Corporate Philanthropy Awards: More than 1,000 employees

The company also sponsored a holiday gift drive to benefit the children of Sunny Hills Services. It is a private, nonprofit regional child-welfare organization serving vulnerable youth who face mental health, social and emotional challenges as well as supporting their families.

This year, Sunny Hills is expected to serve more than 1,600 young people and another 1,100 family members and caregivers through an array of programs focused on the educational, mental health, housing and developmental needs of vulnerable youth.

"Autodesk has a long history of supporting Sunny Hills Services through grants and event sponsorships," said Lynelle Cameron, senior director of Sustainability and Philanthropy at Autodesk. "The gift drive was a resounding success."

Autodesk encouraged employees to participate and matched their combined gifts of $900 for a total of $1,800 donated. Several Sunny Hill's staff members were invited to speak at the company's holiday party to inform employees about the needs of children the agency serves.

The Autodesk Foundation was launched at the beginning of this month. This is the first foundation to focus investment exclusively on the people and organizations using the power of design for impact to create a better world.

The company also hosted a series of events throughout the year where nonprofit groups set up information tables in the building and introduce themselves to employees.

In addition, employees donated 300 toys and games for younger children and much-needed household items for youth who are approaching the upper age limit in the foster care system and have to prepare to be on their own.

Meanwhile, Autodesk's Education division continues to provide free access to Autodesk software directly to students and educators.

Recently, Autodesk launched the Design the Future program in response to President Obama's ConnectED initiative to invest more than $250 million to empower STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education in middle and high schools. Forty-plus schools in Marin County have registered for the program.

The company also provides registered schools with free access to Autodesk's industry-leading 3-D design software, curricula aligned to Common Core and ISTE standards, training, and certification. Registration for the program is open to schools through the website autodesk.com/designthefutureus.

At the firm's headquarters in San Rafael and offices throughout the North Bay, Autodesk's cash contributions from all sources last year totaled $175,000. Companywide, Autodesk contributed $1.2 million in 2013, including corporate and foundation giving.Kaiser Permanente Marin-SonomaImproving health of communities served

As a leading health care provider and health maintenance organization, Kaiser Permanente addresses critical health-related needs through its Community Benefit Program.

[caption id="attachment_90119" align="alignright" width="350"] Many Kaiser Permanente employees volunteer as reading tutors with the Schools of Hope program.[/caption]

After conducting a Community Healthy Needs Assessment along with other hospitals and county health departments, Kaiser Permanente's Marin--Sonoma grant-funding process focused on the following five areas: Access to health care, healthful eating and active living, mental health, oral health, and substance abuse.

Through its Community Benefit Program, Kaiser provides care, grants and sponsorships supplemented by the generosity of its Marin--Sonoma employees.

In addition to corporate contributions -- which last year totaled over $25 million in the North Bay alone and $753 million systemwide from all sources -- Kaiser's spirit can be found at fundraising events, in local clinics, at community functions and within hundreds of local nonprofit organizations, government entities and local schools.

Along with providing medical financial assistance, free surgeries are performed at Kaiser facilities through Operation Access.

Kaiser's Community Benefit program, which is overseen by a Community Investment Team, allocates funds through a variety of giving programs.

More than 160 Marin--Sonoma physicians and staff serve on 243 community boards, commissions and committees.

The Kaiser medical team of doctors, nurses and staff gave $137,850 in 2013 to local nonprofits of their choice in the annual Community Giving Campaign. This number was nearly doubled by corporate matching funds.

Kaiser's Educational Theatre programs promoted healthful lifestyles and health information to 30,287 attendees at 65 schools in Marin and Sonoma counties.

Kaiser Permanente subsidized memberships to 20,177 individuals, including more than 5,200 children regardless of immigration status through the KP Child Health Program.

Kaiser provides medical education to doctoral medicine and pharmacy residents, nursing students, summer youth interns and clinical as well as allied health trainees.

"We also share medical research, protocols and clinical best practices with local community clinics, including Exercise as a Vital Sign, and through the Preventing Heart Attacks and Strokes Everyday (PHASE) program," according to Kirk Pappas, M.D., physician in chief in Santa Rosa.

Kaiser provided a $2.5 million grant over six years for a series of Healthy Eating Active Living (HEAL) programs in underserved neighborhoods and schools. HEAL has resulted in a 17 percent decrease in body mass index (BMI) metrics among third-graders within designated HEAL Zone schools.

These programs are in addition to a broad range of free and subsidized health care services and the following volunteerism efforts.

For example, Kaiser adopted two elementary schools, where Schools of Hope reading tutors serve nearly 50 students weekly. Furthermore, Kaiser volunteers took "A Day On" to participate in the Martin Luther King Day of Caring to help spruce up the Novato Youth Center.

"As a nonprofit, Kaiser Permanente is by its very nature a community benefit organization, providing the gifts of care, time, money, expertise and resources to improve the health of the community," said Judy Coffey, RN, senior vice president and Marin--Sonoma area manager.Medtronic, Inc.Health Access Grants fund four local agencies

"In addition to offering medical devices that alleviate pain, restore health and extend life, Medtronic is committed to funding initiatives that expand access to quality chronic disease care for the underserved worldwide," said David Bruce, a business attorney and the Minneapolis-based company's philanthropy liaison for its Santa Rosa operations. "That commitment starts in the many communities we call home."

[caption id="attachment_90120" align="alignright" width="385"] Members of the Santa Rosa Boys & Girls club were grateful for the Medtronic volunteers who helped paint the gym last December.[/caption]

Medtronic Health Access Grants are awarded in 34 communities, including Sonoma County, where Medtronic has a major presence.

To help support health initiatives in communities where employees live and give, Medtronic will give a total of $450,000 in Health Access Grants to four local organizations over the next two years. Beneficiaries are Redwood Community Health, a coalition of 16 community health centers in Sonoma, Napa, Marin and Yolo counties, $200,000; Operation Access, $50,000; Jewish Community Free Clinic, $100,000; and Santa Rosa Community Health Centers, $100,000.

"We were honored to be one of the recipients of a Medtronic Health Access Grant," said Laurie Lynn Hogan, donor relations director with Santa Rosa Community Health Centers. She nominated Medtronic for the Corporate Philanthropy Awards.

She said Medtronic's grant-making system was revamped this year, and it was clear throughout the process that a great deal of thought and passion for the local community went into the redesigned plan.

"It was a pleasure to discover that our neighbors, just up the hill, share our commitment to expanding access to health care," she said.

Medtronic money is supporting Santa Rosa Community Health Centers' Sweet Success program, which provides culturally relevant diabetes care for pregnant women with pre-existing diabetes as well as women who develop diabetes while pregnant.

"We see 1,000 women a year for pregnancy care," Ms. Hogan said. "About one in five of our pregnant patients have diabetes either before or during pregnancy. The Sweet Success program has become an excellent way to improve outcomes for these individuals. With the addition of this program, Medtronic has made it possible for us to transform care for many families in our community."

During 2013, Medtronic employees in Santa Rosa also logged nearly 2,000 hours -- more than 80 days -- of volunteer time, as noted on the company's Mission in Motion website. The workers participated in Schools of Hope, AmeriCore student mentoring, First Lego League Robotics, Tech High Robotics Program, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, coaching youth soccer and a parent-teacher association golf tournament.

The company also organized a two-day philanthropy fair in December that attracted about 200 employees to learn about opportunities for giving, volunteering and skilled service from 27 local participating nonprofit groups.

In addition, employees volunteered to help Boys & Girls Clubs clean and paint its facility, package food for Redwood Empire Food Bank, clean and decorate Children's Village, sort and pack Christmas gifts for the Salvation Army, and assemble heart ornaments for the Secret Santa Project.

In addition to Health Access Grants, Medtronic and its employees together contributed more than $420,000 in 2013 to 100-plus charities.Wells Fargo BankLocally giving $1.9 million, 3,052 volunteer hours

Founded in 1852 in San Francisco, Wells Fargo has a long history and a company culture emphasizing philanthropy and volunteerism.

[caption id="attachment_90121" align="alignright" width="300"] Wells Fargo team members paint a home for a family through Casa Allegra Community Services which provides support for people with disabilities.[/caption]

"We at Wells Fargo know that when communities are stronger, we all benefit together," said Greg Morgan, president of the North Bay market. "That's why we see it as our responsibility to help those in need.

In addition to providing funds to North Bay schools and nonprofits, employees ("team members") help through volunteerism.

"This work keeps us grounded and connected to our customers, to our communities and each other," Mr. Morgan said.

Last year in the North Bay, the bank contributed $1.915 million to local nonprofits. In addition to corporate philanthropy, team members are involved in their local communities by volunteering 3,052 hours of their time.

Wells Fargo focused its North Bay giving in six program areas: $890,000 for education, $429,000 for community development, $266,000 for human services, $169,000 for arts and culture, $126,000 for civic projects and $32,000 to help improve the environment.

One local organization the financial institution supports is Homeward Bound of Marin, which provides shelter for the homeless. The company made a $30,000 donation to Homeward Bound's capital campaign for Oma Village, a 14-unit affordable housing complex to be built in Novato.

Team members have led financial education workshops for seniors and families at Homeward Bound's Warner Creek and Fireside apartment complexe, and presented a credit cleanup and budgeting workshop for veterans at Homeward Bound's New Beginnings Center.

Nationwide, the company contributed $275.5 million to 18,500 charitable organizations. About 55,600 team members reported more than 1.69 million community-involvement and volunteer hours, a 12.7 percent increase over 2012 and a monetary value of $37.4 million.

Examples of volunteer activities included serving meals to the homeless and working in food banks, cleaning waterways, restoring parks and public land, as well as delivering financial education to 108,820 individuals and families through the company's Hands on Banking program.

For the United Way alone in 2013, Wells Fargo contributed $16.4 million, and its employees contributed $64.9 million to more than 25,000 nonprofits and schools. United Way Worldwide named Wells Fargo's annual fundraising campaign as No. 1 in the U.S. for the fifth consecutive year.

In 2013 Wells Fargo's community investments included $81.6 million to 8,000 educational programs and schools in the U.S. and $84 million in grants to nonprofits focused on development in distressed communities including affordable housing, homeownership counseling, financial education, workforce development and job creation.

In addition, Wells Fargo made significant contributions to nonprofits supporting the following causes: $18.5 million for arts and culture, $16.3 million for civic improvements, $21.8 million for the environment and $52.9 million for human services.

Last year, The Chronicle of Philanthropy recognized Wells Fargo Bank as the "Most Generous Cash Donor in the U.S." for 2012 giving.