Nonprofits honored for exceptional successes in promoting academic achievement and leadership among students in South LA, Inglewood, Watts, and Compton

Los Angeles based Perlman Foundation is pleased to announce the results of its first annual Bridging the Gap Awards (BGA), an unrestricted grant opportunity designed to identify and support small- and medium-sized charitable organizations that exemplify the Foundation’s mission to serve low-income communities.

Through the BGA, the Perlman Foundation, which originally sought to give away $50,000, is contributing a total of $111,000 to 20 organizations nationwide. South Los Angeles has received the largest concentration of BGA funding, with a total of $35,000 in grants awarded to the following organizations for their exceptional work: AIM for Academic Growth, Success, and Excellence; Building Futures Inc.; Krimson and Kreme Inc.; Urban Compass; and USC Troy Camp. These organizations were selected for their documented success in promoting academic achievement, college readiness, leadership skills, and community service among young people.

“We were overwhelmed by the quality of the BGA applicants and the importance of their work,” says Gregory Perlman, President and CEO of GHC Housing Partners, who established the Perlman Foundation in 2009 to serve the communities where GHC Housing Partners has a presence. “Upon reviewing the applications, we decided to more than double our grant funding for this cycle and increase the number of awards from 15 to 20.”

The Perlman Foundation selected the BGA grant recipients based on the vision, passion, and documented results of each organization. “These grassroots organizations are making a real difference in our communities, and we created the BGA grants to help them build their capacity and continue their amazing work,” says Shaun-Teka Joyner, Executive Director of the Perlman Foundation. Following the initial selection of BGA recipients, the Foundation conducted an in-depth assessment of each organization’s needs and resources, in order to determine the amount of its BGA grant amount. The awards range from $1,000 to $10,000.

The Los Angeles educational organizations selected for the 2013 Bridging the Gap Awards are as follows:

AIM for Academic Growth, Excellence, and Success (AIM)

AIM is dedicated to increasing the rates of high school graduation and college admission in underserved communities. Based in Inglewood, AIM’s programs focus on at-risk students in 4^th through 12^th grade, with academic programs and community activities that promote achievement, advocacy, character development, and college and career success.

Building Futures Inc.

Building Futures Incorporated (BFI) is dedicated to changing the lives of young adults by providing enrichment programs, tutoring, dance workshops, and recreational opportunities to students of the Compton Unified School District.

Krimson and Kreme Inc.

Krimson and Kreme’s mission is to bridge the achievement gap among minority students through programs that develop leadership, support academic success, and encourage community service. The organization provides young men in 6^th through 12^th grades with mentoring, skills workshops, and college tours, as well as application assistance and scholarships. The organization operates in collaboration with the Long Beach-Inglewood-South Bay Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi.

Urban Compass

Urban Compass is an educational organization that provides a safe and nurturing environment for elementary school students from a low-performing school in Watts. Through after-school and summer programs, Urban Compass encourages its students to envision a future leading to college, and it provides them with the foundation necessary to get there.

USC Troy Camp

Troy Camp is a week-long summer camp and mentorship program staffed by USC undergraduates for children from the neighboring communities. In addition to its summer camp, the program also includes daily after-school tutoring and monthly field trips to provide participants with new experiences.

For additional information about the BGA grant recipients and their work, or to learn more about the Perlman Foundation’s programs, visit www.perlmanfoundation.org.

About the Perlman Foundation

The Perlman Foundation is a charitable, tax-exempt, 501(c) 3 organization established in 2009 by Gregory Perlman, President and CEO of GHC Housing Partners, to provide support and assistance to lower-income children, families, and charitable organizations that are working to improve their communities. The Perlman Foundation seeks to empower individuals and organizations through philanthropic grants and programs that invest in people, projects, ideas, and dreams. To learn more, please visit www.perlmanfoundation.org, or follow them on Facebook and Twitter.

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Ashley E. Rodgers  | AZCONA + RODGERS

310.280.9351 office 

ashley@azconarodgers.com