Media Contacts:
DARDEN RESTAURANTS EMPOWERS BOYS
& GIRLS CLUB TEENS
TO PURSUE POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
“Recipe for Success” workshop to launch in Atlanta
ATLANTA – March 27, 2009 – Twenty-eight Boys & Girls Club
teens competing today for the Georgia State Youth of the Year title will
receive in-depth counseling on how to secure a postsecondary education in
the first-ever “Recipe for Success” workshop sponsored by Darden
Restaurants.
Darden, the parent company of Red Lobster, Olive Garden and
LongHorn Steakhouse, has partnered with Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA)
to provide this opportunity to Club teens across the country. Next month,
teens from Michigan and Ohio will also participate during their State Youth
of the Year events.
This highly interactive, two-hour workshop focuses on
inspiring and supporting underserved youth to achieve postsecondary
education by helping them see the bigger picture and set ambitious goals for
the future. It will assist the participants in exploring potential career
paths and areas of study; give them tools and resources for academic
planning; and help them to develop financial management skills and research
tips for scholarship funding sources.
“Darden Restaurants has been a local supporter of Boys &
Girls Clubs in the Orlando area for many years,” said Bob McAdam, Darden’s
senior vice president of government & community affairs. “We are very
pleased to move our involvement with the Clubs to the national level to
impact more kids and their future.”
Added Roxanne Spillett, BGCA president and CEO, “In these
hard economic times, it is incredibly encouraging to know companies, like
Darden, are still interested and willing to help today’s young people BE
GREAT.”
High school freshman and sophomores who attend the workshop
are eligible to receive a $1,000 grant for their Clubs to host a college
tour. Juniors and seniors are eligible to receive a $2,000 college
scholarship.
Being named Youth of the Year is the highest honor a Boys &
Girls Club member can receive. The title recognizes outstanding
contributions to a member’s family, school, community and Boys & Girls Club,
as well as personal challenges and obstacles overcome. This program was
founded over 60 years ago through the generosity of Reader’s Digest.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has helped kids "Be
Great," providing hope and opportunity for those who need it most. Today,
more than 4,300 Clubs serve some 4.8 million young people through Club
membership and community outreach. Known as The Positive Place for Kids,
Boys & Girls Clubs can be found throughout the country and on U.S. military
bases worldwide, providing young people 6-18 years old with
guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by trained,
professional staff. Clubs positively impact lives and help young people
reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens. 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
recent Harris Survey of Club alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their
lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.
About Darden Restaurants
Darden Restaurants, Inc., (NYSE: DRI), the world’s largest full-service
restaurant company, owns and operates more than 1,700 restaurants that
generate $7 billion in annual sales. Headquartered in Orlando, and employing
180,000 people, Darden is recognized for a culture that rewards caring for
and responding to people. Our restaurant brands – Red Lobster, Olive Garden,
LongHorn Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Bahama Breeze and Seasons 52 –
reflect the rich diversity of those who dine with us. Our brands are built
on deep insights into what our guests want. For more information, please
visit www.darden.com.
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