For Immediate Release
Mark Goldberg, 719.532.8436
mgoldberg@calcas.com

 

 

 

San Mateo, CA, April 1, 2015 … Eighty seven high schools from 29 states will share $100,200 in athletics grants from California Casualty. Many of the schools have student populations that receive free or reduced-cost lunches and subsequently have fewer and fewer dollars allocated to sporting programs.

The grant is named after California Casualty Chairman Emeritus Thomas R. Brown, who recognized that teamwork and success on the field translated to the classroom.  Since its inception in 2011, over $400,000 has been awarded to help more than 300 public high schools across the nation. California Casualty's continued support is essential for these schools, as evidenced by a recent article in Public School Review which cited how severe cuts threaten to eliminate high school sports programs in Pennsylvania, New York and Florida. A student survey by LA Youth found a third of high school students now pay for uniforms for the sports they play.

The funds will help the schools purchase much needed athletic equipment, offset participation fees, and improve safety for their student-athletes. Examples include:

• The boys baseball team at McCluer North High in Missouri which will use the grant to help purchase a field tarp and baseballs for the program which has seen dramatic budget cuts. The coach says the school is located in the Ferguson area and has been severely impacted by the recent community unrest.
• Frankfort Community High in rural Illinois will be able to replace worn and inadequate uniforms used by the winter sports teams. Seventy five percent of the students qualify for free or reduced-cost lunches and the school district has ended funding for athletics.
• In Oregon, Alliance High, Portland's only in-district alternative high school will have new resources to provide shoes and uniforms for the basketball team that is in its second year. The district provides no funding for the program and the athletic director says the majority of his students come from extremely impoverished families that can't afford participation fees or the cost of sneakers.
• The Leap Academy University Charter School in New Jersey will purchase basketballs and other equipment; items the coach has been paying for out of his own pocket because the school allocates no dollars for the program.

"California Casualty understands the important role athletics play in the education of our youth," said Doug Goldberg, Senior Vice President. "We have partnered with education associations for 64 years and we are honored to give back."

Applications for the 2015/2016 California Casualty Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grants are now being taken at www.CalCasAthleticsGrant.com. The deadline for consideration is January 15, 2016.

California Casualty has other initiatives that give back to educators for all the hard work they do, including the $7,500 School Lounge Makeover, www.SchoolLoungeMakeover.com  and the $2,500 Academic Award, www.CalCasAcademicAward.com.

A complete list of the 2014/2015 recipients follows.

Headquartered in San Mateo, CA, with Service Centers in Arizona, Colorado and Kansas, California Casualty provides auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement, firefighters and nurses in 44 states. Celebrating 100 years of service, California Casualty has been led by four generations of the Brown family. To learn more about California Casualty, or to request an auto insurance quote, please visit www.CalCas.com or call 1.800.800.9410.

 

2014/2015 Thomas R. Brown Athletics Grant Recipients

Alabama Ashville High School Goshen High School Florala High School Russellville High School Arizona Coronado High School Ironwood High School Westview High School California Adolph Leuzinger High School Baldwin Park High School Bonsall High School Covina High School Gunderson High School John C. Kimball High School John F. Kennedy High School Morse High School Narbonne High School Ramona High School Simi Valley High School Sweetwater High School Tustin High School Woodland High School Colorado Florence High School Sierra Grande High School Sterling High School Connecticut ACES Whitney High School East/West Delaware Lake Forest High School Florida Golden Gate High School Idaho Canyon Ridge High School Nezperce High School Illinois Carlyle High School Central Community High School Crab Orchard High School Frankfort Community High School Mount Olive High School

Indiana Bloomington High School North Eastern Greentown High School Fairfield High School Goshen High School Mishawaka High School Iowa George Washington High School Kansas Crest High School Moundridge High School Kentucky Frederick Fraize High School Phelps High School Maryland Aberdeen High School Chesapeake Science Point Public Charter School Minnesota Cleveland K-12 School North Community High School Patrick Henry High School Missouri Battle High School McCluer North High School Raytown Senior High School Nevada Sunrise Mountain High School New Hampshire Goffstown High School Profile School New Jersey Brick Memorial High School Glassboro High School Kittatinny Regional High School LEAP Academy University Charter School Wallington High School

New Mexico Piedra Vista High School Springer High School Ohio Amanda-Clearcreek High School Ansonia High School Coldwater High School Oregon Alliance High School Clatskanie Middle/High School Hillsboro High School Oregon City High School West Albany High School Pennsylvania Bethlehem-Center Sr. High School Brentwood High School North Clarion Jr.-Sr. High School Northgate High School Tennessee Central High School Texas Burges High School Cypress Springs High School Utah Independence High School Wayne High School Virginia Courtland High School Petersburg High School Washington Cleveland High School Lake Quinault High School Stanwood High School Washington High School Wyoming H.E.M. Jr/Sr. High School Shoshoni High School