BGCOP in Facebook competition - asking for votes in hopes of winning $25,000

OXNARD, Calif. - April 5, 2013 - PRLog -- The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme is competing to be one of the top 40 causes to win a $25,000 grant from State Farm Neighborhood Assist™, a crowdsourced, philanthropic program, through a Facebook voting campaign. BGCOP was selected as one of the top 200 causes by the State Farm Youth Advisory Board. The voting period is April 4 – 22. Facebook members can vote on Facebook at https://www.state-assist.com/cause/5847/great-futures-for-kids.

The grant would be used to support the Club’s implementation of its Be Great: Graduate program, a comprehensive, targeted dropout prevention intervention program designed to enhance youths’ engagement with learning by pairing them with staff and volunteer mentors that are trained to use strength-based strategies and problem-solving techniques.

BGCOP urges the community show its support of the Club by voting in this exciting Facebook contest. Each person may vote up to 10 times daily during the voting period. The top 40 vote-getting organizations will be announced April 29 on Facebook.

“We would love to be among the top 40 causes honored by State Farm Neighborhood Assist and encourage people to vote for us when they’re on Facebook,” said Tim Blaylock, BGCOP Chief Professional Officer.

To be eligible for the contest, causes needed to be focused on safety, education or community development to better their community. A total of 3,000 community causes were submitted to the State Farm Youth Advisory Board, which chose 200 worthy causes to move forward to Facebook voting. The advisory board is comprised of 30 students, ages 17-20, from across the United States and Canada who serve two-year terms.

State Farm Neighborhood Assist empowers people to identify problems in their community, connects them with local nonprofits that can help solve the problem and provides an opportunity for communities to receive funding to make a positive impact in their neighborhood.  

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme exists to inspire and enable all young people to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens. With three full-service clubs, 13 school program sites and one housing site, the organization is one of the largest of its kind in California, serving 9,000 members annually. The group is also the first Boys & Girls Club of its kind to open a site inside a Juvenile Justice Center in the state of California. Program areas offered to youth include character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, technology and sports, fitness and recreation. For more information, visit www.positiveplace4kids.org.