American Family Insurance, based in Madison, has announced that it will donate $750,000 over three years to support the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dane County’s AVID/TOPS education programs.
“We are incredibly grateful to announce a renewed commitment from American Family Insurance and the American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation to our AVID/College Club, AVID/TOPS and TOPS College Success Program over the next three years,” BGCDC write in a press release.
AVID, an acronym for Advancement via Individual Determination and TOPS which stands for Teens of Promise is a high-intensity, in-school and out-of-school partnership between Madison Metropolitan School District (AVID) and the BGCDC.
The program focuses on supporting students to develop the writing, inquiry, collaboration, organization and reading skills needed to be college and career-ready.
“We believe that through this partnership that our kids can thrive, that our kids can graduate from high school, our kids can graduate from college, and our kids can come back and be productive, responsible adults in the state of Wisconsin,” BGCDC President and CEO Michael Johnson said at a press conference today in front of the Boys and Girls Club. “Because of this investment and this partnership, this year we had the largest youth internship during the pandemic in the state of Wisconsin by simply putting over 140 kids to work in full-time jobs paying more than $15 an hour.
“We’re giving kids the opportunity to dream while at the same time gaining practical opportunities for work experience,” he added. “I’m so thankful for the investment today.”
American Family Insurance and the American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation have been long-time supporters of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County, and of the AVID/TOPS program specifically. Over the last five years, American Family Insurance and the American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation $1 million investment has helped scale AVID/TOPS from one classroom of 28 students to over 1,600 students this academic year (2020-2021) in both secondary and post-secondary tiers.
“Our investment in the Boys & Girls Club of Dane County AVID-TOPS program in 2016 was the first major commitment of the newly formed American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation because it was, and continues to be, one of the most successful and statistically significant drivers of equity in the Madison Metropolitan School District,” said Jim Buchheim, American Family corporate and social impact officer, in a statement. “Five years later, we’re pleased to continue our investment in this program because we fully recognize the opportunities and support BGCDC provides as advocates for scholars throughout their educational journeys.”
