Where It All Began

1996-97

• A series of meetings with community leaders, initiated by Antone E. Raymus, began to discuss the forming of a program to help struggling “D” & “F” students.  The Board of Directors was formed and an application was made to form a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization with the name Give Every Child A Chance (GECAC).
• Bill Jones, retired Manteca High Principal, is hired as the first Executive Director.

October 31, 1997

• GECAC becomes incorporated on October 31, 1997

January 1998

• First office space was located at 602 E. Yosemite Ave. with a small area for tutoring.
• Program locations: 3 (St. Paul’s Church (non-school), Lincoln School, and Give Every Child A Chance office)
• Students served:13
• Volunteer Tutors: 3
• The first budget was under $80,000

1998 – 1999

• Program locations: 8
• Students served: 69
• Budget: $80,000

1999 – 2000

• GECAC added the Computer Assisted Instructional Tutoring (CAIT) program to operate during the summer at Lindbergh School.
• Program Locations: 12
• Students Served:125
• Volunteer Tutors: 50
• Budget: $89,000

2000 – 2001

• Carol Davis hired as President/CEO.
• Homework Assistance Program (HAP) started.
• Program Locations: 16
• Students served: 268
• Budget: $206,430

2001 – 2002

• Created the position of Program Director and other positions to increase program sites and students served.
• Hired Chuck Crutchfield as Program Director.
• Program locations: 17 (serving the communities of Weston Ranch, Manteca, Lathrop & French Camp)
• Students served:328
• Budget: $397,830

2002 – 2003

• GECAC adds Reading to the 2^nd Power program.
• Added the After School Advantage Program (ASAP) at French Camp and Sequoia Schools.  This program offers 3 hours of after school programs in physical education, homework assistance and enrichment activities Monday – Thursday.  100 students at each site participate.  Funding provided by 21^st Century.
• Program locations:19
• Students served:514
• Volunteer tutors:150
• Budget: $400,000

2003 – 2004

• First one-on-one site opens in Ripon with support of Ripon Unified School District.
• GECAC traveled to Washington, D.C. with the San Joaquin Council of Governments and was granted $500,000 in appropriated dollars.
• Program locations: 20
• Students served: 788
• Volunteer tutors: 200
• Budget: $582,634

2004 – 2005

• The trip to Washington, D.C. once again provided us with $300,000 in appropriations.
• We expanded our program to partner with San Joaquin County Office of Education. As a result, an additional 5 ASAP sites opened in Manteca, Lathrop, Escalon and Banta (Tracy).  An additional 450 students were served.
• Programs locations: 25
• Student served: 1,511
• Volunteer tutors: 300+
• Budget: $1,374,859

2005-2006

• Traveled to Washington DC to introduce the Give Every Child A Chance programs. 
• We opened an additional ASAP site in Ripon.
• We were approved as a Supplemental Service Provider by the California Department of Education.
• We began traveling to new communities to speak on the possibility of opening independent GECAC programs.
• GECAC was recognized by the California School Administrators (ACSA) as the California State Outstanding Partner in Educational Excellence.
• Received Best of Manteca award in the Youth Organization category.
• Program locations: 29
• Students served: 1,779
• Volunteer Tutors: 300+
• Budget: $1,386,000

2006-2007

• Traveled to Washington DC to introduce the Give Every Child A Chance programs. 
• “Action on Behalf of Children” (ABC Awards) recognized GECAC as the Best Non-profit Youth Organization in San Joaquin County.
• We opened an additional ASAP site at Shasta School (through Prop 49 funds).  100 additional students served.
• Received Best of Manteca Award in the Youth Organization category.
• Program locations: 31
• Students served: 1,898
• Volunteer tutors: 250+
• Budget: $1,363,000

2007-2008

• Traveled to Washington DC to introduce the Give Every Child A Chance programs. 
• Celebrated our 10 Year Anniversary
• First Independent GECAC program opened in Tracy, CA (Jefferson School District)
• Hired a Health Educator (grant for one year) for the ASAP sites
• We opened an additional ASAP site at Sequoia Annex for 1^st and 2^nd graders
• Opened one-on-one sites at our ASAP sites (Lincoln, Sequoia, Shasta and McParland Schools)
• Technology Outreach Program (TOP) began providing instruction to the students in MUSD.
• Received Best of Manteca Award in  Non-Retail category
• Re-opened the one-on-one site at St. Anthony’s Church
• Program locations: 36
• Students served: 2,631
• Volunteer tutors: 300+
• Budget: $2,005,732 (ASES funding for expansion of 7 program sites)

2008-2009

• Traveled to Washington DC to introduce the Give Every Child A Chance programs. 
• Opened one-on-one sites at Mossdale School (Lathrop), Dent School (Escalon), Brock Elliott School and Ripon Memorial Library
• Received the San Joaquin County Coordination Council/CTA/NEA Golden Apple Award for significant contributions to Education in San Joaquin County May 1, 2009
• Approved for $476,000 Federal Funding to be used in 2009-2010 to expand programs into new and existing communities.
• Program locations: 43
• Students served: 2,941
• Volunteer tutors: 300+
• Budget: $2,155,844 (Building purchase included)

2009/2010

• Traveled to Washington DC to introduce the Give Every Child A Chance programs. 
• Opened five new one-on-one sites: Colony Oak and Parkview Elementary (Ripon), El Portal Middle School and Trinity Church in Escalon,  Golden West and Neil Hafley Elementary (Manteca), Lathrop High School (Lathrop), and Banta School (Banta).
• Opened independent GECAC Programs in the communities of Tracy, Merced, and Tuolumne County in California.
• Employment Mentoring Program approved for Federal Funding in the amount of $500,000
• Program locations: 48
• Students served: 4,271
• Volunteer tutors: 486
• Budget: $1,999,011

2010/2011

• Traveled to Washington DC to introduce the Give Every Child A Chance programs.
• Nile Garden, George Komure, August Knodt and Great Valley Schools received ASES funding.
• ASES awarded funding in the amount of$480,954 to open after-school programs at Nile Garden, George Komure, August Knodt and Great Valley Schools
• One-On-One sites opened at Manteca High (Manteca), Grace Community Church (Lathrop) (Summer only), Great Valley School, and George Komure (Weston Ranch), and Weston Elementary (Ripon).
• Hosted the first annual ‘Ropin’ on the River’ Rodeo as a fundraiser in June, 2011
• Hosted a Health Teen Summit (Be the BEST- Better Engaged Students Thrive) for 300 youth featuring Nightmare on Puberty Street.
• Program locations: 51
• Students served: 4860
• Volunteer tutors:540
• Proposed Budget: $2,551,139

2011/2012

• Started offering the Rhythm Music Program at our thirteen ASAP Sites
• Offered an Anti Bullying Program to all schools in Manteca, Ripon, Escalon, and Banta School Districts.
• Chosen to be State Trainers for the STEM Curriculum (Project Wet, Wild and Learning Tree).
• Piloted the JUMP START program in Region Six in California
• Employment Mentoring Program implemented in San Joaquin and Stanislaus Counties.
• Voted as the Readers Choice – Best of Manteca
• Traveled to Washington DC to introduce the Give Every Child A Chance programs. 
• Received a Computerworld Honors Laureate Medal and Award, for being an organization which is recognized for their visionary and innovative work in the field of technology and education.
• Hosted a Health Teen Summit, the 7^th Annual Teen Summit, (Be the BEST- Better Engaged Students Thrive) for 300 youth featuring Teen Truth.
• Program locations: 51
• Students served: 4615
• Volunteer tutors: 406
• Proposed Budget: $2,563,975

2012/2013

• Became a pilot program for the Team California for Healthy After Schools (TCHAS) program.
• Hosted the 8th Annual BEST (Better Engaged Students Thrive) Teen Summit
• Restarted the annual Rodeo fundraiser.
• Traveled to Washington DC to introduce the Give Every Child A Chance programs.  Met with the entire Democratic Delegation during one of their luncheons.
• Started a reading program, Paws for Friends, where the students build their confidence by reading to dogs.
• Program locations: 51
• Students served: 4741
• Volunteer tutors: 377
• Proposed Budget: $2,514,008

2013/2014

• Hosted the 9th Annual BEST (Better Engaged Students Thrive) Teen Summit
• Opened a One on One site at Mid Valley Church
• Opened a One on One site at River Island Technology Academy
• Named Non-Profit of Year by Manteca Chamber of Commerce
• Conducted orientation and training for summer internship program for Kaiser Permanente
• Expanded Gardens to several more schools
• Absorbed Give Every Child A Chance of Tracy into our leadership and opened the following sites
• Melville Jacobsen  Elementary
• Anthony Traina Elementary
• Gladys Poet Elementary
• Program locations: 48
• Students served: 4109
• Volunteer tutors: 432
• Proposed Budget: $2,390,349

2014/15

• Hosted the 10th Annual BEST (Better Engaged Students Thrive) Teen Summit
• Voted Best Manteca Chamber of Commerce Non-Profit Organization of the Year
• Voted Manteca Bulletin “2015 Readers’ Choice Award” for Community Organization and Tutoring Center
• Opened new sites in Tracy (Library, North Elementary School, and Tracy Learning Center)
• Watts Equipment donated delivery van to distribute supplies to program sites
• New TCHAS Mentee Sites: Shasta and Golden West
• First Community Family Health Night held at Shasta Elementary School in April 2015
• Started Shasta School Garden Project. Revamped Lincoln Elementary School Garden
• Piloted Garden Curriculum at Sequoia and Shasta After School Programs
• Piloted 4 H Character Building/Leadership Curriculum
• “Leadership Potential” Curriculum: Golden West/Great Valley/El Portal
• “iGrow” Curriculum: August Knodt/George Komure/Nile Garden/French Camp
• Purchased 2 Blender Bikes for Health Education Program (visited 13 after school program sites)
• Students/staff submitted recipes for GECAC Blender Bike cookbook
• Participated in “Hour of Code”
• Started Aero Gardens at sites that were unable to do an outdoor garden: El Portal /Ripon/Nile Garden/Banta/Great Valley/August Knodt/George Komure
• Conducted 2nd Annual Health Career Forum for 32 high school students at Doctors Hospital of Manteca
• Conducted orientation for 20 young adults through our Employment Mentoring Program for Kaiser Permanente Summer
  Internship Program
• Opened an After School Program at Weston Ranch High servicing 350 students annually
• Students served: 4,623
• Volunteer tutors: 448
• Proposed Budget: $ 2,316,530

2015/16

• Opened a fee based afterschool program at River Islands Technology Academy (RiTechA)
• Partnered with Stockton Unified School District by staffing Harrison and Spanos Elementary After School Programs
• Started STEM and STEAM program at various school sites
• Conducted a first ever STEM Summer Camp for 3 weeks at MUSD Complex – Served 156 students 4th-6th grade
• Conducted 3 Community Family Health Nights at Shasta, Great Valley and Lathrop Schools
• Conducted 3 Community Family Health Nights at Shasta, Great Valley and Lathrop Schools
• Conducted orientation for over 25 young adults for Kaiser Permanente Summer Internship Program
• Voted Manteca Bulletin “2016 Readers’ Choice Award” for Community Organization, Non-Profit Organization, Tutoring
  Organization and Community Event
• Arranged to move Traina School tutoring program in Tracy to Villalovoz School. Working on new site at Wanda Hirsch School
• Five or our After School sites began major renovation (Golden West, Shasta, Sequoia, Lathrop and Lincoln)
• Produced first ever healthy recipe book that was distributed to all families in the after school program, over 1,000
• Students served: 4,044

2016/17

• Long time CEO, Carol Davis announces retirement, effective December 31, 2016
• Christina Keefhaver named new CEO
• STEM Summer Camps served 244 students at Banta, French Camp, Sequoia & Ripon Schools
• Health Summer Day Camps served 77 students
• Completed Blender Bike Recipe Book Volume II
• Conducted summer program in Weston Ranch
• Conducted orientation for 32 young adults for Kaiser Permanente Summer Internship Program
• Received funding from Sutter Health to re-establish Teen Summit
• Conducted STEM rocketry program and first ever rocket launch at Banta School
• Conducted our last Robert Camden Inspirational Essay Contest
• Started a running club at Banta Elementary

2017/18

• Started our first student ran farmer’s markets to benefit their running clubs
• Started our employee recognition program called High Five Awards
• Started the Reading Assistance Program
• Held our first Tracy bowl-a-thon at West Valley Bowl
• Conducted a Family Wellness Night at Nile Garden School
• Held the BEST Teen Summit
• Served 3,035 students
• Voted Best Tutoring in Tracy Readers’ Choice Awards – placed 3^rd
• GECAC celebrated our 20th anniversary
• Started 3 additional running clubs at various sites
• Opened tutoring site at Tracy Family Resource & Referral Center
• Started student ran farmers markets to benefit running clubs
• Started “High Five” employee recognition program
• Hosted our first Family STEM Night at Shasta School
• Conducted our first Family Wellness Night at Nile Garden School
• Conducted our first Annual Tracy Bowl-a-thon
• Conducted orientation for Kaiser Permanente Summer Internship Program (KPLaunch)

2018/19

• Opened our first fee based before and after school program at River Islands Technology Academy
• Served a total of 2917 students
• Held the Best Teen Summit – 178 student attended
• Added Girls Scouts to our after school programs
• Conducted a Family Community Event at Shasta – students ran activities related to STEAM, Health and Literacy.
• Held three fundraisers: Bowl-a-thon, Tip-a-Firefighter and Red, White & Brew – Wine & Beer Fest

2019/20

• Served a total of 2,212 students
• Voted Readers’ Choice for Best Tutoring
• Opened our second fee based before and after school program at STEAM Academy
• Held two fundraisers: Bowl-a-thon and Red, White & Brew – Wine & Beer Fest
• Had to close down programs and adjust to virtual tutoring due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Started a bi-monthly food distribution and activity kit drive thru
• Conducted our first Back to School Supply Drive – gave out over 300 backpacks with school supplies to over 140 families

2020/21

• Received Non-Profit of the Year award from the Manteca Chamber of Commerce
• Voted Readers’ Choice for best Community Events/Activities for our Food Drive
• Voted runner up Reader’s Choice for Best Community Organization & Best Non-Profit Organization
• Voted Reader’s Choice for Best Tutoring
• Held our first virtual event, Kilometers for Kids Virtual 5K
• Held our first Zero K: Family Fun Without the Run in partnership with Manteca Morning Rotary
• Served a total of 806 students
• Continued with our bi-monthly food distribution and activity kit drive thru
• Conducted our second Back to School Supply Drive – gave out 152 backpacks with school supplies to over 100 families

2021/22

• Opened an additional 4 elementary after school programs
• Opened 3 high school before and after school drop in programs
• Started a food pantry at our Program Office

Tracy Press
Best of Tracy/Readers Choice Award
Tutoring Program
2018

Manteca Bulletin
Readers Choice/Best of Award
Community Event or People Watching-San Joaquin Valley Brewfest
2016, 2017 & 2018

Community Event (Food Drive) 2021

Manteca Bulletin
Readers Choice/Best of Award
Non-Profit Organization
2016, 2017 & 2018

Manteca Bulletin
Readers Choice/Best of Award
“Community Organization”
2015, 2016 & 2018

Manteca Chamber of Commerce
Non-Profit of the Year Award
2013-15, 2020

California Department of Education
Region 6 Recognition Award
Team California for Healthy After Schools
2012-2015

Manteca Bulletin
Readers Choice/Best of Award
“Tutoring”
2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020 & 2021

Best of Manteca
(Now Readers Choice Awards)
Best Youth Organization
2006, 2007, 2010 & 2011
Best Non-Retail Business
2008

San Joaquin County Coordinating Council/CTA/NEA
GOLDEN APPLE AWARD
“For Significant Contributions to Education in San Joaquin County”
May 1, 2009

10 Year Awards (1997-2007)
California State Assembly & Senate
U.S., Congress
San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors
Cities of Manteca & Lathrop

San Joaquin County Family Resource & Referral Center
Action on Behalf of Children Award
Youth Non-Profit of the Year
2006

Association of California School Administrators
“Partners in Educational Excellence”
2005

Phi Delta Kappa International
University of Pacific Chapter
Outstanding Contribution to Education Award
2003

For more information about the Give Every Child A Chance mentor/tutoring programs call 825-7003

1. Getting Started:  This usually begins with one or two individuals who initiate the idea and then interest others in the program.  The first step is to discuss your idea with other community representatives such as service clubs, businesses, local school district, educators, civic, social and fraternal organizations.  They in turn can involve leaders in other professions in your community.
     
2. Organize a Steering Committee:  Once you have a group of committed individuals, conduct a meeting to discuss the idea of forming a GECAC program.  Invite the Director of Community Outreach from the Corporate Office located in Manteca, California.  The Corporate office number is (209) 823-6222 or by visiting the web at www.gecac.net.   Keep the gathering to a small group of those that are committed to the program.
     
3. Determine the Need: The need for a GECAC program in your community may be quite apparent, however, if there is doubt in the minds of the committee or other key individuals, the representative from GECAC can assist with answering questions and/or conducting a survey of the academic performance of youth in your community.  The survey will determine how effectively the academic needs of young people are being met in the community.
     
4. Approval of the GECAC Corporate Board:  Once the committee has decided to proceed with the establishment of a program, submit a request to GECAC for approval to move forward.  In order to use the GECAC name and logo this step is extremely important.  Requirements and Operational Standards and the Management / Operating Agreement will be needed to proceed to the next step.  After review and acceptance of these documents proceed to step #5.
     
5. Develop A Constitution and Bylaws:  A constitution and bylaws for the organization should be reviewed/prepared by legal counsel.  The State of Incorporation or the GECAC Corporate Office can make available a suggested constitution and bylaws which may be adapted to your local needs.
     
6. Organize a Board of Directors: Having adopted a constitution and bylaws, organize a board of directors of at least 10 responsible citizens, elect officers and establish board committees.  Consult with the GECAC representative regarding the selection of board members and the structure of a club board.
     
7. Incorporate: As soon as the need for a GECAC program has been established and the committee has agreed that a program should be started, the GECAC organization should be incorporated.  The organization will then become a legal entity.  If needed, a competent lawyer can advise as to the proper and legal procedure for incorporation and the procedure for securing tax-exempt status for the U.S. Internal Revenue Service. 
8. Develop a working relationship with the local school district: Schedule a meeting with school district administration and explain in detail how the program is structured.  Be sure to highlight what the program offers and the positive impact it will have on struggling students.  If you need assistance, contact your GECAC representative.  
9. Determine Area and Secure Space at a Facility:  At this point, you will need to determine where the first tutor/mentor site and the office will be located.  Consult with the GECAC representative for more information about the location and kind of space that would be satisfactory.
     
10. Determine Cost:  After you have the site location, determine the cost of supplies needed, equipment, hours of operation, upgrades, etc.  Once this is complete, you’ll be ready to develop a one year funding plan complete with income and expenditures.  Your GECAC representative will assist you with these determinations and plans.
      
11. Raise the Funds: You are now ready to raise funds to establish your GECAC program.  The most common method of raising start-up funds is through a community-wide campaign using personal and face to face contacts.  Your GECAC representative will assist and make suggestions about the most effective way to conduct the campaign. 
      
12. Media Campaign:  Organize a media campaign with the benefits this type of program can provide in your community.  Get quotes from community leaders, educators and elected officials.  Use all types of media available in your area. 
      
13. Employ Staff:  With fundraising complete, you are now ready to hire your Chief Executive Officer (CEO).  Establish a complete job description with salary range, compile a list of qualified professional people and conduct the interview process.  Your GECAC representative can assist in this process.  With your CEO in place you are now ready to serve the young people of your community.