From the moment Gene Haas moved to Ventura Country 10 years ago, the local Boys & Girls Club became a favorite charity of the Gene Haas Foundation, recognized as being one of the most important service organizations in the community.
Boys & Girls Clubs supply our country’s youth with a place they can feel safe, while teaching them valuable life skills and providing the knowledge they’ll need to succeed in life.
To ensure this continues, and make certain all our nation’s children are given this opportunity, we’ve given 42 grants to the youth organization from 2001 to 2009. These grants total $870,400.
The Boys & Girls Clubs Fill an Important Role in Our Nation
Sadly, there are children in our country who have never been outside their city. They have never experienced cultural events, such as a theatrical play or even a carnival. This is really too bad. Children should experience all of the fun and wonderful things this world has to offer, and that’s what makes the Boys & Girls Clubs so wonderful.
Basketball, ballroom dancing, carnivals, and art classes are just some of the activities the Clubs offer local youth. Educational opportunities, such as special classes, summer camps, and one-on-one help, make sure that the children get the opportunity to learn the skills they feel are important and can enjoy. With employment programs, kids get the support and the help they need to find a job, but also the knowledge they’ll need to get a job in the future, such as resume and interviewing tips.
The Gene Haas Foundation Supports Its Community
Mr. Haas created the Gene Haas Foundation in 1999, specifically to help groups such as the Boys & Girls Clubs, and to ensure that these charities receive the money they need to continue their efforts. But the Foundation sees other groups throughout the country as being important, as well. Since we began awarding grants in 2001, we’ve given more than $8.5 million dollars to more than 800 organizations.
So, who are these recipients? Some, such as the American Red Cross, feed the hungry and care for people after an emergency. Others, like Ranken Technical College, promote engineering and technical education to ensure young men and women can pursue careers that make them productive members of society, and allow them to support themselves and their families.
The Gene Haas Foundation and Mr. Haas also have given to organizations such as the National MS Society and the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation to help support those who are extremely ill, as well as those looking for a cure. Other donations, such as to the California Strawberry Festival, are just plain fun. They help others stop for a moment and just enjoy some of the wonderful things this world has to offer, not to mention the many important charitable organizations the Festival supports with its proceeds.
Gene Haas and the Gene Haas Foundation support groups that actively address the youth, academic, humanitarian, and health needs of the community. Organizations that receive funding from the Gene Haas Foundation provide guidance for youth, educational opportunities for students, support for local communities, and care for people with sickness or addiction. The Gene Haas Foundation will continue to provide our local, state, national, and international community with the support necessary to help make them the best they can be.