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Kids’ Chance of New Jersey Gala 2014 Will Fund Scholarships For

Children of Injured Workers

Kid’s Chance of New Jersey 2014 Gala Event Awarding Five (5) Academic Scholarships

New Brunswick, N.J. – Kids’ Chance of New Jersey, a non-profit organization formed in February 2012 with a mission to provide college and vocational school scholarships to the children of catastrophically or fatally-injured New Jersey workers, is hosting its second annual Fundraising Gala on Thursday evening, July 17, 2014 at The Heldrich, 10 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. Festivities begin at 6 p.m. with a cocktail hour and continue with dinner from 7 to 10 p.m. Chance and silent auctions will be held throughout the evening. Black tie is optional. Keynote speaker is Suzanne Emmet, past President of Kids’ Chance of America and Kids’ Chance of Pennsylvania. Honored guest is Hon. Harold J. Wirths as well as an update from KCNJ’s first Scholarship Recipient, Mackenzie Kurnath. The Organization is hoping to exceed last year’s fundraising efforts of $75,000.

The silent and chance auctions will feature magnificent gifts including jewelry, theater tickets, sporting memorabilia & tickets, hotel and spa packages, designer hand bags, luxury boutique items, numerous gift cards, and a very special mystery gift drawing. During the event, the organization will present over $40,000 in scholarships to deserving children.

Each year, there are approximately four million workplace injuries in the United States, resulting in approximately one million disabling injuries and 5,000 deaths, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average annual cost of tuition for a four-year college degree is $23,066 and the average annual cost at a two-year institution is $9,308, according to the U.S. Department of Education. “Kids’ Chance of New Jersey, a member of Kids’ Chance of America, is committed to helping children fulfill their educational goals despite the crippling loss of a parents’ income,” noted August, who also serves as vice-president of the organization. “Imagine the emotional devastation, fear, and financial hardships that these families are dealing with. Kids’ Chance seeks to alleviate that and to provide for the children,” he added.

The first Kids’ Chance organization was founded in 1988 by Workers’ Compensation Attorney, Robert Clyatt in Vadosta, Georgia. He developed the initiative after witnessing the dramatic effect that workplace injuries and fatalities can have on families, specifically the hardships of children pursuing higher education. After incorporating the first Kids’ Chance group in Georgia, the organization began expanding to other states, and now more than half the states in the nation have independent Kids’ Chance organizations, including New Jersey. Collectively, Kids’ Chance Organizations have awarded over 3100 scholarships and almost 9 million dollars in scholarship monies.

Individual tickets for the Gala are $150, and tables of ten are available for $1,500, which includes signage of sponsor’s name at table. There are also numerous Gala Sponsorship Opportunities available at various levels. Companies can also place ads or announcements in the Gala’s Program Booklet. “Ad copy” should be emailed to laugust@kidschancenj.org.

Especially needed are donated items for the Chance and Silent Auctions and anyone interested should contact Lenny August at laugust@kidschancenj.org. Gala details, Sponsorship Registration Forms and Tickets can be purchased by July 4, 2014 on the KCNJ website, http://kidschance.wpengine.com Sponsorship forms should be completed and mailed with checks made payable to Kids’ Chance of New Jersey, P.O. Box 715, Matawan, New Jersey, 07747.