Foundation will support the work of established philanthropies focused on helping mend the lives of children and their families.
GARDENA, Calif., May 12, 2010 — On behalf of Barco Uniforms^®, Michael and Frida Donner today introduced Barco’s Nightingales Foundation^SM, its Advisory Board and Nurses Advisory Council. Barco’s Nightingales Foundation was established to support the vitality and courageous heart of nursing, while dedicating itself to honoring the spirit of those women and men who choose nursing through its philanthropic efforts. In 2010, the Foundation will support the work of three distinguished organizations: Interplast, The Smile Train and Ronald McDonald House Charities^® of Southern California. In addition, by increasing awareness and appreciation for the work of nurses, the Foundation hopes to inspire more young women and men to enter the profession.
“In celebration of Nurse’s Week and Florence Nightingale’s birthday, we are delighted to launch Barco’s Nightingales Foundation,” said Barco’s Nightingales Foundation Director, President and CEO Michael Donner. “Nursing has long been regarded as the most trusted and respected profession in America. We hope to honor and salute the work of those women and men who choose nursing and, through our Foundation’s efforts, to help the children and families to whom they’re dedicated.”
Barco’s Nightingales Foundation is supported by an Advisory Board consisting of business professionals and volunteers including:
• Nicole Friedland, Chief Development Officer, Interplast
• Deborah Johnston, President and Owner of Care Advantage, Inc.
• Bonnie Nijst, President/CEO of Zeesman Communications, Inc.
• Nicole Rubin, CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern California
• Joe Schaefer, Partner at Innovative Systems
The Nurse’s Advisory Council provides insight and guidance into the critical needs of the nursing profession as well as counsel on programs designed to help children and their families across the world. The Nurses Advisory Council includes:
• Kay Clarke, RN, Nursing Committee Advisor at Interplast
• Deborah Johnston, President and Owner of Care Advantage, Inc.
• Beverly Kent, Director, Volunteer Services at Interplast
• Erin Marlin, RN, ATCN, CPAN, Volunteer at Interplast
• Kathleen Ruccione, MPH, RN, FAAN, CPON, Co-Director, HOPE Program, Childrens Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases at Childrens Hospital Los Angeles and Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California
• Fran Wiley, RN, Volunteer at Camp Ronald McDonald House for Good Times
• Cheryl Wraa, RN, MSN, Trauma Program Director at University of California, Davis, Medical Center and Volunteer at Interplast
In addition to supporting organizations and individuals making a dramatic difference in people’s lives, Barco’s Nightingales Foundation is committed to honoring nurses who have made Barco Uniforms a part of their profession for nearly 75 years. On Barco’s Nightingales Foundation’s website, nurses are encouraged to post their stories along with tributes and stories from patients, parents and others whose lives have been impacted by these professionals. For more information, visit www.barcosnightingales.org/nurses.


About Barco’s Nightingales Foundation’s Partners
Barco’s Nightingales Foundation’s partners include people and organizations committed to helping those in need. Their work exponentially increases Barco’s Nightingales Foundation’s impact in the world.
Interplast has transformed lives for more than 40 years. The first organization of its kind, Interplast provides free reconstructive plastic surgery for the poor in developing countries. Interplast treats children and adults with clefts, disabling burns and hand injuries. Unlike many organizations, Interplast’s focus is to train and to empower developing world doctors to perform surgeries on their own for generations to come.
Smile Train is the world’s leading cleft charity with thousands of partners and programs in 77 of the world’s poorest countries. Our mission is to help the millions of children in developing countries who are suffering with unrepaired clefts. We provide free cleft surgery to children from poor families that give children not just a new smile, but a new life. Now in its tenth year, Smile Train has helped over 580,000 children.
Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Southern California was founded more than 30 years ago in 1977. Our mission is to provide comfort, care and support to children and families in Southern California. We express this mission primarily through Ronald McDonald Houses located in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Loma Linda, Orange County and Bakersfield, and through Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times, a cost-free sleep away camp for children with cancer and their siblings located in the mountains near Idyllwild. Locally we serve more than 14,000 people per year through our Houses and the Camp.
Phil Borges is an award-winning Seattle-based photographer whose mission is to bring awareness and inspire support for individuals and organizations that address social issues around the world. His book, The Gift, was created for Interplast. Limited-edition posters using images from his book support Barco’s Nightingales Foundation’s efforts to raise funds for the surgeries provided by Interplast and The Smile Train.
For more information, visit https://www.barcosnightingales.org or contact info@barcosnightingales.org.
About Barco Uniforms
Barco Uniforms®, a recognized leader in the uniform industry, fuses innovative fabric technology and fashion-forward design to create uniforms that inspire individuals and enhance the work environment. From its versatile, widely appealing Medical Collections to its corporate Identity solutions, Barco Uniforms is committed to making professional attire that people love to wear. For more information, visit www.barcouniforms.com.
About Barco’s Nightingales Foundation
Barco’s Nightingales Foundation, operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, was founded by Michael and Frida Donner on behalf of Barco Uniforms. The Foundation serves to advance the nursing profession and honor those women and men who devote their lives to serving others through nursing. The Foundation is the Donner family’s way of paying tribute and saluting the many generations of nurses for their tremendous contribution in making the world a better place. Its objective is to support the vitality and courageous heart of nursing, while also dedicating itself to honoring the spirit of those women and men who choose nursing by focusing its philanthropic efforts on helping to mend the lives of children and their families.  For more information, please contact Barco’s Nightingales Foundation headquarters at 310.719.2108 or email info@barcosnightingales.org.