FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 10, 2010

MEDIA CONTACT:

Jasmine Shafik 

(714) 530-0430 ext. 968

jasmine@bgcgg.org

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GARDEN GROVE HOSTS FOURTH ANNUAL FREE COMMUNITY TAX DAYS CAMPAIGN ENCOURAGING FAMILIES TO BE TAX-READY

GARDEN GROVE, Calif. (February 10, 2010)—Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove (BGCGG) is once again teaming up with Orange County United Way and Legal Aid Society of Orange County to sponsor Free Community Tax Days on February 20th, March 6th, and April 10th at Clinton Branch, located at 1365 Clinton St. in Garden Grove.   This is the fourth year BGCGG has participated in the county-wide effort to increase access to financial stability programs.

This year the Free Community Tax Days program will offer additional services that will enable even more individuals and families to access the free tax filing.  BGCGG will host certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistors (VITA), who support families with filing their taxes and claiming the tax credits they are eligible for. VITA will be able to assist with one-on-one personal tax assistance for qualifying individuals.  Most individuals and families will easily be able to file their taxes by utilizing the free and user-friendly I-CAN E-File program. By using I-CAN E-file option, taxpayers also get the benefits of a fast refund, reduced error rate, and a quick acknowledgement.  The program is quick, easy, and empowering.  There is no need to spend hard earned money on preparing taxes, instead filers can do it themselves and save. Taxpayers can get a refund in as few as 10 days with direct deposit. If the filer owes taxes, they also can control their payments and set a date such as April 15 for electronic payment. The error rate for an e-filed return is 1 percent, compared to 20 percent for a paper return. Unlike paper filers, e-filing taxpayers also will receive an acknowledgement that the IRS has received and accepted or rejected their returns.

The Free Community Tax Days program also offers assistance on how to obtain up to $5,000 through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), the primary anti-poverty program in the United States offered to low-to-moderate income individuals and families (generally below $50,000) who meet IRS guidelines. Many families are unaware of this tax credit and each year an estimated amount of $41 to $65 million EITC dollars go unclaimed in Orange County.

The good news is Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove is prepared to help people claim the credits they earned. Here are important items individuals and families need to bring to the Free Community Tax Day:

• Proof of identification
• Social Security Cards for you, your spouse and dependents and/or a Social Security Number verification letter issued by the Social Security Administration
• Birth dates for you, your spouse and dependents on the tax return
• Current year’s tax package if you received one
• Wage and earning statement(s) Form W-2, W-2G, 1099-R, from all employers
• Interest and dividend statements from banks (Forms 1099)
• A copy of last year’s federal and state returns if available
• Bank routing numbers and account numbers for Direct Deposit
• Total paid for daycare provider and the daycare provider's tax identifying number (the provider's Social Security Number or the provider's business Employer Identification Number)
• To file taxes electronically on a married-filing-joint tax return, both spouses must be present to sign the required forms

For additional questions about Free Community Tax days or to schedule an appointment, please call Abraham Palomares at 714-532-7947 or e-mail him at apalomares@bgcgg.org. If you cannot make it, file online at www.icanefile.org/?caller=466. For more information on the Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove, please visit at www.begreatgardengrove.org or call 714-530-0430.

ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GARDEN GROVE

For more than 50 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove (BGCGG) has helped kids “BE GREAT” by changing and saving young lives, playing an integral role in its community. Striving to help children succeed in life, the Boys & Girls Clubs provide hope and opportunity through after-school programs, family support and community outreach. Known as The Positive Place For Kids, our 57 program sites serve over 5,000 young people from “Diapers to Diplomas,” ages 18 months-18 years old, every day.

The Clubs are open daily with programs in character and leadership development, education and career enhancement, the arts, health and life skills, and sports, fitness and recreation. Our family outreach programs such as Family Campus Preschool, School Readiness, REACH For Literacy (Reading Education for Adults & CHildren), ARCHES (Access to Resources for Children's Health, Education and Support), FYOP (Family & Youth Outreach Program), and TRC (Truancy Reduction Center) expand our services to ensure that the needs of the whole child are met. Through our efforts we do our best to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Please visit www.begreatgardengrove.org for more information.

ABOUT ORANGE COUNTY UNITED WAY

Orange County United Way is committed to building self-sufficient lives and strengthening the overall health of our communities through our Community Impact work focused on three priority areas: basic needs, education and financial stability. By investing in programs that align with these key areas, Orange County United Way and its partners are providing a safety-net of care today and supporting long-term change to build self-sufficiency tomorrow. Orange County United Way has a responsibility to its donors to demonstrate operational efficiency and show measurable impact within the communities we serve. Orange County United Way is a local, private, 501 (c) (3).

For more information and to learn how you can LIVE UNITED, visit www.unitedwayoc.org.

ABOUT LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF ORANGE COUNTY

Founded in 1958 by the Orange County Bar Association, LASOC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to provide civil legal services to low-income individuals and seniors and to promote equal access to the justice system through advocacy, legal counseling, innovative self-help services, in-depth legal representation, economic development and community education.  LASOC’s client community consists of individuals whose incomes fall below 200% of the federal poverty threshold ($42,400 annually for a family of four) and those over the age of 60.  LASOC’s practice areas and special programs in its Orange County and Southeast Los Angeles (where it is known as Community Legal Services/CLS) offices  include: family law, housing/landlord-tenant, government benefits, special education issues, consumer law, bankruptcy, Asian-American Services, Health Consumer Action Center, Low Income Taxpayers Clinic, Homeless Outreach Program, MedLaw Project and Foreclosure Mitigation Unit.  In 2008 alone, LASOC 1) responded to approximately 200 calls per day on its Toll-Free Hotline; 2) closed 13,564 civil cases; 3) closed 4,551 cases (of the total cases closed) which involved issues that relate to family, including, but not limited to, assistance with:  protection orders for victims of domestic violence, dissolutions of marriage, and child custody/child support disputes and paternity matters.  LASOC also returned more than $33.4 million to taxpayers nationwide through its Earned Income Tax Credit Initiative.  As the Small Claims Advisory in Orange County, LASOC provides guidance on more than 31,000 cases annually.  LASOC’s Toll-Free Hotline is (800) 834-5001.  To learn more LASOC, visit www.legal-aid.com or www.lasoc.com.  To donate, partner or volunteer, contact Anna Lisa Biason, Director of Development, at abiason@legal-aid.com.

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Contact:

Tricia Mathis, tricia@bgcgg.org, 714.530.0430 x 966

BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GARDEN GROVE AND SPRINT HOST INTERNET SAFETY EVENT FOR KIDS

Garden Grove, Calif., (Feb. 8, 2010) – Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove and Sprint are teaming up to host an Internet and Media safety fair to teach parents and youth simple precautions to help children have a safer online experience.  On March 5, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., attendees will hear how to safely and effectively use today’s technological resources at the main branch located at 9860 Larson Street. This event is free and open to the public.

Boys & Girls Club of Garden Grove’s teen leadership club, Keystone, will teach the other students about the benefits of the internet.  They will also highlight how important it is to use the Internet the right way and to protect themselves in all of their online activities.  Youth will participate in activities that replicate the online experience.  Students will learn the negative effects of registering for online contests, how posting content may affect their future, and the realism that you never know who might be on the other side, whether it’s a stranger or some kind of virus.

Today’s children are ever-connected to the endless world of technology that they have at their fingertips.  That’s why, with the increasingly tech-savvy world that children are living in, teaching youth to be cautious when using technology is extremely important.  From cyberbullying to texting inappropriate images to cheating with technology, the event will provide Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove and Sprint an opportunity to address the various issues that affect today’s youth. Together with Sprint, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove hope to empower Club members to be cautious users of the Internet and other technologies so they can have a safer and informative experience using the wealth of knowledge at their disposal.

“Often parents’ hectic schedules do not allow them adequate time to monitor their children’s online activities,” said Pat Halberstadt, Chief Professional Officer, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove.  “Boys & Girls Clubs are committed to teaching young people how to safely and effectively use technology through our 4NetSafety partnership with Sprint.  We expect for not only our youth, but our parents to walk away from the event with useful information that can help them have an ongoing dialogue about online safety.” 

A Boys & Girls Club survey of young people found that more than half of those surveyed said their parents never ask them about whom they are talking to on the Internet and 55 percent said their parents never surfed the Internet with them – showing the need for Internet safety education for both youth and adults.

The event is part of Sprint’s 4NetSafety^SM program (www.4netsafety.com). 4NetSafety aims to open the lines of communication about Internet safety between young people and the adults who care for them. The online resource offers free tools from experts that address the perils that young people commonly encounter online and encourage positive dialogue about Internet safety. Sprint has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to bring 4NetSafety programming to Club members across the country. 

“Our partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America is a fundamental part of our focus on Internet safety for young people,” said Debby Ballard, director for Community Affairs for Sprint. “This partnership complements the rest of our 4NetSafety program by providing Boys & Girls Club members with valuable resources to help them stay safer online.”

ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GARDEN GROVE

For more than 50 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove (BGCGG) has helped kids “BE GREAT” by changing and saving young lives, playing an integral role in its community. Striving to help children succeed in life, the Boys & Girls Clubs provide hope and opportunity through after-school programs, family support and community outreach. Known as The Positive Place For Kids, our 57 program sites serve over 5,000 young people from “Diapers to Diplomas,” ages 18 months-18 years old, every day.

The Clubs are open daily with programs in character and leadership development, education and career enhancement, the arts, health and life skills, and sports, fitness and recreation. Our family outreach programs such as Family Campus Preschool, School Readiness, REACH For Literacy (Reading Education for Adults & CHildren), ARCHES (Access to Resources for Children's Health, Education and Support), FYOP (Family & Youth Outreach Program), and TRC (Truancy Reduction Center) expand our services to ensure that the needs of the whole child are met. Through our efforts we do our best to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Please visit www.begreatgardengrove.org for more information.

ABOUT SPRINT NEXTEL

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two wireless networks serving more than 48 million customers at the end of the third quarter of 2009 and the first and only 4G service from a national carrier in the United States; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international push-to-talk capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. The company’s customer-focused strategy has led to improved first call resolution and customer care satisfaction scores.  For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

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		Ralphs Enrollment  Online 1. Click Here 2. Have your Ralphs card in front of you. *If you do not know your card number, Ralphs customer service can provide it for you by calling 1-800-660-9003. 3. Click "Enroll" under Participant 4. "Sign up" by creating a Ralphs account 5. When it asks for the organization, enter "Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove" or the organization NPO number:83135. 6. Complete the form and click on "submit". Phone 1. Call 1-800-660-9003. 2. Tell customer service that you would like to link your reward card to Boys & Girls Club of Garden Grove and provide our organization ID number: 83135. 3. Even if you do not have your Ralphs Card with you or would like to sign up for a new card, ask the representative to provide you a new card so that they can link it immediately to our organization ID. Flyer 1. Click here and print flyer 2. Go to Ralphs and tell the employee to scan the bar code on the flyer 3. Next, have the employee scan your Ralphs card or enter your phone number associated with your card.  4. A receipt should print confirming the link of your card to our organization.    *Renewal of registration is required once a year on the 1st of the September.
		Food4Less Enrollment   Online 1. Click Here 2. Have your Food4Less card in front of you.  *If you do not know your card number, Food4Less customer service can provide it for you by calling 888-437-3496. *If you need a card, contact Jasmine Shafik and she send you a Food4Less Community card through mail. 3. Click "Enroll" under Participant 4. "Sign up" by creating a Ralphs account 5. When it asks for the organization, enter "Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove" or the organization NPO number: 83135. 6. Complete the form and click on "submit". Phone 1. Call 888-437-3496. 2. Tell customer service that you would like to link your reward card to Boys & Girls Club of Garden Grove and provide our organization ID number: 83135. 3. Even if you do not have your Food4Less Card with you or would like to sign up for a new card, ask the representative to provide you a new card so that they can link it immediately to our organization ID.
		eScrip Enrollment (VONS, Food4Less, Macy's, Valu Plus, & More...!) Do you shop at Vons, Food4Less, Macys, or Valu Plus. Do frequently purchase using your VISA, Mastercard, Discover, or American Express Card? Now your purchase can contribute up to 5% to BGCGG by registering your accounts online. 1. Click here. 2. Click on members/supporters 3. Click sign-up (if you do not already have an account) 4. Enter our Group ID Number: 500022682 5. Click Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove 6. Click next and fill-out required fields.You may register more than one account

Thank you for your time and participation. Be the one in 2010 to enable kids to be their best. If you have any questions or for more information, please contact Jasmine Shafik at (714) 530-0430 ext. 968 or e-mail her at jasmine@bgcgg.org.
 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 1, 2010

MEDIA CONTACT:

Tricia Mathis

(714) 530-0430 ext. 966

tricia@bgcgg.org

REACH FOR LITERACY AWARDED $5,000 GRANT BY PACIFIC LIFE FOUNDATION

GARDEN GROVE, CA (February 1, 2010) - In late January, the Pacific Life Foundation announced over $3.3 million in grants, ranging from $2,500 to $152,000, to over 200 nonprofit agencies serving Southern California.  Overall, the Pacific Life Foundation has committed to provide $5.5 million in charitable funding throughout 2010.

Within the Education area, 30 Southern California nonprofit agencies received grants, which included the REACH For Literacy program of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove.  The grant comes at a crucial time when program cuts by the state resulted in a 50% decrease in funding for the program, and family literacy services continue to experience a high rate of demand and parents without jobs need our services now more than ever.  The grant will help provide program and reading materials required to keep our students advancing in their quest for improved literacy skills.

Besides improving literacy, we have found that the REACH For Literacy program improves the relationships between parents and children from the additional time spent together reading and bonding through other literacy-related activities.  The parent education sessions augments our efforts by addressing key issues such as improving communication, effective discipline and how to become more involved in their child’s progress at school.

The Pacific Life Foundation was established in 1984.  Together with Pacific Life, the Foundation has contributed donations totaling over $57.2 million to hundreds of nonprofits over the past 26 years.  For more information about the Pacific Life Foundation, visit its website at www.PacificLifeFoundation.com.

Offering insurance since 1868, Pacific Life provides a wide range of life insurance products, annuities, and mutual funds, and offers a variety of investment products and services to individuals, businesses, and pension plans. With more than half of the 100 largest U.S. companies as its clients, Pacific Life is also a member of the Insurance Marketplace Standards Association (IMSA), whose membership promotes high ethical standards for the sale of individual life insurance and annuities.  For additional company information, including current financial strength ratings, visit the About Pacific Life section of this web site.

Pacific Life refers to Pacific Life Insurance Company and its affiliates, including Pacific Life & Annuity Company.  Client count as of April 2009 is compiled by Pacific Life using the 2009 FORTUNE 500® list.

ABOUT REACH FOR LITERACY

REACH (Reading Education for Adults and Children) for Literacy, provides English language instruction for adults, and also equips parents with specific techniques for becoming involved with their child's education. REACH also offers language enrichment activities and homework assistance to children 2 to 14 years old, including reading clubs and library fieldtrips. REACH hopes to increase literacy in the home, empowering parents as their child's first and most important role models. For more information, please contact Alexis Wall, Director of REACH for Literacy Programs, at (714) 530-5399 ext. 17.

ABOUT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GARDEN GROVE

For more than 50 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove (BGCGG) has helped kids “BE GREAT” by changing and saving young lives, playing an integral role in its community. Striving to help children succeed in life, the Boys & Girls Clubs provide hope and opportunity through after-school programs, family support and community outreach. Known as The Positive Place For Kids, our 57 program sites serve over 5,000 young people from “Diapers to Diplomas,” ages 18 months-18 years old, every day.

The Clubs are open daily with programs in character and leadership development, education and career enhancement, the arts, health and life skills, and sports, fitness and recreation. Our family outreach programs such as Family Campus Preschool, School Readiness, REACH For Literacy (Reading Education for Adults & CHildren), ARCHES (Access to Resources for Children's Health, Education and Support), FYOP (Family & Youth Outreach Program), and TRC (Truancy Reduction Center) expand our services to ensure that the needs of the whole child are met. Through our efforts we do our best to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Please visit www.begreatgardengrove.org for more information.

General Information:

Job Title:       Bilingual Intake Caseworker   

Salary:          $11.00 – $13.00 (depending on education/experience)

Hours:           Part-time, Approximately 20-25 hours per week, M – F, AM hours

Available:     Immediately

Location:      Family & Youth Outreach Program

Contact:        Brian Cropp, Sr. Director of Human Resources, 714-530-5399 ext. 28

Job Description:

Assesses clients to gather background information for counseling based referrals and schedule intake appointments with families.

Performance Responsibilities:

§ Calls and schedules families for intakes according to FYOP policy

§ Completes all necessary documentation

§ Assesses and gathers background information from clients

§ Attends individual/group supervision as needed

§ Conducts intakes with clients and families in Spanish and English

§ Provides translation services as needed

§ Prepares list of attendees for classes

§ Terminates files when necessary

§ Works scheduled hours as determined by the Director

§ Notifies Director for approval of all schedule changes

§ Responds to crisis situation as necessary and informs Director and/or Program Manager

§ Completes all follow-up phone calls and/or letters to remind clients of their scheduled and/or missed appointments as needed

§ Answers phones and provides customer service

§ Screen, select and place Community Service clients and follow-up with phone contact to check on status

§ Provides referrals and resources to clients and community partners

§ Attends trainings as they are available

§ Attends mandatory staff meetings

§ Assists in administrative duties when all previously stated duties are complete

§ Assists peers as needed

§ Performs all duties as assigned

Education and Experience:

§ Minimum of a AA degree with applicable major or minimum two-years experience in related field

§ Experience with youth and families preferred

Skills Preferred:

§ Proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel

§ Excellent communication skills

Requirements:

§ Bilingual (Vietnamese) – ability to speak, read and write

§ Position may require standing/sitting for extended periods of time, dexterity of hands and fingers to operate office equipment, reaching overhead, above the shoulders and horizontally, bending at the waist; seeing to review and analyze reports, documents or other reports; hearing and speaking to communicate and provide information to others; speaking to be heard before groups of people; position may require to lift, carry, pull or otherwise move objects between 10-20 pounds.

§ Valid Photo ID

§ Must pass Instructional Staff Exam prior to employment