September 8, 2010
Contact: Jessica Warren
The Partnership for Our Kids
402-557-6392
jwarren@allourkids.org
September 2010, OMAHA, Neb. — The Partnership For Our Kids, a local organization serving more than 4,500 disadvantaged Omaha youth, is in need of 200 additional volunteers to serve as mentors and Goal Buddies during the 2010-2011 school year. “Our students are living in a poor economic climate that has been hit even harder in recent years, putting student’s futures at risk unless we get the volunteers needed to serve as positive role models,” said Partnership For Our Kids Recruitment Specialist, Phil Jarrett. “What makes The Partnership For Our Kids programs so special is the targeted focus on improving student performance through personal interaction with our volunteers.” Last year 93 percent of the organization’s elementary school participants met their academic goals and 83 percent of the Partnership’s graduating class is now enrolled in college or trade school, which Jarrett said is proof that the efforts made by Partnership volunteers are making a difference.
The two major volunteer opportunities offered by the Partnership include becoming a Goal Buddy for the Partnership’s Winners Circle program or becoming a group mentor for the All Our Kids mentoring program. Goal Buddies, visit elementary classrooms twice a quarter, providing students with extra support and encouraging them to achieve academic and life skill goals. Volunteers choosing to become group mentors meet with sixth through twelfth grade students, after school in a classroom, which is facilitated by a trained program staff member. Volunteer time commitments range from 2-4 hours a month and all volunteers are asked to participate in the program for a minimum of one year. “Free time might be an expense many cannot afford these days, but what little we have should be invested wisely. We encourage any potential volunteer to come see what our program does and how bright our student’s futures can be with their help,” said Jarrett. Community members who would like to learn more about becoming a volunteer for The Partnership For Our Kids should call 402-557-3095 or visit, www.thepartnershipforourkids.org.
The Partnership For Our Kids was formed in 2007 when two established Omaha youth serving organizations, Winners Circle and All Our Kids joined forces to help more disadvantaged students have a brighter future. All Our Kids was created in 1989 as a pilot mentoring program consisting of 20 seventh graders at McMillan Middle School and mentors from the business community. Winners Circle began as an “Adopt-a-School” relationship between Tire’s Inc. and Belvedere Academy in 1993 and grew into a goal-setting program in 1996. Today, the Partnership serves over 4,500 students in 22 Omaha Public Schools.
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For more information on The Partnership For Our Kids or to schedule an interview, call 402-930-3002, or visit our new website at: www.thepartnershipforourkids.org
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