THINK Together Director of Strategic Initiatives is the Face of a New Partnership with GOT MILK?

THINK Together’s Director of Strategic Initiatives Alicia Maciel has become the face of a new GOT MILK? campaign that aims to raise much-needed funds for extended learning time programs throughout the state.

THINK Together, the Bay Area Community Resources and the Central Valley Afterschool Foundation, which support afterschool programs for children and their parents to make wholesome, “real” and “simple” food choices for a healthy lifestyle, are working with GOT MILK? to raise $50,000 between Jul. 9 and Aug. 5, 2012.

“Our partnership with GOT MILK? is very aligned with one of our priorities as it focuses on simple, nutritious food choices which is a key component of our program,” Maciel said. “In addition, the campaign provides us with $30,000 in funding that will have a significant positive impact on our programs in the San Diego, Sacramento and Los Angeles regions.”

With the rate of childhood obesity on the rise, this campaign couldn’t have come at a better time. Research shows a direct link between a student’s level of  physical activity and proper nutrition and his or her  academic performance.

The GOT MILK? campaign was  created by the California Milk Processor Board with the intention of spreading awareness of the benefits of cow milk.  It is one of the most successful national marketing campaigns ever. The premise of this new segment of the ongoing campaign, ‘Science of Imitation Milk,’ is to  highlight  the simplicity of natural, wholesome cow milk versus the complexity of ”imitation milk.”

The ‘Science of Imitation Milk’ campaign includes a fundraiser component consisting of the sale of two limited edition glasses:  the real milk glass shows the very short list of ingredients that can be found in dairy milk (milk and Vitamin D3) in contrast to the “imitation milk” glass which has a multitude of ingredients that include soy beans, water, zinc gluconate and carrageenan, among others.  The glasses can be purchased on www.gotmilk.com for $15, which includes shipping and handling, through Aug. 5, 2012.  One hundred percent of the proceeds from this fundraiser go to the participating nonprofit in the area of purchase.

Media for the campaign includes blog posts, press releases, print ads, social media and television. On July 9^th, Maciel was in Sacramento and made an appearance on KCRA (my 58). This week she will be in San Diego promoting the campaign on KUSI.

Maciel has a special place in her heart for what THINK Together does. She came to the states from Mexico when she was 7. Her father was a farm worker in the California San Joaquin Valley and no one in her family spoke English. She took full advantage of summer school programs throughout elementary, middle, and high school and firmly believes the support, exposure, and instruction she received during her summer experiences had a positive impact in her academic achievement.

Alicia went on to UC Berkley to get a bachelor’s degree then on to Harvard Business School, where she received an MBA. THINK Together programs reinforces the idea of college and how to get there in the heads of their students and helps them get there if that is the path they choose.

Maciel has been with THINK for almost two years. As maintaining program quality and achieving positive results is one of the organization’s top priorities, she focuses on aligning partnerships and other opportunities with the organization’s key priorities and initiatives.

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