Lucille O'Neal Teams Up With Boys & Girls Clubs of
America to Help Strengthen Families and Offer Three Full-Tuition
Scholarships
ATLANTA, Nov. 9, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ --
Being a great mom is a full-time job. It requires long hours,
patience and love, just to name a few qualities. Boys & Girls
Clubs of America (BGCA) wants to highlight some exceptional moms.
Do you know a mom who inspires you with her attitude or by getting
involved in her local community? Perhaps she has defied the odds.
Today, a nationwide search was launched by Lucille O'Neal, BGCA,
its longtime partner Kimberly-Clark Corporation (NYSE: KMB) and
University of Phoenix, to find and
honor the country's "Most Inspirational Mom."
(Logo:
http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20050921/CLW030LOGO)
The search celebrates moms everywhere and gives three deserving
moms the opportunity to pursue an undergraduate or master's degree
from University of Phoenix,
accomplishing their own educational goals, while also demonstrating
for their children, firsthand, the importance of school. Winners
will also receive a Kimberly-Clark back-to-school survival kit.
Applicants can go to familyplus.bgca.org now through Jan. 19, 2012, to submit a 500-word essay on what
makes them the Most Inspirational Mom. The search is designed to
uncover a special mom who is an inspiration to her kids, family and
community.
O'Neal, mom of legendary basketball player Shaquille O'Neal and
alumni of BGCA and University of
Phoenix, is an ambassador for the Family PLUS (Parents
Leading, Uniting, Serving) program. "I'm a product of both the Boys
& Girls Clubs and University of
Phoenix so it's exciting to work with an organization like
Kimberly-Clark that is willing to provide moms with a
post-secondary opportunity through the Most Inspirational Mom
search. Our hope is to help moms improve their lives and their
families' lives through this program," said O'Neal.
The Most Inspirational Mom is part of a joint venture to
implement family strengthening at Boys & Girls Clubs around the
country. For the seventh consecutive year, Kimberly-Clark and BGCA
are teaming up to provide the Family PLUS program at Clubs around
the country. The Family PLUS initiative encourages local Boys &
Girls Clubs to integrate family strengthening activities into their
programming, in addition to hosting specific Family Nights to help
parents learn and have fun together, further building a strong
family dynamic. Currently some 2,000 Boys & Girls Clubs around
the country are implementing the Family PLUS program into their
curriculum.
"Boys & Girls Clubs are active community participants in
strengthening and empowering adults in their roles as parents,
guardians and caregivers," said Elaina
Ouimet, director, family strengthening, BGCA. "In an
ever-changing world, the long-term and steadfast support of
Kimberly-Clark to the Family PLUS program, and to Boys & Girls
Clubs of America, enables us to provide families with the resources
they need to help children live productive lives."
The Most Inspirational Mom search will award three University of Phoenix scholarships (which also
includes electronic educational materials).In addition to receiving
a scholarship, all three selected moms will receive a
Kimberly-Clark survival kit, which includes a one-year supply of
its well-known brands such as Viva, Kleenex, Cottonelle and
Huggies. After each applicant has submitted their 500-word essay,
15 finalists will be selected and highlighted on
familyplus.bgca.org in February. Those finalists will submit a
scholarship application with three short essays, and the recipients
will be selected from the group of 15. The three Most Inspirational
Moms will be announced the week of May 7,
2012.
University of Phoenix provides
access to higher education opportunities that enable students to
develop knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their
professional goals, improve the productivity of their organizations
and provide leadership and service to their communities. With
courses available in the evenings and online, University of Phoenix is a perfect fit for working
parents, or stay-at-home parents looking to refresh their skills
before reentering the workforce.
For details on the Most Inspirational Mom search or to get
additional information on Family PLUS, please visit:
familyplus.bgca.org.
For more information on University of
Phoenix scholarships, visit phoenix.edu/scholarships.
About Family PLUS
Family PLUS (Parents Leading, Uniting, Serving) is a comprehensive
family strengthening strategy developed by Boys & Girls Clubs
of America (www.bgca.org). Family PLUS allows Boys & Girls
Clubs to partner with families, ensuring that parents and
caregivers have the opportunities and assistance they need to
better their children's lives. This initiative is generously
supported by Kimberly-Clark Corporation (www.kimberly-clark.com).
To learn more about Family PLUS, visit
http://familyplus.bgca.org.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America
(GreatFutures.org) has enabled young people most in
need to achieve great futures as productive, caring,
responsible citizens. Today, nearly 4,000 Clubs serve some 4
million young people through Club membership and community
outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public
housing and on Native American lands throughout the
country and on U.S. military installations
worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult
mentors, fun and friendship, and high-impact youth development
programs on a daily basis during critical non-school
hours. Club programs promote academic success, good character and
citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni,
57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters
are located in Atlanta. Learn more
at http://bgca.org/facebook and http://bgca.org/twitter.
About Kimberly-Clark
Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an
indispensable part of life for people in more than 150 countries.
Every day, 1.3 billion people – nearly a quarter of the world's
population – trust K-C brands and the solutions they provide to
enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as
Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark
holds No. 1 or No. 2 share positions in more than 80 countries. To
keep up with the latest K-C news and to learn more about the
company's 139-year history of innovation, visit
www.kimberly-clark.com.
About University of
Phoenix
University of Phoenix is constantly
innovating to help students balance education and life in a rapidly
changing world. Flexible schedules, challenging courses and
interactive learning help students pursue personal and career
aspirations without putting their lives on hold. As the flagship
university of Apollo Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: APOL), University of Phoenix serves a diverse student
population, offering associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral
degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S.
as well as online throughout the world. For more information, visit
phoenix.edu.
SOURCE Boys & Girls Clubs of America