June 10, 2010

Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove Selected as Site for New High School Graduation Initiative

Met Life Foundation Awards Grants for Every Member, Every Year to Select Boys & Girls Clubs Nationwide

Garden Grove, CA (June 10, 2010) – America is facing an uncertain future because we are losing a child every 26 seconds!  Yes, every 26 seconds another young person drops out of high school – one of the highest rates of any industrialized country in the world. Most everyone agrees this startling statistic is a prescription for economic disaster – resulting in an epidemic of under-educated citizens who cannot possibly compete for the workforce of tomorrow.

Recognizing these dire circumstances, Metropolitan Life Foundation is providing a grant of $10,000 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Groveto identify best practices in support of Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s new high school graduation strategy – Every Member, Every Year. 

Central to this strategy is academic enrichment and school engagement – creating a learning-rich environment where every Club member is expected to move up every year – ultimately graduating high school and prepared for real-world success.

The goal of the MetLife Foundation grant is to learn how local Boys & Girls Clubs are promoting the message, “Education is important for your future” to young people ages 6 to 18 and to quantify the impact of this messaging by taking a look at the high school graduation rates of Club members.

Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s Every Member, Every Year strategy is designed so that all Clubs, no matter their size, resources or demographics can partner with youth, parents, schools and other community agencies to implement at least one of the three approaches: Academic Enrichment and School Engagement; Targeted Dropout Prevention and Intensive Intervention and Case Management.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove has been selected as one of 11 to receive funding for Every Member, Every Year.  “We are delighted to receive this money because it will give us the necessary resources to make education a top priority for the children we serve,” said Pat Halberstadt, Chief Professional Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove.  “This kind of recognition will also help the general public view our Club as more than a ‘swim and gym’ operation.”

Just last year, BGCA released a 30-month longitudinal study, “Making Every Day Count: Boys & Girls Clubs’ Role in Promoting Positive Outcomes for Teens,” conducted by Public/Private Ventures which found that teens who regularly attend Clubs had better outcomes in academic success, healthy lifestyles and good character.

More specifically:            

• Teen-centric: Clubs provided meaningful experiences to attract and retain teens.
• More is Better: Teens who attended a Club more often enjoyed increased academic success, higher levels of integrity, and were less likely to engage in deviant behavior.
• Adult Support: Having a place to engage with positive adults is a driving force in a teen’s decision to attend a Club.

Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove at Santiago High School currently provides academic support and enrichment programs to over 100 students every day after school until 6pm.  Throughout the month of July, the Club at Santiago High School will be offering programs to support student academic progress including CAHSEE Preparation, SAT Preparation, English language, and College Preparation & Life Skills.   These programs will continue in the upcoming school year and are offered to encourage students to complete all requirements for graduation and to prepare for a successful life beyond graduation.

For more information on the programs offered or how to help teens “BE GREAT” and graduate, please contact Mikayla Curtis at 714-530-5399 x31.

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, Boys & Girls Clubs provide hope and opportunity through afterschool, family support, and community outreach programs. Our 57 program sites serve over 8,500 families annually and 5,000 young people daily, from “Diapers to Diplomas,” ages 18 months-18 years old.

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. Great Futures Start Here.

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Hello my name is Maria and I am honored to share my story with your agency.  I am very pleased with all the assistance I received from all those involved.  

The experience was marvelous and thank God that He put these people in my path.  I am grateful to your organization and all those that collaborated, but above all to Chela Marin, who helped me and put so much effort into this process.

My Childhood in Mexico

I was always a child full of energy, participating in many sports.  I worked very hard in school and strived to be number one, so that my parents would be proud of me.  I didn’t want them to ever worry about me. I never thought that the shortness of breath I felt off and on had anything to do with my heart.  I figured it was just because I over exerted myself.  So throughout all my school years I continued to participate in different sports.  Once I entered college, I decided I wanted to run a race and win it.  As it turned out, I did win the race, however, I was unable to stay and collect my trophy, as I was rushed to the hospital.  While in the hospital, all sorts of tests were done on me.   At this time, I received the bad news of what was happening to me.  This is also when I was told that I was prohibited from participating in any type of sport that would cause exertion.  I was so sad and I thought I would never be “normal” again.

During this time, I also realized that my faith in God was proven to be right.  The doctors told me that I had rheumatic fever and what I was going to need was heart surgery, a valve replacement.   I was so frightened, that I decided not to do it.  Eventually I fell in love and got married.  Although my pregnancy was a high risk one, I delivered a healthy baby boy.  However, the doctor did tell us that it was very risky and I had to be careful.  

Life in the U.S.

Soon thereafter, we came to the United States.  My husband found a job with benefits.  This included medical insurance and coverage 100%.  I immediately made a doctor’s appointment and when I went for my consult, the doctor was concerned about my condition.  They did several tests on me and determined I needed to be hospitalized at that time.  The hospital I was admitted to did not have the latest technology to do the valve replacement I needed and I was transferred to another hospital.  Upon my arrival to the new hospital, I was told that I had to have the surgery done right away.  I said my goodbyes to my husband and my baby and asked God to guide me through this time.  When I awoke, I was hooked up to all kinds of machine.  I was so thankful to be alive.  But as it turned out, the doctors told me that I would eventually need another surgery.  

Sixteen months later, I began to experience some fatigue and shortness of breath.  I saw my cardiologist who determined I needed at pacemaker.  A pacemaker was implanted and all went well, until 6 ½ years later, when I once again started experiencing symptoms.  My cardiologist told me that I was going to need a pacemaker replacement (generator). The pacemaker had also moved and needed to be repositioned.   Unfortunately, I no longer had insurance.  All I had was emergency Medi-cal,  that would not cover the surgery. 

My children were attending a Head Start Program in Anaheim and it is there where I met a wonderful woman named Rita Shokoohi.  She asked me what was going on as she noticed I was becoming more fatigue.  I mentioned to her what my situation was and she immediately referred me to a woman at Boys and Girls Club of Garden Grove.  She told me that this person had been able to help her with other people she referred and maybe there would be a resource agency where I can referred to for assistance with my problem.  She thought maybe the family needed some counseling.   This was the beginning of my relationship with Chela Marin of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove.

Chela and I met in October of 2009.  She asked me many questions and told me that what I really needed was to get my pacemaker updated.  It was obviously affecting my life, as well as my family.  My children were scared that I would die.  Chela told me that it was important for me to stay healthy for my four children and that she would make it her priority to try to get help for me.  I gave her all my medical information, including the pacemaker company and the date of the implant.  She began to make lots of phone calls and talked to several pacemaker companies, my cardiologist and finally the hospital.  She called me every time she had an update.  She put a great deal of work into this and after five months, she was finally able to get Guidant Pacemaker Company, my cardiologist and Fountain Valley Hospital to perform my surgery and necessary intervention done at no cost.  It was amazing, a real dream come true, a miracle.  I couldn’t believe it, but I also knew that God put her in my life for a reason.  She was my “real angel on earth”. That is what my children call her, their angel.

Life After the Surgery

In February 2010, the surgery was performed by Dr. Arvid Nirula at Fountain Valley Hospital.  A new Guidant pacemaker generator was inserted and I felt that I had been given a second chance at life.  I woke up from my surgery with my husband and Chela standing next to me and knowing that I had once again made it.  My recuperation was remarkable and I am now able to see my children laugh and play and enjoy their life, without thinking that “something bad” may happen to their mom.  I am not short of breath or fatigued.

Truly, I have no words to describe how grateful I am.  My family and I will always keep you all close in our hearts and prayers.  I ask God to bless all of you always.

Many thanks,

Maria Amaro

Chela: Muchas gracias por todo y que Dios los cuide y los llenen de bendiciones a todos. Alexis, Yair, Erik y Sandy.

A Letter of Thanks from Alexis Diaz, Maria's Son:

I am writing this to you because I wanted to thank you for helping my mom with the surgery. I think you guys are like angels that fell from above because you can do things what we can’t do and you did an awesome job. I think you guys are very brave to take a risk of saving a person’s life or taking them out of danger. I want mom healthy again. 

I am so happy that I want to give lots of thanks to you. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. God bless you my Angel. Love, Alexis Diaz. 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 6, 2010

MEDIA CONTACT

Tricia Mathis

(714) 530-0430 ext. 966

tricia@bgcgg.org

 BE GREEN WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

Garden Grove, CA (May 6, 2010) – In the month of April, Clubs had the opportunity to show how GREEN their club could be. By participating in the GO GREEN CAMPAIGN, members had fun while heightening their level of environmental awareness. As Earth Day was celebrated all over the world, our members held recycling campaigns, planted gardens, participated in beautification projects, and even made reusable grocery bags from pillow cases.  

Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove (BGCGG) at Woodbury Elementary placed first in the GO GREEN CAMPAIGN service project.  Club members from Woodbury were designated a plot of land in a community garden from the Garden Grove Community Service Department. The project started mid-March and will conclude after 10 weeks.  

The members are responsible for the tiling, planting and harvesting of the garden. Each week the members walk one mile to the community garden site and tend to the plants. To date they have planted several types of seeds, including various types of vegetables.  

Club members are learning about the importance of the nutrition of homegrown foods without chemicals, while beatifying the community in a natural way. Of course the best part of the project will be when Club members get to eat the foods they grew!

The Club also held a poster contest. Hundreds of posters were submitted over many topics, including energy-efficiency, pollution, and community beautification.  Below are the overall winners:

First Place: Vivian T., Carrillo Elementary 

Second Place: Sebastian N., Peters Elementary 

Honorable Mention: Brian P., Rosita Elementary

Honorable Mention: Sanna H., Alamitos Intermediate

Through the GO GREEN CAMPAIGN, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove hope to encourage a generation that continues to impact their communities and seeks to create a positive change in the world.

For more information about this past contest, please call Annie at 714-530-5399 ext. 23. For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove, please visit www.begreatgardengrove.org.

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, Boys & Girls Clubs provide hope and opportunity through afterschool, family support, and community outreach programs. 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.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 4, 2010

MEDIA CONTACT

Jasmine Shafik

(714) 530-0430 ext. 968

jasmine@bgcgg.org

 ‘BE GREAT GARDEN GROVE’ Family Fair Proved Successful

Garden Grove, CA (May 4, 2010) – On Saturday, May 1st 2010, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove (BGCGG) hosted the first annual ‘BE GREAT GARDEN GROVE’ Family Fair that took place at the Atlantis Play Center from 10AM-2PM. Over 700 adults and children enjoyed free admission to the park, lunch, recreational games, a photo booth, face painting, a bounce house, a Wii tournament, and a featured youth talent show. In addition, over a dozen community partners attended and provided information booths with free family resources.

The purpose of the event was to provide “a reliable network of resources that support families in their daily life, connect them to other families, and empower them with the knowledge they need to enable them to reach their full potential and raise happy, healthy successful children,” said Pat Halberstadt, Chief Professional Officer of Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove.

For more information about this past event, please call 714-530-5399 ext. 18. For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove, please visit www.begreatgardengrove.org.

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, Boys & Girls Clubs provide hope and opportunity through afterschool, family support, and community outreach programs. 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.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 30, 2010

MEDIA CONTACT

Jasmine Shafik

(714) 530-0430 ext. 968

jasmine@bgcgg.org

2010 Tax Season Ends on a $200,000 High Note

GARDEN GROVE, CA – Every tax season thousands of dollars go unclaimed because many families do not have the additional money to pay for tax preparation services. With so many families in need, Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove (BGCGG) teamed up with Orange County United Way and Legal Aid Society of Orange County to provide three Free Community Tax Days at Clinton Branch in Garden Grove between the months of February and April.  In its fourth year hosting workshops, BGCGG has aided the county-wide effort to increase access to financial stability programs.

Volunteers from The Niewnow & Company, LLP, UC Irvine, and CSU Fullerton donated their time to support families with filing their taxes and claiming the tax credits they are eligible for, utilizing the free and user-friendly I-CAN E-File program and the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. This year’s Free Community Tax Days program assisted nearly 100 individuals who received an all-time high of $194,090 in tax refunds through the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) program.

For additional questions about Free Community Tax Days program, please call Abraham Palomares at 714-532-7947 or e-mail him at apalomares@bgcgg.org. For the next tax season, individuals and families can 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, Boys & Girls Clubs provide hope and opportunity through afterschool, family support, and community outreach programs. 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.

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