Leisure

As a result, Book Buddies has distributed over two million books throughschools, libraries, community-based organizations, hospitals and healthcare facilities that are received through donations from publishersand distributors, and from book drives at schools and communityorganizations.Bernadett also credits Kellie Cairns of Book Buddies for being veryinvolved in giving books to the schools and helping the program on agrassroots level.Under its umbrella, The Molina Foundation conducts four operatingprograms in addition to Book Buddies — Step Up to Math, ExperienceCounts, Teachers Assist Program, and Everybody Writes, which providereplicable and sustainable models that enhance access to educationand reinforcement of activities shown to improve student achievement.The Foundation is fortunate to receive generous funding from MolinaHealthcare, Inc., but additionally must also raise 30 percent of its moniesfrom outside, in-kind donations and other nonprofit groups.“All nonprofit organizations face the same challenges these days,including fundraising,” Bernadett noted. “With tight economic timesfacing the communities we serve, the demand for assistance is everincreasing,and funding sources must be shared among many non-profitorganizations in each community.”Bernadett said the reason they became a nonprofit in the first placewas that they felt they could do more, grow more and engage others— and that has turned out to be true.“We’ve designed our business model to be flexible, and have been ableto operate within our means and touch millions of people,” she said.Looking ahead, the Foundation’s future plans include forming anendowment for sustainability and continuing to address the dynamiceducation needs of the children, parents and educators in localcommunities.This year, The Molina Foundation will enhance and expand its teacherfocusedTeacher-Assist Program (TAP) and Step-Up-To-Math program.The goal is to design and demonstrate models that produce measurableimprovement in student performance.“Long-term, we believe that our most valuable contributions will bedemonstrating models that are replicable and sustainable,” saidBernadett. nVisit molinafoundation.org for more information.Photo courtesy of Lyca Faulkner, finekidsphotography.com.longbeachmagazine.com 55