project680.org

Aon is an international company and they have an office located in Sacramento. They approched Project 680 a couple of months ago to discuss partnering with us for their “United Day” where they do outreach in the community. This morning they invited us out for breakfast and to pick up some fantastic health kit bags for local homeless students. These bags will be directed to families within the Folsom Cordova School District through partnership with the District Liaison for Homeless Services. These hygiene / health kits are very relevant and they will promote health among local families in need.

Thank you Aon and Marie & Bonnie for their hard work putting this effort together. See Aon’s website at www.aon.com for details on their company.  Aon employees have been a remarkable example of doing something very practical to meet some basic needs among local homeless students. Bravo!!!

Great work everyone!!!

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Article by Debbie Lewis (photo by Melissa Corker)

One of the things I love about working at the California Department of Education is the desire and opportunity of the staff to collectively make a difference in the world around us. I want to thank everyone for their participation in the April sock drive. CDE raised 512 pairs of socks contributing to the Project680 grand total of 2,725 pairs of socks. I also wanted to share with you a snapshot of a conversation I recently had with Charlene Hunt, Resource Teacher and Homeless Liaison, Folsom Cordova Unified School District (FCUSD).  

Charlene told me a story about one rainy day in the 2003/04 school year when a kid came in and asked for another pair of socks to keep his feet warm. From the top, his shoes looked to be in good condition, from the bottom however, there were holes in his overly worn soles. This too familiar exchange inspired the first community shoe event which consisted of asking friends, family, and local community groups to donate gift cards for shoes.

Subsequent drives for shoes, socks or underwear have been held yearly. “The need for basic essentials is great among these kids. Physical Education teachers have reported that kids will choose poorer grades over the embarrassment of changing clothes revealing their often ill fitted or ragged undergarments. Items donated keep the kids warm and protected so they can focus on academics rather than discomfort and shame. For kids, receiving essentials like socks, underwear and shoes let’s them know that they are cared for, not just equipped with the basics of education.”

The most encouraging part of our discussion was when she shared how liaisons watch over these kids throughout their educational years. In the course of the last 11 years, the academic performances and attentive engagement of hundreds of students have increased. And each year since the program started every single senior with the exception of 2 kids has graduated high school. Our district liaisons stay connected with the kids until they get to college or a vocational school. Clearly intervention makes a difference to help these impoverished yet gifted and talented kids finish school.

When asked for a quote about project680, the catalyst for our CDE sock drive, Charlene spoke of the founder Ryan Lundquist. “He observed the need, listened with his heart and shared the need with friends who listened with their hearts. They simply spread the word and put it out there.” Thank you for listening with your heart CDE.

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We are elated to announce that Sims Metal Management in Rancho Cordova has generously donated $1,000 toward the Project 680 Sock Drive. Isn’t that amazing? Thank you Sims Metal!!!

This money, along with all other donations before and during the bike ride, will be directed to a discretionary fund so that the District Liaison for Homeless Services can meet the needs of students in her caseload when they come to her. Our main goal in the sock drive is to build up a storehouse of socks to be used over the next year or more, but also to create a discretionary fund to meet the needs of homeless students on an “as needed” basis for very practical things they might need like shoes, clothing, deodorant…..

Sims Metal Management recycles scrap metal locally and around the world. While on the phone with their office in Rancho Cordova, they shared that one of their core values is to give back to the community. We get that.

Thank you to Sims Metal Management and Dave Rogers specifically.

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We’re excited to announce that Project 680 is being featured as part of the package for Rancho Cordova’s selection as a finalist for the All-America City Award. If you did not see the press release this past week from the Cordova Community Council, give it a read below to get more information. Cool stuff, huh?

The National Civic League this week named Rancho Cordova among the finalists for the 2010 All-America City Award, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious civic recognition award.

The finalist status sets in motion an eight-week sprint to pull together a delegation and presentation and raise funds for a trip during which Rancho Cordova will make its case to be awarded what has been described as the “Nobel Prize” of civic accomplishment.   The competition will be held in Kansas City June 16-18.   “These are some of the most innovative communities in the country,” said National Civic League President Gloria Rubio-Cortez of the finalists. “They give us hope and inspiration and teach us important lessons about leveraging the civic energy of ordinary people to address difficult challenges during some tough economic times.”   To become a finalist, each participant completed an application documenting three community projects that address their most pressing challenges. Each finalist will send a delegation to Kansas City to tell their stories of positive community change to a jury of civic experts. The 10 All-America Cities will be announced on June 18.   The Rancho Cordova application was crafted by the Cordova Community Council and features three signature projects which will be examined by a national panel of judges. One of the projects must focus on youth.   Rancho Cordova’s application includes:

• Project 680, the grassroots effort led by Cordova Towne neighborhood activist Ryan Lundquist, which collects everyday items such as socks, underwear and shoes to benefit homeless children in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District. The project draws its name from the 680 children who have been identified as homeless in the FCUSD.(Project 680 is a 2010 Cordova Community Council Volunteer Awards winner. Read all about it at www.cordovacouncil.org.)
• Rancho Cordova Cultural Heritage (Saturday) Schools, a collaborative effort of immigrant parents and the Folsom Cordova Unified School District to preserve and honor arts and culture of mother countries. The project builds bridges between immigrant groups and the community at-large, has improved academic performance among immigrant children and has provided for cultural enrichment for the entire population of the city.(Learn more about iFest at www.cordovacouncil.org)
• The Rancho Cordova City Hall project, which is providing a “civic heart” for the new city, incubating business and community engagement, as well as serving as a home for municipal services. The City Hall project has fostered important civic links as the community matures as an incorporated city and is a symbol of change and progress in a city striving to change its image.

“We are proud of our application and think that it reflects what we are all about at this point in our civic history,” said Shelly Blanchard, executive director of the Cordova Community Council. “It showcases how people work with business, work with government and work together across many sectors to improve our community. It is about our collaborative, unfaltering belief in our bright future.”   This is the second bite at the apple for Rancho Cordova, which was named a 2009 All America City finalist, and was the youngest city in the competition last year.

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We were excited to get together with Deirdre Fitzpatrick of KCRA news this morning and film our “sock raiding” party. A group of locals got together to empty the aisle of our local Target. The story will go live in a few weeks, and we’ll post links when it does. Thanks everyone for coming out and thanks Deirdre for your time. Let’s keep moving forward with the sock drive!!!!

See photos from today HERE and follow Deirdre on Twitter at @fitztweeter

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We are very pleased to announce that Bicycle’s Plus in Folsom will be providing energy bars, cold water and bottles for all riders who make the trek to Folsom with us on the day of our bike ride on May 8, 2010. As we mentioned previously, there will be two separate rides for our community bike ride – a shorter one (20 minutes or so one way) and a longer one (30 miles round trip).

Thank you to Bicycle’s Plus for letting us meet at your shop for a little break before we turn around back to Hagan Park. Thank you for backing up this ride and quickly coming on board to support us like this.

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My brother recently let me know about someone he heard of named Betty Londergan. Betty inherited some money and she started something called What Gives 365 Project. In short, Betty is giving away $100 every day to causes she chooses. And she’s blogging about it. 

“This is all my money. It comes from what my dad left each one of us kids when he died, and I can’t think of a single thing my mom would have loved more than to see me giving it away to worthy causes. (However, my dad would undoubtedly say that I need to get my head examined.)”

Why am I bringing this up? I am very pleased to announce that Betty donated $100 to Project  680. Awesome news, huh? Read Betty’s post yesterday entitled “Underwear, Socks, Shoes“.

What do you think of this and what Betty is doing?

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We are thankful for Sunrise Elementary School in Rancho Cordova for their intent to teach students about giving to others. Over the past three years the Kindergarten teachers have led their students to assist certain causes. The first year was socks for children in Afghanistan, the next year was Loaves & Fishes in Sacramento, and this year the kids collected gloves, beanies and mittens for Project 680.

Today we were able to go to Sunrise Elementary School in the Anatolia area of Rancho Cordova and accept all donations and say thank you to students. In all the kids collected 154 pairs of gloves, 67 hats, and 11 scarves.  Way to go kids!!! We are proud of you!!! We want to give a big thank you also to all three Kindergarten teachers, and Carla Arriaga specifically, for reaching out to us. Thank you so much!!!

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We wanted everyone to know that next month we will begin opening up conversation about our project for the Spring. Let’s be in converation and put our creative minds and hearts together to make a difference in the lives of local students in need. Click play below to hear more.

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We are very pleased to announce that the final tally of donations for the Project 680 Shoe Drive is $3,601.51. Can you believe it? Our goal had been $1,500, but together we left that in the dust. Thank you everyone who participated in big and small ways. Thank you to local residents, businesses, churches and organizations that partnered together in this effort.

This project has been all about the kids, and putting new shoes on students that need them. It’s so exciting to think of the joy and dignity these students will have to select a brand new pair of shoes soon. Thank you everyone. We did this as a team!!! Let’s celebrate!!!

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We are pleased to announce that Rancho Cordova City Council Member David Sander will be riding with us on the Project 680 Community Bide Ride. We appreciate his interest in the community and availability to pedal a bit on the morning on November 7, 2009.

Project 680 belongs to all of us. We welcome community members, leaders, businesses, organizations and churches to get involved in the Project 680 Shoe Drive to support local students in need. Our goal is to raise $1,500 together in order to purchase 100 pairs of brand new shoes for needy students in the FCUSD.

Thank you everyone for your support!!!

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We are pleased to announce that Starbucks at Capital Village in Rancho Cordova will be providing us with free coffee on the morning of the Project 680 Community Bike Ride. We are grateful to have their support, and we are excited to offer our bike riders free coffee (while it lasts). Thank you Starbucks.

Capital Village Starbucks
3195 Zinfandel Dr.
Rancho Cordova, CA 95670
916-852-1893

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