Portland, August 28th, 2013. Bank of America awarded “I Have a Dream” Oregon $12,000 to contribute to the cost of a College Access Coordinator for a class of low-income students last year. In photo, Monique Barton (right), Senior Vice President of Corporate Social
Responsibility at Bank of America, and Nicole Frisch , Project Manager of Corporate Social Responsibility, present I Have A Dream
with a grant check. Today, these students are celebrating the completion of high school and, with the assistance of their College Access Coordinator, Sara Caldwell-Kan, will attend more than 13 college/universities throughout the nation with a combined total of $77,000 in scholarships.
“Bank of America recognizes that jobs and education play a critical role in advancing economic development in Portland, so we continue to look for ways to support programs that effectively help youth connect with employment success,” said Monique Barton, senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility for Bank of America. “That’s why we are so pleased to provide a $12,000 grant to “I Have a Dream’s” college access program for local low-income youth. After all, connecting young people to higher education and employment opportunities means more than just a paycheck.”
“The importance of some post-secondary completion has never been greater for breaking generational cycles of poverty and low educational attainment,” said Mark Langseth, Chief Executive Officer, “I Have a Dream” Oregon. “Many low-income children lack the support of adults in their lives who can help them be successful in high school and navigate the college enrollment process. Our College Access Coordinator filled this gap.”
The 52 “Dreamers” supported by the Bank of America gift, were “adopted” as third graders at Woodlawn Elementary. Woodlawn is one of the lowest income schools in the Portland Public School district. The class was the ninth of 10 Dreamer classes adopted by “I Have a Dream” Oregon since 1990.
“Our College Access Coordinator provided the guidance and support our Dreamers needed to stay on track to graduate from high school and navigate the complex universe of post-secondary opportunities to find the option that was right for them,” said Traci Rossi, Vice President for Dreamer Programs at “I Have a Dream” Oregon.
Caldwell-Kan performed a variety of roles to help Dreamers succeed, including admission application assistance, financial aid and scholarship applications, career exploration, parent workshops and SAT/ACT test prep and access.
ABOUT “I HAVE A DREAM” OREGON
Since 1990, “I Have a Dream” Oregon has helped students in low-income communities succeed in school, college and career with three proven core services: long-term relationships with caring adult mentors; access to academic and personal/social support services; and creation of a “culture of college and career” within schools and Dreamer families. In Oregon, there have been more than 869 student Dreamers served since the first student class was ‘adopted’ in 1990, with 848 additional Dreamers currently served at the Nation’s first Dreamer School in outer SE Portland.
Learn more at www.dreamoregon.org.
BANK OF AMERICA
Bank of America’s commitment to corporate social responsibility (CSR) is a strategic part of doing business globally. Our CSR efforts guide how we operate in a socially, economically, financially and environmentally responsible way around the world, to deliver for shareholders, customers, clients and employees. Our goal is to help create economically vibrant regions and communities through lending, investing and giving. By partnering with our stakeholders, we create value that empowers individuals and communities to thrive and contributes to the long-term success of our business. We have several core areas of focus for our CSR, including responsible business practices; environmental sustainability; strengthening local communities with a focus on housing, hunger and jobs; investing in global leadership development; and engaging through arts and culture. As part of these efforts, employee volunteers across the company contribute their time, passion and expertise to address issues in communities where they live and work. Learn more at www.bankofamerica.com/about and follow us on Twitter at @BofA_Community.
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