JA needs votes for $500,000 grant

Van Wert independent/JA information

Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana, of which Van Wert’s Junior Achievement is part, is one of 100 national finalists for a $500,000 grant from the Chase Bank Community Giving Program. The top “winners” for this grant are those that receive the most votes on Facebook. No money is required, JA just needs votes.

Junior Achievement programs in Van Wert County help prepare young people for the real world by showing them how to generate wealth and effectively manage it, how to create jobs that make their communities more robust, and how to apply entrepreneurial thinking to the workplace. Students put these lessons into action and learn the value of contributing to their communities.

In the 2010-2011 academic year, Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana programs reached approximately 100,000 students in a 25-county area, which included more than 1,600 students here in Van Wert County. With this grant, the organization will be able to reach more than 115,000 students per year.

The top 25 organizations, as determined by Facebook votes, will receive anywhere from $20,000 to $500,000.

Those who would like to join in the effort to help make JA a winner just need to vote on Facebook by clicking on www.jani.org between May 19-25, and being directed to Facebook, as well as the community giving site where voting is accomplished.

For more information regarding this contest, contact Jessica Weiss, Junior Achievement coordinator serving Van Wert County, at 419.238.5500.