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It's not often you hear about organizations like The Compton Initiative, where more than 2,000 people gather four Saturdays out of the year to help transform the city of Compton into a safe, clean, and friendly place. Here's the story: Emmanuel Reformed Church, a church in Paramount, had a vision back in 2005 to see healing come to its neighboring city of Compton. Although Paramount has experienced rough times in the past, the city has become a "beacon of light," and the yellow shirts volunteers wear while working in Compton simply symbolize the overflow of beauty and wholeness the city of Paramount has already been so lucky to experience. With that being said, The Compton Initiative made a 40-year commitment to the city of Compton and in the past five years, has tripled in number of volunteers and work sites. The organization runs primarily off of donations and manpower received from local businesses and civic and religious organizations, but is always struggling to get enough supplies and equipment to complete the tasks at hand. So here's how YOU can help...Pepsi is currently hosting a contest called the Pepsi Refresh Project, where organizations are categorized into ideas and amount of money needed. The Compton Initiative is one of more than 300 organizations competing to receive $250,000, which for this organization, will provide all supplies and equipment needed for a full year of workdays. Here's the catch: Only the top 2 organizations in the $250,000 category will actually receive the grant, and the only way they can make it to the top is by voting. Currently, The Compton Initiative is ranked #11 and we only have until December 31 to get them into the top two! Here's how you can vote: 1. Text 104835 to Pepsi at 73774 (standard text messaging rates apply) 2. Visit Pepsi's Web site, www.refresheverything.com/justdogood, to register and vote (once registered, you can vote everyday, once a day, on the site) 3. Vote from Facebook (which can also be done from Pepsi's Web site) This means you can give The Compton Initiative THREE votes every day until December 31. Be sure to pass this along to your friends on Facebook, followers on Twitter, and contacts in your email. Let's support this cause and help turn Compton into its very own beacon of light.
