Giving back is very important to me because, as I often say, with success comes responsibility. I adhere to this belief and am both honored and humbled to be able to support many organizations that help those in need, through the Tariq Farid Foundation.
As its name suggests, the Umbrella Center provides domestic violence services for women and children, including an emergency shelter, long term housing, support groups and counseling. This amazing organization serves an astonishing 19 towns in southern Connecticut.
Unfortunately, the need for BHcare’s services is great. It is estimated that every nine seconds, a woman is battered in the United States. Every year, the Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services provides emergency shelter, a 24-hour crisis hotline, counseling, court advocacy and support services to over 7,000 victims and their children, all from the 19 towns they serve in Connecticut.
On Saturday, March 14th, BHcare will be holding its 27th Annual Bowl-2-Benefit, in Milford, Connecticut. This fundraiser is one of the largest of its kind in Connecticut with over 1,200 people participating!
And why not? You can enjoy a fun time with family or friends, while supporting an important cause. The cost to register is only $5 per person and it is requested that bowlers try to raise $50 each. This can be easily accomplished by securing $10 donations from five different people.
So, if you are a resident of central or southern Connecticut, please consider taking part in this fundraiser. You will have fun, meet amazing people and help support an important cause all at once! What could be better than that?
For more information or to sign up for the Bowl to Benefit, please click here.
Last year’s Bowl-2-Benefit supporting BHcare’s Umbrella Center for Domestic Violence Services attracted more than 1200 participants (above and below).
When I was young, my uncle used to tell me a story about a frog, and its lesson stays with me to this day. It went something like this:
There was a frog living in a well. One day, a bird looked in the well and urged the frog to come out. The frog declined to do so.
“I’ve got everything I need right here,” the frog said, pointing around the area of the well, pointing out the moss, the insects to eat and the puddles of water from which to drink. “I love it here.”
The bird was not moved and urged the frog to come out. Eventually the frog did come out and was in awe. He was shocked by how much more there was to the world than he knew—different animals he had never seen, things called oceans and mountains, different vegetation, sounds, smells and ways of doing things. He was shocked, and then saddened that he had limited so many years of his life to what existed down in the well.
He determined that he would never limit himself in that way again.
Solar Youth takes part in a Community Art Project.
This story immediately came to mind when I first learned about Solar Youth, an amazing organization that works with young people in New Haven, Connecticut. Solar Youth engages youth from some of the most poverty stricken and isolated neighborhoods in its service area.
As with any poverty-stricken area across the world, these neighborhoods struggle with crime, a lack of resources and lack of opportunity. Despite this, these areas are full of good people, and families who are working so hard to try to make a better life for themselves and their children. Sometimes it is easy to forget the good being done by these passionate and dedicated people when we are barraged with negative news stories of crime and violence that occur in these neighborhoods.
Often, parents are busy working numerous jobs to get by. As a result, their children don’t have access to the activities and exposure to the bigger world “out there” that many of us take for granted. This can present a desolate environment for a child and their future chances of success; which is such a waste of potential.
This is where Solar Youth comes in.
Solar Youth’s mission is to provide opportunities for young people to develop a positive sense of selfand connection and commitment to othersthrough programs that incorporateenvironmental exploration, leadership developmentandcommunity service.
Youth are drawn to Solar Youth for its promise of outdoor adventure and fun activities. These structured programs engage the youth in structured, yet fun learning activities designed to let them know about opportunities outside their immediate world and teaches important psycho-social skills.
Solar Youth:
Teaches ecology, caring for the environment and its impact on human health through hikes, education trips and nature.
Teaches strategies to express anger, stress and frustration in a healthy and productive way without turning to violence.
Develops older youth into mentors so that they can, in turn, work with the younger children but still stay engaged in the organization.
With the older youth, through an internship program, Solar Youth offers weekly training on relevant topics including college applications, resume writing, future career planning, to prepare them for the transition out of high school.
This summer, a series of shootings occurred in the neighborhoods in which Solar Youth works. Children witnessed some of it; some children were related to one of the victims. Solar Youth was there, working with the youth through a difficult time, and ensuring that the children would not accept this violence as “normal.” Counselors were brought in. Youth were supported and engaged in a community art project where they made signs that contained important messages for themselves and others, such as “YOU MATTER TO US” and “ALWAYS CHASE YOUR DREAMS.”
Because of this amazing organization, the dreams of these youth will likely be much more far-reaching than those of the frog when he was in the well. And that is so important because they are our future and no human’s potential should be wasted. I am extremely proud that I am able to support their work through the Tariq Farid Foundation.
To learn more about Solar Youth, go here and explore their website. To donate to support their important work, go here.
Here are a few photos of the people involved in Solar Youth as well as those they support. You can also follow their activities on Facebook.
Members of Solar Youth go on a hike and explore a pond and park in New Haven, learning about ecology along the way
Solar Youth learn how to plant, grow and raise their own vegetables.Solar Youth takes part in New Haven’s Annual Rock-to-Rock Earth Day Bike Ride.Solar Youth do a neighborhood clean-up and help prepare an area for a new community garden.Older members of Solar Youth attend an in-depth seminar that covers everything about applying for collegeOlder members of Solar Youth talk to graphic designers, engineers, small business owners, chefs, clothing designers and more at one of many Career DaysJoanne Sciulli, Solar Youth Executive Director and one of its founding members, poses with the organization’s first ever student intern. He now has a BA in Business Management and is working as an estimator.
As its name suggests, the Umbrella Center provides domestic violence services for women and children, including an emergency shelter, long term housing, support groups and counseling. This amazing organization serves an astonishing 19 towns in southern Connecticut.
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