(Auburn, AL November 20, 2006) - Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County are one step closer to better serving teenagers in the community due to a $5,000 teen program grant provided by Team Tacala Charities, the charitable foundation of Tacala, LLC, a franchisee of Taco Bell Corporation. The grant was presented Monday, November 20th at the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lee County Board Meeting.
"Thanks to the generous donation from Team Tacala Charities, we will be able to further enhance our teen programming. We have designed two new teen programs that will recruit and sustain teen members. The Leadership League program will work with volunteers from the local Police Departments, while the Career Prep program will provide teens with the academic and social support they need in order to become successful in school and to encourage them to pursue studies in a field of interest. The ultimate goal of both programs is to increase the number of teens graduating, thus becoming self-sufficient. Additionally we plan to send at least two of our Keystone Club officers and one advisor to the National Keystone Conference," stated Wanda J. Lewis, Executive Director for the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lee County.
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 Lee County is one of 21 grants in Tacala's geography selected to receive funding from Team Tacala Charities. Tacala Market Coach, Janice Jackson was on hand to present the check.
"We're very happy to be able to give this organization these funds. We fully support and admire the amazing work the Clubs do for these teens and are proud to be associated with the efforts," said Mrs. Jackson.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County has played an integral role in the community, providing services to over 75 teens annually. The Club offers programs that emphasize character and leadership development, education and career enhancement, health and life skills, the arts, and sports, fitness and recreation.
"We appreciate what your clubs are doing for the teens in our communities," stated Rebekah Woods, Communications Specialist at Tacala, LLC. "We look forward to a warm and productive relationship with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Lee County."
About Team Tacala Charities
In concert with Taco Bell Corp.'s national support of Boys & Girls Clubs of America through the Taco Bell Foundation, the mission of Team Tacala Charities, the charitable foundation of Tacala, is to promote opportunities for teens in our communities, through the support of organizations that specialize in the leadership, career development, character, and health needs of teens. As a related goal, Team Tacala Charities also hopes to inspire volunteerism among Tacala employees by promoting worthwhile organizations in local markets and by providing outlets for participation and involvement.
The primary fundraising activity for Team Tacala Charities is a program called "Round Up" which is generally conducted three times per year. Round Up is a two week program where Service Champions in each Tacala restaurant ask customers to donate their change to support teen programs. Funds collected through Round Up are made available to Boys & Girls Clubs in Tacala markets through grants for teen programs and services, as well as other club requests including facility and equipment upgrades. Since beginning its fundraising efforts in 2002, Team Tacala Charities has distributed over $700,000 to local clubs. In addition, Tacala has raised $1.1 million for the Taco Bell Foundation through a combination of canister collections and other donations.