Newport Beach, Calif. – (Jan. 27, 2009) – The Pacific Life Foundation announced today that it will distribute almost $250,000 in grants to 19 nonprofit agencies and 12 schools serving the greater Omaha, Nebraska area. 

Arts and Culture

• Omaha Film Festival: A $10,000 grant to support the “Film Education Initiative” which energizes and educates young aspiring filmmakers through classes, a youth camp, a festival, and filmmaking opportunities.
  
• Omaha Performing Arts Society: A$35,000 grant towards a $100,000 pledge to purchase a permanent sound system for the Kiewit Concert Hall at the Holland Performing Arts Center.  In addition, a $10,000 grant has been given to provide general operating support for programming and services that reach a broad and diverse audience, including underserved populations in Omaha and the surrounding areas.
  
• Omaha Symphony Association: $10,000 to support the “Communities LinkUp!” program which teaches elementary school students basic musical concepts and exposes them to classical music.
• Omaha Zoo Foundation: A $10,000 grant to support the “Explore to Learn, Learn to Explore” education program which enhances the study of the natural world for students visiting the zoo by incorporating programs that have a foundation in math, science, and conservation.

Civic, Community, and Environment

• Executive Services Corps-Nebraska: $10,000 to support the “Powerful Tools for Caregivers” program, which is a six-week educational program that has a positive impact on the health of the caregiver.
• Nebraska Community Foundation: A $7,500 grant to support “Leadership Nebraska”, a six-session program that identifies current and emerging leaders throughout Nebraska and strives to deepen their knowledge of the challenges and opportunities facing the state.
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in Douglass/Sarpy Counties: $10,000 to underwrite the “Hispanic Food Safety Training Program” which consists of workshops and classes to help Spanish-speaking restaurant staff in Nebraska pass the national food safety certification program.

Education

• College of Saint Mary: $8,500 toward funding a collaborative between Girls, Inc. and College of Saint Mary which gives education majors the opportunity to teach the Operation SMART (Science, Math, and Relevant Technology) Program to girls at local middle schools to boost their interest in science and math.
• Nebraska Academic Decathlon: A $10,000 grant toward operating support for the Academic Decathlon in Omaha which provides scholastic competition for high school students in ten different academic areas.
• University of Nebraska Foundation: A $10,000 grant to support the “Family Wellness Program” which teaches health classes to disadvantaged families in Omaha to improve their health and quality of life.
• University of Nebraska at Omaha: $10,000 to support “Inside Art”, a news magazine program produced by university students in the School of Communication that will showcase the various offerings in the metropolitan Omaha area.

Health and Human Services

• Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands: $10,000 to support the “Community Based Mentoring Program” which focuses on matching Big Brothers and Big Sisters in Omaha with Latino youth, children of prisoners, and foster children to provide them with a positive role model.
• Care-A-Van: A $10,000 grant to support the “Elderly and Disabled Transportation Program” which provides free transportation for medical appointments, shopping, and support group meetings to the expanding vulnerable population living in western Douglas County.
• Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Omaha: $10,000 to support the “Microenterprise Training and Development Program” which creates viable opportunities for the Latino, immigrant, and refugee communities to improve their self-sufficiency through self-employment and entrepreneurship.
• Habitat for Humanity of Omaha: $10,000 to support their efforts to build new homes in the inner-city of North Omaha which has a nationally disproportionate high number of low-income families and vacancy rates.
• Hope Medical Outreach Coalition: A $10,000 grant towards the coalition’s efforts to deliver healthcare services and facilitate quicker turnaround of urgent care for under insured, uninsured, and homeless individuals living in Omaha.
• National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Nebraska Chapter: $9,400 to purchase a Gait Lab, a piece of equipment that provides a rapid, individualized evaluation of movement of MS patients, resulting in an individualized exercise and rehabilitation program for them.
• Volunteers Assisting Seniors: A $10,000 grant to support the “Insurance Assistance and Counseling Program” which educations seniors and Medicare beneficiaries in Omaha on topics related to health insurance so they can make informed decisions.
• YWCA of Omaha: A $10,000 grant to support a domestic and dating violence prevention program which provides tools and resources to high school and college students should they, or someone they know, fall victim to domestic or dating violence.

In addition to the above grants, the foundation’s “3T’s of Education” program will contribute grants to the following K-12 schools which have concentrations of children or grandchildren of Pacific Life employees.  A 3T’s grant must be designated to one of the following areas: Teacher Training, Textbooks, or Technology:

• Bellevue East High – Bellevue, NE: $1,500
• Elkhorn Ridge Middle – Elkhorn, NE: $2,500
• Fire Ridge Elementary – Elkhorn, NE: $3,000
• Gunn Elementary – Council Bluffs, IA: $2,500
• Millard West High – Omaha, NE: $3,500
• Papillion-La Vista High – Papillion, NE: $1,500
• Ronald Reagan Elementary – Omaha, NE: $3,500
• Spring Ridge Elementary – Elkhorn, NE: $1,500
• St. Vincent De Paul Elementary – Omaha, NE: $1,500
• Thomas Jefferson High – Council Bluffs, IA: $2,500
• Walnut Hill Elementary – Omaha, NE: $1,500
• Westbrook Elementary – Omaha, NE: $1,500

Finally, the foundation has pledged to match Pacific Life employee donations to their local United Way dollar for dollar up to $5,000 per person in 2009.
 
Annual funding of grants allows the Pacific Life Foundation to respond to a broad spectrum of community needs by partnering with nonprofit agencies that serve a large geographic area.  Contributions are made primarily in areas with large concentrations of Pacific Life employees.  Currently, Pacific Life has approximately 320 employees working in its regional business center in Omaha, Nebraska.  The Pacific Life Good Guys, an employee volunteer group, performed over 450 community service hours during 16 events with greater Omaha area nonprofits during 2008.

The Pacific Life Foundation was established in 1984.  Together with Pacific Life, the Foundation has contributed donations totaling over $51.7 million to hundreds of nonprofits over the past 25 years.  For more information about the Pacific Life Foundation, visit its Web site at www.PacificLifeFoundation.com.

Offering insurance since 1868, Pacific Life provides a wide range of life insurance products, annuities, and mutual funds, and offers a variety of investment products and services to individuals, businesses, and pension plans. With more than half of the 100 largest U.S. companies as its clients, Pacific Life is also a member of the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association (IMSA), whose membership promotes high ethical standards for the sale of individual life insurance and annuities.  For additional company information, including current financial strength ratings, visit the About Us section of this Web site.

Pacific Life refers to Pacific Life Insurance Company and its affiliates, including Pacific Life & Annuity Company.  Client count data compiled by Pacific Life using the FORTUNE 500® list as of April 2008.