Let's Get Ready Wins $500,000 In First-Annual American Giving Awards Presented by Chase

Dec. 13, 2011 - PRLog -- New York, NY December 13, 2011 -- Let’s Get Ready, a nonprofit organization devoted to expanding college access by providing free SAT preparation and college admissions guidance to low-income high school students, won second place and a prize of $500,000 on Saturday, December 10th in the first-ever American Giving Awards presented by CHASE. After competing with thousands of charities to become one of the five finalists, Let’s Get Ready competed for the first place one million dollar prize in the American Giving Awards, a combined effort of Chase, Dick Clark Productions and Intersport, aimed at encouraging national support and volunteerism for local charities.

Executive Director Lauri Novick accepted the award on behalf of the organization at the star-studded award show broadcast on the NBC Network. Let's Get Ready will utilize the $500,000 to expand programs and serve more students. “This award is huge for Let’s Get Ready,” said Novick. “It will enable us to nearly double our impact, sending 2,000 more low-income students through our program and on to college. It also heightens awareness of the monumental challenges under-served students face throughout the college admissions process, and the impact organizations like Let’s Get Ready have in leveling the playing field and thereby making college more accessible for these kids.”  

The winners were determined via a Facebook voting drive that ran from December 1st – 8th. The American Giving Awards provided Let's Get Ready with the opportunity to reach a national audience, drawing attention to the critical need for equitable college access and to the impressive accomplishments of their alumni, many of whom return as mentors in the program. "We are so grateful to our students, supporters and partners who made this possible by voting each day and working around the clock for our cause,” Novick said.

About Let’s Get Ready
Established in 1998, Let’s Get Ready has sent over 13,000 students to college by providing free SAT preparation, increasing students’ scores on average of 112 points. Let’s Get Ready mobilizes and trains college student volunteers to be mentors and role-models who not only provide college admissions guidance but the encouragement and inspiration students need to succeed. For more information, please visit: http://www.letsgetready.org/

Media Contact:
Let’s Get Ready
bdever@letsgetready.org