Community Support for Breast Cancer Research

Our primary funding source is a tax on tobacco products, and the revenue goes down every year. That’s why California citizens—individually and in groups—are coming together to provide more funds for our groundbreaking research.

California citizens now have a way to get involved in breast cancer research—the CBCRP’s Community Partners program. Community Partners help us raise public awareness about the CBCRP’s ground-breaking research and inspire more Californians to support our work with voluntary financial contributions.

The need is great and growing. Our research is primarily funded by a tax on tobacco. Because fewer people are using tobacco products, this source of revenue shrinks every year. California taxpayers make up some of the shortfall with contributions via their state income tax returns; however, this support does not cover the drop in tobacco tax funds.

That’s why we decided to involve individuals and groups from the public and private sectors. The choices for ways to get involved are many—from contributing online, via mail, through state tax returns, to sponsoring events and enlisting others to support the CBCRP.

Become a Community Partner
There are many ways you can become a CBCRP Community Partner. Here are some of them:

• Make a financial contribution to the CBCRP, either online or by sending a check.
• Use the Voluntary Tax Check-Off Program on Form 540 of your state income tax return to contribute to the CBCRP. Then let us know you did at
www.cbcrp.org/tax/.
• If you work for a large employer, find out if your employer would be interested in supporting the CBCRP’s research efforts. Employers can provide support through activities such as having a CBCRP leader give a presentation to employees, including information about the CBCRP in internal email messages or paycheck envelopes, and making employees aware of the CBCRP during the United Way Campaign.
• Contact us with your idea for increasing our visibility and financial support.

A Strong Public Response for 2003
During 2003, we launched new activities to make progress toward the twin goals of the Community Partners Program: increasing public awareness of the CBCRP and increasing voluntary donations through the Income Tax Check-Off Program and new sources.

• The CBCRP became a participant organization in the Community Campaign of the United Way of the Bay Area, opening the way for residents of seven counties to make donations at their place of work.
• To encourage donations, we held rallies and outreach events with CBCRP representatives at work sites.
• The San Francisco Chronicle Cause to Run, a 5K race held in July, made the CBCRP a beneficiary.
• The Golden State Warriors professional basketball team featured the CBCRP at a game, providing visibility for the CBCRP and encouraging fans to contribute on their state income tax returns. Both the men’s and women’s basketball teams at UC Berkeley held similar events at one of each team’s games.
• To encourage contributions from the public, the CBCRP provided bus shelter ads and radio, TV, and newspaper public service announcements.
• We added an online contribution opportunity to the CBCRP Web site.
• The California Endowment—a private, statewide health foundation—awarded the CBCRP a grant to help us increase breast cancer research conducted by collaborations between community groups and scientists.

Community Partners Executive Team
An outstanding group of accomplished Californians have come together to provide leadership as the Community Partners Executive Team. These leaders share a passion for supporting research to prevent, treat, and cure breast cancer. The Community Partners Executive Team spearheads our outreach and fundraising efforts.

Sherry L. Lansing, Chair: Chairman and CEO, Paramount Motion Pictures’ Group, Los Angeles
Ron Burkle: Managing Partner, Yucaipa Companies, Los Angeles
Sharon Davis: Former First Lady of California, Sacramento
Gary Erickson: President and CEO, The Erickson Group, Los Angeles
Linda Griego: President, Griego Enterprises, Inc., Los Angeles
Judith H. Guggenheim: Philanthropist and Volunteer, San Francisco
Barbara Hopper: Realtor, Prudential California Realty, Berkeley
Dr. Cornelius Hopper: Vice President Emeritus, Health Affairs, University of California
Jan Levine: Attorney, Folger, Feldman, Oster, Ringler & Klevine, Santa Monica
Dr. Susan Love: President, Susan Love MD Foundation, Pacific Palisades
Lucy McCoy: Partner, Garcia McCoy & Lee Consulting, Los Angeles
Dr. Maria C. Pellegrini: Program Director, W. M. Keck Foundation, Los Angeles
Dr. Marilyn Rosenwein: Physician and breast cancer survivor, San Mateo
Steve Soboroff: President, Playa Vista, Los Angeles

Community Partners Contact Information
To become a Community Partner, share your ideas, or get more information, please contact us by mail at the CBCRP, 300 Lakeside Drive, 6th Floor, Oakland, CA 94612-3550; by phone at 888 313-BCRP, by email at cbcrp@ucop.edu, or visit our Web site at www.cbcrp.org

In October 2003, Executive Team founding member, Faith Fancher, lost her life to breast cancer. Faith Fancher was an Emmy award-winning journalist and news reporter for KTVU (Oakland). As an Executive Team member, Faith spearheaded fundraising and outreach efforts for the Program; she also was the keynote speaker at the 2002 Symposium, where she presented “My Journey through Breast Cancer: A Story of Faith”.

Since her original diagnosis in 1997, Faith survived multiple recurrences of the disease and devoted much of her life to raising awareness about breast cancer detection and treatment. She participated in clinical trials and several advocacy efforts, and founded “Friends of Faith”, an organization that provides small grants to local organizations that fight breast cancer. In tribute to Faith’s energy and passion, and to commemorate all that she did for breast cancer education and research, the CBCRP has created an annual Faith Fancher Research award, which will be given each July to a researcher, institution, or community-based organization whose work reflects those values that Faith held most closely. This award will fund a breast cancer research project in our portfolio that will extend Faith’s work, such as a Community Research Collaboration award or a project in our Racial and Ethnic Differences portfolio, one of our high priority funding issues. The first Faith Fancher Research award will be presented in 2004.

You May Already Be a Community Partner
Thousands of Californians are already Community Partners, but we don’t know who you are. Everyone who makes a contribution to the CBCRP through their state income tax return is eligible to be a Community Partner, if they choose.

The state government keeps the names of our tax-return donors confidential. If you are one of these donors, you can be part of Community Partner activities, stay informed about our Community Partner events, and receive special Community Partner communications. Just use the contact information at www.cbcrp.org/tax/ to let us know you’ve already made your contribution.