Fresno City Councilmember Tyler Maxwell speaks at a Marjaree Mason press conference in November 2023. Photo by Ben Hensley

Marjaree Mason Center officials announced Thursday that a $1 million donation from the Otis Booth Foundation and Booth Ranches will go toward the completion of the Isnardi Foundation Building.

Officials said the generous gift is “an investment in transforming the lives of thousands of adults and children who are empowered to move from fear and abuse to safety and stability.”

A project that began in 2018, the Marjaree Mason Center’s new Isnardi Foundation Building will house its 24/7 trauma-informed crisis drop-in center, as well as all of non-residential survivor services including 24/7 hotline, individual counseling and group therapy, legal advocacy and children’s services, as well as all prevention and early intervention efforts.

Located at 255 W. Bullard Ave., the building formerly served as an education center, the past home to Queen of the Valley, New Life Christian School, Heald College and, most recently, The Milan Institute.

“We are proud to support the Marjaree Mason Center and think the work they do and services they provide are incredible, said Loren Booth, president of Booth Ranches. “To my knowledge, this is the largest gift the Otis Booth Foundation has made in Fresno County where Booth Ranches employees live and work and I couldn’t be more proud to invest in this amazing new facility.”

While construction continues to modernize the 60 year-old building to meet today’s building and operational standards — transforming it into a physically and emotionally safe space, the Booth Ranches donation comes at a critical time, officials say. Construction is set to be complete at the end of the month and the Center hopes to fully transition all services by early February. All project funding has been identified, including both  acquisition and remodel, for a total cost of $21 million.

Last month, longtime supporter of the Marjaree Mason Center, the Isnardi Foundation, whose previous donation is being honored by naming the new building the Isnardi Foundation Building, committed an additional $1 million in matching funds in order to inspire a public fundraising campaign. Just over $1 million was raised during the two-week campaign putting the total at just over $20 million.

Through Booth Ranches’ generous donation, the total $21 million goal has now been met.

“We are deeply grateful for the incredible generosity of Booth Ranches towards this critical community resource,” said Nicole Linder, CEO of the Marjaree Mason Center. “This substantial gift strengthens our ability to provide the comfort, courage, hope, confidence, dignity and respect that all survivors deserve.”

Additional support is still needed, officials said. Costs that were cut from the original construction budget, including the completion of an outdoor children’s play structure and architect fees for future site development, are now being revisited with the goal of now being able to complete them earlier than expected.

Naming opportunities are still available in the Isnardi Foundation Building in honor of donations and pledges of $50,000 – $10 million. Gifts of cash, securities, IRAs, real estate, life insurance, bequests or other types of planned gifts are accepted and pledges may be paid over a five-year term.

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