The Seattle Foundation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BELLEVUE, Wash., Jan. 5, 2009 -- The Bellevue Schools Foundation (BSF) has been awarded a $10,000 grant from The Seattle Foundation's Community Grantmaking Program to provide operating support for the Volunteers in Bellevue's Education System (VIBES) mentoring program. This grant is paid from the Barbara and Lucile Calef Children's Fund, Barbara and Lucile Calef Fund for Literacy, William Schnatterly Memorial Fund, and Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Fund, created by gifts to The Seattle Foundation. Established in 1946, The Seattle Foundation's mission is to create a healthy community through strategic philanthropy, community knowledge and leadership. It is the oldest and largest community foundation in the region, with more than 1,200 family and individual funds and assets in excess of $600 million. The Seattle Foundation awards nearly $50 million in grants each year

The Bellevue Schools Foundation has supported VIBES since 1991 to provide a safety net for thousands of Bellevue students (K-12) that are at-risk for academic failure or dropping out of school. VIBES helps students succeed in school by fostering their personal growth and improving their academic skills and work habits. This success is made possible by matching students with trained, caring, and dependable adult mentors who meet with them weekly during the school day in the classroom or designated area at the school. VIBES also supports College Corps, where volunteers help high school seniors with any part of the college application process for which they need assistance. Over 400 VIBES volunteer mentors help students annually in every school in the Bellevue School District.

About the Bellevue Schools Foundation (BSF)
The Bellevue School Foundation is a powerful partnership between business and community leaders, parents, and members of the education community. BSF was created in 1979 by a concerned group of parents and community leaders, who wanted to ensure quality education for Bellevue's children despite unreliable state funding for public schools. Its mission remains consistent: to promote and help fund the best possible learning opportunities for all students in the Bellevue School District. During its 30-year history, the BSF has raised over $17.4 million for programs that reach over 16,500 students every year..

As a private, non-profit organization, the BSF depends on individual, foundation, and corporate donors in order to fund its school programs. In partnership with the Bellevue School District and Parent-Teacher Associations, the Bellevue Schools Foundation helps Bellevue's public school students achieve academic excellence.

For more information about VIBES and the Bellevue Schools Foundation or to make a donation, please contact BSF at 425.456.4199, by email at info@bsfdn.org, or by logging on to www.bsfdn.org.

Media Contact:
info@bsfdn.org