Greg Jennings FDN gives to MI, WI youth

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) - The Greg Jennings Foundation has donated $50,000 to selected youth education programs in Michigan and Wisconsin.

The foundation is named after the Green Bay Packers wide receiver, who still lives in his native Kalamazoo.

The nine diverse organizations are recipients of the Be Great After-School Program grants as part of their Be Great youth initiative.

"The goal of the initiative is to identify and partner with effective organizations that empower and inspire children to fulfill their potential," according to a news release.

The groups work with K-12 students in the areas of academic achievement, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and college readiness.
 
"I would like to personally congratulate all of the recipients on behalf of my foundation. I am glad we are able to support organizations that will offer quality educational services for youth in Wisconsin and my hometown Kalamazoo, Michigan."

Jennings and his wife, Nicole, are dedicated to helping children in underserved communities dream big and exceed their own expectations.

Director of The Greg Jennings Foundation, Gretta Terrentine, added, "Our committee reviewed all of the outstanding applications and we selected programs that we believe will truly make a difference in the lives of children. These grants are made possible because The Greg Jennings Foundation's community partners share our belief that with proper support all children can BE GREAT."
 
The organizations selected:
 
MICHIGAN
 
-- Big Brothers and Big Sisters, A Community of Caring - High School Bigs -- Currently serves approximately 1,250 youth annually ages 6-17 in a five-county region. BBBS hopes to serve 100 students this year through this mentoring program by recruiting high school students to be interviewed, screened and then intentionally matched with first- through fourth-graders in the same school district.
 
-- Communities in Schools of Kalamazoo - KCHS After-School Program -- The mission of CIS of Kalamazoo is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life. Their vision is an engaged community where every child fulfills his or her promise. The supported program is an after-school program at a local Kalamazoo high school for 25 freshman students, four days per week, two hours per day for students with at least one risk factor, such as attendance or academics.
 
-- Kalamazoo Junior Girls Organization - Pathway to Success After-School Program -- KJGO's mission is to "inspire girls to be self-reliant women one generation at a time." Membership ranges from 45 to 60 girls a year and has served more than 2,000 girls since 1986 when it opened.
 
-- Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra - Kalamazoo Kids In Tune -- Innovative after-school music and youth development program patterned after the EL Sistema model, in a unique partnership with Kalamazoo Public Schools.
 
-- Ujima - Ujima Sasa! -- Ujima works with children and families who are at-risk of school failure and vulnerable to participating in anti-social behavior. The program provides individualized plans for counseling, life skills and educational support for each student in the program.
 
-- YMCA of Greater Kalamazoo - Prime Time After-School Program -- This project will provide for opening a new KPS site for the YMCA's PRIMETIME before- and after-school program. Currently the Y serves 240 children from 15 elementary schools in Kalamazoo.
                                                    
WISCONSIN
 
-- Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Dane County - ABCs of Success – ABC's of Success ensures kids graduate through collection and assessment of Attendance, Behavior and Classwork data. ABC's project will be implemented at three schools.
 
-- Above the Clouds - Above The Clouds Arts Program -- Serve 500+ students from central city Milwaukee and surrounding areas with quality, fine-arts education free of charge in eight locations. Enhance self-esteem, provide discipline, help with problem solving, motivate students to think and learn as well as produce leaders in underserved communities.
 
-- Urban Day School - Boys & Girls Club Afterschool Program -- 200 students, 100 at each of two campuses will receive after-school support. The goal of this program is to increase reading and math performance and increase school based parental involvement.

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The Greg Jennings Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization to positively impact youth through investments within the greater Kalamazoo and Wisconsin communities. The Greg Jennings Foundation partners with organizations in educating youth by providing the necessary resources in order for them to reach their academic potential.