Outback Joins Partnership to Help Children with School Success

Tag : Mashed Potatoes With Roasted Garlic

News
Outback Joins Partnership to Help Children with School Success


Tuesday, August 5, 2008 9:52 PM EDT
Outback Steakhouse in Smithfield is working with the Partnershipfor Children of Johnston County to raise much needed funds to helpsupport efforts in ensuring that all Johnston County children enterschool healthy and ready to succeed. Mike O’Dowd, ManagingPartner at Outback Steakhouse is sponsoring a special steakluncheon on Thursday, August 21 to support the Partnership’sefforts.
According to a recent report from Johnston County Schools, 17.4 %of children who enter Kindergarten do not have sufficient masteryof reading knowledge and skills to be successful in school. Inlower income areas those percentages rise to nearly 30%. ThePartnership works with children and their families to help preparethem for success in school. Some services include: two lendinglibraries full of developmentally appropriate toys and resourcesfor children, parents and teachers; early literacy classes forchildren and families through a grant from the Wachovia Foundation;funding the National Parents as Teachers Program to work withparents in the home during their child’s early learning yearsand funding the More At Four pre-Kindergarten program. Most of thePartnership’s programs are designed to serve all JohnstonCounty children and are not limited to low-income families. ThePartnership also funds many services to improve the quality ofearly childhood environments throughout the county.

“With all the Partnership for Children provides there arestill many children not receiving crucial services necessary to beready for school. Outback’s generosity is helping us fillthat gap.” states Dr. Morris, Executive Director. “Weare extremely grateful that Mike O’Dowd and his staff atOutback Steakhouse are partnering with us.”

The Partnership for Children of Johnston County is the lead agencyin bringing together government, businesses and individuals toimprove the health, education and emotional well-being of JohnstonCounty Children.

The steak lunch includes Steak, Caesar salad, Roasted garlic mashedpotatoes, Cheesecake, Tea or Soda and costs only $10 with theentire amount going to the Building Brighter Futures Fund Drive. To learn more visit www.pfcjc.org and to purchase tickets phone the Partnership for Children ofJohnston County at 919-938-2411 Ext. 100.

Print this story | Email this story