Los Angeles, CA – February 4, 2013: The “I Have a Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles (IHADLA) has been awarded a grant for $50,000 from NBC4’s 21^st Century Solutions Campaign.  After an extensive application and vetting process, IHADLA was awarded the grant, which will help maintain the organization’s comprehensive programming for its 3rd grade Dreamers in Watts.

Steve Carlston, President and General Manager of NBC4 presented the check to IHADLA Executive Director Katy Garretson and Development Manager Kristen Skjonsby in a ceremony at NBC4 studios in Burbank on Thursday, January 31st. Two third-grade Dreamers from 99th Street Elementary in Watts were also in attendance and, following the check presentation, they were treated to a tour of the news studio and received reporting tips from weatherman Fritz Coleman.

The 21st Century Solutions program supports high-impact, innovative programs in the areas of Arts and Media; Civic Engagement; Jobs and Economic Empowerment; Community Development; Technology and Innovation; Education and Environment.   This is the first time NBC4 has given grants of this magnitude and, out of 1,100 candidates, IHADLA is one of only three organizations to be awarded grants totaling $200,000.

“This generous grant from NBC4 will help our 70 new Dreamers achieve well beyond what they or their families could have ever imagined,” said Garretson. “The 21st Century Solutions program is so important to our shared community. The “I Have a Dream” Foundation is thrilled to be one of their first award recipients.”

Last year, NBC4 Southern California partnered with the NBCUniversal Foundation to launch a new initiative called 21st Century Solutions to provide a total of $1.2 million in grants to nonprofit organizations. NBC4 Southern California is among 10 owned stations that implemented the 21st Century Solutions grant program.

“We are excited to launch this new grant initiative in support of deserving organizations that have innovative solutions to social challenges,” said Terri Hernandez Rosales, Vice President of Community Affairs for NBC4 Southern California. “The ‘I Have a Dream’ Foundation – Los Angeles has a much needed program that will help move our community forward by inspiring disadvantaged students to pursue their educational dreams.”

About the “I Have a Dream Foundation”

The “I Have a Dream” Foundation – Los Angeles helps at-risk youth in Los Angeles have a better life and get a good education. The Foundation adopts an entire grade at an inner-city, Title 1 school, and stays with those kids for over ten years, providing after-school and summer programs, academic and cultural enrichment, counseling services, arts instruction, etc., and then provides a scholarship for college or career training when they graduate from high school. The last graduating class of Dreamers, in 2010, boasts a 94% high school graduation rate, and 96% of those are now in college or vocational school.

About NBC4 Southern California

NBC4 Southern California is the West Coast flagship of the 10 NBC Owned Television Stations. It produces more than 30 hours each week of local news and information across its multiple platforms, including the main broadcast channel 4, and online at www.nbclosangeles.com.  Serving the Los Angeles community since 1949, NBC4’s news operation has received nearly every industry award bestowed on local news, including numerous Los Angeles Emmy and Golden Mike Awards, as well as two national Edward R. Murrow Awards and a Peabody Award.   The NBC Owned Television Stations, a division of NBCUniversal, also includes a group of out-of-home properties, a production company and COZI TV (www.cozitv.com).

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