WHO:

Senator Dominic Pileggi, Majority Leader of the Pennsylvania Senate, 9th Senatorial District
Representative Dwight Evans, House Democratic Appropriations Committee Chairman, 203rd Legislative District
Senator Anthony Williams, Democratic Chairman of the State Government Committee, 8th Senatorial District
Representative Mario J. Civera, Jr., House Republican Appropriations Committee Chairman, 164th Legislative District
Senator Jeffrey Piccola, Republican Chairman of the State Government Committee, 15th Senatorial District
Representative Keith McCall, House Democratic Whip, 122nd Legislative District
Senator Jane Clare Orie, Majority Whip for Republican Caucus, 40th Senatorial District
Daniel Wright, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, United Concordia
Andrew LeFevre, Executive Director, REACH Foundation
2,500 Children, Parents, Legislators, Businesses, Organizations and Teachers who have benefited from and support the EITC program

WHEN:

Tuesday, May 6, 2008 12 NOON – 1:00 PM
Lunch and giveaways will be provided.

WHERE:

The Capitol Building in Harrisburg, PA; Commonwealth Avenue entrance, outside near the fountain.

WHY:

REACH Foundation will host a ‘birthday party’ celebrating the seventh anniversary of the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) program on May 6, 2008.

In May of 2001, Pennsylvania made history by becoming the first state to pass an education tax credit aimed at the business community. REACH has continued to be a champion of the EITC program, which provides tax credits to corporations that make donations to scholarship and educational improvement organizations.

Due to the overwhelming demand and popularity of the EITC program, the state General Assembly added an additional $16 million to the program in 2007-08 bringing the total program to $75 million. They have increased overall funding for the program four times since 2001 and the EITC has become a national model for business tax credit programs.

Since 2001, 3,200 businesses have qualified for the EITC, donating $360 million for scholarships to over 158,000 kids and funded thousands of public education initiatives. This year, REACH estimates that 44,000 kids will receive scholarships to attend the school that best fits their educational needs.

Last year, almost 2,300 children, parents, legislators, businesses, organizations and teachers gathered at the Capitol Building in Harrisburg, PA to celebrate the success of the EITC program and thank state legislators for their support. This year’s party is expected to be even bigger and better!

Special thanks to the 2008 EITC Birthday Party sponsors: Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Aetna, Ream Printing Co.,Inc., and Beneficial Bank!

What is the REACH Foundation? Founded in 1991, the REACH (Road to Educational Achievement through Choice) Foundation is dedicated to ensuring parental choice in education in Pennsylvania. REACH continually promotes policies that enable statewide parental choice in education, including the well-established and highly successful EITC Program.  For more information on the REACH Foundation, visit www.paschoolchoice.org.

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All media are welcome!
To request interviews or information, please contact Stacy.