HOUSTON, October 9, 2017 — The Rebuild Texas Fund has awarded Genesys Works a grant of $30,000 to support its efforts toward the long-term recovery of its organization and the students it serves, in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
The Rebuild Texas Fund was launched by the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, in collaboration with the OneStar Foundation, to help Texas communities devastated by Hurricane Harvey. Since the disaster first struck, the Rebuild Texas Fund team has been working with community leaders to identify gaps in rebuilding efforts and provide organizations with additional support and resources. Their goal is to provide resources to well-established organizations with a strong local presence throughout Texas over the long-term rebuilding period.
“The Michael & Susan Dell Foundation and the OneStar Foundation recognize Hurricane Harvey as an unprecedented natural disaster that requires a collective and sustained commitment over the long term to help impacted communities,” says Lori Fey, Executive Director of the Rebuild Texas team at the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. “By partnering with respected organizations that have staff on the ground in local Texas communities, the fund can be both purposeful and nimble – with the goal of providing the greatest possible impact for those regions most impacted by this unprecedented disaster.”
Every penny donated to the Rebuild Texas Fund will have an impact, with support going to four areas key to the future redevelopment of Texas: health and housing; schools and childcare; workforce and transportation; and capital for rebuilding small businesses.
Funds awarded to Genesys Works will be used primarily to support graduates of the Genesys Works program who are currently attending college in the Houston area and who were significantly impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
“At times like these, the needs of organizations and the people they serve continue on for weeks and months, long after the initial disaster strikes,” says Marian Davenport, Executive Director of Genesys Works Houston. “We’re incredibly grateful to the Rebuild Texas Fund for recognizing and reacting to that longer-term need, and partnering with Genesys Works to ensure that our students, staff and organization fully recover from Hurricane Harvey.”
To learn more about Genesys Works and its mission to change the trajectory of life for students from underserved communities through skills training, meaningful internships, and impactful relationships, please visit genesysworks.org.
About Genesys Works
Genesys Works is a nonprofit social enterprise changing the trajectory of life for disadvantaged high school students through meaningful work experiences. Its program consists of eight weeks of technical and professional skills training, a paid year-long corporate internship, college and career coaching, and alumni support to and through college. Its goal is to move more students out of poverty and into professional careers, creating a more productive and diverse workforce in the process. Since its founding in 2002, Genesys Works has grown to serve nearly 5,000 students annually in Houston, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, the San Francisco Bay Area, and Washington’s National Capital Region. To learn more, visit genesysworks.org.
For more information, contact:
Name: Allison Kopp
Phone: 678-313-2966
Email: akopp@voxglobal.com
Name: Jennie Tollefson
Phone: 651-260-9008
Email: Jentollefson@genesysworks.org
