Building for God Community Foundation Welcomes Safe and Sound Schools into the Champion in Life Pa

Five-year recurring $20,000 donation to fund school safety programs in Maryland

Baltimore, Md. – May 8, 2018 – Building for God Community Foundation today welcomed Safe and Sound Schools and its Maryland Safety Initiative into the Champion in Life Partnership Program in recognition of Safe and Sound Schools’ ongoing efforts to help communicate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from school-based crises.

As a Champion in Life Partner, Safe and Sound Schools will receive a $20,000 recurring grant award, matching individual, corporate, and foundation gifts for five years. With this funding, Safe and Sound Schools will continue and expand its Maryland Safety Initiative program with dedicated trainings, workshops, and education programs exclusively for Maryland school districts. In its State of School Safety 2018 report, Safe and Sound Schools found that nearly all parents and educators surveyed want their school to take extra steps in school security, but don’t necessarily have the expertise, resources, or training available. The Maryland Safety Initiative program, funded by the Building for God Community Foundation, directly addresses this need for all the families in Maryland.

“Tapping into the knowledge from the Safe and Sound Schools team of national experts will help strengthen our schools’ abilities to guard against a wide variety of threats,” said Michael O. Brooks, Chairman and CEO of Building for God Community Foundation. “With a recurring grant, we can be true collaborators, working together, year over year, to positively and measurably change the lives of students, teachers, staff, parents, and administrators in our schools throughout our entire state.”

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Safe and Sound Schools Maryland Safety Initiative will reach 12 districts, covering 600 elementary, middle, and high schools, with the power to impact 400,000 students.

“Building for God Community Foundation is a true leader in the community, giving its resources to selflessly support Maryland schools,” said Michele Gay, executive director and co-founder of Safe and Sound Schools. “We are grateful for the opportunity to invest further in the Maryland Safety Initiative, rolling out new programs to help our schools tackle the challenge of school safety in a meaningful way, with lasting impact.”

The $20,000 grant award will match individual donations, as well as corporate and foundation gifts. To make a donation, visit safeandsoundschools.org/support/donate/. For more information about Safe and Sound Schools, including free assessment tools, tool kits, and resources, visit safeandsoundschools.org.

For more information on Building for God Community Foundation, its programs and events, the Champion in Life Partnership Program, and the local nonprofits the Foundation supports, visit www.bfgcommunityfoundation.org.

About Safe and Sound Schools

Founded in 2013, Safe and Sound Schools works with school communities and mental health, law enforcement, and safety professionals to create and ensure the safest possible learning environment for all youth. The non-profit organization, started by parents who lost their children in the tragedy at Sandy Hook, delivers crisis-prevention, response, and recovery programs, tools, and resources, backed by national experts, to educate all members of the school community, from students and parents, to teachers and administrators, to law enforcement and local leaders. Winner of the 2015 SBANE New England Innovation Award for nonprofits, Safe and Sound Schools continues to answer the growing needs of school communities with custom programs, assessments, and training, reaching schools in nearly every state in the country. For more information, visit safeandsoundschools.org.

About Building for God Community Foundation

Founded in 2007, the Building for God Community Foundation’s mission is to have a positive and determined impact in our local community in the areas of sheltering the homeless, feeding and caring for families, fostering the educational needs of our youth, and supporting those who protect our community. Built on the idea that life’s purpose is to serve, love, and care for the needs of others. Since its founding, the Building for God Community Foundation has supported many local nonprofits through its Champion in Life Grant Award, which distributes grant funds to support deserving organizations in our community. For more information, visit www.bfgcommunityfoundation.org.

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