FOLEY, Alabama -- The Snook Youth Club, a Partner Agency of the United Way of Baldwin County, is participating in the Alabama Gives Day fundraiser to be held Thursday, Feb. 2.

The online fundraiser will benefit non-profit agencies throughout the state of Alabama. Snook Youth Club is currently seeking donors interested in matching grants for the newly established fine arts and academic excellence program which provides youth, aged six to 12, with semi-weekly classes in violin and dance and daily after school tutoring and academic enrichment.

The "Beginning Strings" program is funded, in part, by grants made possible through the Alabama State Arts Council (ASCA) from an annual appropriation from the Alabama State Legislature made out of the Education Trust Fund and the National Endowment for the Arts. ASCA grants are awarded through a multi-faceted competitive review process. This grant signifies that Snook Youth Club provides programs of artistic quality, serves the needs of the community and demonstrates high-level administrative standards, as well as enhancing education of students at all levels.

Additional support for the "Beginning Strings" and academic excellence programming comes from grants awarded by Project Rebound and the Gulf Communities Initiative Grant through the Community Foundation of Alabama. The fledgling dance program, which introduces students to classical, jazz, modern and ethnic dance, is also made possible through the Project Rebound grant.

Supplies and materials for both programs have been funded through September 2012, but funding for the instructor salaries is slated to cease at the end of May. Towards this end, SYC has set a fundraising goal of $60,000.00 for 2012 which would provide salaries for seven instructors, materials for the fine arts program and educational supplies for academic programming through the 2012-2013 school year.

Donors interested in supporting the fine arts program can help raise

$20,000.00, while others who want to focus on academic excellence can make contributions towards the $40,000 needed for quality programming. Donations can be made at the Alabama Gives Day site by going online to ALGives.razoo.com/snookyouthclub or by visiting the SYC website at snookyouthcluboffoley.com and clicking on the "AL Gives" button. Donations of any amount are accepted. For more information on Snook Youth Club programs visit the website or come by the Club located 1391 S. Cedar in Foley, Ala. or call 943-1483.