The Black Alumni of Pratt Spreads Holiday Cheer
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
For information contact: Denise Wiggins 718.636.3479
The Black Alumni of Pratt spreads holiday cheer in giving to the needy.
The Black Alumni of Pratt (BAP), in celebration of their 20th Anniversary, spread holiday cheer to those less fortunate. Lead by the President of BAP, Dwight Johnson, with the assistance of alumni Dixie Estes, Michael McCaw and Larry Provette, BAP visited organizations that work closely with those in need. After long, careful consideration, they selected two sites in the Brooklyn area, Sister S.A.G.E and the Bedford Stuyesant Restoration Corporation's NYC Justice Corps initiative.
Sister S.A.G.E provides girls ages 11 to 21 with a safe space to experience intensive personal development through service, sisterhood, cultural empowerment and self-introspection. The Bedford Stuyesant Restoration Corporation's NYC Justice Corps initiative to target formerly incarcerated young men and women 18-24 years old who reside in the Bedford Stuyvesant area. This year-long program includes work readiness workshops, literacy/computer training and internships.
Participants from these organizations provided BAP with their wish list. BAP and friends spent days shopping at Target. Of course these gifts needed to be wrapped, so BAP friends and students spent a snowy weekend completing this seemingly never-ending task.
The holiday party was held on December 22nd at The Brooklyn Bedford Stuyesant Restoration Center, in a room decorated by The Color of Magic. Food, drinks and hundreds of wrapped presents were lovingly provided for these families. In addition, toys, books and educational games were donated by BAP advisory Council Members, Malaak Compton-Rock and Marva Smalls (Nickelodeon).
"What a great feeling it was to see all of us, BAP alumni and friends, volunteering to help provide these charitable organizations and their families with items that we often take for granted. It was our pleasure to do this, as BAP celebrate our 20th anniversary” expressed by Dwight Johnson.
Donations made to BAP in support of this iniatives were from long-time friends, alumni and supporters such as Shahara-Ahmad Llewellyn, Joyce & David Dinkins, Hazel Dukes, June Kelly, Joshua Smith Tess Schutte and Pratt President Thomas Schutte, just to name a few.
The Black Alumni of Pratt was established in 1990 in response to the lack of scholastic and career opportunities for Pratt students and to identify and advance those opportunities by sharing resources, networking, financial assistance and the establishment of the BAP Endowed Scholarship Fund.
