Arivva Center for Arts & Technology LogoFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: CHRISTIAN CAPLE, 253.213.2960

TACOMA, Wash. – Another community organization has recognized the value that the Arivva Center for Arts and Technology will bring to Pierce County – and has proven it with a gift of $19,000.

That’s the amount that State Farm Insurance has pledged to help make Arivva a reality, joining MultiCare Health Systems and Pacific Lutheran University as generous contributors to this important project.

“Having recently started at Arivva, I was fortunate to join a capable board of directors that has accomplished so much. The contributions from State Farm reflect those accomplishments and will serve to sustain them,” said Dan Bissonnette, Arivva’s Executive Director. “I am delighted that our missions align. The generous contributions from State Farm will go toward helping Arivva to equip young adults with the essential and technical skills they need to succeed in education, in work, and in life.”

Arivva is a nonprofit organization led by community leaders from the public, private and nonprofit sectors. Its organizational framework is built on the Manchester Bidwell Education Model, which has been used throughout the last 50 years to address low educational achievement among youth and high unemployment rates among adults in distressed communities across the United States.

The model embodies four essential components: after-school visual arts programs for high school youth, demand‐driven career training for unemployed, underemployed or transitional adults, a world‐class facility designed to uplift the human spirit, and a culture that promotes dignity and respect of all individuals.

“Part of the mission statement of State Farm is ‘to help people realize their dreams.’ Arriva aligns squarely with that message,” said Ty Cordova, Community Relations spokesperson for State Farm. “State Farm supports providing opportunities to our community’s unemployed, underemployed, and transitioning residents through education and career readiness. The future strength of Pierce County depends on helping all individuals become contributing members of society.”

Arivva addresses a local need to increase high school graduation rates, increase access to postsecondary education and training, increase postsecondary completion in high-demand occupations, and increase the employment rate for high-school students and unemployed, underemployed or transitional adults in Lakewood, Parkland, Spanaway and other unincorporated communities of northwest Pierce County.

With a goal of opening in late 2018, Arivva is planning to locate in the Parkland area.

WorkForce Central strengthens the Pierce County economy by identifying skill gaps between jobseekers and employment opportunities, fostering data-driven decision making, and connecting workforce development partners into a cohesive, collaborative and effective network.

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