Press Release
Keefe Group: Proud Supporter of Discovering Options |
| By Keefe Group |
| Published: 04/03/2009 |
|
|
|
Company Profile
| CorrectSource
Article: The reach of the correctional industry does not end at the jail cell, but extends to those outside the facility doors. This is why Keefe Group is undertaking a humanitarian effort to bolster goodwill with organizations directly and indirectly affected by the corrections environment. Most recently, Keefe Group has partnered with Discovering Options, an organization devoted to providing at-risk children with comprehensive, sup¬portive and enriching after-school programming. Based out of St. Louis, Discovering Options provides at-risk students living in impoverished city areas with supportive and life-enriching programs to prevent drug abuse and academic failure while at the same time promoting encouragement and support. Their mission is to expand the options of these at-risk stu¬dents to help them avoid drug use and other self-destructive behaviors. To help achieve their mission, they have instituted a mentoring program and award-winning PREP (Promoting Responsibility through Education and Preparation) program. The mentoring program is a 20-week program of matched mentor/protégé outings and contacts. This program can be summed up best by Discovering Options Development Chair, Board of Director member and mentor, Steve Moergen, “Nothing has pulled on my heart-strings as much as the Discovering Options organization. The real engagement came when I entered into the Mentoring Program and was matched with Marcus. Having four children of my own and seeing them grow straight and safe was not enough. I just couldn’t bear the thought of even one child growing up without knowing of the many options out there to pull them out of poverty but for the gentle, loving, guiding help of someone who cares, someone who has access to these options. Marcus will be in my heart and my helping actions the rest of my life.” As stated, the PREP after-school program has received national honors as the recipient of the 2008 National Exemplary Award for Innovative Substance Abuse Prevention Programs, Practices and Policies. PREP provides a different way for grade-schoolers to look at the world and helps them develop the skills needed to relate in healthy ways with other children and adults, bolster self-confidence, think more expan¬sively about their future and prevent substance abuse. This 10-week program includes curriculum such as hands-on cultural cooking, yoga, and art classes aimed at building core socio-emotional competencies and coping skills to af¬fected over 450 children. Through the generous support of organizations such as Keefe Group, they will continue this positive influence for many more years to come. According to Executive Director, Char¬maine Smith, “A partnership with Discovering Options is really a partnership with our community. Discov¬ering Options makes certain that its most impoverished children have a variety of well planned social and cultural opportunities to discover all the world has to offer.” Keefe Group - Keefe Group, through its affiliates, Keefe Supply, Keefe Commissary Network, Crawford Supply, Access Catalog, Access Securepak®, and Access Corrections™, is the nation’s leading supplier of food products, personal care products, electronics, clothing and technology to the correctional com¬missary market. The industry leader since 1975, Keefe serves the correctional market exclusively and has pioneered the evolution of products, packaging and technology services to fit the needs of commissaries nationwide. Focusing on security, flexibility and convenience, Keefe Group has become the benchmark by which other commissary providers are measured. help with survival in an extremely high-risk environment. On average, Discovering Options impacts 240 children a year and since its inception in 2003, has af¬fected over 450 children. Through the generous support of organizations such as Keefe Group, they will continue this positive influence for many more years to come. According to Executive Director, Char¬maine Smith, “A partnership with Discovering Options is really a partnership with our community. Discov¬ering Options makes certain that its most impoverished children have a variety of well planned social and cultural opportunities to discover all the world has to offer.” Keefe Group - Keefe Group, through its affiliates, Keefe Supply, Keefe Commissary Network, Crawford Supply, Access Catalog, Access Securepak®, and Access Corrections™, is the nation’s leading supplier of food products, personal care products, electronics, clothing and technology to the correctional com¬missary market. The industry leader since 1975, Keefe serves the correctional market exclusively and has pioneered the evolution of products, packaging and technology services to fit the needs of commissaries nationwide. Focusing on security, flexibility and convenience, Keefe Group has become the benchmark by which other commissary providers are measured. Dana Vickery Keefe Group 314.919.4180 314.301.3340 dvickery@keefegroup.com www.keefegroup.com |
