Become a Fan! Check out the FGT Page on Facebook.
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Back-to-School Drive
The Family Giving Tree wrapped up another
successful campaign for its annual Back-to-School Drive, which serves underprivileged children
enrolled in the Federal Free or Reduced Price Meal Program.
This August,
together with 285 host companies, 12 corporate sponsors and thousands of
generous individual donors, the Family Giving Tree helped provide supply-filled
backpacks to 13,843 low-income children through 112 local schools and agencies.
Since 2001, the Family Giving Tree has served a total of 91,028 underprivileged
children in Santa Clara, San
Mateo, San Francisco and Alameda Counties. Altogether, more than 225,000 children are
enrolled in the Federal Free or Reduced Price Meal Program each year in the
four Bay Area counties served by the Family Giving Tree.
On behalf of the children
we serve, thank you to all of our hosts for the support we received this
August! Thank you letters (pictured above) have been posted on the Family Giving Tree's Facebook page.
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Sponsors recognized at Celebration Luncheon
The Family Giving Tree's annual Back-to-School Drive Celebration Luncheon
on September 18th honored 12 sponsorship partners by recognizing their commitment to
the community.
From tenured sponsors such
as National Semiconductor, NetApp, NVIDIA, SanDisk and Synopsys to newcomers BD
Biosciences and Mountain Winery Kids Foundation, all Back-to-School Drive sponsors were invited
to be recognized and accept their award on behalf of the Family Giving Tree
staff and the children served this year.
SanDisk, one of the Family Giving Tree's most-tenured partners, was this
year's Presenting Sponsor with a generous $25,000 gift. SanDisk has been a
valued partner of the Back-to-School
Drive since 2001, and their $25,000 sponsorship
allowed the Family Giving Tree to bulk purchase more than 1,700 supply-filled
backpacks. Likewise, NVIDIA, a valued
partner since 2005, went above and beyond as well. In addition to being a
$5,000 Math and Science Sponsor this year, NVIDIA generously donated the use of
their warehouse in Santa Clara
to house both the Holiday Wish and Back-to-School Drives this year. NVIDIA also coordinated a water balloon toss
fundraiser where employees paid to throw water balloons at their supervisors!
All proceeds benefited the Family Giving Tree.
All told, FGT sponsors
contributed approximately $65,000 to the Back-to-School Drive this year. Funds
raised through sponsorship were used to bulk purchase backpacks and school
supplies for children placed on our waiting list this year. By purchasing in
bulk, the Family Giving Tree was able to obtain the school supplies at a
significant discount, which resulted in more children receiving a supply-filled
backpack!
Thank you sponsors!
Warehouse donated by:
NVIDIA
$25,000 - Presenting Sponsor
SanDisk
$10,000 - Principal Sponsor
Mountain Winery Kids Foundation
$5,000 - Math and Science Sponsor
Intel
NVIDIA
$2,500 - Reading
and Writing Sponsor
Altera
BD Biosciences
Informatica Corp.
Maxim Integrated Products
National Semiconductor
NetApp
Santa Clara
County Federal Credit
Union
Synopsys
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Green Tree News
The Elves have been practicing recycling in our office
during the first part of the year and we're getting better
at recycling more every season at the warehouse! With a lot of
help from our dedicated volunteers, we recycled more than half of our
waste during the backpack drive. We could not have done so without
another very generous donation of free waste services from Allied Waste! Thank you for
helping the Family Giving Tree stay green!
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Fulfilling Wishes in Oregon, Washington and Texas
The Family Giving Tree is continuing its
expansion outside of California! This year we will be helping children in Austin, Texas, Portland, Oregon and Seattle, Washington. Host companies in these states have several
options for participation, and their efforts will benefit children in their
specific communities.
If your company
has national offices, or if you'd like more information about our National Expansion Program, visit our website!
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Executive Elf Challenge
Silicon Valley executives
play Santa for a day! This season, more than 50,000 low income children will
receive gifts and clothing through the Family Giving Tree's Holiday Wish Drive.
To share the holiday spirit and bring awareness to the magnitude of the
problem, we are hosting a competition among the employees of our host companies
and biggest supporters.
Silicon Valley
CEO's, executives and others will be wrapping, 'shopping' and bagging
gifts in a fun competitive environment; a warehouse brimming with over 50,000
gifts! This event is open to everyone,
not just executives. The first 50 teams of 4-6 members to send in an
application will be enrolled automatically; any additional sign ups will be
placed on the waiting list.
When and Where?
Thursday, December 17th, 2009 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
At the Family Giving Tree Warehouse (click
for directions)
Cost: $20 per team of 4-6 members to help cover the cost of
essential items (shoes, coats and blankets) for the families and children we
serve.
NBC 11 will be covering the event; other media invited as
well.
Enroll online!
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Welcome from the Queen
Our newest Elf, Al from Intel (through their Community
Service Corps) started this week as the Family Giving Tree's own Business
Development Elf. Congratulations Elf
Al! This new role will focus on forming stronger strategic
partnerships with existing hosts and creating partnerships with new
hosts.
The Elves are thrilled to have Al on board; thank you Intel!
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FGT Shop on CafePress.com
Have you always been an Elf, but never had a way
to show your pride wherever you went?
Now you do!
The Family Giving
Tree is happy to announce the Grand Opening of our CafePress Shop. We're offering several logo items in our
shop, including Back-to-School clocks, Elf Boot mouse pads and much more!
Your purchase is not considered tax
deductable; however it's a great way to show support for Family Giving Tree
programs.
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Milpitas Post Awards FGT
The Milpitas Post's 19th Annual Readers Poll represents
reader's favorites for the city's service professionals, non-profits,
restaurants, shops, parks and schools.
The ballots have been counted and the
Family Giving Tree received an honor award once again!
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Quilt Winner
Congratulations Carol Corradi, winner of this season's Back-to-School Drive
Quilt!
Handmade by Elves Dianne and
Susan (pictured at left).
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