Editor’s Note: The charitable works of The National Notary Foundation are now folded into the National Notary Association’s Corporate Responsibility efforts.
Founded in 1997, the National Notary Foundation (NNF) provided opportunities for the Notary community to support humanitarian and philanthropic work around the globe. Thanks to their efforts and generosity, the Foundation and its supporters have donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to medical research, educational programs and disaster relief efforts.
One hundred percent of contributions have gone directly to supported programs, and all the Foundation’s operating costs were donated by the NNA. The Foundation’s charitable efforts included:
Support for local education
- In 2014, the NNF donated $1,500 to the Chatsworth Park Elementary School in Chatsworth, California, to benefit the school’s library improvement project of their Accelerated Reader Program.
- Each year, the Notary of the Year and March Fong Eu Achievement Award recipients are provided with a $1,000 scholarship for the educational institution of their choice.
- On behalf of the 2013 Notary of the Year, Kathy Fletcher, NNF donated $1,000 to the Glendale Community College in Glendale, Arizona.
- On behalf of the 2014 Notary of the Year, David Shean, the Foundation donated $1,000 to Loyola High School in Los Angeles, California.
Higher-education scholarships
- Over the decades, the Foundation has provided scholarships for students at colleges and universities throughout the country, including UCLA, the Florida State University School of Law, California State University Northridge and others.
- Scholarships were set up at the City College of New York in memory of firefighters and police officers who lost their lives in the 9/11 attacks.
Breast cancer awareness
- Named in honor of the NNA's late and beloved Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, who lost her life in the battle against breast cancer, the Linda Bazar Breast Cancer Fund has provided medical researchers at City of Hope with ongoing financial support as they search for a cure to the disease.
The donations were partially funded through your support in purchasing the NNA’s annual special edition Breast Cancer Awareness Journals. The journals provide an easy way for Notaries to contribute to research focused on finding a cure.
Leadership and public service
- The NNF made a $25,000 donation to the Calvin Coolidge Presidential Foundation to help promote the ideals of leadership and public service espoused by our nation’s 30th president.
Local hunger relief
- NNA staff has continuously organized canned food drives to support the West Valley Food Bank in Woodland Hills, California. Notably, in November 2014, employees collected 1.5 pallets full of non-perishable items to help those less fortunate in the community.
Disaster relief
- Regular assistance to the victims of natural disasters in the U.S., including relief efforts for victims of hurricanes in Florida, Texas and Puerto Rico, as well as victims of the Mexico City earthquake in 2017.
- Donations were also made in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina and in 2011 during the destructive storm season in the Midwestern and southern United States.
Veterans
- In 2014, $8,000 was donated to fund Notary training courses for veterans from all branches of the U.S. military at the NNA's Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.