Gift is part of $1 million
national charitable giving initiative to support national urban education and
outreach
YMCA
Youth & Family Services, the social service department of the YMCA of San
Diego County, has received a grant of $15,000 from Sam's Club to enhance programs
designed to help teens prepare for and achieve higher education. The award is part of a $1 million gift to YMCA
of the USA (Y-USA), the resource office for the nation's 2,687 Ys, for placing
first in the education category of the Sam's Club ¢âÂÒGiving Made Simple¢âÂå online
campaign, conducted earlier this year.
The gift to Y-USA is supporting national urban education and
outreach initiatives, including YMCA's Achievers, an academic achievement and
college readiness program designed to help teens set and pursue high
educational and career goals. At YMCA
Youth & Family Services, the funding will be used to provide additional
academic support to foster youth and homeless youth as they work to attain
their high school degrees and move on to higher education.
¢âÂÒWe are grateful
that YMCA Youth & Family Services was selected to receive funding from the
Giving Made Simple campaign and we want to thank Sam's Club and all of its
members and associates who voted for the Y,¢âÂå said Kim Morgan, Executive
Director. ¢âÂÒThis gift will help to
support our ongoing efforts to bring the vital work we do with youth and teens
to the forefront of our community.¢âÂå
Through YMCA's Achievers and
other youth development initiatives such as Youth in Government and College
Goal Sunday, Ys across the country provide youth with opportunities for
academic enrichment, college access support, adult mentors and leadership
skills. YMCA Youth & Family Services is one of 60 Ys selected to receive
$15,000 grants from the Giving Made Simple campaign.
Giving Made Simple was designed to support educational
programs aimed at empowering the nation's youth to ensure they succeed in the
future, and small business and entrepreneurial programs that help business
owners launch, sustain and grow their businesses. In April, Sam's Club members and associates
were encouraged to log on to the company's web site, or use the social media
sites Facebook and Twitter, to vote for one of eight participating non-profit
organizations four in the entrepreneurial category and four in the education
category. Y- USA
placed first in the education category. Sam's Club also accepted votes in its
stores nationwide on one designated day.
¢âÂÒGiving Made
Simple is an exciting addition to our charitable efforts and complements our core
business strategy that puts our members first in everything we do at Sam's
Club,¢âÂå said Brian Cornell, President and CEO. ¢âÂåWe believe that by supporting
organizations like the Y that are dedicated to preparing children and teens for
life-long success we are making an investment in the communities and people
we serve.¢âÂå