About Us
What does a community do when it
discovers that a significant segment
of its youth are going unnoticed,
unsupported and don’t quite
fit the mold of the college path
focused student? In Napa County
a group came together to create the
If Given a Chance Foundation.
Our first set of priorities included
encouraging adults: teachers, parents,
probation officers, counselors, and
even police officers to take notice
when young people begin to take significant
steps in righting a life that may
have gone sideways, down the wrong
path or gotten lost all together. Next
we wanted to provide an incentive
for these young people to encourage
change and inspire hope. We
wanted to insure that their newly
awakened dreams have a chance to
come true. All of which results
in a dynamic individual and a fully
engaged contributing member of our
community.
We accomplish the first goal by
making it a requirement that adults
in the community nominate the students
we honor and support. We fulfill
the second by honoring the students
at a community awards dinner where
they receive resolutions from the
California Assembly and Senate as
well as the United States Congress. In
conjunction with the second piece
of the puzzle, we provide the students
with a scholarship for up to 5 years,
and support through our Student Liaison,
an LCSW.
We discover, we encourage, we hold
them accountable, and we support
the fulfillment of their dream. We
have been doing so since 1995 averaging
25 new students per year. We
currently have 92 students in 34
colleges across the United States. They
attend community colleges such as
Napa Valley College and major universities
such as Brandeis and Stanford.
About our Students
Our students include the kid who
never speaks, just sits in the back
of the class room does not participate,
may appear depressed, and often avoids
all contact. They just show up. Others
have made some choices that have
lead them to gangs, drugs, and/or
alcohol. Still others
are fighting debilitating diseases
or injuries that have created roadblocks
to their success.
We are there when the silent begin
to participate and engage, when the
gangbanger begins to turn his back
on his mistakes and begins to work
towards a future of opportunities,
and we are there when the injured
or ill fight back to health and hope.
57% of or recipients have been abused,
27% have been raised in foster care,
while others have overcome cancer,
multiple sclerosis and many other
challenges. Many of our students
have been the primary caregivers
of their parents and/or siblings.
All have shown great courage in the
face of adversity while overcoming
the obstacles before them. We
believe in them, their future and
assisting them in fulfilling their
dreams, If Given a Chance.
A
History
In 1994 the founder and now Executive
Director of If Given a Chance, Jim
King, was asked to join a group of
community leaders; educators, law
enforcement, elected and appointed
officials who were seeking answers
to youth violence and gang activity.
A series of community meetings were
held to both educate and listen to
the citizens of Napa County.
The first round of meetings focused
on informing and educating attendees
about gangs. The second round explored
the response proposed by law enforcement.
The third round focused on listening
to the community and developing alternative
outlets for young people such as
sports, theater, and other positive
activities. A young man, a known
gang member, stood up to address
the assemblage. He said, “You
all actually care. You are willing
to provide more soccer, teen theater,
and other stuff for us. What bothers
me though is that there are over
300 people here and you are here
be cause of what we’ve done
wrong. How many of you would show
up if we did something right”.
This question bothered Jim and lead
him to think of those students who
usually get in trouble, cut class
or tend to be disruptive in their
behavior. What if they started showing
up, their grades began creeping upward,
their class participation changes
from disruptive to constructive?
Would we notice and what would we
do? What about that quiet student
who is barely there? They almost
never speak and want as little attention
as possible. These are often the
behaviors of an abused child living
in fear, lacking any remnants of
self-esteem. Do we notice when they
begin to speak, participate or begin
to rise in the ranking of their class?
Jim pulled together social service,
law enforcement, parents, and others
to help him build the vision for
what would become If Given a Chance.
The first step was to create a program
which would assist teachers, counselors,
law enforcement, probation and parents
in identifying these young people
as they began to refocus their lives
and more forward in a positive way.
The next step was to create an event “with
over 300 people” who would
honor these young people and their
courage for beginning to “do
something right”. Lastly, a
program was created that both acted
as an incentive for young people
to turn their lives around and provide
them with a pathway to move beyond
their mistakes, pain, or worse.
If Given a Chance has awarded over
300 young people with scholarships
to college or training. In 2007 92
young people attended 34 colleges
across the United States. If Given
a Chance provides other funds to
assist these students in times of
need or to help them overcome obstacles
such as car repairs or need for internet
service. More than 200 laptops have
been given to the students to aid
in their success. In addition, a
Student Liaison, an LCSW, was added
to work with the students and provide
support and guidance. In 2008 a new
program, CAN, (Communicate, Advocate,
Navigate), will become a part of
our support for our students. All
students will go through a program
in conjunction with Napa Valley College
that will impart independent living
skills and college campus/services
navigation skills to enhance the
possibility of success for those
If Given a Chance serves.
Today, with a dynamic working Board
of Directors, great community support,
and a vision to move into the future,
If Given a Chance is poised to be
a force in the healing and rebuilding
of young lives. One man’s idea
has evolved to a community vision
and what an evolution it has been.
In 1995 12 students were awarded
$1,000 each. Now If Given a Chance
awards an average of $150,000 each
year in scholarships of $2,500 each,
per year, for the duration of the
recipient’s college attendance.
If Given a Chance has been recognized
by the Assembly and Senate of the
State of California as well as the
U.S. Congress.
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