State's Anti-Bullying Effort Gets $50K Donation
A few weeks after Gov. Rick Snyder signed the state's first anti-bullying legislation, Walmart and The Friendship Circle are helping the effort through a $50,000 contribution to assist with anti-bullying campaigns for Michigan high school students.
The grant – which was given to the non-profit Friendship Circle through the Walmart Foundation's State Giving Program – will fund anti-bullying sessions, known as "Upstander," at high schools throughout southeast Michigan.
"We are very grateful for Walmart and the State Giving Council for stepping forward to bring this important message to high school students in our area," said Bassie Shemtov, director of The Friendship Circle.
The Upstander program focuses on bullying bystanders, kids who watch without stopping the activity.
"Approximately 85 percent of high school students fall into this category of neither bully nor victim- simply those who watch from afar and do not step up to help," Shemtov aded.
The grant meant to teach high schoolers to proactively intervene in bullying situations was presented to the Friendship Circle Monday at their facility in West Bloomfield.
The Friendship Circle is a Michigan nonprofit organization that pairs teen volunteers with an individual with special needs. Friendship Circle programs are designed to present families with the opportunities to form friendships within a non-judgmental and supportive community.
The Walmart Foundation State Giving Program awards grants that have a "longlasting, positive impact on communities across the U.S." In 2010, Walmart stores, Sam's Club locations and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $20.6 million in cash and in-kind donations to local organizations in the communities they serve in Michigan, according to a release.
