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Tuesday, Mar 19, 2024

Child Development Institute Seeks Funds for Center

This is a regular feature on philanthropic activities by Valley-area businesspeople and companies. The Child Development Institute celebrated the groundbreaking of its new early learning center in Canoga Park, which provides a free play area for children ages five and under, the Woodland Hills-based group announced. The center will be located in the former 6,500-square-foot Canoga Park library, which will be renovated. Construction has already started on the center called Together We Grow, which will open during the spring next year. The institute, also known as CDI, has already raised $1.54 million toward its $2.27 million capital campaign and is seeking additional funding from local corporations, individuals and foundations. About 130 friends and community members attended the center’s groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 28. Special guests included Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine, Sheriff Lee Baca, Honorary Chair and Celebrity Laura San Giacomo and community partners from Providence Hospital, Child Care Resource Center and the Community Redevelopment Agency of the City of Los Angeles. “The Child Development Institute is a welcome addition to Canoga Park, not only because it provides crucial services to children and families, but because it is the foundation for building strong, healthy and vibrant communities,” Zine said. The center offers early intervention services such as music, art and movement stations, a toy and book lending library, a water and sensory play station and classes in gardening, cooking and nutrition. Animal Party Raises Funds Philanthropist, entrepreneur and Hollywood lighting director Ady Gil hosted a masquerade ball on Oct. 22 at his Woodland Hills home to raise money for the nonprofit World Animal Awareness Society’s work in the Gulf Coast. The organization raises awareness about the impacts of human activity on animals through film footage and documentaries. Those attending the “Into the Wild” event were encouraged to dress as their favorite animal. Those who arrived without costumes had professional creature makeup done onsite. In 2009, Gil donated the one-of-a-kind ocean defense vessel Ady Gil to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society for use in patrolling the Antarctic Ocean in search of illegal whaling vessels. The vessel can be seen in the third season of the reality television series “Whale Wars” on Animal Planet. Gil is also a founding partner in American Hi Definition, a company that provides large-screen video projection displays for the entertainment industry. Equipment to Ethiopia Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital teamed with one of its trauma surgeons to donate used medical equipment to a hospital in rural Ethiopia. The hospital made the donation through the nonprofit organization Ethiopia Health Aid, which was established by the hospital’s trauma surgeon and medical staff member Dr. Gudata Hinika. On Oct. 18, Hinika and a group of ROTC students disassembled and removed the used equipment from the hospital’s former intensive care unit to send overseas. Ethiopia Health Aid aims to improve the quality of life in rural Ethiopian villages through education, health and community action. Salon Helps Pediatric Patients Great Clips donated the proceeds from all haircuts given on its opening day to the Pediatric Trauma Center at Northridge Hospital, the Northridge salon announced. Haircuts purchased on the Oct. 23 opening day were priced at $4.99. The Northridge Pediatric Trauma Center, which treats children with life-threatening injuries in the San Fernando Valley, opened at Northridge Hospital Medical Center on Oct. 4. – Compiled by Jessica Vernabe

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