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February 17, 2006

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W. K. Kellogg Foundation Awards Grant to JRCPF

The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Foundation, Inc. (JRCPF) today announced the receipt of a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation in the amount of $538,420 for a significant expansion of the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Award for Campus-Community Collaboration. Currently the Award program has been established in five states. The Kellogg grant will provide for financial participation in an additional twenty state award programs over the next two years. The grant also provides for technology investment and a variety of support activities.

"We are pleased to receive this financial support because of the good things it will enable us to do," said JRCPF president Dr. Sue Sehgal. "Most important, however, this is a significant confirmation of the value of this Award program in stimulating the formation of partnerships between schools and their host communities," she added. Currently, the Carter Partnership Award Program has been established in Georgia, Minnesota, Montana, Massachusetts and Michigan. Information about hosting a Carter Award program can be obtained at www.jrcpf.org or by request to info@JRCPF.org

"The vision of JRCPF is a world where students and faculty collaborate with community leaders to serve and to create academic service-learning experiences," said Dr. Robert Heightchew, Executive Director of JRCPF. "Based on the vision and aspirations of President and Mrs. Carter, the Foundation seeks to foster in tomorrow's leaders a lifelong commitment to service-learning, and community service."

"The Award for Campus-Community Collaboration has sharpened the focus of this vision and, widened its scope of influence," said President Jimmy Carter. As the value of offering credit for academic service-learning gains greater understanding and the practice becomes more frequent, community involvement will become a routine element of a college education that we hope will establish a pattern for life. Additionally, President Carter has called this program a "sterling jewel" in education.

JRCPF focuses on young adults with a mission to "mobilize campus and community service partnerships by recognizing and rewarding the best practices in academic service-learning," according to the JRCPF website. "Such recognition is a powerful motivator, and the winners of the award each year provide a vivid picture of excellence - and success - for scores of other applicants each year in each state where the program is held," the website continues.

The Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Partnership Foundation builds upon these values and beliefs by recognizing the best volunteer work of students, faculty and staff at universities and colleges as they partner with community groups and community agencies. Hundreds of programs have received recognition through the Carter Partnership Award. Some have attracted more participants and, in some cases, have attracted more funding. By applying uniform and high standards to award selection, the Carter Partnership Award not only recognizes the best programs, but inspires others to excel and achieve the status of a Carter Certified Partnership for campus-community collaboration.

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation was established in 1930 "to help people help themselves through the practical application of knowledge and resources to improve their quality of life and that of future generations." To achieve the greatest impact, the Foundation targets its grants toward specific areas. These include: health; food systems and rural development; youth and education; and philanthropy and volunteerism. Within these areas, attention is given to exploring learning opportunities in leadership; information and communication technology; capitalizing on diversity; and social and economic community development.

Grants are concentrated in the United States, Latin America and the Caribbean, and the southern African countries of Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Swaziland, and Zimbabwe.

For further information, please visit the Foundation's Web site at www.wkkf.org. The site offers: in-depth information about the Foundation's programming interests; information on the Foundation's grant application process; a database of current grant recipients; and access to publications which report on Foundation-funded projects.

More information on the Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Partnership Foundation can be obtained at www.jrcpf.org.

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