ECMC Foundation Commits $1.39 Million to Communities Across 19 States Where Employees Live and Work

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May 23, 2018, 09:02 ET

LOS ANGELES, May 23, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- ECMC Foundation announced today that its GO! Program (GO!) has committed $1.39 million to 92 education-related organizations across 19 states.

An annual employee engagement program, GO! gives team members across affiliates of the Foundation's parent company, ECMC Group, the opportunity to nominate organizations in their communities. Employees across the U.S. then cast votes to select winners of grants ranging from $10,000 to $25,000.

"The GO! Program gives our colleagues the ability to bring ECMC Foundation's mission of improving educational opportunities to their communities and to the folks that matter most to them," said Peter Taylor, president, ECMC Foundation. "The stories we hear about the grants are inspiring and empower employees to make a difference."

Some employees nominated programs that have personally helped them. Tamara Poole, account specialist at ECMC's office in Sacramento, is a single mom and former participant at Single Mom Strong, an organization that provides weekly seminars, discussion groups and classes to empower single mothers and their children to be their best selves.

"I nominated Single Mom Strong because the program has helped me through my own trying times," Poole said. Single Mom Strong received a $25,000 grant.

Libby Considine, corporate communications specialist at ECMC Group's headquarters in Minneapolis, nominated Minds Matter, which provides summer enrichment programs for low-income, high-achieving students to help them successfully navigate the challenges on the path to college. For Considine, the opportunity to give back to an organization where she regularly volunteers her time was especially rewarding.

"As a volunteer for the organization, I see first-hand the difference the program makes in the lives of the students, and how the trajectory of their futures becomes increasingly brighter upon graduation," Considine said. Minds Matter received a $25,000 grant.

Employees like Phillip Moore, program chair at the Altierus Bissonnet campus in Houston, nominated an organization that introduces students to the potential of a college degree.

"Rayzor Sharp Community Development has provided support in the Houston community for several years," said Moore. "To watch them grow to the point where they are taking future college students on campus tours and having teacher appreciation nights makes me very proud to have nominated them for the GO! Program." Rayzor Sharp Community Development received $10,000 to fund a project that will educate high school students on how to obtain a higher GPA.

Now in its fourth year, GO! received 227 nominations and enjoyed widespread participation across all 31 sites where voting occurred. Grantees were selected based on the number of votes each organization received. In total, the Foundation has awarded approximately 200 grants and nearly $5 million through this program.

About ECMC Foundation
ECMC Foundation is a Los Angeles-based, nationally focused foundation whose mission is to inspire and to facilitate improvements that affect educational outcomes—especially among underserved populations—through evidence-based innovation. It is one of several affiliates under the ECMC Group enterprise based in Minneapolis. ECMC Foundation makes investments in two focus areas: College Success and Career Readiness; and uses a spectrum of funding structures, including strategic grantmaking and program-related investments, to invest in both nonprofit and for-profit ventures. Working with grantees, partners and peers, ECMC Foundation's vision is for all learners to unlock their fullest potential. Learn more about ECMC Foundation by visiting www.ecmcfoundation.org.

About ECMC Group
ECMC Group is a nonprofit corporation focused on helping students succeed. Headquartered in Minneapolis, ECMC Group and its family of companies provide financial tools and services, nonprofit career education, and job placement services to help students achieve their academic and professional goals. For more information, visit www.ecmcgroup.org.

SOURCE ECMC Foundation