CEO accepts check at Boys & Girls Clubs Annual Board of Directors meeting
COLUMBUS, GA (August 18, 2006) -The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley are one step closer to better serving teenagers in the community due to a $15,000 teen program grant provided by Team Tacala Charities, the charitable foundation of Tacala, LLC, a franchisee of Taco Bell Corporation. The grant was presented August 17, 2006 at the Annual Board of Directors meeting held at the South Columbus Boys & Girls Clubs.
"This generous gift will enable us to better serve a sometimes overlooked age group and provide our communities' teens with some valuable life skills training," stated Jim Wink, Chief Executive Officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Columbus and Phenix City. "These funds will have an immediate and direct impact on our teenaged members."
"This age group is traditionally the most challenging for youth-development organizations to work with," continued Wink. "They face more distractions, peer pressure, risks and critical decisions than in their pre-teen years."
In addition to participating in the national Taco Bell program to collect money for Boys & Girls Clubs of America, called TEENSupreme, Tacala restaurants also conduct "Round Up" a Tacala fundraiser held three times per year specifically to raise funds for local clubs in markets where it operates restaurants. The grant awarded to the Chattahoochee Valley Clubs is one of 21 grants in Tacala's geography selected to receive funding from Team Tacala Charities this summer. Tacala Market Coach, Janice Jackson and Area Coach, Bob Saunders were on hand to present the check on behalf of Taco Bell.
"Everyone in our company has really taken supporting Boys & Girls Clubs (BG&C) to heart. And when you visit the clubs, and see the kids, it's easy to see why. We're very happy to be in Columbus today giving this organization these much-needed funds so they can improve their teen programs," said Ms. Jackson.
The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley have played an integral role in the community, providing services to over 1,300 teens annually. The clubs offer programs that emphasize character and leadership development, education and career enhancement, health and life skills, the arts, and sports, fitness and recreation. The money received yesterday will help to enhance the programs available at the clubs.
"We admire and appreciate what your clubs are doing for the teens in our communities, and we are honored to contribute to this effort," stated Rebekah Woods, Communications Specialist at Tacala, LLC. "We look forward to a warm and productive relationship with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Chattahoochee Valley."
Since beginning its fundraising efforts in 2002, Team Tacala Charities has distributed over $700,000 to local clubs. In addition, Team Tacala Charities has given over $240,000 to Clubs in the state of Georgia with $50,000 of the funds directed towards the Boys and Girls for Chattahoochee Valley.
Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) comprises a national network of more than 3,900 neighborhood-based facilities annually serving some 4.6 million young people, primarily from disadvantaged circumstances. Known as "The Positive Place for Kids," the Clubs provide guidance-oriented character development programs on a daily basis for children 6-18 years old, conducted by a full-time professional staff. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation.
The Taco Bell Foundation is a public charity established in 1992 to improve the lives of young people. Through its partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of America (BGCA), the Foundation created a national program to foster educational, career and service opportunities for teens. The Foundation is the first BGCA partner to recognize the particular needs of America's teens. For more information about the Taco Bell Foundation, visit www.teensupreme.org.