Axios Charlotte: Meet the 2019 Social Impact Grant winners who are helping better the lives of Charlotteans
In 2019, Red Ventures and Axios Charlotte combined forces to offer a $1,000 Social Impact Grant to someone working to better the lives of Charlotteans. Sil Ganzó and ourBRIDGE were one of the three Social Impact grant winners.
“ourBRIDGE provides the time, space, and resources for children to acculturate to a new country, learn English, and develop a sense of belonging to a community that values their cultures and embraces their backgrounds and beliefs,” says Sil.
Chicago Tribune: Immigrants don’t need a handout, but they do need a welcoming hand
A Commentary featured in the Chicago Tribune on Aug 17, 2019 focuses on the work of ourBRIDGE.
“We make our families feel cared for, not just by teaching their kids English, but by advocating for them in the community," said Ganzó, herself an immigrant from Buenos Aires, Argentina. “Last year when we had ICE agents knocking on doors, I had a parent calling me from the closet, scared because they were outside her house. We went to our elected officials to ask that the city not cooperate. Unfortunately, the mayor didn’t sign on to do that, like many other major cities, but it gives our families peace of mind that someone is fighting for them.”
Charlotte Parent: Welcoming Refugee Families to Charlotte
A feature in Charlotte Parent about ourBRIDGE and the refugee experience in Charlotte.
Family-to-family and parent-to-parent, we have a responsibility as a community to support those who have journeyed across the world to make Charlotte their home. We also have the wonderful opportunity to learn about countries and cultures that may seem unfamiliar, meet our neighbors and build lasting connections and friendships. Following are ways that your family can help support and welcome refugees right here in Charlotte.
Charlotte Observer: Cover Feature
"Border Crisis, Charlotte Solution: Volunteers Line Up To Help Refugee Kids at Home" by Ann Doss Helms.
Sil Ganzó: FACES of Charlotte
"Sil Ganzo’s work is more important now than ever before. The 35-year-old is the executive director of ourBRIDGE, a Charlotte based non-profit that offers after-school and summer programs to newly arrived and first generation American children. They work with 100 families a year from 20 different cultures. Ganzo herself was born in Buenos Aires but moved to the Queen City more than 15 years ago. The mother of two is passionate about what she does but admits the work can be stressful and non-stop, and she recently realized the toll it was taking on her life. So she made some dramatic changes that we can all learn from. We’re excited to introduce you to Sil Ganzo, today’s FACE of Charlotte."
Read the full article here.
A Note from Sil on The Leon Levine Foundation Match
Dear friend and supporter,
ourBRIDGE for KIDS was honored to receive a matching grant from The Leon Levine Foundation earlier this year. The Foundation will match up to $20,000 in New, Increased, or Lapsed Donor(*) contributions received by May 31, 2018. Please consider giving today!
We are so grateful for your support, and with The Leon Levine Foundation's match, your gift will multiply to help kids like Nelson, who says he wants to be a police officer when he grows up. Nelson arrived in Charlotte last year from Honduras, fleeing violence and threats. While the transition is still difficult for him, his mom says he feels safe and much happier! Nelson loves working on science projects at ourBRIDGE and Ms. Linda, our literacy facilitator, says Nelson is making great progress in reading fluency.
What gifts will The Leon Levine Foundation match?
- New Donors: you already support ourBRIDGE with your time and treasure because you know the program is changing the lives of young immigrant and refugee children in Charlotte. Would you consider forwarding this request to friends or family that are new to ourBRIDGE and telling them why you give?
- Increased Donations: any amount that you give over the amount you gave last year will be matched! Please consider increasing your donation from last year and The Leon Levine Foundation will make that increase double!
- Lapsed Donors: Did you forget to give to ourBRIDGE in 2017? If you give by May 31, your entire gift will be doubled!
Thank you in advance for helping us meet this match and helping Nelson and all of the ourBRIDGE KIDS with your contribution today!
Sinceramente,
Sil.-
ourBRIDGE for KIDS Awarded $50,000 Grant from The Leon Levine Foundation
OURBRIDGE FOR KIDS AWARDED $50,000 GRANT FROM THE LEON LEVINE FOUNDATION
After School Program Helps Children of Refugees and Immigrants Achieve Academic Success
Charlotte, NC (January 18, 2018) – The Leon Levine Foundation announced today it will support ourBRIDGE for KIDS with a $50,000 grant, with a $30,000 grant given in December 2017 and a $20,000 matching gift challenge grant over the next six months. Donations made to ourBRIDGE by new donors – or donations that represent an increased gift by a current donor – will be matched dollar for dollar up to $20,000 if made between now and May 31, 2018.
“This is a tremendous opportunity for us,” said Sil Ganzó, ourBRIDGE for KIDS Executive Director. “This grant will have a significant impact on our efforts to support the education and integration of newly arrived and first generation American students. As Charlotte has continued to welcome refugees and immigrants, ourBRIDGE has committed to expand our program to meet the complex needs of this growing population of refugee and immigrant children. Attracting new donors and expanding our individual donor base will be essential for ourBRIDGE to fulfill our promise to these children. The Leon Levine Foundation continues to set an exemplary standard of intentional and transformational philanthropy.”
ourBRIDGE for KIDS is a not-for-profit after school program for the children of refugees and immigrants that helps them achieve academic success and integration into the community through innovative instructional methods and a celebration of cultural diversity. ourBRIDGE offers an experiential-based learning curriculum to help our students achieve the fundamentals of English language acquisition through activities that incorporate STEAM elements and encourage cultural pride and inclusion, civic engagement, community involvement, problem solving and critical thinking. Our curriculum enables our students to experiment, explore the arts and celebrate Charlotte’s rich cultural diversity. Further, ourBRIDGE supports the whole child by creating a nurturing environment where children’s beliefs, experiences and opinions are heard, valued and embraced.
“We are excited to provide this initial grant to an organization whose work is so closely tied to our founder’s mission,” said Tom Lawrence, Executive Director of The Leon Levine Foundation. “While still young and growing, ourBRIDGE for KIDS is doing all the right things to build long term sustainability and provide their students with the academic and social support they need to succeed. In addition to our unrestricted operating support, we hope that The Leon Levine Foundation’s match will incentivize other donors to give.”
To learn more about ourBRIDGE for KIDS and to make a gift that will be matched by The Leon Levine Foundation, visit www.joinourBRIDGE.org and click on the “Donate Today” button. Additionally, donations may be mailed to ourBRIDGE for KIDS, 3925 Willard Farrow Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215.
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About ourBRIDGE for KIDS
ourBRIDGE for KIDS offers out-of-school programming that provides a bridge for these refugee and immigrant children to learn English and be part of a learning community that supports them and their families and values their cultures. The organization’s after school program partners with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and currently supports 120 children who represent 22 different cultures from four Title I elementary and middle schools (K-7). For more information, visit joinourbridge.org.
About The Leon Levine Foundation
Started by Leon Levine, the creator of the first Family Dollar Store in Charlotte, NC in 1980, The Leon Levine Foundation’s mission is to improve the human condition by creating permanent, measurable and life-changing impact throughout the Carolinas. The organization invests in nonprofits with a successful track record and a focus on sustainability in the areas of healthcare, education, Jewish values and human services. For more information, please visit www.leonlevinefoundation.org.
Media Contact
For further information, images and interviews, please contact:
Lauren Pansegrau (Communications Director, Volunteer)
ourBRIDGE for KIDS
Direct: (803) 429-3933
Email: ourbridgemedia@gmail.com
ourBRIDGE for KIDS Recognized in #TickSaveMyCity Contest
CHILDREN’S REFUGEE CENTER IN CHARLOTTE RECEIVES RENOVATION AS PRIZE FROM AMAZON PRIME VIDEO AND TONGAL CAMPAIGN
ourBRIDGE for KIDS Recognized in #TickSaveMyCity Contest
WHAT: In anticipation of The Tick series premiere on August 25, Tongal and Amazon Prime Video joined forces to launch the #TickSaveMyCity Fan Contest, urging citizens across America to submit videos describing a problem in their local community for a chance to have The Tick save it.
Amazon, along with the Executive Producer of The Tick, Barry Josephson (“Bones,” “Life as We Know It”) and star of the series, Griffin Newman (“Vinyl,” “Search Party”), reviewed video submissions from around the country and selected three finalist videos which included “Refugee Children" by Caleb Van Voorhis.
Public voting last month helped select “Refugee Children” as the grand prize winner, with fans rallying to help renovate the ourBRIDGE center in Charlotte, North Carolina and provide school supplies for all of its students. The non-profit organization is committed to nurturing respect and understanding of all cultures and helping refugee and immigrant children feel safe in their new home away from home.
On Thursday, August 24 volunteers from across Charlotte will take on renovation efforts, which will include the following visual footage opportunities:
- Children and families excited to see new ourBRIDGE renovations
- Distributing new and fun branded school supplies to refugee and immigrant families
- Building a garden
- Painting murals to decorate the hallways
- Assembling new furniture
WHO: ourBRIDGE for KIDS, Amazon Prime Video, and Tongal
WHEN: Thursday, August 24, 2017 | 9:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
WHERE: ourBRIDGE for KIDS | 3925 Willard Farrow Drive, Charlotte, NC 28215
CONTACT: Tongal@allisonpr.com
ourBRIDGE for KIDS Selected by Women's Impact Fund as a 2017 Grant Recipient
OURBRIDGE FOR KIDS IS SELECTED BY WOMEN’S IMPACT FUND AS A 2017 GRANT RECIPIENT
Afterschool Program To Launch An Innovative, Arts-Infused Curriculum In Partnership With LilySarahGrace
CHARLOTTE, NC – (May 25, 2017) - ourBRIDGE for KIDS has been awarded $100,000 from Women’s Impact Fund to launch an innovative initiative, the “After School Creative Arts and Learning Program”, which will enhance the organization’s curriculum for the refugee and immigrant children it serves. The grant was announced at the annual meeting of Women’s Impact Fund on May 9 at Foundation For The Carolinas. A total of $440,000 was awarded to five local non-profits in the areas of Arts and Culture, Education, Health, Human Services and Environment.
In partnership with LilySarahGrace, a national organization that awards grants for Arts-Infused Inquiry-Based Learning (AIIBL) classroom projects, ourBRIDGE will enhance its current literacy and STEAM focused curriculum through an infusion of art. This initiative will maximize the level of engagement of ourBRIDGE students, helping them express themselves through their unique cultures and further increasing the likelihood of improved academic performance.
“Without extra academic support, immigrant and refugee children are especially vulnerable to academic failure,” said Sil Ganzó, Founder and Executive Director of ourBRIDGE. “This grant will help create game-changing enhancements to our already successful after school curriculum.”
“We are excited to award a grant to ourBRIDGE for KIDS for their After School Creative Arts and Learning Program,” said Kathleen O’Bannon, Chair of Women’s Impact Fund’s Grants Committee. “We look forward to ourBRIDGE putting these funds towards important work in our community. We are especially proud this grant is part of a milestone year for Women’s Impact Fund, surpassing $5 million in total grants awarded.”
Learn more about ourBRIDGE and the organization’s innovative instructional methods that help refugee and immigrant children achieve academic success at joinourbridge.org.
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About Women’s Impact Fund
Since 2003, Women’s Impact Fund has amplified the significant role women play in philanthropy. Its mission is to maximize women's leadership in philanthropy by engaging and educating members, increasing charitable contributions and strengthening communities through the impact of collective giving. With over 450 members, the organization has emerged as one of the largest women’s collective giving groups in the country and continues to create powerful change within Mecklenburg County. To date, Women’s Impact Fund has made 64 grants totaling over $5 million. For more information, visit http://www.womensimpactfund.org.
About ourBRIDGE for KIDS
ourBRIDGE for KIDS focuses on children of immigrant and refugee families, helping them achieve academic success and integration into the community through innovative instructional methods and an embracement of cultural diversity. The organization’s after school program partners with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and currently supports 78 children who represent 22 different cultures from three Title I elementary schools (K-5). For more information, visit joinourbridge.org.
Become an Ally of Refugees & Immigrants
Dear friends,
We believe EDUCATION is the KEY to success for Charlotte's refugee and immigrant children. We also believe that KINDNESS and CULTURAL AWARENESS are the keys to a peaceful world.
Despite the uncertainty of the times we are living, we will continue to stand strong by our children and their families. Advocating for their rights to live a fulfilling life and offering a safe place where their cultures and religions are welcomed, celebrated and embraced, but unfortunately for over a year, we have been direct witnesses of the consequences this increasingly hostile political environment has in the lives of the children for whom we serve. Many of ourBRIDGE kids have arrived to our center worried about their parents being taken away from them and scared of the police. We have seen how this fear and anxiety is taking a toll in their demeanor, impacting their relationships at home, at school, and within the greater Charlotte community.
We invite our community partners, volunteers and advocates to become allies of the refugee and immigrant community and take action. There are many ways to get involved:
- Volunteer at any of the agencies and organizations working directly with the most vulnerable communities. There are many different opportunities at ourBRIDGE for KIDS, and also at our partners Carolina Refugee Support Services, Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency and Catholic Charities Resettlement Agency.
- Contact your representatives! Find everything you need to know before making those important—and much needed—phone calls.
- Show support by showing up! Find upcoming community events to support refugees and immigrants in Charlotte.
- DONATE! We need your financial support to keep serving these families.
With all that said, the ourBRIDGE for KIDS' center continues to be as happy and loud as usual. Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to keep up with us :)
Thank you so much for your encouraging emails and phone calls. We truly appreciate your love and generosity. Now more than ever, we ask you to please continue supporting ourBRIDGE for KIDS. Our work wouldn't be possible without you.
Sincerely,
Sil Ganzó
Executive Director – ourBRIDGE for KIDS
NBC News: How Sil Ganzó Opens Doors for Refugees, Immigrants
A feature on Sil Ganzó on NBC News.
Sil Ganzo is currently the Executive Director of ourBRIDGE, a Charlotte, North Carolina organization providing safe and fun after-school academic support, at no cost, to refugee and immigrant students and their families.
Residents Gather to Send Welcoming Message to Refugees Abroad
ourBRIDGE Featured in Creative Loafing Charlotte:
Pradhan struggled when she first arrived in America in the middle of her third-grade year. She said ourBRIDGE helped her greatly, and in 2016 she will be graduating from Harding University High School with honors.