Yonkers Partners In Education
Wendy R. Nadel, Executive Director
(914) 377-4882

PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: May 27, 2009
For More Information Contact: Wendy Nadel
Email: wrnadel@ypie.org

YPIE Seeks Donors by Highlighting Yonkers’ 24,000 Students as Worthy Investment

Yonkers Partners In Education kicks off its first annual appeal this month with a campaign that acknowledges the economic climate by combining grassroots and online fundraising.

The school year may be coming to a close, but for Yonkers Partners In Education, school is in session 24/7 as the agency kicks off its most ambitious fundraising campaign since its inception in 2007, with a mandate to boost educational opportunities for Yonkers’ 24,000 public school students through private investment.

The fund has already been tremendously successful with numerous programs underway that foster literacy and at home reading, and enhance college access. Most of the programs are funded through private grants. Yet in its first annual campaign, YPIE (as it is affectionately known by students and supporters) attempts to broaden its appeal by reaching out to parents, alumni, and large and small businesses with a variety of opportunities to “invest”.

Taking a page from the wildly successful Obama fundraising “playbook,” YPIE is employing an integrated social media campaign along with the more traditional community grass-roots efforts that encourage gifts as small as $5. YPIE also hopes to capture supporters through Facebook and on its website www.ypie.org, which features a “success stories” video with children who have benefited from YPIE.

“Despite tough economic times, local businesses continue to show their generosity and support,” says Executive Director, Wendy Nadel. “Our kids have benefited from donations of everything from furniture for our college centers to complete production of our website video. All of our efforts will continue to benefit from our community and business supporters.”

Increased support from the business community has also brought two new YPIE board members, Nancy A. Shenker, CEO and founder of theONswitch, a boutique marketing consulting company, and Carl Petrillo, President and CEO of Yonkers Contracting Company, Inc. They join forces with longtime board members including David Westin, President of ABC TV News and Richard Fitzgerald, Chair of the Board and CEO of Yonkers-based Sound Associates.

YPIE achievements to date include:

Opening college centers in 3 Yonkers high schools.
Providing Kaplan SAT prep classes that have increased SAT scores and
Implemented YonkersReads! a book exchange program that takes place in all K-3rd grade classrooms throughout the District.
Started a city-wide student newspaper, The Yonkers Student Grapevine, in partnership with the Yonkers Public Schools and Rising Publications.

Yonkers Partners in Education is an education fund that works in partnership with the public and private sectors to ensure that all students attending public school in Yonkers receive a high quality education that prepares them for work, college, and success in life.

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