GGUSD Board of Education Thanks Orange County United Way for Partnership

Board members receiving check.

During its September 19 meeting, the Garden Grove Unified School District (GGUSD) Board of Education thanked the Orange County United Way for its strong partnership and support of numerous programs that prepare students with the academic and personal skills needed for lifelong success. 

United Way Director of Education and Work-Based Learning Sergio Contreras presented the Board of Education with a large check to represent the organization’s nearly $200,000 direct investment in GGUSD programs this year alone.

“We are so grateful for the tremendous investment the Orange County United Way has made in our district and the immeasurable impact it has made in the lives of our students,” said Lan Nguyen, Board of Education President.  “The programs the Orange County United Way has helped fund, like early literacy support for elementary students and career internships for high school students, have played a critical role in ensuring our students have the tools they need to succeed.”

Over the past four years, the Orange County United Way has supported various programs through grant funding, including K-3 Read and Succeed; mentoring programs which have expanded to 31 school sites this year; Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) enrichment programs at intermediate schools; Destination Graduation, a program supporting AVID students; College and Career Fairs; the student club Latinos Unidos; and Youth Career Connections, a program offering a spectrum of integrated work based learning opportunities including paid internships for high school students.  

Additionally, the Orange County United Way has helped GGUSD build corporate partnerships with companies like Endologix which supported a Science Fest for intermediate school students, and KPMG which provided hundreds of backpacks and school supplies for GGUSD students.

“United Way is setting a higher standard for what 21st century college and career readiness should like. And we are proud to support and deliver innovations in education with like-minded partners such as GGUSD-- educational leaders who are willing to break down walls between the classroom and the real world, visionaries who understand the value that business/industry partners bring to both students and teachers alike,” said Contreras.