Think Together raised more than $1.2 million, thanks to a fundraising initiative by board member Leona Aronoff-Sadacca.
Think Together offers afterschool programs and other types of educational programs for students. It serves 100,000 students in 30 school districts in Southern California and greater Sacramento.
In April, Aronoff-Sadacca challenged board members to raise $500,000 to match her $500,000 donation by June 30.
Board members exceeded the challenge, raising a total of $722,000, with $353,000 coming from Think Together’s board, $337,000 from supporters and $32,000 from Think Together employees.
Aronoff-Sadacca is a former chief executive of San Bernardino based Gate City Beverage Co.
“I am thrilled that the intent of this challenge was achieved 100% and more,” Aronoff-Sadacca said.
Think Together aims to supplement public education by helping students stay in school and graduate high school.
Rick Ventura, the organization’s chief fund development officer, points to recent statistics that show that 37% of California’s youth drop out of high school, with 44% of those African American and 48% Latino.
Think Together also donated books and volunteered during a book drive at the OC Fair.
The book drive brought in nearly 60,000 books that will be distributed to several local educational programs.
Mobility Gala
Irvine-based Free Wheelchair Mission raised $1 million at its Ninth Annual Magic of Mobility Gala, held at the Hilton in Costa Mesa.
The money raised will provide 15,810 wheelchairs for people in developing nations who are poor and disabled.
Event sponsors included HIS Foundation, Nuwest Insurance Services, Corona del Mar-based Hanson Family Charitable Foundation, Nordstrom Inc., Datron World Communications Inc., Thompson Family Foundation and Robin and Linda Boyd.
Free Wheelchair Mission is a faith-based organization. Since 2001, the organization has sent over 648,000 specially made wheelchairs to 85 countries.
Adelante Support
Rosemead-based Edison International donated $25,000 to Santa Ana College Foundation.
The money goes toward the college’s Adelante program, which guarantees admission to California State University, Fullerton or University of California, Irvine for all Santa Ana Unified School District students who graduate from high school, enroll at Santa Ana College and complete all academic requirements.
The program begins in sixth grade, when parents and students pledge to complete the curriculum.
The organizations and businesses that help make the program work includes: University of Southern California Center for Urban Education, California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the White House Office on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, Padres Promotores de Educación, MANA de Orange County, the League of United Latin American Citizens, KidWorks, National Hispanic Business Women Association and other groups.
Santa Ana College serves about 18,000 students each semester at its main campus in Santa Ana. The college’s School of Continuing Education serves another 13,000 students. The college is part of the Rancho Santiago Community College District.
Other Gifts
Pennsylvania-based Rite Aid Foundation awarded a $10,000 grant to Santa Ana-based Easter Seals Southern California, to support expansion of its early intervention autism services. … The Women’s Club of Fullerton raised $5,300 for Pathways of Hope—formerly known as Fullerton Interfaith Emergency Services—at its Bunco Boogie events in October and May. Fullerton-based Pathways of Hope will use the funds to help those in transitional living programs develop budgeting and financial skills. Pathways of Hope also operates a transitional program in Anaheim. … Irving-Tex.-based Fluor Corp., which has an office in Aliso Viejo, donated $5,000 to Canstruction Orange County.
Teams made up of architects, engineers, builders and students competed to design and build gigantic structures made of canned foods. The event took place Aug. 31 through Sept. 3 at South Coast Plaza and was sponsored by Orange County chapters of the Society for Design Administration, American Institute of Architects, and Society of Marketing Professional Services in association with the Orange County Food Bank and the Festival of Children Foundation.
