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Greetings!
Summer is coming to an end and most students have or are preparing to return to a challenging school year of distance learning amid a pandemic, disgraceful racial injustices throughout our country, mounting environmental concerns, and wild fires destroying people's lives, land, homes, business and nature's beautiful creatures.
Milagro Foundation's founder, Mr. Carlos Santana has a message for all these brave and resilient students returning to school.
"Whether at home or in school, you are being given a menu to learn who you are already... wisdom, brilliance, elegance, decent with impeccable integrity, in other words, you are the bright shining future." - Carlos Santana
On behalf of Carlos Santana and his Milagro Foundation we wish love and light to all of our incredible grantees, the children and families they have supported in such generous and kind ways. We have witnessed bravery, courage, innovation, empathy, community unification, love and compassion.
As a Foundation we could not be more impressed and proud of how these organizations have reacted to the immediate needs of the communities they serve by pivoting in such creative ways to best serve children and their families in need.
This is what it is all about, making a difference in the lives of children, today, tomorrow into the future. We hope the good news in our newsletter lifts your hearts, minds, spirits and brings you faith in human kindness.
Continue to reach high. Continue to love and serve.
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PLAY MARIN
Marin City, CA
Play Marin elevated the fun this summer by providing youth with safe outdoor summer camps that included surfing, cooking, yoga, mindfulness, golf and many other activites
Play Marin provides sports and other extracurricular activities to intentionally give kids of diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds the opportunity to learn and grow together through play.
With the goal of closing the activity gap in Marin City while promoting diversity and inclusion throughout Marin County, Play Marin started 8 years ago with one Marin City basketball team of 9 players.
Today, Play Marin reaches more than 300 kids annually throughout Marin with their mission of diversity and inclusion through Play.
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MULTICULTURAL CENTER OF MARIN
SAN RAFAEL, CA
It has been inspiring to watch this organization mobilize and coordinate support efforts that strengthen well-being in the community during the pandemic.
Multicultural Center of Marin provides resources for rent support, Saturday food pantry, help with bills and other expenses.
It provides pathways for community leadership development, personal growth, and healthy self-expression for young people and their families.
The focus is to embrace the cultural gifts inherent in our people and foster opportunities to celebrate cultural identity and experience through a variety of expressions.
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RETIRED SEATTLE AREA FIREFIGHTER MIKE AGUILAR DONATES FIRE ENGINE TO CARLOS SANTANA’S BIRTHPLACE |
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Some 10 years ago Washington State firefighters Paul Wright and Mike Aguilar started collecting used personal protective equipment (PPE) for donation to less fortunate firefighters in Jalisco, Mexico. Last year, the Autlan de Navaro Bomberos received a 53-foot trailer full of PPE totaling $1.9 million.
In 2019, a fully functional 1994 Spartan fire engine was purchased from the city of Novato, California fire department that was upgrading their fleet. This donation will come to the Mexican firefighters in Autlan at a time when their current fire ladder truck is beyond repair and will soon be rendered decommissioned due to age, mileage and maintenance costs.
Last month, Mike drove the fire engine to the Calexico border and passed it off to the President of Autlan, Miguel Angel Iñiguez Brambila and Autlan Fire Chief Juan Ignacio Arroyo Verastegui.
Thank you Firefighter Mike for making such an incredibly generous donation to Autlan, Mexico.
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BRIDGE THE GAP COLLEGE PREP
MARIN CITY, CA
Last March Bridge the Gap College Prep celebrated its 25th anniversary. The Milagro Foundation first began funding Bridge the Gap College Prep in 2004. Now, 100% of its high school seniors have graduated and enrolled in post-secondary education.
Bridge the Gap College Prep provides comprehensive educational and emotional
support for Marin City students with the goal that every Marin City student completes high school and graduates from college.
These low-income students and families are bearing the brunt of this pandemic. They are disproportionately impacted by school closures, technology shortfalls, unemployment, and housing and food insecurities.
Even during this challenging time with distance learning, BTGCP reaches out to its students, providing support, encouragement and love.
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PERFORMING STARS OF MARIN
VICTORY GARDENS
Marin City, CA
Performing Stars transforms the lives of low-income, primarily multicultural, children throughout Marin County by using enrichment programs to build pride, character, discipline and self-esteem. Its programs help youth develop good work habits and positive social skills, enhance academic performance and professional readiness, improve critical thinking and communication skills, and gain the confidence they need to overcome the limitations imposed by poverty.
Amid the pandemic, Performing Stars responded to the needs of the community by pivoting from its mission by distributing self care packages, baby diapers, financial assistance, and arts enrichment packages to 200 elementary and middle school kids. They held a mask drive to provide face covering to every member of its community. It also launched the Victory Gardens.
The Victory Garden project encourages kids and parents to engage at home, getting kids off their digital devices, and into the community garden to learn the joys of growing their own food, beautifying their surroundings and working on recycled art.
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Shelley Brown
Ruthie Moutafian
415.460.9939
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