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REDWOOD CITY, CA, April 28, 2009 – In response to the hard economic times and the financial difficulties many are experiencing, ABS-CBN Foundation USA launches on May 15 a new campaign under its Sagip Kapamilya (Family Rescue) program.
Called Sagip Kapamilya sa Amerika (SKSA), the campaign aims to help those who have recently lost their jobs by offering 30 free scholarships towards a Certified Nursing Assistant’s (CNA) license. A CNA license, which can be obtained following a two-month training period, can help open doors for immediate employment in the health and convalescent care industries. It is also a stepping stone towards higher educational opportunities leading to degrees as Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVNs) and Registered Nurses (RNs).
Partnering with SKSA is the Philippine Nurses Association of Northern California (PNANC), which will provide the certified instructors for the practical institution. The venue for the pilot program is made available by the American College of Nursing in Concord, California.
The pilot program begins on May 15, 2009 and classes run for eight weekends (Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays) through July 18, 2009. Graduates of the program should be able to seek immediate employment in the healthcare industry which continues to grow amid the current economic downturn.
The 30 free CNA scholarships are grants for the participating schools’ tuition fees only. No other grants corollary to or required by the campaign shall be provided by SKSA, ABS-CBN Foundation USA, PNANC or any of the participating schools. Successful candidates shall be responsible for other requirements, which may include but are not limited to books, uniforms and nursing equipment.
A second batch of scholarships shall also be offered in Northern California in September 2009. The plan is to replicate the program in other parts of the U.S. by early 2010.
“Our Sagip Kapamilya program has helped solicit aid for victims of the 2004 typhoons and 2006 mudslide in the Philippines, and the 2007 Southern California wildfires, among others,” said ABS-CBN Foundation USA President Mitos Santisteban. “Sagip Kapamilya is an emergency humanitarian assistance program and our current economic crisis calls for such a response. We hope that our SKSA campaign will help generate jobs in the healthcare field and more importantly, send a message of hope to the community. We want them to know that we understand what they are going through and that we care.”
For more information on how to qualify for a scholarship for SKSA, please visit www.abscbnfoundation.org or call toll free 800.527.2820. Applications are now being received and will end on May 6, 2009.
