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LLNS announces $100,000 community gift program for 2012

(Download Image) Laboratory Deputy Director Thomas Gioconda spoke to the recipients of this 2011 LLNS Community Gift Giving Program and thanked them for their work.

Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC (LLNS) is kicking off its annual Community Gift Program to benefit local and area non-profit organizations for 2012.

The program provides up to $100,000 in funding to support organizations addressing science, technology, engineering and/or mathematics (STEM) education, community-service and philanthropic needs in communities having a large population of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) employees. Nonprofit California educational institutions, IRS-qualified 501(c)(3) organizations, and government agencies serving Alameda, Contra Costa and San Joaquin counties are eligible to apply.Gifts will be awarded in amounts from $1,000 to $20,000.

Established in 2008, the Community Gift Program received 59 applications for grants in 2011. Twenty-three applications were selected for awards, the majority of which served children in the Tri-Valley and San Joaquin County, with a focus on science and math education and cultural arts. The Community Gift Program expands upon LLNS' community giving, which continues to benefit the Greater Bay Area.

In December 2011, LLNS matched $1 million in employee donations to the Lab's HOME (Helping Others More Effectively) Campaign. The HOME Campaign benefits community/nonprofit agencies in the Tri-Valley, San Joaquin Valley and Greater Bay Area. Since 1997, HOME has raised more than $1 million annually through employee donations that go directly to agencies selected by the employees. Last year LLNL employees pledged more than $2.6 million to the HOME Campaign, the largest amount ever raised during the years of conducting the HOME Campaign. The contributions benefitted more than 400 local agencies. Adding the $1 million LLNS match brought the total contribution to more than $3.6 million.

"LLNS wants to be a good neighbor to our local communities. We are very proud of the generosity of our employees in assisting those in need," said Parney Albright, LLNS president and LLNL director.

All organizations interested in applying to the LLNS Community Gift Program must submit a gift application to LLNS by Aug. 30. To be eligible, organizations must be sustainable and financially viable and accountable for spending and program results. All applicants will be notified of the outcome of their proposal by Oct. 26, 2012.

More information on LLNS and its Community Gift Program is available at www.llnsllc.com. For an application, go to the LLNS Giving page.