is not an anomaly,» said Rosanna Marquez, AARP Illinois State Volunteer President. «It is evidence of longstanding inequities, from the social conditions that lead to poor health to unequal access to quality care, to limited economic resources, which have existed for years.»

During a press conference, Marquez and leaders from the groups pledged to do their part to «Disrupt Disparities» in Illinois and create an Illinois where older adults across communities can age with the economic stability, health care resources and digital connectivity they need to lead healthy, stable and rewarding lives. They were joined by Illinois Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins, Senator Robert Peters, Representative Theresa Mah and other elected officials.

«We’ve seen that racial economic disparities can accumulate over the course of someone’s lifetime to create widening wealth gaps in communities of color,» said Illinois State Senator Jacqueline Y. Collins.»This study of the experiences and needs of older adults of color is an essential first step in creating an Illinois where older adults can age with financial security, healthcare that meets their needs and the digital resources they need to lead healthy, productive and rewarding lives.»

«The COVID-19 public health crisis has wreaked havoc on our older adults of color, and has brought to the forefront the deep disparities that exist in these communities in the areas of health, economic security, and connectivity,» said Illinois State Senator Robert Peters. «It has never been more important or more urgent to bring about the systemic and structural change needed to promote equitable solutions for older adults of color and their families.»

«Older adults of color have suffered from the effects of disparities that lead to health problems, unequal access to reliable health care and limited economic resources for far too long,» said State Representative Theresa Mah. «The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us all the devastating impact of these inequities, and that urgent action must be taken to ensure that our adults of color can live healthy and fulfilling lives.»

Collaborators on the «Disrupt Disparities» initiative called for immediate action and recommended policy solutions for many of the disparities outlined in the report.

«We’re proud to be a collaborator on this groundbreaking report that shows how structural inequities are impacting older adults across communities of color, including the Asian American community,» said Andy Kang, executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago. «Asian Americans are often left out of conversations regarding racial disparities due to the ‘model minority’ myth, when in fact, many are suffering due to economic disparities, lack of resources, and other factors. This report emphasizes the need not only for more data on Asian American communities, but more disaggregated data, to really understand the impact of these disparities on our communities.»

«We already knew the pandemic was having a disproportionate impact on Black and Brown communities. Through this collaboration, we now have research and data that show that senior members in communities of color are perishing at disproportionate rates due to unequal access to healthcare and other longstanding disparities,» said Karen Freeman– Wilson, president and CEO of the Chicago Urban League. «This cannot be acceptable. We must have action to address these disparities and improve the quality of life for older individuals who often are the backbone of our communities.»

«This pandemic has exposed and exacerbated widening inequities. In many of our Black and Brown communities, there is limited access to high-quality healthcare, the digital literacy gap is high, and the economic disparities have yet to be addressed,» said Raul Raymundo, CEO of The Resurrection Project. «It’s very important that our elected officials understand that any recovery effort is seen as an investment in addressing these inequities over the long-term.»

According to the new data released Monday, deep disparities exist in the areas of :

COVID-19:

While African American/Black Chicagoans in the 50+ age range account for 7.5% of all recorded COVID-19 cases, they constitute 39.3% of deaths despite representing 37% of Chicagoans 50 and older between March and Dec. 31, 2020.
Hispanic older adults in Chicago accounted for 21% of the population 50 and over, yet made up 31.4% of infections and 32.5% of deaths from COVID-19.

Economic stability:

African American/Black seniors are three times more likely to live in poverty, Latinos and Asian Americans are almost twice as likely as whites.
Almost half of African American, Latino and Asian homeowners over 80 in IL still hold mortgages on their homes, twice as many as whites.

Health:

In Illinois, African American/Blacks, Latinos, and Asian Americans suffer significantly higher rates of chronic diseases than their white counterparts. In Chicago, 75 percent of older African Americans and 64 of older Latinos are diagnosed with hypertension.
But older adults of color have limited access to high-quality health care. In urban areas, healthcare providers are concentrated in white neighborhoods; in more rural areas, whites are three times more likely to have access to a car – the highest of any racial or ethnic group.

Connectivity:

More than a third of Illinois African American/Blacks and Latinos over 65 have no internet access at all at home.

The groundbreaking data – the first time all available research on disparities for older adults was collected for such purposes – was compiled by researchers at the Center for Urban Research & Learning, Loyola University Chicago in late 2020.

For a complete copy of the report, visit: www.aarp.org/IL

The Disrupt Disparities report is just the beginning of a multi-year effort to create systemic policy changes on behalf of, and with, older adults of color in Illinois.

The group will host a Disrupt Disparities summit in partnership with the Illinois Department on Aging on April 26-27, hold regular community convenings across the state (Feb. 24, March 3, March 24 and April 10) and engage lawmakers on developing policies to address the problems.

«It’s never been more evident that systematic changes are needed to help Illinois’ residents of color to live the same longer, healthier and more productive lives as their white counterparts,» Marquez said. «AARP is so proud to be working in partnership with Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago, the Chicago Urban League and The Resurrection Project to bring attention to the important issues for older adults and fight for these proven solutions.»

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SOURCE AARP Illinois

Kia Motors «acelerará el bien» a través de donaciones a programas de fútbol de escuelas secundarias afectadas por la pandemia

Woodrow Wilson High School, en Camden, Nueva Jersey, recibirá una donación de $50,000 de Kia; donaciones a otras escuelas secundarias pronto se anunciarán

La campaña es una extensión de la iniciativa benéfica «Accelerate The Good» (Acelerar el bien) de Kia, que incluye becas universitarias, asistencia para jóvenes sin hogar y ayuda ante la pandemia
Los elementos creativos de la campaña «The Game Must Go On» (El…

Woodrow Wilson High School, en Camden, Nueva Jersey, recibirá una donación de $50,000 de Kia; donaciones a otras escuelas secundarias pronto se anunciarán

La campaña es una extensión de la iniciativa benéfica «Accelerate The Good» (Acelerar el bien) de Kia, que incluye becas universitarias, asistencia para jóvenes sin hogar y ayuda ante la pandemia
Los elementos creativos de la campaña «The Game Must Go On» (El juego debe continuar) y un anuncio de 30 segundos titulado «The Bear & The Eagle» (El oso y el águila), que presenta el SUV Sorento 2021, están disponibles en YouTube.com/Kia

IRVINE, California, 8 de febrero de 2021 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Mientras Estados Unidos se preparaba para la acción en el campo de juego este domingo pasado, Kia Motors America anunció una intensa campaña en apoyo de la juventud estadounidense, específicamente, de aquellos cuyos sueños futbolísticos se han visto afectados negativamente por la pandemia de COVID-19. Tras 11 años consecutivos de anuncios premiados y estimulantes en el gran evento, este año Kia se enfocó en retribuir directamente a los jóvenes de todo el país a través de una nueva iniciativa benéfica en apoyo de los programas de fútbol de las escuelas medias de todo el país.

La primera escuela secundaria receptora es Woodrow Wilson High School, en Camden, Nueva Jersey. Con 68 jugadores en el equipo, en el otoño de 2020, los Woodrow Wilson Tigers suspendieron su temporada debido a recortes de presupuesto y medidas de distanciamiento social. Se agregarán más programas de fútbol de escuelas secundarias a la campaña, que se anunciarán en las próximas semanas.

«El fútbol es el juego emblemático de los Estados Unidos, y este domingo fue un muy bienvenido descanso de la pandemia que todos necesitamos. Cuanto más lo pensábamos, nos dimos cuenta de que Kia podía usar esto como una oportunidad para ayudar a los jugadores de escuelas medias a seguir luchando por sus sueños de estar algún día en el escenario más grande del fútbol,» señaló Russell Wager, vicepresidente de marketing de Kia Motors America. «Kia continúa ayudando a los jóvenes necesitados a recuperar parte de sus vidas anteriores a la pandemia. Admiramos la audacia de los Woodrow Wilson Tigers y esperamos celebrar a más jóvenes extraordinarios de todo el país que simplemente quieren jugar el deporte que aman».

El apoyo a los equipos de fútbol de las escuelas medias es la última extensión de la iniciativa benéfica «Accelerate The Good» (Acelerar el bien) de Kia Motors, que comenzó en 2019 cuando se instituyó la beca Great Unknowns Scholarship para ayudar a los jóvenes necesitados a afianzarse en la educación superior. Al inicio de la pandemia en 2020, Kia continuó con estos esfuerzos con dos donaciones separadas de $1 millón a organizaciones que ayudan a los jóvenes sin hogar de los Estados Unidos. Además de las donaciones monetarias, los voluntarios del equipo de Kia ensamblaron equipos de protección personal (PPE) en la planta de fabricación de Kia en Georgia, y entregaron más de 550,000 protectores faciales a hospitales y centros médicos de todo el país.

«Nos sentimos honrados de recibir esta magnífica donación de Kia Motors», expresó Katrina McCombs, superintendente de escuelas de la ciudad de Camden. «Nuestros niños y estudiantes-atletas merecen todas las oportunidades para competir en el aula y en los campos deportivos. Sabemos de primera mano que esta generosa donación ayudará a restaurar y elevar nuestro programa de fútbol para muchos estudiantes-atletas muy merecedores».

Entre los elementos adicionales de la campaña se incluyen un video de 30 segundos, «The Game Must Go On» (El juego debe continuar) que ilustra el impacto que los programas deportivos cancelados pueden tener en los jóvenes. Próximamente, se estrenará en canales de red y cable un anuncio de 30 segundos titulado «The Bear & The Eagle» (El oso y el águila), que presenta el flamante SUV Kia Sorento 2021. El anuncio lleva al espectador en un viaje surrealista a través de diversas aventuras por la naturaleza mientras destaca varias características del nuevo SUV resistente y capaz de Kia.

Acerca de Kia Motors America
Kia Motors America, cuya sede se encuentra en Irvine, California, sigue siendo la marca mejor clasificada en calidad y es reconocida como una de las 100 mejores marcas mundiales. Kia es el «Socio automotor oficial» de la NBA y ofrece una gama completa de vehículos que se venden a través de una red de más de 750 concesionarios en los Estados Unidos, entre los que se incluyen automóviles y SUV orgullosamente construidos en West Point, Georgia.*

Para obtener información de prensa, incluyendo fotografías, visite www.kiamedia.com. Para recibir avisos personalizados por correo electrónico sobre comunicados de prensa al momento de su publicación, suscríbase en www.kiamedia.com/us/en/newsalert.

*Los modelos Telluride, Sorento y K5 se ensamblan en los Estados Unidos con partes de los Estados Unidos y de otros países.

Fotografía: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1433691/Kia_Motors_Football_Team.jpg
Logotipo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/812837/Kia_Motors_America_Logo.jpg

FUENTE Kia Motors America

SoCalGas to Provide Over $1 Million to Fund Research & Development of Hydrogen to Fuel Commercial Transportation

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) announced today it will provide $1.3 million to fund the development of four hydrogen fuel technologies that could provide emissions-free transportation for railways and at ports in California and around the world. The funding will help bring to market innovative clean hydrogen technologies, including fuel-cell marine vessels, hydrogen refueling stations at ports, and fuel cell locomotives.

«SoCalGas is thrilled to support these important hydrogen technology projects,» said Neil Navin, vice president of clean energy innovations at SoCalGas. «Projects like these have the potential to create more zero-emissions transportation and reduce the cost of hydrogen fueling infrastructure, consistent with California’s climate goals. SoCalGas remains committed to helping California reach these goals and our support of innovative clean fuel projects like these demonstrates that commitment.»

The four projects were selected for funding through the California Energy Commission‘s (CEC), Hydrogen Fuel Cell Demonstrations in Rail and Marine Applications at Ports (H2RAM) grant program. In addition to $1.3 million in funding from SoCalGas, the CEC will provide over $10.4 million to fund the research and development of these projects – bringing the total funding to approximately $11.7 million. Project partners include maritime fuel cell maker Golden Gate Zero Emission Marine Inc., research organization Gas Technology Institute (GTI), and non-profit CALSTART.

«GTI is proud to partner with SoCalGas on this important project and greatly appreciates their support. This project will use hydrogen to provide zero-emission locomotive operations in a port and a designated disadvantaged community, which directly aligns with GTI’s core goals,» said Ted Barnes, GTI’s research and development director.

«As California looks toward advancing our strategies for emissions reductions, transportation applications that use hydrogen and fuel cells will play a key role,» said California Assemblymember Kevin McCarty (D-Sacramento). «I am pleased to see SoCalGas, in partnership with the CEC, supporting the development of these innovative projects, especially in the 7th Assembly District. These efforts are timely with the Governor’s executive order that requires all new cars and passenger trucks sold in California to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035. It’s important that we all work together to propel California forward into the future of clean energy.»

In addition to this funding, SoCalGas is advancing numerous low- and zero-carbon energy technologies. Late last year, the company announced the creation of a Hydrogen Blending Demonstration Program to study blending hydrogen in its gas system, so it can ultimately recommend a hydrogen injection standard for regulatory approval.

It also announced it will build a home to demonstrate, in a microgrid setting, the use of hydrogen produced from solar energy. Called the «H2 Hydrogen Home,» the project will use solar panels to create electricity that can be used to produce green hydrogen via electrolysis. The hydrogen will be blended with natural gas for the home’s appliances as well as converted back to electricity using a residential fuel cell.

In addition, SoCalGas will field test a new technology that separates and compresses hydrogen from a blend of hydrogen and natural gas, allowing hydrogen to be delivered wherever a natural gas distribution system exists. Details on these efforts are available here.

SoCalGas’ mission is to build the cleanest, safest, and most innovative energy company in North America. More information on the company’s mission and strategic priorities can be found at socalgas.com/mission.

About SoCalGas

Headquartered in Los Angeles, SoCalGas® is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States. SoCalGas delivers affordable, reliable, clean and increasingly renewable gas service to 21.8 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California, where more than 90 percent of residents use natural gas for heating, hot water, cooking, drying clothes or other uses. Gas delivered through the company’s pipelines also plays a key role in providing electricity to Californians— about 45 percent of electric power generated in the state comes from gas-fired power plants.

SoCalGas’ vision is to be the cleanest gas utility in North America, delivering affordable and increasingly renewable energy to its customers. In support of that vision, SoCalGas is committed to helping homes and businesses decarbonize their energy usage by delivering 5% renewable gas by 2022 and 20% by 2030. Renewable natural gas is made from waste created by dairy farms, landfills and wastewater treatment plants. SoCalGas is also committed to investing in its gas delivery infrastructure while keeping bills affordable for our customers. From 2015 through 2019, the company invested nearly $7 billion to upgrade and modernize its pipeline system to enhance safety and reliability. SoCalGas is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), an energy services holding company based in San Diego. For more information visit socalgas.com/newsroom or connect with SoCalGas on Twitter (@SoCalGas), Instagram (@SoCalGas) and Facebook.

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SOURCE Southern California Gas Company

David W. Allen is recognized by Continental Who’s Who

CINCINNATI, Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Having led an outstanding career for the past 50 years, talented designer Mr. David Allen has maintained a well-deserved reputation for his notable work with the environment. He is widely recognized for his design of biodegradable paperboard birdhouses, as well as other green products for wild birds. Throughout his extensive career, Mr. Allen’s research revealed how detrimental the loss of bird habitats is due to urban sprawl,…

As the owner of GreenBird, Mr. Allen oversees all aspects of the business and has a complete passion for his work and serving customers. All products are made from recycled paper, as well as other natural, sustainable materials. With a strong focus on wild birds, GreenBird continuously strives to provide habitat for them through maintaining partnerships with organizations including The Carbon Farmer of Canada.

In light of his academic achievements, Mr. Allen received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the Columbus College of Art and Design, with a major in Illustration and a minor in Advertising. Following graduation, he served executive-level positions in artistic endeavors at various companies including Weir McBride Advertising, Applied Communications, and McNally Communications. He was also the owner of Allen & Associates in Waynesville, Ohio, between 1989 and 1998. Shortly after, he served as the vice president and creative director of Jaap-Orr Company between 1998 and 2012.

Mr. Allen is a cancer survivor and remains active in his community. He volunteers as a Voice of Hope for the American Cancer Society in his spare time. Additionally, he is past president of his local Rotary Club, Jaycees, and Chamber of Commerce.

As a testament to his success in environmental conservation, he received the Best of Cincinnati Award for Business and Efforts to Impact the Environment in 2019.

To learn more, please visit https://www.greenbirdhouse.com/.

Contact: Katherine Green, 516-825-5634, pr@continentalwhoswho.com

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SOURCE Continental Who’s Who

Listen, Learn, Lead: Walton Family Foundation Launches New Five-Year Strategic Plan

BENTONVILLE, Ark., Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ –The Walton Family Foundation today announced a new strategic plan for its next five-year grantmaking cycle. The plan reflects the foundation’s mission to tackle tough social and environmental problems with urgency and a long-term approach to expand…

Working across its three, longstanding programmatic areas – protecting rivers and oceans and the communities they support, improving K-12 education, and investing in the foundation’s home region of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta – the plan places a strong emphasis on supporting innovative and inclusive solutions that support individuals and organizations striving for change in their communities.

«Today’s challenges are more complex and interconnected than ever, and solutions require setting ambitious goals, bringing people with different ideas and backgrounds together, and developing innovative approaches,» said Annie Proietti, board chair of the Walton Family Foundation. «As we work toward lasting change for tomorrow, we are committed to unlocking opportunity today and breaking down barriers that stand in the way.»

The five-year plan prioritizes three goals across the Walton Family Foundation: championing community-driven change to ensure the foundation’s work reflects the voices and needs of communities in which it works; prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion in the grants the foundation makes and the voices it engages; collaborating with partners to develop innovative approaches that bring people, resources and ideas together from across government, local communities, and the private and philanthropic sectors. The Walton Family Foundation will provide more than $2 billion in philanthropic support over the next five years to achieve these goals.

Caryl M. Stern, executive director of the Walton Family Foundation, said, «To create meaningful and positive change in the communities we serve, we must first listen to and learn from those closest to the complex challenges. That insight will empower breakthrough ideas that are the building blocks for the big system change we hope to achieve.»

ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM
The Environment Program envisions North America as a leader in improving water quality and availability through climate-resilient approaches to agriculture, water resource management and sustainable fisheries. Over the next five years, the program will work toward this vision by supporting efforts to protect water resources in the face of climate change. Specific initiatives will:

Drive Innovation: Working with on-the-ground partners to develop, test and drive the widespread use of innovative agricultural water resource and fisheries management practices.
Use Markets to Advance Sustainability: Supporting community leaders who are using market demand for sustainably produced products to improve agricultural practices and fisheries management.
Encourage Smart Policy: Elevating the voices of those most affected by water policies to bring their perspectives to bear in crafting policy solutions that strengthen environmental and economic outcomes in their communities.
Engage & Empower Diverse Allies: Working with stakeholders from within and beyond the environmental field – including expanded engagement with Communities of Color, who disproportionately experience the more severe impacts of climate change.

K-12 EDUCATION PROGRAM
The K-12 Education Program seeks to increase access to high-quality K-12 education that puts opportunity and a self-determined life in reach for every child, especially those most in need. Specific initiatives will:

Increase Achievement & Opportunity: Supporting community-designed and community-driven educational change across the country.
Foster Diverse, Durable Coalitions: Building strong, diverse coalitions that advance policies so promising, community-demanded educational models can thrive.
Accelerate Breakthrough Innovation: Supporting entrepreneurs and innovators breaking down barriers to progress and developing new solutions to advance students’ learning and growth.

HOME REGION PROGRAM
The Home Region Program honors the Walton family’s shared values and commitment to Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta by supporting local efforts to create opportunity and enhance quality of life for all who call these communities home. The plan envisions Northwest Arkansas as one of the most vibrant and inclusive regions in the nation. Specific initiatives include:

Advance Economic & Cultural Vibrancy: Supporting Northwest Arkansas’ diverse and innovative regional economy, so small businesses and startups can flourish and world-class cultural and other opportunities are accessible to all.
Foster Inclusive Growth & A Sense of Belonging: Working with a broad spectrum of local organizations to ensure everyone can fully participate in the region’s economic and other opportunities, while also building meaningful connections across diverse communities to inspire a genuine and shared sense of belonging.
Support Community Leadership & Capacity-Building: Engaging and elevating the voices of a diverse array of local leaders and supporting organizations working most closely with the community.

The foundation’s work in the Delta will focus over the next year on gaining a deeper understanding of how to support community-driven change most effectively. The next 12 months will offer opportunities for learning from community partners and exploring how to best support their work helping ensure residents have equitable access to resources and opportunities. Areas of exploration include education and youth engagement, economic asset building for individuals and families, and coalition building to maximize impact.

About the Walton Family Foundation
The Walton Family Foundation is, at its core, a family-led foundation. Three generations of the descendants of our founders, Sam and Helen Walton, and their spouses, work together to lead the foundation and create access to opportunity for people and communities. We work in three areas: improving K-12 education, protecting rivers and oceans and the communities they support, and investing in our home region of Northwest Arkansas and the Arkansas-Mississippi Delta. In 2019, the foundation awarded more than $525 million in grants in support of these initiatives. To learn more, visit waltonfamilyfoundation.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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SOURCE Walton Family Foundation

Momentum Dynamics CEO Andy Daga Calls For A Clean Air Future On Joining Zero Emissions Transport Association (ZETA)

MALVERN, Pa., Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Momentum Dynamics CEO, Andy Daga has called for a global push toward cleaner air on his company’s joining of ZETA – the Zero Emissions Transport Association as a founder member.

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In a Blog Post on the ZETA website, (www.zeta2030.org) Daga also calls for a clear-eyed perspective when planning for the future of EV charging, and for all players to embrace new ways of thinking about charging, rather than leaning on habits left over from the gasoline fueling model.

In setting out his goals for a cleaner future, Daga said: «We all saw during the COVID lockdown the startling speed at which the air over our cities began to clear, once carbon fuel usage was cut. We should not miss this opportunity to mark a high point in cleanliness and our joining of ZETA cements our aim to deliver cleaner air to the world, through electric vehicles. The perceived barriers to EV adoption, such as range and difficulties surrounding plugging-in can now be put into history as we continue to prove-out the commercial success of wireless charging. Wireless charging can speed up the adoption of EVs by removing these impediments, which means we can get to that cleaner future much quicker, if we can consign our outdated fueling habits to history.»

In a wireless charging system, the vehicle arrives over charging pads that are sunk into the roadway during its pick-up, drop-off or turnaround time. The vehicle receives incremental wireless charging of a few minutes or longer, before resuming duties. The charging is automatic and requires no operation by the driver. Charging ends as the vehicle departs from the pad. Because of its automatic nature, the wireless charging system enables buses, delivery vehicles and other EVs to receive partial, range-extending charges during routine operations. This «partial state of charge» approach can significantly extend vehicle driving range, while also extending the useful life of vehicle battery. The automatic nature of wireless charging is particularly suited to compliment fully-autonomous vehicles.

Because of a lack of moving parts or physical connectors, wireless charging systems deliver a low cost to operate and maintain. The system works reliably in all extreme weather conditions, including ice, snow, and rain and due to the absence of cables, can provide wireless charging for vehicles in city streets without contributed to visual clutter.

The Momentum Dynamics’ wireless solution provides multiple benefits: Wireless charging is easy, automatic, and because of its high-power nature, is fast and reliable. Momentum’s wireless charging system has been tested to operate within IEEE and ICNIRP standards for EMF emissions; the system also has UL field certification.

On-route high power wireless charging, where a bus or delivery vehicle takes a few minutes of charging on each route loop while delivering or collecting passengers, effectively enables unlimited vehicle range. This means a single electric vehicle can replace its diesel equivalent on a 1:1 basis.

Wireless charging is suitable for all electric vehicles, such as autonomous shuttles, delivery vehicles, cars, taxis, buses and trucks up to Class 8 size. The Momentum Dynamics system operates from 25kW to 450kW, and because it is modular in design, the system can easily scale in size.

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SOURCE Momentum Dynamics Corporation

Vaccine Survey: Nearly 20% of US Workers Unsure about Taking Vaccine

NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — As the US rolls out the COVID-19 vaccine, a survey of US workers finds that 1 in 5 employees are undecided about whether to take it.

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NEW YORK, Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — As the US rolls out the COVID-19 vaccine, a survey of US workers finds that 1 in 5 employees are undecided about whether to take it.

The Conference Board survey reveals that employee rank accounts for much of this hesitation: lower-level workers are less willing to receive the vaccine than senior leadership. Moreover, the nationwide survey found that nearly half of companies have yet to communicate a policy on getting the vaccine. And of those organizations that have, most are encouraging workers to receive the vaccine but not mandating it as a condition of returning to the office.

«Nearly a year into the pandemic, workers are still faced with an abundance of uncertainty. Many workers—especially lower-ranking staff and women—feel unsure about the vaccine and have discomfort returning to the workplace,» said Rebecca Ray, PhD, Executive Vice President, Human Capital at The Conference Board. «These findings reinforce the need for companies to limit as much uncertainty as possible by communicating what they know and what their expectations are about returning to the workplace, as well as guidelines about the vaccine to employees.»

Conducted between January 13–26, the online survey covered two key topics: policies pertaining to the vaccine and reopening the workplace. More than 2,200 US workers participated, representing a cross-section of people across industries. It is a follow-up to similar surveys conducted in September and again in October.

Key findings include:

One-fifth of US workers—19 percent—are undecided about whether to get the vaccine.

Three-quarters plan to take an FDA-approved vaccine when available.
Only 6 percent do not plan to get the vaccine.

Indecision over taking the vaccine increases as worker rank decreases.

Individual contributors: Only 67 percent of these lower-ranking workers plan to take the vaccine.
CEOs: 85 percent of those at the top, however, plan to take it.

«Indecision about the vaccine may be driven by a distrust of the healthcare system, government agencies, or the efficacy of the vaccine itself. In many states, the vaccination registration process can be complicated,» said Amy Lui Abel, PhD, Vice President, Human Capital Research at The Conference Board. «Many companies, on the other hand, have the trust of their staff; they may consider sharing facts and dispelling myths about the vaccine, or enabling government plans to immunize their workers.»

Gender gap: Women are more undecided about taking the vaccine than men.

More men (80 percent) are planning to take the vaccine than women (73 percent).

In addition to being more willing to take the vaccine, men are also more comfortable returning to the office at nearly two times the rate of women.

Men: 32 percent of men are very comfortable returning to the office.
Women: Only 17 percent of women feel very comfortable returning.

«Given that caretaking responsibilities still disproportionately fall to women, the gender disparity in comfort returning to the workplace is understandable,» said Rebecca Ray, PhD, Executive Vice President, Human Capital at The Conference Board. «Insufficient childcare, a fear of exposing their families to COVID-19, or the impact of contracting the disease themselves may very well be driving this concern.»

Nearly half of respondents say their company has yet to communicate a vaccination policy.

One-third of companies strongly encourage getting the vaccine as a condition of returning to the workplace but are not mandating it.
Only 1 percent require a vaccine for all workers.

Uncertainty about how workers will return to the office has increased.

Nearly a full year into the pandemic, plans for returning to the office or worksite remain unknown to 44 percent of respondents. That is up from 37 percent in the September survey.

When will my company reopen? 28 percent expect to return in 7 to 12 months.

Within 6 months, April to June 2021: 21 percent.
Unsure/Do not know: 8 percent.

Lower-ranking employees are less comfortable than senior leaders about returning.

Individual contributors: Only 14 percent are very comfortable returning to the workplace.
CEOs: 44 percent are very comfortable, or even want to return, to the workplace.

«Given that higher-ranking staff likely have more control over their work environment and more input into office reopening plans, it is not surprising that they are more comfortable returning to the workplace,» said Amy Lui Abel, PhD, Vice President, Human Capital Research at The Conference Board. «Clear communication about reopening plans and the implementation of safety measures can help ease concerns.»

Employee discomfort with returning to work has declined with the vaccine rollout.

Only 18 percent of respondents are uncomfortable returning to work, a sharp decline from the 31 percent in the September survey who reported discomfort with the prospect.
More respondents describe themselves as very comfortable returning to work (22 percent) than are not comfortable doing so (18 percent). That is a reversal from September.

About The Conference Board
The Conference Board is the member-driven think tank that delivers trusted insights for what’s ahead. Founded in 1916, we are a non-partisan, not-for-profit entity holding 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt status in the United States. www.conference-board.org

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SOURCE The Conference Board

COVID-19 Slowed But Did Not Gut 2020 Instructional Materials Adoptions in Schools

ROCKVILLE, Md., Feb. 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — In 2020, most school districts in states that have formal adoptions of new K-12 instructional materials followed a traditional timetable for making decisions about purchasing those materials despite the COVID-19 pandemic, educational business research firm Simba Information found.

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New adoption spending was projected to be between $600 million and $700 million in the 18 states that Simba considers to be the core adoption market, lower than spending in 2019.

Results from major adoption opportunities in 2020 and prospects for adoptions in 2021 are provided in Simba Information’s newly released 2020 National Instructional Materials Adoption Scorecard and 2021 Outlook.

While most school districts did proceed with their planned instructional materials adoption schedules, there was some lag in the actual purchasing. «Despite continued local decision-making, publishers did feel the impact of the pandemic and the cyclically more limited adoption schedule,» said Kathy Mickey, managing editor of the Education Group at Simba Information. «Publishers did confront ongoing delayed purchasing decisions in the large California market.»

Adoption opportunities were appealing to a broad spectrum of publishers in 2020 from ongoing core K-8 science and social studies adoption purchasing in California to 9-12 English language arts in Texas to 6-12 world languages and career and technical education in Florida.

In all, some 21 different publishers had a variety of approved programs in the adoptions Simba covered in 2020.

About Simba Information
Simba Information is widely recognized as the leading authority for market intelligence in the media and publishing industry. Simba’s extensive information network delivers top quality, independent perspective on the people, events and alliances shaping the media and information industry. Simba publishes newsletters and research reports that provide key decision-makers at more than 15,000 client companies around the globe with timely news, analysis, exclusive statistics and proprietary industry forecasts. For more information, please visit www.simbainformation.com.

Contact:
Kathy Mickey
Senior Analyst, Education Group
Simba Information
203-325-8193, ext. 7410
kmickey@simbainformation.com

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SOURCE Simba Information