Indianapolis, Ind. (June 24, 2010) –Taco Bell® Restaurants are teaming up with local Boys & Girls Clubs and the Indianapolis Colts to host a celebratory pep rally today to encourage teens to stay in school and announce$114,000 in local grants for high school dropout prevention programs.
The rally, which will take place from 1-2 p.m. at the Lilly Boys & Girls Club, will include remarks from Colts’ Defensive Tackle Daniel Muir, a check presentation, music and the opportunity for attending teens to take a pledge to graduate from high school. The funds being distributed will support dropout prevention programs, including new technology for teens and areal world experience programs focused on career and college planning.
“There is nothing better than seeing the effect that local youth programs have on teens’ lives,” said Charlie Brown, president of the Indianapolis Area Taco Bell Association and local Taco Bell franchise owner. “We are proud to support these organizations and will continue to tackle the dropout epidemic by working with organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs to promote the importance of getting a diploma.”
The Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis will receive $28, 644 in local grants to serve two hundred teens with job shadowing and skills building events through Old Navy and Best Buy, college tours throughout the summer, and community service projects affiliated with local Keystone Clubs. In addition, the Boys & Girls Club of Bloomington will receive $12,400, while the Limestone Girls Club will receive an additional $5,000.
“We are honored to be recognized by Taco Bell for our long-time commitment to teen graduation and success,” said Rick Whitten, chief professional officer, Boys & Girls Club of Indianapolis. “It’s because of partnerships like this that we are able to offer exciting career programs that ultimately help inspire our members to stay committed to earn their high school degree, dream big and be great.”
Taco Bell raised funds for the local grants through a variety of channels including in-restaurant canister initiatives, individual franchisee donations, and the Touchdown for Teens fundraiser with the Indianapolis Colts. For the past six seasons, Taco Bell has donated $100 for every touchdown the Colts scored and hosted restaurant fundraisers asking customers to support the Touchdown for Teens program with $1 donations. One hundred percent of the net profits go toward various Boys & Girls Clubs in Central Indiana. Since 2003, Taco Bell has donated more than $450,000 to local Boys & Girls Clubs through these fundraising efforts.
Additionally, more than 100 Taco Bell employees participate in annual “work days” to help refresh and clean local Boys & Girls Clubs. Projects have included everything from fully renovationing storage rooms into usable teen rooms in more than ten locations, repainting the interior of Clubs, and beautifying the exterior of Clubs with new and improved landscaping and gardens.
By the Numbers
The high school dropout rates are staggering in America, with one student dropping out of high school every 26 seconds. In the Indianapolis metropolitan area, an estimated 6,700 students dropped out from the Class of 2008 at great cost not only to themselves but also to their communities – these teen dropouts represent about 29% of the high school students in the region .
Since 1995, the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens and its supporting programs have helped more than 500,000 teens stay in school and on the path to graduation through its national partnership with Boys & Girls Clubs of America and affiliation with other non-profit organizations.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has enabled young people, especially those who need Clubs most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,000 Boys & Girls Clubs serve more than 4 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs can be found throughout the country and on U.S. military installations worldwide, providing young people 6-18 years old with guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by trained, professional staff. Key programs emphasize leadership development; education and career exploration; community service; technology training; financial literacy; health and life skills; the arts; sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.
About the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens
The Taco Bell Foundation, Inc., also known as the Taco Bell Foundation for Teens (TBFT), a non-profit 501(c)(3) public benefit corporation, is committed to addressing the growing number of high school dropouts in the U.S. by providing at-risk youth with mentors and real-world experiences that will motivate them to stay in school and achieve more in life, and to collaborating with like-minded individuals and organizations to garner greater impact. Since 1995, TBFT has donated more than $28 million to support teen programs at Boys & Girls Clubs of America and other teen-serving organizations with the help of on-going customer, franchisee and employee donations. For more information about TBFT, visit www.tacobellfoundationforteens.org.
About Taco Bell Corp.
Taco Bell Corp. (“Taco Bell”), a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc., (NYSE: YUM), is the nation’s leading Mexican-style quick service restaurant chain. Taco Bell serves tacos, burritos, signature quesadillas, grilled stuffed Burritos, nachos, and other specialty items such as Crunchwrap Supreme®, in addition to the 79-89-99 WHY PAY MORE®! Value Menu. Taco Bell serves more than 36.8 million consumers each week in nearly 5,600 restaurants in the U.S.
