America SCORES Receives Largest Donation In Its History From Bestfoods Educational Foundation

Grant Allows National Youth Development Non-Profit to Provide More Opportunities to Children

02.22.2010 – New York, NY—The Board of Directors of America SCORES, a national youth development organization, has been awarded the largest ever gift in the organization’s history, a $1.3 million grant from the Bestfoods Educational Foundation. The Bestfoods Educational Foundation, overseen by former Bestfoods executives, has provided gifts to non-profit educational causes for 10 years.
America SCORES will use the gift to dramatically improve the delivery of its innovative after-school programs that combine soccer, poetry, and service learning to fight obesity, improve literacy, and increase motivation among youth in 200 public schools in 14 cities. Enhanced communication and operations among the national and affiliate offices will allow America SCORES to provide more and better opportunities to empower children across the country to succeed in school and live healthy lives.
“This gift will enable America SCORES to reach new heights in its mission to inspire urban youth through creativity and teamwork,” said Norma Barquet, CEO of America SCORES. “We are extremely grateful to the Board at the Bestfoods Educational Foundation for its generosity and belief in our organization to provide educational opportunities to deserving children. America SCORES is honored and privileged to be the recipient of such an extraordinary gift.”
In addition to the Bestfoods Educational Foundation, America SCORES has long-standing partnerships with the Corporation for National and Community Service, Hewitt Associates and adidas.
“The Bestfoods Educational Foundation has enthusiastically supported America SCORES with substantial annual grants for the past seven years,” said Richard Bergeman, Chairman of the Board of the Bestfoods Educational Foundation. “We are truly pleased to be able to make this most recent grant of $1.3 million, knowing that it will help America SCORES move energetically forward in its mission to serve many thousands, some day perhaps hundreds of thousands, of children across the country.”
The Bestfoods Educational Foundation was set up and funded by executives of Bestfoods to provide scholarships to children of Bestfoods employees around the world. After Unilever acquired Bestfoods in 2000, the founding executives continued to oversee its donations to educational causes until they decided to liquidate the fund and direct final major donations to a select group of charities at the end of 2009.

“America SCORES is deeply grateful to be among this special group of non-profits that the Bestfoods Educational Foundation selected and we will work very hard to continue the vision of the Foundation for years to come,” said Fred Popp, Chairman of the Board at America SCORES.
About America SCORES:
America SCORES is a national nonprofit organization whose mission is to empower students in urban communities using soccer, writing, creative expression and service-learning. With teamwork as the unifying value, we inspire youth to lead healthy lifestyles, be engaged students and become agents of change in their communities.
America SCORES currently operates affiliates in urban public schools in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in 14 cities including: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Cleveland, Dallas, Washington DC, Denver, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, New York, Oakland, San Francisco, Seattle and St. Louis.
The 2008 President’s Committee has recognized America SCORES on the Arts and Humanities with a Coming Up Taller Award for its exemplary programs fostering the creative and intellectual development of America's youth and by Charity Navigator as one of the most administratively efficient nonprofits in the country. For more information, visit www.AmericaSCORES.org.
# # #

Media Contact:
Michael Wichman
Hamilton Public Relations
mwichman@getpr.com
O—212.328.5203
M—917.526.0855