Invest in Others awards four advisers grants to bolster their causes

Charities focus on child protection, nutrition, education and genetic disorder NF

The Invest in Others Charitable Foundation has recognized the efforts of four financial advisers, awarding them each with $5,000 to go toward their charitable endeavors.

Invest in Others, which initially was established by top brass at LPL Financial LLC, recognizes the philanthropic work financial advisers perform for their communities.

The group also partners with InvestmentNews for its annual Community Leadership Awards, which honors advisers who are making a difference in their communities.

Last September, Invest in Others kicked off its Catalyst Grant Program, which encourages advisers to apply for the opportunity to win up to $5,000 for a charity in which they actively participate. Winners were chosen based on how they would use the funds to advance their charity’s goals and outreach.

The following advisers and their charities have been chosen for the award this year:

Matthew J. Barbis, an adviser with Creative Wealth Management LLC in Islandia, N.Y., and founder of The Rose Brucia Educational Foundation.

The group aims to reduce the number of child kidnappings by educating children on the dangers of abduction and basic techniques to defend themselves.

Mr. Barbis applied to the Catalyst Grant Program for funding to cover a national safety educational DVD launch, commemorating Aug. 22 as the National Rose Brucia Stranger Safety Day.

Carl Bailey, president of Bailey & Beatty Financial Services LLC in Danbury, Conn., and president of the Danbury Grassroots Tennis & Enrichment Program.

This program partners with the Danbury School System and others in the community to bring tennis, nutritional education and tutoring services to low-income children in the area.

When applying for the Catalyst Grant Program, Mr. Bailey asked for funds to launch a matching-gift program of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program vouchers — food stamps — at the local farmers’ market to encourage summer participants to eat healthily.

“Our program has three legs: education, exercise and nutrition, and tennis,” said Mr. Bailey. He kicked off a program to match participating families’ food stamps to help them purchase fresh fruit and vegetables at the local farmers’ market. The $5,000 from the Catalyst Grant Program will help subsidize the effort.

“Once kids are obese at 9 or 10 years old, it’s a lifelong battle: You’re struggling forever. This is a critical component of our program,” he added.

Alan Yonack, an adviser with Morgan Stanley and a member of the board at Vogel Alcove in Dallas.

This charity provides early-childhood education to local homeless children, as well as free child care and case management services for homeless families.

Mr. Yonack plans to use the grant money toward a new family enrichment program called Family Matters, which will provide weekend entertainment for homeless families.

Diane Bark, owner of DNB Financial Services Inc. of Baltimore and president of the board of directors at Neurofibromatosis Mid-Atlantic.

This charitable group provides information and support to individuals with neurofibromatosis and their families. Known as NF, the condition is a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow on the nerves. There is no cure for NF.

Ms. Bark applied to the Catalyst Grant Program to seek funding to kick off a social-media outreach program that will enable one of her volunteers to speak with others who suffer from NF.