Month: August 2025

ATLANTA, Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Home Depot^®, the world’s largest home improvement retailer, today announced that its board of directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $2.30 per share. The dividend is payable on September 18, 2025, to shareholders of record on the close of business on September 4, 2025. This is the 154^th consecutive quarter the company has paid a cash dividend.

The Home Depot is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer. At the end of the second quarter, the company operated a total of 2,353 retail stores and over 800 branches across all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, 10 Canadian provinces and Mexico. The Company employs over 470,000 associates. The Home Depot’s stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: HD) and is included in the Dow Jones industrial average and Standard & Poor’s 500 index.

 

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SOURCE The Home Depot

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J., Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Eric Gang, founder of Gang & Associates LLC and a nationally recognized veterans’ disability attorney, was recently featured in Woman’s World in an article titled “Eric Gang, A Legal Advocate on Why Fixing Veteran Obesity Starts With Changing the Military Diet.“ In the piece, Gang shares how decades of reviewing veterans’ medical records, which often go back 40 to 50 years, has revealed a troubling pattern: a long-standing and growing obesity crisis among former servicemembers.

Gang notes that obesity’s impact reaches far beyond personal health. It contributes to chronic conditions such as sleep apnea, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease, all illnesses that often surface decades after service and are difficult to prove as service-connected in VA disability claims. Research estimates the cost of obesity to the U.S. military at $1.24 billion annually, reflecting not just healthcare expenses but also lost readiness, recruitment challenges, and national security concerns. In fact, nearly one-third of Army reserve recruits fail to meet BMI standards.

“People don’t use lawyers like me for easy cases,” Gang says in the article. His clients are often veterans battling complex, chronic health issues, and his experience shows that poor dietary habits during military service can have lasting consequences. Because servicemembers are young and active, the effects of high-processed, high-sugar diets often go unnoticed until years later when activity levels decline. “We are seeing an explosion in sleep apnea,” Gang explains. “And sleep apnea’s biggest risk factor is being overweight.”

Gang argues that the military should use its “captive audience” to instill healthier eating habits, providing nutritious food options and educating recruits on long-term wellness. He believes such measures would not only benefit individual servicemembers but also reduce future costs for the VA and improve overall force readiness.

In the article he calls for public health policy based on science rather than industry lobbying. While he does not advocate government control over individual diets, he stresses the importance of accurate, unbiased information so veterans can make informed choices.

Because veterans reflect the broader American population, their health challenges should serve as a warning signal. “If we are serious about honoring our veterans, we need to start by addressing the root causes of their health problems, beginning with what’s on their plate.”

Contact:

Eric Gang
(908) 850-9999
https://www.veteransdisabilityinfo.com/

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SOURCE Gang & Associates LLC

Backpacks filled with school supplies help prepare students for the new school year

TUSTIN, Calif., Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union in California and the largest serving school employees and their families, delivered 3,200 backpacks filled with school supplies—including pencils, erasers, notebooks, and other classroom essentials—to 13 county offices of education throughout California, including the Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE). In an effort to serve students in this area, SchoolsFirst FCU delivered 400 backpacks and 150 hygiene kits and non-perishable food items for students in the countywide homeless services program Project Teach, which helps students access education, transportation and its Foster Youth Services, which provides training and advocacy to improve academic outcomes.

SchoolsFirst FCU delivered backpacks and school supplies to the following counties: Lassen, Los Angeles, Nevada, Orange, Placer, Riverside, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, Sutter, Ventura, Yuba and Yolo.

“Supporting our educators is a top priority, and by preparing students with essential resources to help them learn, we’re making it easier for teachers to focus on educating and serving the students,” said Josh Smith, vice president of school and community relations at SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union. “By working alongside some of our county office of education partners, we’re helping to set students up for success from day one.”

About SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union is the largest credit union serving school employees, and for the seventh year in a row, Forbes has named SchoolsFirst FCU the top credit union in California. Serving school employees and their families, the organization is dedicated to delivering World-Class Personal Service and improving the financial lives of its Members. In J.D. Power’s 2025 inaugural U.S. Credit Union Satisfaction Study, its Members ranked them #1 for overall satisfaction. Today they serve more than 1.5 million Members with a full range of financial products and services. SchoolsFirst FCU was founded in 1934, when 126 school employees pooled $1,200 and established a Member-owned cooperative to help improve each other’s lives.

The Credit Union has nearly $34 billion in assets and remains the largest credit union in California and the third largest credit union in the United States. For more information about SchoolsFirst FCU, visit schoolsfirstfcu.org. 

Insured by NCUA.

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SOURCE SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union

The Rachael Ray Foundation and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation join forces to cultivate future restaurant careers through ProStart CTE program.

Apply here through September 19

WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Rachael Ray Foundation and the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF) are once again teaming up to support high school culinary arts and restaurant management education through the 2025 Rachael Ray Foundation ProStart Grow Grants. High schools across the country can now apply for a $5,000 grant to enhance or launch their ProStart career and technical education (CTE) programs. Applications are open now through 11:59 p.m. ET on September 19, at this link.

Forty-eight high schools will be selected to receive grants that can be used to upgrade classroom equipment and resources – supporting educators who are delivering ProStart’s industry-driven curriculum in culinary arts and restaurant management fundamentals. Schools looking to kick-start their own ProStart program in the 2026-2027 academic year are also eligible to apply for funds, which can be used to set up their new kitchens and classrooms for success. Selected schools will be notified in October.

“ProStart is inspiring students by connecting them with the numerous career opportunities that exist in the restaurant industry – with the program’s incredible educators at the forefront of this career-building work,” said Rachael Ray, founder of The Rachael Ray Foundation. “I’m excited to partner with the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation once again to give teachers the tools they need to invest in these young people and show them all that’s possible in our industry.”

This year marks the sixth round of Grow Grant funding from The Rachael Ray Foundation, which has awarded more than $1 million to ProStart schools across 153 grants to-date and made further investment in restaurant and foodservice-focused career education – including over 260 scholarships through Rachael Ray’s Yum-o! Organization.

“The Rachael Ray Foundation’s continued support of ProStart has helped to transform its classrooms into launchpads for future chefs, managers, and entrepreneurs,” said Rob Gifford, president of the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation. “These grants speak to the power of ProStart in building tomorrow’s restaurant industry careers – and the educators who bring this program to life each day.”

ProStart is a two-year CTE program offered in high schools and technical centers across all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Students gain hands-on experience and industry certifications, preparing them for careers in restaurants and foodservice. Culinary students learn to prepare a three-course meal using only two butane burners, while restaurant management students develop business plans for original restaurant concepts.

“The Rachael Ray Grow Grant has transformed our culinary program and opened new doors for our students,” said Suzanne Fekete-Stilley, a ProStart Instructor at Albany High School in Albany, Louisiana, which received a 2024 Rachael Ray Foundation ProStart Grow Grant. “Not only were we able to provide industry-recognized certifications to every student, but the field trip to New Orleans gave them real-world exposure to culinary careers. I’ve seen their confidence and skills grow tremendously. One student even secured a part-time position at a local restaurant because of their ServSafe certification. This grant has truly helped us grow future culinary professionals.”

The NRAEF administers the Grow Grant application process. Schools must submit a complete application by the deadline. New ProStart schools selected for funding must sign an agreement to join the program or return the funds.

For more information and to apply, click here. 

About the National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF): As the supporting philanthropic foundation of the National Restaurant Association, the NRAEF’s charitable mission includes enhancing the industry’s training and education, career development, and community engagement efforts. The NRAEF and its programs work to Attract, Empower, and Advance today and tomorrow’s restaurant and foodservice workforce. NRAEF programs include: ProStart® – a high-school career and technical education program; Restaurant Ready/HOPES – Partnering with community based organizations to provide people with skills training and job opportunities; Military – helping military servicemen and women transition their skills to restaurant and foodservice careers; Scholarships – financial assistance for students pursuing restaurant, foodservice and hospitality degrees; and the Restaurant & Hospitality Leadership Center (RHLC) – accredited apprenticeship programs designed to build the careers of service professionals. For more information on the NRAEF, visit ChooseRestaurants.org.   

About The Rachael Ray Foundation
The Rachael Ray Foundation™ (RRF) is a private foundation that is fully funded by the proceeds from the sale of Rachael Ray™ Nutrish®. RRF was launched by Rachael in 2016 to better support the causes she cares for most such as helping animals in need. Additionally, RRF works with organizations that support the mission of Yum-o!, Rachael’s 501c3, in order to bolster and amplify their efforts through additional funding. Yum-o! empowers kids and their families to develop healthy relationships with food and cooking. It also teaches families to cook, feeds hungry kids, and funds cooking education, among other initiatives.

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SOURCE National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation

Georgians invited to register online today for annual event hosted by Friends to help care for state parks on National Public Lands Day

ATLANTA, Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Georgia Power and Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites (Friends) are preparing to celebrate Your State Parks Day on September 27, an annual event hosted by Friends to help care for Georgia’s state parks in celebration of National Public Lands Day. The event was created by Friends and has been supported by Georgia Power for the last several years with hundreds of Georgia Power employees helping clean up and beautify their local state parks through the program, primarily through the company’s longstanding Citizens of Georgia Power employee volunteering organization.

Georgians are invited to mark their calendars to come roll up their sleeves on September 27, or support the program in other ways by donating to Friends or sharing their favorite state parks memory. All of the information, including event and registration details by local state park, is available on the Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites website.

“Helping preserve and protect Georgia’s incredible natural resources is at the heart of our commitment to being a Citizen Wherever We Serve in communities across the state,” said Audrey King, senior vice president of Corporate Responsibility for Georgia Power. “Georgia’s state parks and historic sites are an incredible asset for Georgia, making the natural beauty and history of our state accessible for everyone. We’re proud to continue to support the work of Friends and their annual program to make our state parks even better for Georgia families and visitors from around the world.”

“Your State Parks Day is not just about giving back – it’s about stewardship and taking care of what is important to all of us,” said Damon Kirkpatrick, president and CEO of Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites. “It is a day that reflects our mission to serve, support, and celebrate what makes Georgia unique. We are proud to have Georgia Power alongside us in that effort.”

Friends is a nonprofit organization with a mission to serve, support, and celebrate Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites. Statewide, Friends works to raise awareness of the economic and intrinsic values of Georgia’s greatest treasures. The organization works with state and community leaders to help make sure that Georgia’s natural and cultural resources are well protected, well maintained and well preserved for generations to come. At the local level, more than 50 chapters work with their respective sites to support individual projects and programs, with thousands of hours of volunteer time donated each year.

To learn more about Friends of Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites, and the organization’s Your State Parks Day program, visit: https://friendsofgastateparks.org/.

About Georgia Power

Georgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America’s premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the

company’s promise to 2.8 million customers in all but four of Georgia’s 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the company is recognized by J.D. Power as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), X (X.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power). 

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SOURCE Georgia Power

 Grants intended to address health related social needs experienced by Medicaid members

CHICAGO , Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois has awarded nearly $10 million this year to more than a dozen community organizations that provide support for behavioral health, housing and food security across Illinois. These grants benefit Illinois Medicaid enrollees who rely on these community organizations for support.

Illinois has seen significant increases in mental health issues, particularly among school-aged children where it can harm individual educational attainment and lead to more serious health conditions. At the same time, the Illinois Department of Public Health reports that housing insecurity has become closely related to chronic illness and mortality, while access to basic health care has become more difficult.

“We work with community organizations across the state that provide early intervention to reduce the long-term effects of health-related social needs,” said Nancy Wohlhart, President of Medicaid for BCBSIL. “These partners have local expertise and demonstrated records of success in the communities they serve.”

Improving Child and Adult Behavioral Health

Because Illinois has seen a significant increase in pediatric mental health issues, BCBSIL has focused $1.5 million of its investments to expand school-based mental health services for Medicaid members through Arukah Institute of Healing, Cartwheel Care, and Erika’s Lighthouse.

BCBSIL also is helping to fund the expansion of care options to support behavioral health care with the DuPage Crisis Stabilization program, NAMI of DuPage’s Living Room Program, and other sober living providers throughout the state. The company’s grant to the DuPage County Health Department helped to open a Crisis Recovery Center that is an alternative to emergency rooms for people having behavioral health crises. By providing specialized care, the center can reduce emergency room visits and lower the cost of care.

Continuing Investment in our Housing Program

BCBSIL also works to expand affordable housing options for Medicaid enrollees. In 2025, the BCBSIL Housing Program devoted $5.5 million to community organizations that help Medicaid members find secure housing, also reducing hospital admissions and ER visits. BCBSIL’s grant to the Southern Illinois Health Foundation helped open Vivian’s Village, a 16-unit supportive housing community in Cahokia Heights. This is part of a broader five-year $12 million commitment to addressing housing insecurity.

Addressing Food Insecurity

With more than 87,000 BCBSIL Medicaid members reporting food insecurity, BCBSIL provided $3 million to fund several community-based organizations including Dion’s Chicago Dream, VNA Health Care, Aunt Martha’s Health & Wellness, and T. Castro Produce to provide access to healthy foods and nutrition support while improving health outcomes for diabetes, hypertension and obesity. This food program has distributed more than 60,000 food boxes since 2023.

BCBSIL focuses its investments on meeting the needs of Medicaid and other community members by addressing health related social needs, including economic opportunity and stability, nutrition, neighborhood and built environment, locally defined health solutions and optimal health solutions. Its community investments align with the State of Illinois’ Section 1115 Medicaid Waiver and will continue into 2026. Learn more about BCBSIL’s community impact.

About Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois is the largest health insurer in Illinois, serving 9 million members and operating in all 102 Illinois counties. BCBSIL is a division of Health Care Service Corporation, a Mutual Legal Reserve Company and an Independent Licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. Learn more at bcbsil.com and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn

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SOURCE Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois

SEATTLE, Aug. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — RareCyte, Inc., a leading innovator in precision biology and liquid biopsy technology, is proud to announce receipt of a $500K award from the Gates Foundation to advance research into fetal growth restriction (FGR), a major cause of preterm birth, stillbirth, and neonatal morbidity worldwide.

FGR is a significant global health challenge, contributing to long-term developmental delays and increased risk of chronic diseases for affected children, as well as heightened maternal health risks. Despite its prevalence, the underlying causes of FGR remain poorly understood, and current diagnostic tools are inadequate for early and accurate identification.

“RareCyte’s groundbreaking TrophoSeq™ assay provides a non-invasive ‘liquid biopsy’ of the placenta by isolating and sequencing circulating trophoblasts (circTBs) from maternal blood,” explained Eric Kaldjian, MD, SVP of Clinical Research at RareCyte and principal investigator for the research. “These rare placental cells offer a unique window into placental physiology, enabling researchers to study molecular changes associated with both healthy and dysfunctional pregnancies without risk to mother or fetus.”

Under this program, RareCyte will partner with Prof. Mushi Matjila and Dr. Nadia Ikumi at the University of Cape Town (UCT) to conduct a two-phase study enrolling pregnant women at Groote Schuur Hospital in South Africa. The study will generate cellular and transcriptomic profiles of circTBs from women with early-onset FGR and matched healthy pregnancies (n=30), using RareCyte’s proprietary AccuCyte® and TrophoSeq™ platforms.

“This is an exciting opportunity for Dr. Ikumi and me, ” says Prof. Mushi Matjila. “The greatest limitation in placental research has always been the ability to understand placental biology especially in early gestation. With this technology we can do so, without interrupting pregnancy, and we do so while developing the capacity of young local talent and our research platform.” The project aims to identify gene expression differences and molecular pathways involved in placental dysfunction, paving the way for improved diagnostics and potential therapeutic targets.

Key Study Highlights:

• Non-invasive sampling: Utilizes maternal blood to obtain placental cells, eliminating the risks of traditional biopsy.
• Global health impact: Focuses on early-onset FGR, a condition with high perinatal morbidity and mortality.
• Data-driven insights: Comprehensive transcriptomic analysis to uncover the molecular drivers of FGR.
• Collaborative approach: Data will be analyzed jointly with UCT and findings disseminated to the scientific community.

“By advancing research on fetal growth restriction, we hope to provide clinicians and researchers with the tools they need to better predict, diagnose, and ultimately prevent adverse pregnancy outcomes,” said Joe Victor, CEO of RareCyte.

This pilot study is expected to be completed in the first half of 2026. Results from this investigation will inform future translational research studies and support global efforts to improve maternal and neonatal health.

For more information about RareCyte, please visit www.rarecyte.com.

About RareCyte, Inc.

RareCyte provides Precision Biology products and services for discovery, translational research, and clinical diagnostics. The Orion™ spatial biology platform enables same-day, 20 channel multiplexed tissue analysis. Our comprehensive liquid biopsy offering enables CTC and other rare cell characterization and single cell retrieval for molecular analysis, and CDx development. For Research Use Only. Not for use in diagnostic procedures.

About University of Cape Town (UCT)

The University of Cape Town (UCT) is a leading research-intensive University in Africa, inspiring creativity and excellence through outstanding achievements in learning, discovery, and engaged citizenship. UCT fosters a vibrant, inclusive environment that attracts diverse students and scholars worldwide, with a focus on local relevance. Committed to advancing scholarship in Africa and beyond, UCT builds strategic partnerships and produces influential graduates and future leaders. Our qualifications are globally respected and locally relevant, driven by values of social justice and transformation. UCT actively works to create a more equitable, sustainable society while nurturing a culture of diversity and belonging for all its members.

Media Contacts

RareCyte: media@rarecyte.com

University of Cape Town: elijah.moholola@uct.ac.za

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SOURCE RareCyte, Inc.