METRO-ATLANTA NON-PROFIT LOOKS TO IMPROVE TEEN LIVES ONE CLICK AT A TIME

Safe America Foundation Seeks To Provide Economically Deserving Teens with Driver Education Scholarships and Career Mentoring!

Marietta, GA (Nov. 02, 2011) – A Safe America Foundation proposal to provide 100 economically deserving teens with driver education scholarships and career mentoring has been selected by Pepsi to compete for a $50,000 Pepsi Refresh grant. Pepsi Refresh grants are awarded quarterly to applicant organizations who receive the most votes on http://www.refresheverything.com/ for their project.

“This idea is really unique and innovative, because to our knowledge no one has paired driver education training with career mentoring,” said Foundation President and CEO Len Pagano. “With the public’s support and votes we can tackle the top two issues Georgia teens face – getting a job and driver’s license. These two issues are very tightly connected; over 34 percent of Atlanta teens can't find jobs and without a driver’s license can’t get a job.”

Proper training not only makes good sense from a public safety standpoint, but it’s also required for many first-time license holders. Obtaining a driver’s license at age 16 in Georgia requires that teens take an approved driver education course that encompasses 30 hours classroom training and 6 hours of behind- the-wheel training. Driver training, however, is not as universally available as people are inclined to believe.

In the last decade, the number of metro-Atlanta high school teens with access to school-based driver education has dramatically dropped as school budgets have been tightened around Atlanta. Currently only three of the 10 counties which make up the Atlanta metro region offer the state-certified of driver education training required of Georgia teens to get their license.

This lack of school based programming, combined with the economic uncertainty many families are facing - and the tight job market for Georgia teens - make this scholarship program enabling 100 teens to complete driver education from Safe America a worthwhile endeavor.

The voting for this round of Pepsi Refresh grants runs from November 01-30, 2011. Supporters can vote for the Safe America Foundation's effort once daily at http://pep.si/vsbXpW.

About the Safe America Foundation

The Safe America Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit licensed by the state of Georgia. Chartered in 1994, the Marietta, Georgia based foundation partners with corporate, governmental, public and private sector organizations, and other nonprofits to improve the safety awareness and preparedness of Americans nationwide. Among other projects, SAF operates several driver training centers in metro-Atlanta with the aim of raising awareness and attaining higher standards of traffic safety.

For more information please contact Matthew Thome, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ), via cell 847.431.7825.

###