(Greenwich, CT), Nov. 29, 2007 - The Harvard Business School (HBS) Club of Connecticut Community Partners presented its first Turbo Award today to The Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich. The $20,000 award recognizes the local nonprofit with the best idea to spark innovation and benefit the community. The Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich was chosen from over fifty applicants for its In The Kitchen Program which will allow members of their Keystone Club (teenage kids) to run a nutritional food catering service providing a model for the Club’s teenagers to engage in an entrepreneurial, results-oriented project and develop
business skills they will carry with them for life. Specifically, the $20,000 grant will be used to cover start up costs for the kitchen and to fund staffing and marketing costs. It is estimated that the In The Kitchen Program will provide over 7,500 meals and snacks each year, while an additional 1600 “Café in a Box” meals will be also be provided to their ice skating rink clients.

Community Partners, the nonprofit arm of the Harvard Business School Club of Connecticut, donated $10,000 for the award. New Country Porsche of Greenwich matched the donation. A reception honoring the recipient kicked off the HBS Club’s celebration of the 100th anniversary of the School’s founding in 1908. HBS alumni clubs in 30 countries are holding similar special events to commemorate the Centennial, marking the milestone with programs and leadership initiatives that will have a lasting impact on their communities.

“The HBS Club of Connecticut’s continuing support of nonprofit organizations has helped foster the growth and improvement of our community,” said club president Gautam Ramchandani (MBA 1977). “The Turbo Award will encourage nonprofits to consider how they can become even better at what they do.”

Robert Whitby (MBA 1966), Chair of the Turbo Award Committee observed “By providing funds to improve an existing program, launch a new one, or enhance the effectiveness of an organization, we are providing an incentive to the nonprofit sector to think creatively about mission, client needs, and community impact.”

Presenting the award to the Boys and Girls Club were Robert Whitby (MBA 1966), and other Community Partners Board members including Gautam Ramchandani (MBA1977), Linda Munger(MBA 1982), Steve McGowan (MBA 1979), Stephen Baum (MBA 1965).

The Turbo Award Committee and New Country Porsche also decided to present a runner up award this year of $2000 to All Our Kin, Inc. of New Haven, CT for the creation of a revolving loan fund that will offer microcredit loans to licensed,home-based family child care providers.

About the HBS Club of Connecticut

The HBS Club of Connecticut unites more than 2,400 alumni who live and work in the state. The club is committed to volunteerism and public service. Through the Community Partners program, alumni have the opportunity to provide pro bono consulting and apply their wealth of functional, industry, and board expertise to the core business issues facing leading nonprofits. Community Partners also works in partnership with senior executives and boards in social enterprises across diverse sectors. It provides scholarships to the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management executive program at Harvard Business School. The program provides nonprofit leaders a forum for examining and realigning their goals and missions to achieve greater organizational success. In addition to promoting excellence in nonprofit management in Connecticut, the club offers a variety of educational, business, and career and social networking events to its growing alumni base.