User:ORT America/sandbox

ORT America Wikipedia Page – Rough Draft

Overview: ORT America is the largest fundraising arm of World ORT (LINK). It is a Jewish nonprofit, educational NGO (LINK).

The ORT Network’s mission is to assist communities and impact individuals through education. World ORT was founded in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1880, and ORT America was subsequently founded in 1922. It was originally named American ORT, and served mostly male Jews. A counterpart organization, Women’s American ORT, was founded in 1927 to enhance support of ORT programs assisting eastern European Jews. The two organizations merged in 2007 to form ORT America.

The name “ORT” comes from the acronym of the Russian words, Obshestvo Remeslenofo zemledelcheskofo Truda, which is translated as The Society for Trades and Agricultural Labor. The literal translation is no longer used, but the acronym remains part of the organization’s name. ORT’s mission is focused on education. The organization helps individuals and their communities build and sustain solid economic futures through the power of learning.

ORT’ vocational programs (LINK) offer career training in subject areas such as science, pharmaceutical studies, robotics, biotechnology, accounting, and computer technology.3 80% of ORT College’s 2011 graduates in the United States are employed in their respective fields of study.4

Promotion and Fundraising: ORT America is funded by donations and endowment support from the Jewish Federation and other organizational and corporate supporters. The organization’s donations come in the form of plain cash contributions, corporate sponsorships, and financial tools such as annuities and planned gifts .5

ORT in the United States: ORT America supports three schools within the U.S.

New York City - Bramson ORT College (LINK) Bramson’s main campus is in Forest Hill, Queens, and an extension center was recently opened in Benonhurst, Brooklyn. The recently opened Benonhurst building has 24,000 square-feet of space, and is equipped with advanced technology, including state-of-the-art classrooms, and medical computer laboratories.6

As of the spring 2010 semester, 975 students were enrolled at Bramson. Bramsom ORT College offers and General Equivalency Degree (GED) Associate Degree programs in business, computer technology, and health services.

Los Angeles, CA. – Los Angeles ORT College Los Angeles ORT College is a technical vocational college, and the program provides an English as a Second Language (ESL) program. It has two campuses in the greater Los Angeles Area, located just east Beverly Hills, and in Van Nuys in the San Fernando Valley.7

Los Angeles ORT College offers degrees in the health & medical fields, business, technology, and ESL.

92% of Los Angeles ORT College’s graduating students obtain jobs in their field of study.8

'''Skokie, IL. – Zarem Golde ORT Technical Institute''' Similar to ORT Los Angeles, the Skokie campus provides students with technological training, medical and health services training and ESL, as well as basic accounting programs.9 Zarem’s programs are short and intensive, with completion in less than one year.10

Zarem Golde’s enrollment is 450 students, many of which are immigrants from 45 different countries.

Relationship to World ORT ORT America functions as a fundraising body for World ORT (LINK). World ORT annually serves more than 300,000 students and has presence in over 60 countries, including the U.S, Israel, the Baltic and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Latin America, Asia, and Africa.11

While ORT America funds vocational schools in the U.S, World ORT operates day schools, high schools, and universities overseas. World ORT also partners with corporations to equip schools overseas with technology.12 13