Think Together to Host Annual Raise a Hand Virtual Celebration to Support Expanded Learning, Afterschool and Student Learning Recovery Programs for California Students
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Elena Bosch
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The live broadcast will honor Broadcom Inc. with Think Together’s Champion of Change Award and longtime board member Leona Aronoff-Sadacca with the Think Legacy Award.
Santa Ana, Calif. (April 19, 2021) – Think Together, California’s largest nonprofit provider of afterschool, expanded learning, and school improvement programs, will host its annual Raise a Handfundraiser event virtually with a live broadcast at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 23. Think Together’s annual fundraiser has been reimagined this year as a virtual experience with nearly 300 registered to attend. The event raises funds to support student learning recovery programs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
When classrooms closed their doors last spring, Think Together partnered with schools to provide virtual expanded learning programs to 150,000 youth including students experiencing homelessness, in foster care and children of essential workers across California. Broadcom Inc., through the Broadcom foundation, worked with Think Together to provide an estimated 600 laptops to staff and students to support the transition to distance learning.
This year Think Together will honor Broadcom with its “Champion of Change” award which recognizes an outstanding partner dedicated to changing the odds for kids. Broadcom has been an invaluable partner, providing transformational support of student programs in the areas of technology and innovation. Since the start of its collaboration in 2018, Think Together and Broadcom have distributed nearly 2,000 laptop devices to students across the state.
“Since March 2020, when California schools were mandated to continue instruction using distance learning, Broadcom proved to be a truly incredible partner, allowing Think Together to support schools and students through distance learning and meet the moment for our families,” said Randy Barth, founder and CEO at Think Together. “We couldn’t be prouder to present them with the Champion of Change award for their continued commitment to supporting students and their education.”
COVID-19 has exacerbated the inequities that have always existed, and education is no exception. With 84% students served by Think Together living in under-resourced households and many from first-generation immigrant families, these inequities have been fueled further by job loss, food insecurity, language barriers, access to technology, and more.
Leona Aronoff-Sadacca, like many of Think Together’s board members, can relate. Born in 1936 into a Jewish family in Germany, her family fled from the horrors of the Holocaust during World War II, landing in New York before moving to Los Angeles, and finally raising her own family in Rialto while running Gate City Beverage in San Bernardino as president, CEO and owner.
With more than ten years of dedicated service on Think Together’s board of directors, Leona is retiring from her role from the board this year. Think Together will honor Leona with the Think Legacy Award at this year’s event.
“Leona brought to the board that special something all organizations need, but particularly nonprofits need; she truly cares about her constituency, for the community, and for other board members,” said John Lee, Think Together Board Chair and PIMCO Executive Vice President. “The board of directors is not going to be the same without her and the organization as a whole is better for having her involved for all these years.”
Think Together will also award its Faces of the Future Scholarship Award, presented by PacLife, to three outstanding high school seniors enrolled in Think Together’s program. Recipients will be given a $3,000 scholarship and a laptop to start their college career.
Think Together’s annual Raise a Hand event is free to attend virtually, with watch party packages including Think Together branded wine glasses, face masks and copies of the Think Together magazine starting at $100.
Guests can also participate in Think Together’s Raise a Hand silent action online through April 23 with auction packages ranging from a four-night retreat to La Villa Bella in Punta Mita, Mexico to a luxury wine selection including Ridge Monte Bello, Occidental, Kistler and Kosta Browne.
For more information or to register, please visit the Raise a Hand event website.
About Think Together
Think Together partners with schools and communities to pursue educational equity and excellence for all kids. As a nonprofit organization, Think Together innovates, implements and scales academic solutions that change the odds for hundreds of thousands of California students. Think Together’s program areas include early learning, afterschool, school support services and leadership development for teachers and school administrators. For more information, call (888) 485-THINK or visit www.thinktogether.org.
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