by April | Community, Volunteerism
This year the young men of The Blue Heart Foundation’s mentoring program HEART (Higher Education And Rising Together) participated in the Annual San Diego Black Police Officers Association Thanksgiving Dinner drive. One of our core values is volunteerism, we feel its important to give back and serve our community regularly. But, don’t just use the hoiliday season to volunteer here are seven reasons to volunteer year round.
1. Mentoring younger kids – Mentoring younger kids is probably my favorite way to volunteer. I like to encourage other people to follow suit, however, I always let them know that mentees need consistency. You should always be there for them. Your mentoring is greatly appreciated and you can’t just decide when to go there. After all, it will be dispiriting for kids to never know when you’ll show up.
2. There’s always need – This is another great reason why you should volunteer the whole year round. There’s always somebody going sick or hungry, or somebody in need of clothes. Moreover, there is some organization that really needs your help. You don’t have to help every single day, but make it a rule to volunteer at least a few times a month.
3. Organizations rely on volunteers – There are many non-profit organizations that rely heavily on volunteers. It is important for these organizations to retain a great amount of volunteers the whole year round. There are environmental projects, animals, and people in need of their services anytime of the year.
4. It keeps you real and humble – Nowadays it is popular to be a volunteer. Some people do it in order to become famous, while others sincerely enjoy helping people in need. Volunteering is known to have a certain way of making everyone accountable for the way they act. Volunteering keeps you real and humble. I believe every person needs that.
5. Natural disasters occur year round – You know, natural disasters occur the whole year round and there are lots of families which get displaced when the disasters do happen. If you live in an area which is prone to floods, hurricanes, tornados, etc. make sure you look into when exactly these natural disasters tend to happen. Then, take every necessary step to help the food bank and local shelter stock up on food and other necessities in advance.
6. Inspire others to volunteer – If you enjoy helping people in need, why not inspire others to do the same? When you see someone donating some money in the grocery line to those $1 or $3 funds, perhaps you get inspired too. Inspire your family members, friends or coworkers to volunteer too. Explain them all of the wonderful advantages of volunteering.
7. It’s a great feeling – When you only volunteer during the holiday season, it can put you at a huge disadvantage for the rest of the year. Try to help out your favorite charity monthly and you will see that you will become much happier person. Volunteering gives us an amazing feeling. Even if you can only volunteer one day, it still counts. Your assistance will be highly appreciated, I promise.
In 2017, I hope you will volunteer the whole year round and help many people. You can give more than you think, remember it. Are you going to volunteer this year?
The Annual San Diego BPOA Thanksgiving Dinner drive benefited over 100 families, other amazing organizations that participated in this beautiful event that were Phi Beta Sigma, NFLPA, Sigma Gamma Rho, Brothers United and the San Diego Police Dept and was a great way to kick start the holidays
by April | Community
Watching the San Diego State Aztecs dominate Hawaii 55-0 after tailgating was a perfect way to celebrate the 2016-2017 SDSU homecoming . The young men participating in the H.E.A.R.T. mentoring program were truly in for a treat on this early Saturday evening. The victory in front of an announced crowd of 41,761 at Qualcomm Stadium showed flashes of how good the team could become.
The same could be said of the young men of H.E.A.R.T. of which young men with unlimited potential will come together and devote themselves towards aspirations of a higher education. Many of these young men could “fall through the cracks” due to lack of resources and/or opportunities afforded in the public education system. What we address are the other needs that young men need to make better decisions, learn to be goal oriented as well as focus on character development. Julien Moore would later say ““It’s nice to experience extraordinary things and have fun and just enjoy life after a long days work.” arriving shortly after completing his SAT Test earlier that day.
The exciting piece is that this was a complete effort as families came together in an opportunity to get to know each other better. There is nothing more critical than the support of family within Blue Heart and on this day many parents took the time to build a stronger more supportive familial bond.
This is an exciting time in these young men’s lives and we are looking forward to watching and tracking the growth of these 25 young men as they work to achieve success together. Be sure to watch their growth and cheer them on as they strive to reach their potential and beyond. Kaori McGowan summed the day up perfectly ” I had an absolutely amazing time hanging with my fellow brothers of blue heart this weekend at the SDSU game , it is the fun activities like this that bring us together as one big family.”
by April | Education, Mentoring
In an event accented by hands-on workshops, class lectures, laboratory visits, campus tours and interaction with UCSD faculty and undergraduates, hundreds of pre-college students and their parents got more than just a savory taste of university life this month when they attended Dare to Dream College: The African Experience at UCSD. My experience on the UCSD tour was truly amazing. Brandon Rosete stated “This tour made me realize that college is the start of “the real world” this is where we can see who we truly are and truly capable of. I am ready to be a young man now with all my peers. We have a long journey ahead of us.”
“As an African American,” said parent Tammy Blevins “I think this event not only challenged young Black students to dare to dream college and to go after that dream, but also challenged parents to get involved, and stay involved, in preparing their children for higher education –starting in early childhood.”
Indeed, the message of early academic preparation and active parental involvement were important goals when UCSD Student Educational Advancement (a division of Student Affairs) joined with the California Student Opportunity and Access Program (Cal-SOAP) of San Diego and Imperial Counties in sponsoring Dare to Dream College. The event was not only intended to help enhance college-going rates of African Americans in San Diego, but to also provide an opportunity to showcase the academic and career opportunities UCSD has to offer.
Meanwhile, parents attended informative and motivational sessions that addressed their particular needs and concerns including workshops on how to be advocates for their children’s education, negotiating college for their children, and a special stage reading and panel discussion on how to speak to children about the importance of college. Dare to Dream College is an annual event and to follow up with event attendees for inclusion in additional college preparation activities
And from UCSD, the event enjoyed the participation and support from the Chancellor’s Office, faculty, staff, Student Affairs, the Black Student Union and other undergraduates. “It was truly both a community and university effort,” reported Linda Doughty, Director, Cal-SOAP.
The event immersed 4th through 12th grade students in various interactive activities with faculty, staff and undergraduates based upon students’ grade levels and academic interest. These included workshops on why college is important, how to develop “mental toughness ” and equally important… overcoming peer pressure. “The tour was really intriguing, I enjoyed the campus and the interaction I got with people on campus and enjoyed the information we received. I would like to thank UCSD for the opportunity to have me and my blue heart brothers on campus” Kaori McGowan would later say.
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by April | Community, Volunteerism
Sunday October 30th, 2016 – We participated in a the 2nd Annual Hip Hop 5K a 3.1 mile walk/run through Southeast San Diego. Along with hundreds of local residents as well as visitors. All sorts of people participated 
with us as we ran/walked together through our neighborhoods in a show of solidarity, health and innovative thought. We want to create a spark of creativity and forward thinking in the community.
The overall goal of this 5k is to create a surge of positive energy and forward thinking in the residents of southeastern San Diego. We intend to accomplish this by demonstrating the wonders of physical activity, creativity and imagination with a combination of ART, FITNESS, CULTURE and COMMUNITY. Through this event we hope to rejuvenate the spirit of the people.
The entire vision for this project was carried out through the hard work of Dawud Hassan an extraordinary man who continuously works to better the local community… We look forward to running and volunteering again next year.
by April | Education
The Blue Heart Foundation and CSU San Marcos have agreed that a supportive partnership and a guaranteed admission would provide a valuable pathway for students from an outstanding program with a proven track record to join our campus community. With this MOU agreement we will demonstrate our commitment to academic excellence and student success, while creating a diverse educational community and learning environment. CSUSM will provide an open and welcoming culture which will enhance and support the successful completion of an academic degree.
We were treated to a campus tour with our new partner CSU San Marcos. We also officially signing our Memorandum of Understanding agreement that will allow us to begin generating a pipeline of our students to attend this forward thinking institute of higher learning. As we toured the campus many parents were in awe that we were chosen as a preferred partner… One Blue Heart Parent – Tammy Blevins stated this is such a wonderful opportunity for our young men.”
Our day included a Meet, Greet and Celebration of our Partnership with Carol McAllister, Karen Francisco-Butler and Rosa Barr-Hailstork. Followed by an Admissions Information Presentation – Rivian Anderson/Araceli Bazan and Financial Aid Presentation – Sergio Solis. ” It’s one thing to meet and talk about all of the programming, mentoring and services the foundation provides, but it’s another to see how utterly prepared, smart and tenacious they are in person.” Director of Admissions Carol McAllister would say and later continued ” I hope they enjoyed the day and know that we are here for them. We look forward to a long wonderful relationship.
We then had a Campus Tour led by PRIDE Ambassadors Araceli Bazan & Rivian Anderson followed by a visit to SBSB Computer Labs where our seniors officially applied to CSU San Marcos with the assistance of Dr. Geoffrey Gilmore. Each senior was fully prepared, completing their application on the spot, which thoroughly impressed the entire admissions staff.
The tour closed with a visit to the Campus Dorms and lunch in the Commons, I must say this was one of the most amazing campus tours yet and we are excited for what the future holds.
Our agreement can be viewed by clicking HERE
Photos Courtesy of Heartfelt Imagez (www.heartfeltimagez.com) and Jess Kunert photography (jesskunertphotography.com)
