The Alliance for a Better Community (ABC), a lead organization of the Belmont Education Collaborative, launched a Dropout Prevention, Intervention and Recovery Program at Belmont High School on November 22, 2005. This high-profile public event celebrated and promoted the collaboration of more than 35 private, public, non-profit and faith-based partners to help alleviate the dropout crisis. The press event featured several elected officials, including Mayor Villaraigosa, addressing the issue of dropout and the importance of staying in school to more than 1,000 ninth grade students. The lunch-time community fair component showcased 15 community organizations, partnerships, and providers to 3,000 students and their parents.