A Buffalo-based not-for-profit organization is working to assist in breaking the cycle of poverty through education. WBFO's senior reporter Eileen Buckley says the You First Services (YFS) Foundation will be handing out some local scholarships and sending other funds to for girls to attend school in India.
“It’s actually about a dollar a day we’re able to lift up entire villages and provide primary education for the girls and that can really move some mountains,” stated Mark Robinson, director of Outreach and Philanthropy at the YFS Foundation.
This Friday night the organization hosts its second annual benefit dinner at the Transit Valley Country Club in East Amherst. One of the organization’s goals is to help contribute to educating girls around the globe in developing countries.
Newly raised funds will be sent to assist 60-girls in India so they can go to school for the very first time.
“There’s actually about 64-million young girls around the world that never, ever attend school, even primary school, which we all take for granted,” remarked Robinson.
The foundation is trying to break the poverty cycle by working to provide access to a quality education for all children.
“There’s so many success stories and wonderful statistics about what happens to entire communities when girls receive an education. It lifts up everything from the age of marriage to not having children out of wedlock to earning potential per family – it just – it snow balls. It also is passed on to the next generation because they then are committed to seeing that their kids are educated,” Robinson explained.
WBFO asked Robinson how the foundation ensures the funding is directly assisting the girls in India.
"We actually found another non-profit organization in India, right now that has no administrative costs at all – 100-percent of the dollars donated go directly to this cause. They are actually helping us administer the funds over there for these girls,” answered Robinson.
This Friday evening at its benefit dinner four Buffalo Public school high school seniors will be receiving scholarships for college. The students are interested in pursuing careers in science and technology. Robinson tells us that is another goal of the foundation.
“They know that they are going to get a scholarship. They don’t know how much. They’re coming with parents and we’re hoping to have principals and teachers from their schools,” Robinson replied.
The Buffalo high school recipients are Nicholas Gorman from City Honors, Shannon McGrath attending DaVinci High Schoo, Fatimah Almansob from Hutch Tech and Feven Gebremariam who attends McKinley High School.
Tickets are still available to attend the April 21st benefit. You can contact Robinson directly at 716-204-7215; jmrobinson@yfsfoundations.org.
Last year the organization raised about $10,000 with a majority going to overseas education. This year Robinson is hoping to top that amount with Friday night's benefit dinner.
