Sallie Mae's Benefit Concert Raises $60,000 for Shade Tree Shelter

Sallie Mae's Benefit Concert Raises $60,000 for Shade Tree Shelter Six-Years of Fundraising Generates More Than a Quarter Million Dollars for Las Vegas Cause LAS VEGAS, Dec. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- The Shade Tree Women's Shelter, a local non-profit organization that assists more than 4,000 homeless women and children each month, is receiving a $60,000 holiday gift from Sallie Mae, the nation's No. 1 paying-for-college company, as a result of its annual benefit concert last week. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041209/DCTH063 ) (Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030617/SLMLOGO-a ) Six years of fundraising by employees of Sallie Mae and of matching gifts from The Sallie Mae Fund, a charitable organization sponsored by the company, has generated $260,000 for Shade Tree. "Sallie Mae and its employees make our holiday shine brighter each year," said Brenda Dizon, executive director of The Shade Tree Shelter. "They are a beacon of inspiration and generosity, and we are very grateful." Each year, Sallie Mae's 300 employees in Las Vegas elect to forgo a more traditional corporate holiday party to host a benefit concert for Shade Tree. On Friday, Dec. 3, rousting and soulful performances by Jurassic 5 and Jem rocked and rolled the House of Blues as more than 1,000 people gathered for the cause. Geoff Byrd also performed and British rocker John Waite hosted the event for the sixth straight year. Waite and newcomer Holly Brook opened the evening with a private acoustic performance for the benefit hosts. The concert raised $30,000 in ticket sales, and The Sallie Mae Fund matched the employees' efforts with a $30,000 contribution. "We are proud of the long association we have had with Shade Tree, and pleased that we can make a difference in the lives of those who need help," said Jeff Whorley, executive vice president of Sallie Mae. "Sallie Mae generates returns for the communities in which our employees live and work. This philosophy of giving back locally is one of the key missions of the company and the Sallie Mae Fund." Shade Tree is Clark County's primary 24-hour emergency shelter specifically for women and women with children who find themselves in a crisis situation. It provides an environment that helps each client achieve self- sufficiency. For information about fulfilling volunteer opportunities or providing items needed at the Shade Tree Women's Shelter, please call 702-385-0072, or visit http://www.theshadetree.org/. Sallie Mae has a strong tradition of supporting many important causes and community needs. In November BusinessWeek magazine named Sallie Mae one of 2003's Top Corporate Givers in its annual survey of philanthropy supported by U.S. businesses. The magazine ranks Sallie Mae fifteenth among 183 companies included in the survey for cash gifts to charitable causes. SLM Corporation (NYSE:SLM), commonly known as Sallie Mae, is the nation's leading provider of education funding, managing more than $98 billion in student loans for more than 7 million borrowers. The company primarily provides federally guaranteed student loans originated under the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), and offers comprehensive information and resources to guide students, parents and guidance professionals through the financial aid process. Sallie Mae was established in 1973 as a government-sponsored enterprise (GSE) called the Student Loan Marketing Association, and began the privatization process in 1997. Since then, the parent company name has changed, most recently to SLM Corporation. Through its specialized subsidiaries and divisions, Sallie Mae also provides an array of consumer credit loans, including those for lifelong learning and K-12 education, and business and technical products and services for colleges and universities. More information is available at http://www.salliemae.com/. SLM Corporation and its subsidiaries, other than the Student Loan Marketing Association, are not sponsored by or agencies of the United States. The Shade Tree, is Clark County's primary 24-hour emergency shelter specifically for women and women with children who find themselves in a crisis-situation. It provides an environment that helps each client achieve self-sufficiency. With steady income, most clients can move out of the shelter and live independently. Established in l990, The Shade Tree is an independent, non-profit agency. The Shelter's Web site is http://www.theshadetree.org/. Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20030617/SLMLOGO-a NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20041209/DCTH063 AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN12 AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/ PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Source: Sallie Mae CONTACT: Jennifer Galloway of Sallie Mae, +1-703-984-6809, or jennifer.galloway@slma.com Web site: http://www.salliemae.com/ http://www.theshadetree.org/ Company News On-Call: http://www.prnewswire.com/comp/827187.html ------- Profile: International Entertainment