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The H/L Foundation was established in honor of our former CEO and leader, Josh Nichol, to help better connect us to the communities we call home. Our agency was born in, grew up in, and was made in some of the most diverse, culturally rich areas of the country, like Oakland, St. Louis, Miami, Phoenix, Atlanta, and more. When Josh passed away suddenly in 2021, our agency came together to ensure his vision would not only live on, but would make lasting Momentum in these communities through the following initiatives and more:
For almost 40 years, H/L has invested in potential, in people, in talent, and in opportunities to sharpen our craft and create meaningful work for our clients. In 2024, we asked ourselves how we could take that same creative energy beyond our walls. The answer was Community Catalyst. Through this program, we use our skills to help local nonprofits and organizations that are making a difference every day. It’s a way to turn what we do best into momentum for others, helping our communities grow stronger together.
Many women arrive at Fresh Start in crisis, but that’s only the beginning of their story. With wraparound support, mentorship, and resources, Fresh Start helps each woman reclaim her life, her confidence, and her future. Our concept celebrates transformation, honoring not just where she is, but who she’s becoming. Because when you give to Fresh Start, you’re not just supporting one part of her journey. You’re helping her embrace every part of herself and step boldly into what comes next.
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The Josh Nichol Memorial Scholarship provides financial aid to ambitious graduating high school seniors from the Oakland Unified School District who are inspired to pursue a career in advertising and marketing. Because the best way to honor an outstanding leader is to create more of them.
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Josh used to love getting the team together every year, over a huge pan of rich, simmering seafood and sausage. There was a lot of symbolism in that paella. It was made of many ingredients and flavored by many cultures, just like we are. And most of all, it was celebratory. That spirit lives on today, when we come together each year to mix in our communities and celebrate them by doing good from coast to coast. We help out in animal shelters and food banks. We clean up roadsides. We volunteer at homeless shelters and wherever differences in our communities offer the catalyst for us to come together.
One of our favorite holiday traditions is identifying several worthy causes by region, in a vote by all H/Lers, to receive donations every year. We come together to choose causes that matter to us locally, no matter how small, so there’s always a close connection to our communities. Then we celebrate the gift, online and in person, and set the tone for the coming year’s work that starts it all over again.
