FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dave Heylen, V.P. Communications California Grocers Association
Tel: 916.448.3545
Fax: 916.448.2793
E-mail: [email protected]
California Grocers Association
1415 L Street, Suite 450
Sacramento, CA 95814
CGAEF marks two-decades legacy of awarding California’s deserving grocery employees and their families with the gift of education.
SACRAMENTO, Calif.—June 13, 2012—Hundreds of California grocery industry employees with receive life-changing financial assistance this year through college scholarships awarded by the California Grocers Association Educational Foundation.
Currently the largest state-wide program in America supporting the grocery industry, the CGA Educational Foundation College Scholarship Program will offer 258 deserving students a record $341,250 in financial relief from ever-rising costs that prevent many from completing their education, a $60,000 increase over last year’s award total.
“The significance of this scholarship program and the grocery industry’s generosity cannot be overstated; this program has been indispensable to countless individuals. At a time when students continuously struggle to continue their education while lessening their financial burden, this program ensures that hundreds of students every year will receive the financial support they need,” commented CGAEF Chairman of the Board Jim Van Gorkom, NuCal Foods, Inc.
Beginning with a single scholarship in 1992, the Foundation has grown exponentially over the last 20 years to bestow more than 2,300 worthy college students with awards totaling more than $2.7 million—ensuring that California’s grocery employees and their dependents have the resources necessary to start or complete their higher education. The program includes four types of scholarships: CGAEF funded, Legacy, Donor and Piggyback Partnership Scholarships. CGA Educational Foundation college scholarships are open to high school seniors, college freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students who are dependents of employees, or are themselves employed by a California Grocers Association member company.
“The growth of the Foundation’s college scholarship program has been nothing short of phenomenal,” noted CGA President and CEO Ronald Fong. “In these challenging economic times, the mission of the CGAEF is helping individuals achieve their goals by providing the opportunity to enhance job skills and education by assisting with the cost of tuition is all the more important.”
Shiloh London, CGAEF Executive Director, also cited the vision for the college scholarship program. “We hope the results of our program this year will be twofold—that California’s grocery industry will retain skilled, qualified employees, and that this will serve as a catalyst for future philanthropic fundraising in ever larger amounts to support present and future generations of grocery industry employees,” she said.
The CGA Educational Foundation was created under the direction of the California Grocers Association Board of Directors in 1992 and is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. Its mission is to provide financial assistance to advance the educational goals of CGA member company employees and their dependents and offer educational programs to advance the grocery industry.