Kick, Click, & SCORE campaign and Willkie Farr & Gallagher help DC SCORES close revenue gap

This Monday, DC SCORES began its 16th year of serving students at public and public charter schools throughout the District. We have never provided programming to more schools (25) or students (over 750).

Three months ago, we weren't so sure we'd be able to provide full programming for so many students in under-resourced neighborhoods this fall. But thanks to an innovative fundraising campaign and a law firm's generous donation, we were able to meet our financial goal by the end of the 2010 fiscal year (August 31) and haven't had to cut any aspects of our program.

Below is the press release detailing how we plugged the revenue gap:

Washington, DC, September 13, 2010 – DC SCORES, one of the District’s largest nonprofit after-school programs, was hit by the recession like many other nonprofits in the Washington, DC region. Facing a $130,000 revenue shortfall in June, the organization held an innovative soccer juggling fundraiser -- the Kick, Click, & SCORE Challenge -- and then received an emergency grant of $30,000 from Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP, which will allow DC SCORES to keep all of its programs up and running in 2010-11.

The fundraising push began with the bold and visible Kick, Click, & SCORE Challenge during the World Cup. DC SCORES Executive Director Amy Nakamoto juggled a soccer ball on a busy street corner for 12 hours on two consecutive days. The late June event brought in over 150 unique donations, including a $25,000 matching donation by a board member, helping DC SCORES raise more than $50,000 over 48 hours.

Through smaller grants and high participation at DC SCORES’ annual SCORES Cup fundraiser – a soccer tournament featuring District law firms and corporations -- DC SCORES shrunk the gap to $45,000 by the end of July.

To close the majority of the remaining gap, Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP -- a long-time partner and supporter of DC SCORES -- stepped in and donated a generous grant of $30,000 at the end of the fiscal year. This grant has enabled DC SCORES to avoid cutting any programs to the children it serves -- 750 students enrolled at 25 schools District-wide -- and has kept the organization’s finances in stable condition through these tumultuous financial times.

“DC SCORES could not be more thankful to Willkie for their long-time partnership and generosity,” Nakamoto said. “This grant has stabilized our organization after two years of revenue decline. They are supportive, yet hold us accountable, and for that we are appreciative of their corporate investment.”

A History of Generosity and Partnership:

From 2005-2010, DC SCORES has been a principal charity of the Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP Greater DC Community Foundation. The law firm has donated in excess of $300,000 to DC SCORES, held office and school supply drives, provided meeting and event space, and educated and entertained DC SCORES youth with office tours, soccer games, ice cream and pizza socials, and other events at the Firm’s DC office. Willkie employees have spent more than 250 hours volunteering at various DC SCORES events, and three employees have served on the DC SCORES Board of Directors.

”We are very proud to have had DC SCORES as one of our principal grantees these last five years,” said Frank Buono, Chair of the Willkie Foundation Advisory Committee. “This organization does so much good for so many of our community’s most underserved youth. We are happy that our rescue grant will help them avoid closing any programs and are confident they will continue to do great things to educate and provide opportunities for DC children in need for many years to come.”