The BNI-Misner Foundation is a non-profit program that supports charitable causes relating to children and education in countries where BNI is operating. The primary focus of the foundation is to provide small mini-grants for educational projects.

The Holy Child Academy in Drexel Hill, PA recently received a Givers Gain Grant for $943.50 so that teacher Lettie Switzer may purchase Orff musical instruments for their 215 kindergarten through 8th grade students. The Orff-Schulwerk method is not a method for teaching children to play xylophones, but rather one that mixes ensemble performance, with chants, rhymes, songs, games, dances and movement. The ability to create what is needed to fit every student’s needs is only limited by the arrangement a teacher creates, or more importantly, the number of instruments in the classroom.  Funds will be used to purchase 2 alto xylophones, 1 bass xylohpone and 3 pairs of mallets for the school’s music program. The BNI Foundation thanks Margie Cowan, Executive Director for BNI Colorado, for this referral.

The Mountain View Elementary School  computer lab in Claremont, CA recently received a Givers Gain® Grant from the BNI-Misner Charitable Foundation.  The use of multimedia equipment in the classroom helps promote student involvement, cooperative learning, encourages creativity and heightens the students’ interest in learning. “It is not about just taking pictures,” says Laila Amayreh, Computer and Technology Instructor and Mountain View Elementary, “it is about using the cameras as a tool to explore and understand other subjects.” This school was referred to the BNI Foundation by Beth Misner, Co-Founder and Administrator of the BNI Foundation.

Junior Achievement of Manitowoc, Calumet and Sheboygan counties in Sheboygan, WI recently received a Givers Gain Grant from the BNI-Misner Charitable Foundation for their JA Global Marketplace program.Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating students in grades K-12 about entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs. These programs prepare young people for the real world by showing them how to become an active, contributing member of the community.A special thank you to Pam Wittneben, BNI Assistant Director in Wisconsin, for referring this program to the BNI Foundation.

In March 2009, The Small Miracle Program in Chicago, IL received a $1,000 Givers Gain® Grant to support their mission to create a sense of normalcy for pediatric patients and families. For teenagers being treated at a children's hospital, feeling normal and finding opportunities for socialization can be difficult and frustrating for teens with cancer. These teenage patients are absent from school at a critical time in their lives where attendance and skills can influence college admission and their ability to compete academically in years to come. Schools recognize the challenges that children with chronic illness and hospitalization face. Many teachers have developed opportunities for patients to access class information online or download study information so they can progress and graduate along with their peers. The challenge for most teens is often that they don't have access to a laptop. The Small Miracles Program works closely will Dell and funds from this grant will be used to purchase several Vostro 1000 model laptops.

In March 2009, Grace Miller Elementary received a Givers Gain® Grant from the BNI Foundation for the third grade class to support vocabulary development. Bonnie Crum, third grade teacher at Grace Miller Elementary, learned about the  Steck- Vaughn program through other teachers who've used the program sucessfully. The program presents the vocabulary in a fun way that helps children learn new words to use in their everyday language and writing so they can actually internalize it.  They begin using higher level words in their verbal language as well as their written language.  "Teachers can't help but share their excitement when their students begin growing academically in this way!" says Crum. Funds will go toward the purchase of the Steck-Vaughn program for 20 students as an essential tool to their vocabulary expansion.

Additional projects funded by the Foundation include:

• Oakmont Elementary, Claremont CA, Science Project
• Bonita Unified School District CA, PTA Reflections Program  
• Art Road Non Profit Corporation
• Big City Mountaineers
• Danville Museum of Fine Arts
• Sports Outreach International, Mexico
• East Cobb Christian School
• Sabra Hebrew Day Camp
• McKinley Children’s Home, Library Project

Any Members wishing to support BNI’s charitable work may send donations to:
The BNI-Misner Foundation
545 College Commerce Way
Upland, CA 91711

Or donate by credit card today at California Community Foundation.

BNI is proud to be an organization that "walks the talk" of our founding philosophy of Givers Gain by giving back to the communities in which we operate, and the involvement of members in the BNI-Misner Foundation is always welcomed and encouraged!