Press Release| Tracy Morris Dies at 54

The Blue Heart Foundation Founder & Executive Director, Tracy Morris dies at 54 

Mathew Gordon named new President & CEO of the organization to continue Tracy’s legacy of assisting young men of color get to 4-year universities through personal, professional, and academic development.                   

FOR IMMEDIATE PRESS RELEASE 

Wednesday, April 20, 2022 

CONTACT:  

support@theblueheartfoundation.org 

SAN DIEGO- We regret to inform you Tracy Morris, Founder and Executive Director of the Blue Heart Foundation passed away on Tuesday, Feb 15th, 2022, of a pulmonary embolism. 

The Blue Heart Foundation is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 2013 by Tracy Morris and his wife April Ray Morris. Blue Heart focuses on character development and education of underserved youth ages 13-18 in the greater San Diego County community, primarily serving Southeastern San Diego, East San Diego, and the greater San Diego County communities.  

Tracy was a native of Southeast San Diego as a product of a single parent household born into undesirable conditions with his two brothers. His experiences dealing with abuse fed his passion to assist children who may be stuck in similar situations. He empowered youth who yearned to be great yet didn’t see a clear path to reach their dreams. In essence, The Blue Heart Foundation was founded to be a platform.  

“I just wanted someone or somewhere that I could consistently go to, that I knew would be there for me” -Tracy Morris 

Changing the lives of at-risk youth in San Diego’s underserved communities has been a struggle for many agencies throughout San Diego County. Cuts in the public education system, after-school resources, reduced funding for academic development as well as the lack of role models in the household are just a few obstacles that young men face during their struggle for a better future.  

For nearly a decade, Tracy Morris managed to develop a unique combination of educational empowerment, team building, volunteerism, and character development that creates a life-changing impact in young men’s lives and in the community.  

As a result, Blue Heart has supported and mentored well over 50 senior graduates to go to college with a 100% acceptance rate. 

• Awarded $10,500.00 in scholarships in 2021 to the young men of Blue Heart. 
• Blue Heart members currently spend 100 hrs. per year in community service activities and has accumulated over 50,000 volunteer hours. 
• As of 2022, Blue Heart is currently serving 57 enrolled members 

Blue Hearts’ goal now is to keep its doors open and growing to carry out Tracy’s vision and mission. To do that, Co-founder April Ray Morris brought in Mathew Gordon as the New President and CEO of Blue Heart. Mathew was a close friend and a brother to Tracy in addition to being a longtime mentor for the Foundation.  

Mathew has a wealth of experience working in & for disadvantaged communities throughout San Diego County. His experience includes working under former City Council President Myrtle Cole and most recently served as Director of the Office of Boards & Commissions for Mayor Todd Gloria.  

We believe in the phrase “college changes communities” however, for Tracy it went further beyond that. His dream was to build community equity by providing an inclusive and secure path to higher education, emotional wellness, and personal development for young men of color in underserved communities. 

To keep his vision alive, the Blue Heart Foundation plans to; raise funds to complete the new office location that Tracy secured, produce the annual Signing Day event in May, continue to expand and improve on programming such as H.E.A.R.T Academy, create a private online community with a branded Blue Heart mobile app for intimate Mentor and Mentee communications, and develop a passionate team to help more young men prosper in this difficult climate. 

“Tracy showed up for me no matter what until I learned to show up for myself, he’s the reason I am the man I am today.” -Blue Heart Alumni, Freddie Evans   

The Blue Heart Foundation asks you to be a part of keeping the legacy of Founder and Executive Director Tracy Morris’ vision alive by making a positive and lasting impact with a secure donation by visiting: https://theblueheartfoundation.org/for-tracy/.  

For inquires please email support@theblueheartfoundation.org