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For More Information Contact:
Jennifer Ruwart
Entrepreneurs Foundation of the Northwest
503-552-3505
jruwart@ocf1.org

Jean Armstrong
Armstrong Kendall, Inc.
503-672-4680
jean@akipr.com

EFNW and its Member Companies Raise Over $12,000 to Provide Backpacks and Enrichment Classes to Students at D.A. Grout Elementary School

Portland, Ore. — September 8, 2006 — Entrepreneurs Foundation of the Northwest (EFNW) hosted its first-ever network-wide Education Initiative to support the educational needs of students at D.A. Grout Elementary School, a high-need school in the Portland Public School District. Eight EFNW member companies joined together to raise over $12,000, which will be used to provide every student at Grout a backpack filled with supplies for an entire year through Schoolhouse Supplies Tools for Schools program. This money will also be used to fund science and math enrichment classes for 40 students through the Saturday Academy.

This Initiative provided an opportunity for EFNW companies to join forces and leverage resources to achieve a significant benefit to the community. The companies participating in the Education Initiative event were Concero Technology, Fahey Ventures LLC, Hepieric, Inc., Miller Nash LLP, Sabrix, SmartForest Ventures, TechTracker and Tripwire. In order to raise the money, the companies hosted a variety of employee-driven fundraising events such as a silent auction and a competition between departments.

“The name of our company, Concero Technology, reflects the idea of ‘working in concert’ to make good things happen,” said Alan Shiffer, CEO of Concero Group. “Our involvement in this Education Initiative, as part of a larger team of entrepreneurial corporations, makes possible what we could not achieve on our own: the provision of backpacks, school supplies and learning enrichment classes for Grout students. Contributions of time and funds donated by our employees are of small consequence, considering the hope, help, and opportunity that this project offers students. It has been our delight to give back to our community in this way, and we applaud the Entrepreneur’s Foundation for their choice of projects and endless efforts to coordinate endeavors such as this.”

By bringing together two community organizations that effectively support the educational needs of students, EFNW member companies are providing services for Grout Elementary students that make a critical difference in learning and achievement.

“For many of my families it becomes a choice of having school supplies or food on the table,” said Susan McElroy, principal at Grout. “To have all my students receive Tools for Schools is overwhelming. What this will mean is, first, that every child will have adequate school supplies for their school needs. Second, it will really help level the playing field. There will not be kids who have the nice backpacks and binders and all the extras alongside kids who have nothing. Every one of my children will experience the excitement and anticipation that comes with starting the school year with new things. There are also families who cannot afford extras such as private lessons, museum memberships, or family outings. I am pleased that the school, in partnership with business, will be able to offer a wide array of enrichment classes to our students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to learn to draw, play the violin, or explore the world of biology.”

“Effective collaboration between nonprofit organizations and our corporate community is vital to the overall health of our community,” said Nick Viele, executive director of Schoolhouse Supplies. “EFNW's Education Initiative has demonstrated that multiple parties can strategically share resources to make the greatest possible contribution to a specific set of children, in this case, the students attending Grout Elementary School.”

“EFNW companies are making an important investment in education for our community's children through this initiative,” said Beth Katona, Saturday Academy's director of development. “Saturday Academy is proud to work with Grout Elementary to connect students with scientists, engineers, computer programmers, and other professionals, and to teach kids topics not normally available through the traditional school curriculum.”

For more information about participating companies, please visit their websites:

Concero Technology, Fahey Ventures LLC, Hepieric, Inc., Miller Nash LLP, Sabrix, SmartForest Ventures, TechTracker and Tripwire

For more information about partnering organizations, please visit their websites: