Press Release
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Fair Chance's 2009 Partner Graduation Ceremony Celebrates 7 Youth Serving DC Non Profits
Seven community non-profits serving youth living in poverty in Wards 5-8 were honored on March 3, 2009 as they graduated from their year long partnership and collaboration with Fair Chance. The organizations were: Academy of Hope, Breakthrough Collaborative DC, Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso (FAN), Pediatric AIDS/ HIV care, Resources for Inner City Children (RICH), The Learning Communities Initiative (LCI), and The Scholarship Academy.
Each of the non-profit organizations had completed an intensive year-long capacity-building partnership with Fair Chance. Fair Chance has provided over 350 technical assistance hours to each of the group's Executive Directors focusing on enhancing their capacity to provide critical services to some of the District's most forgotten young people. With the support of Fair Chance, these seven organizations are in a stronger position to continue serving youth living in poverty with services such as HIV/AIDS education and therapy, college preparatory services, professional tutoring, career counseling, and comprehensive services for foster care youth. Together, these seven non-profits serve almost 1000 young people in Wards 5-8 annually.
The 2009 Graduation Ceremony was hosted by Bank of America and took place in the penthouse suite which overlooks downtown DC and the monuments. Almost 70 guests enjoyed refreshments and an opportunity to mingle among fellow community members, non profit Executive Directors and board members, Fair Chance staff and board, and local funders.
Maria Nagorski, Executive Director of Fair Chance began the graduation ceremony with a welcome saying:
"Graduation is the highlight and most exciting day of the year for all of us here at Fair Chance. It is an evening to honor our partner's organizations and really be able to celebrate the amazing Executive Directors and the work they are doing for children, youth and families in the city."
The ceremony celebrated each graduating non profit organization and each Executive Director spoke of their experience over the partnership year. Some remarks included:
"We serve approximately 300 middle and high school students in three partner schools in Ward 7. This year our partnership with Fair Chance has built up our capacity to do that more efficiently and effectively. Their program model allows the support that they provide to be very specific to the needs of each organization, and this has been a great blessing."
Deann Ayer, Executive Director, The Learning Communities Initiative
"Change is the buzzword of the past year, yet I prefer the word growth when I think of how Fair Chance has influenced RICH. Before Fair Chance, RICH was in the position to influence the lives of approximately 100 young people. Now, as I speak tonight, despite the economic crash, we can say that we are making a difference in the lives of 250 scholars."
Paul Penniman, Executive Director, Resources for Inner City Children (RICH)
"This past year, The Scholarship Academy's partnership with Fair Chance has provided us with a platform to develop sustainable systems, identify concrete fundraising plans, and expand our board development resources…It was truly the intrinsic value of knowing that someone else [Fair Chance] has a vested interest in the success of my program that propelled me to a level where I am proud to say that The Scholarship Academy is here to stay, and we're growing!"
Jessica Johnson, Executive Director, The Scholarship Academy
One board member from Pediatric AIDS/HIV Care (PAHC) commented "On behalf of the Board I thank you and your staff for providing PAHC with the tools that will keep us going another 20 years at an even greater capacity than could have ever been imagined."
The evening was a great success and the accomplishments of each partner organization and their year-long Fair Chance partnership was celebrated by all who attended.
Congratulations again to the Executive Directors, Lecester Johnson at Academy of Hope, Darren Phelps at Breakthrough Collaborative DC, Nia West-Bey at Fihankra Akoma Ntoaso (FAN), Khadijah Tribble at Pediatric AIDS/ HIV Care, Paul Penniman at Resources for Inner City Children (RICH), Deann Ayers at The Learning Communities Initiative (LCI), and Jessica Johnson at The Scholarship Academy!
