years of
Future of Our Community
Investing in the
A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 1 – 2 0 12
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CHANGING LIVES through education
Through in-depth and individualized support, the Fulfillment Fund helps
THOUSANDS
of students growing up in underresourced
communities defy the odds and achieve the dream of a college education.
81%
of Fulfillment Fund students are the first in their family to attend
college, helping break the cycle of poverty in their family, community and local economy.
Table of Contents Messages to the Community .............................................................................................. 3 Achievements and Accomplishments ............................................................................ 4 Our Impact: Paying the Investment Forward ............................................................ 5 One Student at a Time....................................................................................................... 6-7 Financial Summary..................................................................................................................... 8 Annual Gifts ........................................................................................................................... 9-10 Profile: A Tradition of Investing in the Community ............................................. 11 Staff & Alumni Ambassadors ........................................................................................... 12 Leadership Council ................................................................................................................ 13 Profile: A Commitment to the Community .............................................................. 13 Friends of the Fulfillment Fund ....................................................................................... 14 Board of Directors .................................................................................................................. 15
Sources: 2011-12 Fulfillment Fund data; The Bridgespan Group
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Messages to the Community Dear Friends, It has been a tremendous year for the Fulfillment Fund. When we founded this organization 35 years ago, we never could have imagined touching so many lives.
Dear Friends, Thank you. Because of your generous support, the Fulfillment Fund is helping thousands of young people overcome obstacles, graduate from high school and access a life-changing college education.
In 2012, 94% of Fulfillment Fund high school graduates planned to go to college, compared with only 54% of lowincome students nationwide who matriculate to college. This statistic speaks to the dedication of our leadership and professional staff, and to the effectiveness of our classroom instruction, mentoring, one-on-one college counseling, scholarships and financial aid programs.
In this report, we take a look back at the Fulfillment Fund’s impact in the 2011-12 academic year. You’ll meet some of our high school students and college scholars, as well as some of our alumni, mentors and leaders who are deeply committed to our mission of helping others overcome obstacles to succeed.
Our students have great promise, but few resources. With your support, we are expanding our efforts by bringing our life-changing programs to more schools to empower more young people to graduate high school, go to college, and reach their full potential.
The work of the Fulfillment Fund would not be possible without the support of dedicated partners like you: individuals and families, schools, corporations, foundations and organizations. We are so fortunate to have such a diverse, caring community.
Today there are more than 8,000 Fulfillment Fund alumni living and working in the greater Los Angeles area, and many more throughout the United States. They are educators, attorneys, physicians, business owners, college graduates, role models and leaders in the community. When we think of the future, we think of them, and we couldn’t be more proud of their success.
Your investment in young people is truly making a difference for the community of our future. Whether you give time, energy or financial resources, you are helping us to create a brighter future by making college a viable opportunity for young people in need.
As we celebrate the Fulfillment Fund’s 35th year of investing in the Los Angeles community, thank you for joining with us in creating a better future through education. We are making a difference that will last for generations. Sincerely,
On behalf of the thousands of students we help every year, thank you for your support. Sincerely,
Kenny Rogers Chief Executive Officer
Gary Gitnick, M.D., F.A.C.G. and Cherna Gitnick Fulfillment Fund Co-Founders
Whereas nationally, only 54% of high school graduates in lowincome communities go on to college, 94% of Fulfillment Fund high school graduates planned to go on to college in 2012. 3
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ACHIEVEMENTS
& Accomplishments At a time when public schools face unprecedented budget cuts and rising tuition costs, we at the Fulfillment Fund are proud of the life-changing programs and services we provided, touching the lives of nearly 3,000 students in the 2011–12 school year. Our achievements and accomplishments included: •
Delivering 517 classroom lessons to students attending Hamilton High School, Crenshaw High School, New Designs Charter School, Gertz-Ressler Charter High School, Richard Merkin Middle School, and the New Open World (NOW) Academy
•
Negotiating $1,568,565 in total financial aid (including grants, loans, work study, and outside scholarships) on behalf of students including $389,287 specifically in Fulfillment Fund scholarships and stipends
•
Conducting 2,072 one-on-one college counseling sessions guiding students through the entire admissions and financial aid process including college matching, writing personal statements and applying for scholarships
•
Providing thousands of hours of one-on-one support and personal attention, via trained volunteer mentors
•
Providing an intensive eight-week SAT prep course to 176 students, at no charge to them or their families
•
Taking hundreds of students on college site visits throughout California
•
Piloting a program to encourage students to pursue technology careers, in partnership with Creative Artists Agency and Microsoft Store
•
Launching a pilot college access program at three schools in Las Vegas, Nevada, projected to serve more than 300 students in 2012-13
“We are beyond appreciative for the services that the Fulfillment Fund provides to support students in achieving their goals for college. There is no organization that works with schools in the same way.” — Donna Jacobson, Principal, Richard Merkin Middle School
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OUR IMPACT:
Paying the Investment Forward In Their Own Words
Yoseph I was born in Ethiopia. My family lived in a small, poverty-stricken neighborhood for the first eight years of my life. My parents immigrated to the U.S. in 2000 searching for a better life, but they had to leave my siblings and me in Ethiopia. Life without our parents was tough. Some days, food and water were scarce. I attended school but stopped going in the second grade to take care of my older brother, who was sick. Despite my absence from school, I borrowed my friends’ notebooks to teach myself what they had learned. When my siblings and I came to the U.S in 2002, I was grateful that I had an opportunity at a better education, but I did not speak English. To avoid being teased and to succeed in school, I taught myself how to speak by watching Sesame Street videos and repeating every new word. I spent my lunch time practicing vocabulary with my teacher. I became fluent in a matter of months. During high school the Fulfillment Fund helped foster my goal for my next journey onto college. My mentors and advisors helped me organize my time so that I stayed focused on my work. They showed me that education has great value and that success is the product of using education wisely. Yoseph is a first-year student at UC San Diego.
In Their Own Words
Jeanette Words cannot express how thankful I am and how blessed I feel to receive a Fulfillment Fund scholarship. The money helps me pay for my school expenses, for transportation and meals, and takes a big weight off the financial circumstances my family and I are facing. I have always believed that life’s challenges are not meant to weaken us; instead they are meant to give us strength and courage. I know I can reach any goal as long as I set my heart and mind to it. My goals include keeping my grades above a 3.6, graduating and becoming a registered nurse. I am proud to say I was admitted into the Mount St. Mary’s College nursing program. With the money I earned from my summer job, I purchased my uniform for nursing school, paid for my CPR training class and helped my parents financially.
In Their Own Words
Devery Rodgers I was chosen as a Fulfillment Fund Scholar during my junior year at Carson High School. At the time, I was an honors student who was involved in everything from the Interact Club to being the captain of the Pep Squad. I was also devastated by my father’s recent passing from cancer. Before he passed, he directed me to use my extra class period to volunteer as a teaching assistant for the college counselor. That’s when I found out about the Fulfillment Fund. As a result of the guidance I received from the Fulfillment Fund, I was accepted to eight schools and ultimately chose to become a UCLA Bruin. I graduated from UCLA as a double-major in English and African-American Studies, and after a year with the Department of Justice in Washington D.C., I returned home to Los Angeles to pursue my interests in student empowerment through literacy. Having taught at all levels of education, my goal now is to promote a quality education for all students. Devery Rodgers received her doctorate in Education Leadership in May 2012 from USC. She is now the Fritz B. Burns Endowed Chair of Education at Mount St. Mary’s College. A two-time Fulfillment Fund mentor, she is also a member of the Fulfillment Fund Alumni Ambassadors.
Despite all my struggles, I feel blessed tremendously. I contemplate the idea that “after the storm comes the calm.” Words cannot express the appreciation I feel towards the Fulfillment Fund. I, too, hope that one day I will be able to give back to my community the same way they are giving back to students like me. Jeanette is a second-year student at Mount St. Mary’s College.
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One Student
Through in-depth and individualized support, the Fulfillment Fund helps thousands of students growing up in under-resourced communities defy the odds and achieve the dream of a college education.
AT A TIME THE PROBLEM –
A lack of positive role models showing education as a way out of poverty
$
Lack of financial resources to access higher education
:
Budget-strapped schools—some with a counselorto-student ratio of 1:1,000 or higher—that lack a college-going culture
Grades 9th–12th
College Trips
Our an o Fulf the
Grades 9th–12th
Classroom-Based College Access Programs
Grades
One-o
Lesson 1
Grades 9th–12th
College Fairs & Workshops
COLLEGE
Grades 11th–12th
One-on-One College Counseling
G COLLE
Designed by
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12th Grade
Financial Aid Counseling E
College Level
Scholarships & Stipends
6
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Alum
Care
The Ripple Effect in the Community
t, the growing e odds n.
&
81% OF FULFILLMENT FUND STUDENTS BECOME THE
1
ST
Our future leaders need an opportunity. The Fulfillment Fund provides the following path:
IN THEIR FAMILY TO ATTEND COLLEGE, helping break the cycle of poverty in their family, community & local economy
OF THE FULFILLMENT FUND STUDENTS WHO GRADUATED HIGH SCHOOL IN 2012,
94%
planned to enroll in college
Grades 8th–12th
One-on-One Mentoring
VS
54%
of students in low-income communities nationwide
THOUSANDS
of Fulfillment Fund alumni are now giving back to the community: BUSINESS
Alumni
MEDICINE/ ENGINEERING
EDUCATION
SOCIAL SERVICES/ NONPROFITS
LAW/FINANCE
...and as ROLE MODELS to the next generation
Career Support You can do it!
Fulfillment Fund students attend all types of colleges nationwide, such as:
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FINANCIAL SUMMARY The Fulfillment Fund is committed to making college a viable opportunity for young people growing up in educationally- and economically-underresourced communities. We leverage your generosity and our community partnerships to ensure that students have support necessary to overcome obstacles and graduate from high school and go on to college. Here’s a quick look at where your investment goes.
Statement of Financial Position FISC AL YE AR ENDED 06/3 0/2012
ASSETS Cash and investments
6,750,007
Pledges receivable, net
1,656,689
Prepaid expenses, deposits and other assets Property and equipment, net Total Assets
359,538 51,357 8,817,591
LIABILITIES Accounts payable and accrued liabilities
388,895
Scholarships payable, net
328,412
Total liabilities
717,307
Net Assets
8,100,284
TOTAL LIABILITIES AND NET ASSETS
8,817,591
Statements of Activities FISC AL YE AR ENDED 06/3 0/2012
REVENUES Contributions
6,842,042
Special events income, net
1,465,883
Other revenues
213,016
Total revenues
8,520,941
EXPENSES Program Services Development Management and general
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3,370,977 810,544 255,612
Total expenses
4,437,133
INCREASE IN NET ASSETS
4,083,808
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Annual Gifts JULY 1, 2011 – JUNE 3 0, 2012 WE THANK ALL OF OUR GENEROUS DONORS FOR THEIR SUPPORT.
INDIVIDUAL DONORS
Dr. Denise Luria and Jeff Berg
$50,000 - $99,999
Virginia and Austin Beutner
Linda and Jerry Bruckheimer
Camie and Tom Booker
Emy Davis / Edwin W. and Catherine M. Davis Foundation
Mrs. Lynn A. Booth
Melanie and Richard Lundquist
Jan and David Crosby
Kathleen and Dale Rosenbloom
Robert Davidow
Sanford R. Climan
Jordan and John Davis $25,000 - $49,999
Janna and Rick Delamarter
Jackie and Howard Banchik
Lisa and Dean Devlin
Sandra Krause and William Fitzgerald Grace E. Latt Barbara Lazaroff Eva Longoria Kira and Robert Lorsch
Stephen Maginn J. Christopher Mallick John and Carrie Mapes
Tomy Drissi
Andrea Cockrum
Joyce Eisenberg-Keefer and Mel Keefer
Cherna and Gary Gitnick, M.D.
Sheril and Robert Freedman
Beverly and Stephen Pazuk
Janice and Robert Goldman
David Geffen
Joanna and Sidney Poitier
Gwenyth and Jack Gosch
Kevin Goetz
Anthony J. Rossi
Jana and Randall Greer
Alejandra Cano-Hampton and Michael Sean Hampton
Stephanie and Charles Roven
Lucia and Lupe Rodriguez
Rita Wilson and Tom Hanks Alan S. Hergott Margaret J. Heymann
$5,000 - $24,999 Leslie Mann and Judd Apatow Charla and Michael Barnathan Christy and David Barnes The Honorable Frank and Kathy Baxter
Dana Michelle Walden Ralph Collins Walter Janelle and Brian Werdesheim Susan Harris and Paul Junger Witt
NEW PLEDGES $25,000 - $49,999 Janelle and Brian Werdesheim
Katie McGrath and J.J. Abrams
Marcia and George Chami
Britta and Ryan Kavanaugh
Reva and William Tooley
Marc Luzzatto
Edythe and Eli Broad
Jo Ann and Charles Kaplan
Anne Sweeney and Philip Miller
Margaret and R. Casey Olson Marti and Tony Oppenheimer
Shanit and Samuel Schwartz Jane and Terry Semel Lori Zech-Shaw and John Shaw
$5,000 - $24,999 Marie and Doug Ambrosino Kevin Ashby, M.D. Ruth and Jacob A. Bloom Melanie N. Henry Josh Klinefelter Cassidy and Ryan McCarthy Trey Milburn Steven D. Smith
Madeleine and Tom Sherak
Kevin Huvane
Ginger and William Sherak The Jim and Susie Jaqua Fund at Maria Shriver The Community Foundation Serving Doreen and Fred Solomon Riverside and San Bernardino Counties Tim Somers Marilyn and Jeffrey Katzenberg Suzanne and Richard Kayne
Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg
“Through the guidance and reinforcement from the Fulfillment Fund staff, I feel motivated to walk in the footsteps of my calling of who I truly am.” —Elijah, Alabama A & M University, Class of 2016
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS California Community Foundation • Children’s Defense Fund - Beat the Odds • Clark County Unified School District • Communities in Schools - Los Angeles • C5LA • Coca-Cola Foundation • Los Angeles Unified School District • Magic Johnson Foundation • Marymount College • The Michael Brownstein Foundation • National College Access Network (NCAN) • NBC4LA • New Designs Charter School • Pacific Lutheran University • Southern California College Access Network (So. Cal CAN) • University of California, Los Angeles • University of Southern California • Women’s Leadership Council
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Annual Gifts July 1, 2011 – June 30, 2012 Continued
CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION DONORS
NBC Universal
Edison International
Regal Entertainment Group
Nielsen Entertainment
Fandango
Sempra Energy
$250,000+
Paramount Pictures
Film Finances, Inc
The Dream Fund at UCLA
PWC
Goldman Sachs
Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
Windsong Trust
Relativity Media
Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren & Richman
Stuart Foundation $100,000 - $249,999 College Access Foundation of California The Skirball Foundation The Walt Disney Company Weingart Foundation Wells Fargo
$50,000 - $99,999
Technicolor Twentieth Century Fox ZenithOptimedia Ziffren Brittenham LLP *Anonymous
$5,000 - $24,999 4D
Lon V. Smith Foundation
The Herman Foundation
Thomas W. Smith Foundation
Ignition Creative
Sony Pictures Entertainment
IMAX Corporation
Specialty Family Foundation
In Sync Advertising
STARZ Entertainment, LLC
Irell & Manella, LLP
Sun Valley Writers’ Conference
Isilon
SunAmerica Retirement Markets, Inc.
Legendary Pictures
Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Creative Artists Agency
AEG Global Partnerships
DreamWorks Studios
Allied Integrated Marketing
The Mark Hughes Foundation
AMC Theatres
MGM
Karisma Foundation
Aurora Management Partners, LLC
MillerCoors
Nesbitt Foundation via Northern Trust Bank of California
AV Squad, Inc.
Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp Foundation
$25,000 - $49,999 Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette Feldman LLP Chartwell Charitable Foundation Deluxe Entertainment Services Group
BLT and Associates, Inc. The Brittingham Family Foundation The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation The Capital Group Companies John W. Carson Foundation
Skydance Productions
HBO
The Banky-LaRocque Foundation
Bergen Foundation
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom
MarketCast / Variety Marvel Entertainment, Inc. MasterImage 3D, Inc
TM Productions Toy Box Entertainment, Inc. Toys “R” Us Children’s Fund, Inc Union Bank United Talent Agency, Inc. VeriTES Walden Media
Mosaic Sales Solutions
Warner Bros. Entertainment
Munger, Tolles and Olson LLP
William Morris Endeavor Entertainment Foundation
National Cinemedia NBC4 Beating the Odds Scholarship Fund
*Anonymous
Netflix
NEW PLEDGES $100,000 - $249,999
Imagine Entertainment
Citi
The Kenneth T. and Eileen L. Norris Foundation
John P. Lamerdin Scholarship Fund via the California Community Foundation
CNMK Texas Properties
Oxymoron Entertainment
College Access Foundation of California
The Carol and James Collins Foundation
Picture Head LLC
Karisma Foundation
Mattel, Inc.
Cristiada Productions, Inc.
mOcean
Dolby Laboratories, Inc.
Real D Cinemas $25,000 - $49,999 Dwight Stuart Youth Fund
“The Fulfillment Fund is changing the lives of students. I give thanks to the Fulfillment Fund for being there since the beginning of my journey toward college and my dreams.” — Alexis, University of California, Berkeley, Class of 2015
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“The support of my mentor and everyone at the Fulfillment Fund is too great for me to fail. This encourages me to strive and succeed. I feel lucky and blessed to have the Fulfillment Fund by my side.” — Javier, California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo, Class of 2013
PROFILE: A Family Tradition of Investing in the Community
Tim Somers’ involvement with the Fulfillment Fund runs deep. Not only is he the Treasurer of the Board of Directors, he’s a dedicated Fulfillment Fund mentor, now matched with his third student, 9th grader Victor Rodriguez. “The Fulfillment Fund helps kids who have a willingness and a desire to succeed, but who have never been given a chance, to progress through high school and move on to an advanced education,” says Somers, Managing Director of AMI Asset Management Corporation. Somers was introduced to the Fulfillment Fund in the 1990s by his grandparents, J. Hart and Louise Lyon, whose generous gift allowed the Fulfillment Fund to begin offering one-on-one college counseling services. Throughout their lives, they were passionate about helping those who were less fortunate, and always emphasized the importance of giving back to the community. After his grandfather passed away in 1997, Somers became more involved in the Fulfillment Fund, getting a close-up view of how the organization’s programs change lives as a mentor, supporting individual students on the path to high school graduation and college. “These are kids who would never have been given the opportunity or know the path to success if the organization didn’t exist,” he says. “Even if you’re only able to help a few students, it’s worth it.” The Fulfillment Fund thanks Tim Somers for his heartfelt dedication to helping students overcome obstacles to pursuing the dream of college, and for his long-term financial support of the Fulfillment Fund.
Tim Somers at the Fulfillment Fund’s annual Mentor-Student BBQ with his mentee, Victor Rodriguez
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STAFF Fulfillment Fund professional staff serve as mentor program advisors, classroom instructors, college counselors, program managers, event planners and fundraisers, and administrative staff. Kenny Rogers
Laura Pope
Joan Sumpter
Chief Executive Officer
Vice President, Development
Vice President, Finance & Administration
Sherry Banks
Elizabeth Kalfas
Sarah Oesterle
Pablo Benitez
Michele Keller
Nefara Riesch
Annie Dreyer
Emily Knarr
Janet Sarver
Aldwin Escuadro
Robbie Lee
Karina Santos *
Karen Fisher
Christopher Lopez *
Danny Slucki
Gabriel Flores *
Juan Lopez *
Abel Solorio
Ariel Garcia
Veronica Lopez *
Emily Tann
Danny Garcia
Elizabeth Mares *
Danny Tran
Reyes Gonzalez *
Susan Mangles
RJ Washington
Ivan Grgas
Cathy Mansouri
Cynthia Zamora
Joy Hallman
Karla Marquez
Elizabeth Zamudio
Xiomara Iraheta *
Teresa Marquez
Yolande Jeune
John Mitchell
Maria Espinosa Vice President, Programs
* Fulfillment Fund alumni
ALUMNI AMBASSADORS Fulfillment Fund Alumni Ambassadors support the organization through volunteering, fundraising and mentoring while also participating in professional workshops and networking opportunities.
BOARD Jorge Parra
Isela Barrios
Veronica Estrada
Devery Rodgers
President
Historian
Director of Professional Events
Director of Community Events
Marcelo Bermudez
Christopher Lopez
Nelson Gil
Vice President
Secretary
Director of Social Events
Jessica Aguilar
Elvia Del Cid
Elizabeth Herrera
Nancy Ramirez
Keishawn Anderson
Daniela Delgado
Mayra Lopez
Vicky Razo
Jarnette Brownlee
Stephanie Diaz-Sandoval
Beatriz Lopez
Sandra Rivas
Katherine Cabrel
Nancy Duran
Veronica Lopez
Janeshia Robinson
Stephanie Cardenas
Leslie Flores
Nancy Marroquin
Joanna Rodriguez
Gabriela Castillo
Brenda Gallegos
Josefina Martinez
Niona White
Maria Ceballos
Lisandro Gonzalez
Daisy Mateo
Diana Yedalyan
Karen Cisneros
Marisol Granillo
Alejandra Olvera
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LEADERSHIP COUNCIL The Fulfillment Fund Leadership Council is a dynamic group of young professionals with a passion for education and a genuine desire to make a difference in our community. Leadership Council members volunteer time and resources to support the organization’s work help under-resourced youth graduate from high school and achieve a college education.
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Josh Klinefelter
Kristen Cascio
Marcelo Bermudez *
Melanie Natasha Henry
Chairman
VP of Operations and Communications
Alumni Association Representative
Chair, Program Support and Integration
Chris Wagner
Lindsey Greer
Tracy Gitnick Herriott
VP of Leadership Council Affairs
Co-Chair, Events and Sponsorship Committee
Co-Chair, Events & Sponsorship Committee
David Hughes President
Mike Allen
Carla Denly
Kenny Golds
Michael Lebovich
Greg Russell
David Anson
Diana Diller
Rodrigo Gonzalez
Jordan Lucoff
Senta Scarborough
Thomas Balamaci
Norma Dominguez *
Todd Hawkins
Ryan Martinez
William Sherak
Ivan Bermudez
Wanda Dragomirescu
Stuart Herriott
Ryan McCarthy
Jonathan Sklar
Ian Brooks
Patrice Drakeford
Nicole Iizuka
Kelly Merryman
Katie Thomason
Lindsay Burn
Nicole M. Duckett
David Kanuth
Trey Milburn
Robert R. Urband
Robinne Burrell
Kristin Dyak
Meredith Kaplan
Dayton Miller
James Valdez
David Casares
Justin Gaynor
Sarah J. Lang
Stewart Niles
Christopher Vroman
Romie Chaudhari
Zeina Gaynor
Steve Lapinski
Kellie Nolan
Ashley Warne
Anjan Choudhury
Jaime Geffen
Harriet Lavietes
Mathew Obergfoll
Kirk Williams
Gabe Cohen
Jason Geffen
Matthew B. Laycock
Djenaba Parker
Jason Ziven
Vanessa Del Muro
Dan Glasser
Jeff Osofsky
Jorge Parra * * Fulfillment Fund alumni
PROFILE: A Commitment to the Community For 17 years, Tom Booker, Executive Vice President at Wells Fargo Bank, has been a member of the Fulfillment Fund Board of Directors, serving as Vice President of the Board and guiding the Board Affairs committee. Tom Booker, Executive Vice President of Wells Fargo Bank, accepting the Founders’ Humanitarian award at the STARS Gala
Along with fellow Board Members Tom Sherak and Michael Keithley, Booker conceived and built the infrastructure of our Leadership Council, whose young business leaders have become essential members of the Fulfillment Fund family. “In many ways, Tom has been our mentor and our role model,” said Dr. Gary Gitnick. “We remain indebted to him and to Wells Fargo for their magnificent support and vigorous participation in all that we do.”
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Under Tom’s leadership and guidance, Wells Fargo has, over the past two decades, provided significant financial support, paid student internships, sponsorships and mentor recruitment opportunities to the Fulfillment Fund – and in 2011 alone, Wells Fargo and its team members contributed more than $27 million to nonprofits and schools in Greater Los Angeles. A Los Angeles native who grew up in a family that placed a high value on education, Booker says the Fulfillment Fund is making a unique difference. “We save lives,” Booker says. “We give kids the opportunity to realize their dreams. There is no more important gift in life than an opportunity to pursue an education to help realize one’s potential.” The Fulfillment Fund is extraordinarily grateful to Tom Booker for his leadership and generosity, and to Wells Fargo for its long-term commitment to the community.
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FRIENDS of the Fulfillment Fund The Friends of the Fulfillment Fund, the Fund’s women’s auxiliary support group, mails hundreds of care packages to Fulfillment Fund scholars who are away at college and hosts the annual holiday party for children with special needs, along with a variety of other events to raise funds and support for the Fulfillment Fund.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Cherna Gitnick Founder and Co-President
Jan Goldman Co-President
Susan Berger Sybil Bergman
Janet Cooper
Beverly Mayer
Isabel Wintroub
Joan Fox
Deb McAdams
Phyllis Wolf
Marjorie Gross
Doreen Solomon
Sara Guterman
Edele Singer
Fran Huddleston
Linda Weitzler
“Until recently, I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to go through with college.” My parents never went to
college, and even though they want me to go, their idea of me going to college is me continuing to live at home with them. The Fulfillment Fund Northern California college trip made me realize I could be successful at college. We stayed in college dorms, so we were able to live the full college experience. When we visited Stanford, it was really exciting to see my high school classmate Ali Barajas, also a Fulfillment Fund student, and how well she is doing there. This reassured me that I can do it too!
Starting in my freshman year of high school, when I barely knew anything about college, to now, as I’m actually going through the application process, the Fulfillment Fund has opened my eyes to countless possibilities. Being the first person in my family to go to college, I know I’ll be a role model for future generations. I have three nieces, and when they see me going to college, I’ll help them have the confidence to succeed as well. In fall 2013, Kelly plans to become the first in her family to attend college.
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman and Founder
Chief Executive Officer
GARY GITNICK, M.D., F.A.C.G.
KENNY ROGERS
UCLA School of Medicine
Treasurer
President
TIM SOMERS
RALPH WALTER
AMI Asset Management Corporation
Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors
Secretary
Vice President
MARY ANN TODD
ERIC ESRAILIAN, M.D.
Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP
UCLA School of Medicine
Thomas C. Booker Wells Fargo Bank
David Casares Vicente Capital Partners
Sanford R. Climan Entertainment Media Ventures
Cherna Gitnick Co-Founder
Janice Goldman Philanthropist
Robert Goldman Investor
Jana Waring Greer SunAmerica
Charles Kaplan Sculptor
Jo Ann Kaplan Organic Farmer
Josh Klinefelter Aurora Capital Group
Alan Kumamoto Kumamoto Associates
Tony Oppenheimer Jorge Parra Propel Fuels
Lucia and Lupe Rodriguez Ann Ruth Five Star Legal & Compliance
Carl Schuster Wolfgang Puck
Madeleine Sherak, Ph.D. My Bench Productions
Tom Sherak, Ph.D. Revolution Consulting Services
Harlan Spinner UBS Financial Services Inc.
Chris Wagner Creative Artists Agency
Brian K. Werdesheim Oppenheimer & Company
Kirk Williams KW3 Consulting
Carla Mann Woods Mann Healthcare Partners
Marti Oppenheimer Marti Designs
FOUNDERS’ BOARD Andrea Cockrum
Brad Gluckstein
Kathleen Rosenbloom
Founding CEO
Conga Room
KATRO
Janet and Barry Cooper
Despina and Jay Landers
Alba Tull
Monica Dremann, Psy.D.
Michael Rosenberg
Thomas Tull
Psychologist and Philanthropist
Imagine Entertainment
Legendary Pictures
Melina Esrailian, D.D.S.
Dale Rosenbloom
Joan and Charles Fox
Utopia Pictures
15 2011-2012 Annual Report
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“The Fulfillment Fund is what convinced me to go to college. Before I was part of the program, college wasn’t part of my plans.” —Oswaldo, San Jose State University, Class of 2016
Whereas nationally, only 54% of high school graduates in low-income communities go on to college, 94% of Fulfillment Fund high school graduates planned to go on to college in 2012.
“I will never forget what this program has done for me.” The Fulfillment Fund scholarship has given me a reason to move forward. Despite the poor economy, the Fulfillment Fund and its wonderful sponsors are making a difference in this world. It’s not the money that amazes me the most; it is the fact that there are actual people out there who care. In addition to carrying a full courseload and having a part-time job, I volunteer at a local organization twice a week, where I help children with their homework and help them get involved in after school activities. It’s not easy juggling this with being a full-time student, but then again it doesn’t have to be. I have learned that every accomplishment is mightier when hard work is involved. Like a great man once said, “Reach for the moon, for even if you fall, you will land among the stars.” Jorge, a student at West Los Angeles College, plans to transfer to a four-year university in fall 2013.
“I couldn’t begin to explain how instrumental the Fulfillment Fund has been in my life. I can honestly say that I would not be where I am today without their encouragement, support, and guidance.” —Lisa, Grinnell College, Class of 2014
6100 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 600, Los Angeles, CA 90048 www.fulfillment.org info@fulfillment.org facebook.com/ffund
twitter.com/fulfillmentfund
linkedin.com/company/fulfillment-fund
youtube.com/user/fulfillmentfund
Serving the Los Angeles community for 35 years, the Fulfillment Fund is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making college a viable opportunity for students growing up in educationally and economically under-resourced communities.
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