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Foundations Provides Grants to 12 Non-Profits Through Partnership in Youth Services Awards

Doylestown, PA (October 15, 2009) - Over 140 community service leaders, non-profit organizations, and local governmental leaders attended the Foundations Community Partnership "Partnership in Youth Services" luncheon ceremony held at the Doylestown Country Club in Doylestown yesterday. The event honored 12 non-profit community programs in Bucks County that are making a difference in the lives of local children with monetary grants of $3,000 each.

The keynote speaker was nationally syndicated radio personality Nelson Lauver, host of the syndicated radio feature, The American Storyteller Radio Journal, a four-minute slice of Americana broadcast daily across the United States. An Allentown, PA resident, Nelson has been compared to the likes of Garrison Keillor, Charles Kuralt, Paul Harvey and even the legendary Mark Twain. In addition to his work as a keynote speaker and journalist, Nelson is an advocate for literacy and frequently addresses educators and literacy groups around the world.

Foundations executive director Ron Bernstein, Bucks County Commissioner Diane Marseglia, and keynote speaker Nelson Lauver presented plaques and checks to the 12 local non-profit organizations. Among the community programs receiving grants were:

Bristol Riverside Theatre - Bristol
The grant will provide scholarship funding for special needs and disadvantaged children enrolled in educational programs like ARTRAGEOUS, a six-week summer program that provides a full day theater arts curriculum for youth ages 7-16. Classes in improvisation, acting, voice, speech, dance/movement are taught daily. ARTRAGEOUS culminates with a free performance for families and the community at the Bristol Riverside Theatre. This program accepts all children, regardless of special needs or ability to pay. Special needs children are given individual attention.

A Womans Place - Doylestown, PA
A Womans Place's mission is to end intimidation and family violence for all by enhancing safety for victims, families and communities. With the help of the grant, A Womans Place will form a Teen Advisory Board teen outreach project to respond to, prevent and educate the Bucks County community on the issue of teen dating violence and its connection to domestic violence in the future.

Upper Bucks Alliance for Creative Expression - Quakertown, PA
The Upper Bucks Alliance for Creative Expression will use the grant to provide weekly training and practice sessions, and create 2 concert experiences per year that foster the artistic development of local middle and high school students. Many of the participants are learning disabled students who have difficulty fitting in with their school's social environment. By working with other creative youth towards a measurable goal, they have an opportunity to focus on their talents and create an amazing life experience that is unique to Bucks County.

Council Rock North High School - Newtown, PA
The Council Rock North HS will use the grant for their "Kick-Off Mentoring Program" which trains 11th and 12th grade students to work with ninth grade students, including those with special needs to help these freshman adjust to the high school environment.

Bucks County Intermediate Unit Education Foundation - Doylestown, PA
In coordination with the Bucks County Intermediate Unit # 22, the Bucks IU County Educational Foundation ensures that those who provide educational support to children with acquired and traumatic brain injury have a thorough understanding of the injury and its resultant challenges, providing supports and interventions that will help these students to achieve educational success through graduation and beyond. The grant will help the IU establish a lending library of technological tools to assist activities of daily living and learning for these children.

Bucks County Head Start - Morrisville, PA
The grant will benefit the Bucks County Head Start's "Dr. Is In" program, which provides onsite mental health consultation for teachers to help them manage the behavior of children who otherwise would be excluded. The program will enhance services to children with behavioral health needs and support environmental criteria, such as classroom arrangements that encourage children's curiosity, ability to share with others and build positive relationships with peers and adults.

Upper Bucks YMCA - Quakertown, PA
In response to a survey conducted in the Upper Bucks Community, the community responded that the "tweens", children between 11 and 13 are the most vulnerable and high-risk for behavioral health problems, yet the most underserved. With this award, the Upper Bucks YMCA plans to offer an after school club for these youth equipped with a billiard table, tennis table, foosball, Wii systems, flat screen TV's, seating and conversation areas.

ADHD AWARE - Doylestown, PA
ADHD Aware's mission is to expand opportunities and enhance the quality of life for children, youth and adults affected with ADHD. The Go-Girls and Boys Clubs are interactive, activity based monthly programs designed to improve the self-esteem of children with ADHD and increase the acquisition of knowledge and skills related to symptom management of ADHD in children who participate. Funds from this grant will be used to subsidize scholarships.

Orthotic & Prosthetic Assistance Fund - Langhorne, PA
The Orthotic & Prosthetic Assistance Fund's mission is to enable individuals served by the orthotic and prosthetic community to enjoy the rewards of personal achievement, physical fitness and social interaction. First Volley Tennis Clinics offer adaptive tennis skills and drills to amputees and those with physical challenges. The grant will help provide tennis instruction to this underserved population.

Cradles to Crayons - Horsham, PA
Cradles to Crayons provides homeless and low-income children from birth to age 12 with the basic essential supplies they need to foster their safety, emotional/self-esteem and educational development. Through partnerships with 13 social service agencies in Bucks County, Cradles to Crayons serves 13,000 - 16,000 children in Southeastern PA. The grant will help them to place orders and fill the needs of individualized children, sort and process donations, expand their capacity for infrastructure, staff and warehouse space to meet the increased need due to poor economic conditions.

Special Equestrians -Warrington, PA
Special Equestrians helps improve the physical, mental and emotional well being of individuals with disabilities through the equine experience. The grant will assist them in developing a new component for their Youth Connection At Risk Youth Program. 20 to 25 youth with disabilities will be providing recuperation services to injured racehorses.

Latino Leadership Alliance of Bucks County Inc. - Bristol, PA
The Latino Leadership Alliance is a bicultural program that provides education and information to students and offers family services and referral for Mental Health support. The grant will assist their First Light After School Program, focused on developing well-rounded students through cultural education, mental health prevention education, and fun supplemental activities that reinforce the lessons taught in school. Many of participants are special needs children also served by the Bucks County Intermediate Unit.

The Morris M. Davis Award, an award given annually to a student intern whose contributions to the community are judged to be an outstanding example was presented to Feasterville resident Dina Mangione, who worked with the Central Bucks YMCA through Foundations Community Partnership's Summer Youth Corps.

"Being part of Foundations Community Partnership's Summer Youth Corps really open my eyes to different things and helped me become a more well rounded individual," said Ms. Mangione.

"Foundations is proud to offer grants for the eleventh year through the Partnership in Youth Services program," said Bernstein. "We also sponsor the Foundations Partnership in Education program, which recognizes the achievements of local high school seniors for their demonstrated community service, commitment to academic performance, and quality of character and the Summer Youth Corps, which offer interns the ability to gain practical experience while helping to effect positive change in the community."

Sponsors of the program included: Theodora B. Betz Foundation; Bishop & Associates, Inc.; Davis Trachtenberg, Inc.; The Carl Koenig Family; Merrill Lynch Doylestown Office; Universal Health Services; AXA Foundation; The Bernstein Family; William E. Boger, CPA; Alvin H. Butz, Inc.; Harleysville National Bank; Magellan Health Services; Charles H. Rose, CLU, CHFC; Antheil Maslow & MacMinn, LLP; Bucks County Herald; Bucks County Bank; Comcast Cable Limor Goodman, PC; Richard S. Kempes, Esquire; J. Carroll Molloy Realtor; Smolow & Landis; Thompson Networks- Voice, Data & Surveillance Solutions; Advanced Furniture Services Group; Advanced Micro Computer Specialists, Inc.; Ann. T. Loftus, Zateeny Loftus, LLP; Astro-Dynamics Print & Graphic Services; Bi-County Fuels, Inc.; Brody Public Relations; Bucks County Community College Foundation; Bucks County Glass; The Cossolini/Sikora Family; DAJO Co. Inc.; The DiNatale Family; Doylestown Wealth Management, Inc.; In The Bag Catering; The Friedman Family; 309 Office Furniture; David Velasco Salon, LTD; The Weldon Family The Zagerman Family, and Sportswear Plus.

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Contact: Beth Brody, 609-397-3737, beth@brodypr.com