The Unforgettables Foundation (“TUF”) ushers in a new board term in July each year for the past generation. This year’s 2022-23 team will be in office for 18-months as opposed to 12 in a switch to January thru December.
Incoming Co-Chairs, Todd Underwood and Brandon Harrison are also leading out in the annual TUF Board Retreat scheduled for July 15th & 16th in Palm Springs at the B&B home of a core Desert Committee member during this busy new board month.
The Executive Committee group joining Todd, a retired Allstate franchise owner and former President of both the Redlands Optimist and Redlands Chamber of Commerce and Brandon, a CPA and partner of Eide Bailly in Rancho Cucamonga are the following community leaders.
Secretary, Jo-Lynn Acrey of Riverside, a senior care executive with The Key; immediate past Co-Chairs, Christine Carrillo, owner of Beamer Tax & Business Services in Yucaipa, along with LeAnne Chavez, owner of Advanced Wellness Physical Therapy, a mobile PT practice; Stan Morrison, the Emeritus Co-Chair from Riverside; former Co-Chair and Las Vegas Chapter liaison, Thomas Slaughter (a nationally known business and tech consultant); Co-Chair Elect, Reggie Jackson, a well-established financial planner in Redlands; along with the 3 members at large, Patrick Casady, past Co-Chair from Corona, and the advisor for fundraising event collaborations; Greg Dieterich, a retired executive in the International Trucking Company and former Optimist Club of Redlands President, along with Kevin Tetley, a Raymond James Tetley Wealth Group financial consultant and current Riverside Kiwanis Club President, leading the budget and finance area.
Tim Evans, as Founder, also sits on the Executive Committee, ad does invitee Kimberly Krause, a funeral professional from the Palm Springs area who leads the Desert Committee in the Coachella Valley. A Treasurer and a Co-Chair Elect will be named next month.
Beyond the sprinting start to the new board term of a strategic planning retreat are two fund raiser/friend raiser events in July, the Friday the 22nd collaboration golf event at Los Serranos Course in Chino Hills put on by the ICWA through the efforts of Mr. Casady, who is on that water industry board, as well. (It goes 50/50 with Ronald McDonald House and spaces for teams are still available at https://www.icwa-group.com/annual-charity-golf.)
Call 909-335-1600 or 909-855-3130, for more information.
Also, the longtime favorite – Unforgettables Birthday Baseball Bash Picnic at San Manuel Ball Park Stadium in San Bernardino on July 30th is selling tickets at $30 with supper, a seat ticket and a special giveaway – Angels blanket – per attendee. Contact our office at 909-335-1600.
About The Unforgettables Foundation
“The mission of The Unforgettables Foundation is to assist at risk and grieving families with finances to help them afford a timely and dignified funeral for their child.”
American Girl Doll Collection. Many are available for check out at the San Bernardino City libraries.
After a two-year hiatus due to Covid, youngsters will again indulge in Afternoon Tea and snacks with the American Girl Doll collection thanks to the San Bernardino City Library Foundation
(San Bernardino, Calif.) The British may have invented the “afternoon tea,” but on August 6, the Dr. Mildred Dalton Henry Elementary School will host a much more diverse variation on this old English tradition, with the American Girl Doll collection, thanks to the San Bernardino City Library Foundation.
The tea starts at 12:00 noon on the sixth of August at Dr. Mildred Dalton Henry Elementary School, 1250 W. 14th Street, San Bernardino. Refreshments and an educational program will be delivered by the University of California’s local Master Gardner/Master Preserver program.
After a two-year hiatus due to Covid, youngsters will indulge in tea and snacks being served by dutiful adults who stand ready to ensure that the children have a delightful time. The annual event attracts children and their parents from the Greater San Bernardino Area.
Cheryl R. Brown, Board Member
“American Girl dolls represent the cultures of San Bernardino. Each one is unique, and the variety always finds favor with attendees—both kids and adults,” said Cheryl Brown, San Bernardino City Library Foundation Board member.
Brown adds, “The library’s American Girl Doll collection reflects the ethnic diversity of our community and youngsters can check out dolls that look like them. They can even customize them using the accessories that come with each doll.”
All year round, children can check out an American Girl Doll kit, at San Bernardino City Library’s that includes one of several ethnically diverse dolls, a carrying case, accessories, a book about the doll, and a journal.
The program provides an engaging learning experience that provides a glimpse into different time periods in American history through each doll’s story and a chance for children to write about their own adventures.
The doll collection and the annual tea are both made possible thanks to the generous support of the people and organizations of San Bernardino that take delight in giving children entertaining educational experiences.
San Bernardino City Library Foundation partners include Edison International, the Irvine Foundation, the Inland Empire Community Foundation, and the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians.
San Bernardino City Foundation Board President Arlington Rodgers
“We had to suspend our in-person tea event during the Covid pandemic, but now that things have calmed down, we are eager to again welcome the public to our version of ‘afternoon tea’,” says Foundation President Arlington Rodgers.
A reservation is required to attend. The deadline for registration is Wednesday, August 3rd, BUT people who want to register up to the 5th are encouraged to try and sign up anyway, as if there are spaces still available, they will be accommodated.
To make your reservation call (909) 381-8211, by August 1, 2022, leave contact information and how many reservations. Participants are requested to call early.
The mission of the San Bernardino City Library Foundation is to make sure that our public libraries continue to be places where everyone in the community can gather, learn, grow, and interact.
Since 1995, the San Bernardino City Library Foundation has provided the San Bernardino Public Library system with the financial support it needs to provide new books for patrons, offer free tutoring for all academic levels, provide patrons with access to e-books and audio books, and provide innovative programs like a Makerspace and the American Girl Doll program.
Board members include Arlington C. Rodgers, Jr. President, Cheryl R. Brown, Vice President— Community Relations, Mary Kay De Crescenzo, Vice President-Operations, Debra A. Fields, Secretary, Timothy Prince, Director.
Carl M. Dameron, founder and president of Dameron Communications
Expertise.com Names Dameron Communications Best PR Firm of 2022
“I am honored to receive this recognition for our work in Public Relations,” said Carl M. Dameron, president of Dameron Communications.
(San Bernardino, Calif.) Dameron Communications has been reviewed, promoted, and selected by the website, Expertise.com, as one of its Best PR Firms in San Bernardino in 2022.
“I am honored to receive this recognition for our work in Public Relations,” said Carl M. Dameron, president of Dameron Communications. “Since 1988 we have worked hard to develop and maintain outstanding relationships with California media delivering significant public relations successes.”
“We’ve screened, mystery shopped, and selected Dameron Communications from among your competitors. At Expertise.com more than 1 million monthly site visitors are already aware of Dameron Communications stellar reputation, said Ben Torres, of The Expertise Team
Dameron Communications’ is a Southern California based Advertising; public relations, community relations and government relations whose work has been winning awards and client accolades for more than 30 years.
“We blend relationships with proven advertising and public relations methods to deliver winning and measurable results,” said Dameron.
We serve clients who make the world a better place –business small or large, government or non-profit, product, service or cause primarily in California.
For more information or a free one-hour consultation call Carl M. Dameron at (909) 534-9500.
Local historian and San Bernardino Sun newspaper columnist Nicholas Cataldo will be on hand to present “Reading Between the Lines: The History of San Bernardino Libraries” at the annual meeting of the San Bernardino City Library Foundation Board on June 14th. The meeting is open to the public.
“We’re delighted to have Nicholas Cataldo present a history of San Bernardino libraries,” says Foundation Board President Arlington Rodgers.
(San Bernardino, Calif.) Local historian and San Bernardino Sun newspaper columnist Nicholas Cataldo will be on hand to present “Reading Between the Lines: The History of San Bernardino Libraries” at the annual meeting of the San Bernardino City Library Foundation Board on June 14th. The meeting is open to the public.
Cataldo is a retired San Bernardino teacher who writes a monthly column about local history, covering people, places and events that are eye-opening and entertaining. He volunteered for 10 years in the California Room at the downtown Feldheym Library and was always ready to share interesting anecdotes about the greater San Bernardino area’s history.
San Bernardino City Foundation Board President Arlington Rodgers
“We’re delighted to have Nicholas Cataldo present a history of San Bernardino libraries,” says Foundation Board President Arlington Rodgers. “It’s always a pleasure to read his column and it’s going to be especially good to hear him provide details about San Bernardino’s first library and all its branches.”
Cataldo will cover Andrew Carnegie’s (1835–1919) worldwide library founding movement that ran from 1883 to 1929 and resulted in 2,509 libraries opening to the public, one of which was here in San Bernardino. In the summer of 1904, San Bernardino’s first public library opened, thanks to a $20,000 gift from the Carnegie Foundation two years earlier. That original gift would amount to over $672,000 in 2022 dollars, according to the CPI Inflation Calculator.
Cataldo’s presentation will also include historical coverage of the people whose names grace all four of the library branches.
The meeting starts at 5:30 PM in the Mary Belle Kellogg Room of the Norman F. Feldheym Library at 555 West 6th Street, San Bernardino. A light meal will be served, and seating is limited. For more information, call (909) 381-8211.
The mission of the San Bernardino City Library Foundation is to make sure that our public libraries continue to be places where everyone in the community can gather, learn, grow, and interact.
Since 1995, the San Bernardino City Library Foundation has provided the San Bernardino Public Library system with the financial support it needs to provide new books for patrons, offer free tutoring for all academic levels, provide patrons with access to e-books and audio books, and provide innovative programs like a Makerspace and the American Girl Doll program.
Board members include Arlington C. Rodgers, Jr. President, Cheryl R. Brown, Vice President— Community Relations, Mary Kay DeCrescenzo, Vice President-Operations, Debra A. Fields, Secretary, Timothy Prince, Director.
From left to right, Regina Ivery, Keith Morris, Dexter Smiles and Nick Alexander will provide laughs for the Little Sunshine Foundation fundraiser on Saturday.
The Little Sunshine Foundation’s mission is to provide underprivileged youth in the community the necessary resources to improve their quality of life through literacy and sports programs while also providing an avenue to train young adults on how to help to their community because every child deserves a little sunshine.
(Glendora, Calif.) The Little Sunshine Foundation is presenting a star-studded fundraiser to benefit underprivileged youngster on Saturday, June 4, from 4 to 8 PM at The Bidwell Forum in Glendora.
“Our foundation offers literacy programs, sports programs and a youth ambassador program that have all been improving young lives for five years now,” says Foundation Director Bianca Vobecky. What is especially noteworthy is that the organization was founded by Bianca’s now-18-year-old daughter, Monique, in 2018 when she was just 14 years old.
Monique is now a full-time student at Harvard University, where she is majoring in pre-med and wants to become a neurosurgeon.
This daughter of a Haitian mother and an American father of Czech-German heritage has always wanted to help others who are under-resourced and whose lives can take a dramatic turn for the better thanks to assistance from organizations like the one she founded.
Monique Vobecky started the Little Sunshine Foundation while a 14 year old freshman at Glendora High School. Now-18-years-old Monique, is now a full-time student at Harvard University, where she is majoring in pre-med and wants to become a neurosurgeon.
The Little Sunshine Foundation was singled out for praise by the Glendora Chamber of Commerce as its “Nonprofit of the Year” in 2019 and continues to set an example for how local charities can improve their communities. The Little Sunshine Foundation programs typically provide services to some 2,000 students every year.
The “Dinner and Comedy Show” fundraiser will take place on Saturday, June 4, from 4:00 to 8:00 PM at The Bidwell Forum, 116 E. Foothill Blvd., Glendora.
Entertainment is provided by comedians Regina “After Five” Ivery, Keith “Look Around” Morris and Dexter Smiles, with special appearances by Nick Alexander, an actor from New York City, who has a debut comedy album set to be released this year entitled “What Happened to Nick Alexander?” and DJ Afrocah.
Rich Wallace, President of the Southern California Black Chamber of Commerce, and Rhonda Jackson, owner of Decor Interior Design, Inc., a minority-owned business that widely consults minority start-ups and has a popular podcast channel, will share Master of Ceremonies duties. The dinner is being catered by Canyon City BBQ, which is certain to be a major crowd-pleaser.
Tickets are $60 per person and sponsorship opportunities are still available, starting at $350 for a Star Sponsor, which includes two tickets, a Friends of Little Sunshine sponsorship for $500 that includes four tickets, and three more categories, including a Title Sponsorship that comes with tickets for a table of 12.
“Proceeds from ticket sales will go to school supplies and scholarships,” says Monique Vobecky.
For those who would like to help but cannot attend the event, the Foundation accepts tax-deductible donations on its website through the end of July. Little Sunshine will then budget the receipts for purchases to help students for the fall school term.
The Little Sunshine Foundation has developed three programs in furtherance of its mission.
The Foundation’s Literacy Program provides disadvantaged kindergarten to eighth grade students with new or gently used books as well as reading tools to improve reading proficiency.
The Sports Program provides support services to disadvantaged youth, ages 4 to 18 years of age, that allow them access to play sports. The sports program provides youth with athletic shoes, athletic equipment, and financial support for uniforms and sporting fees.
The Youth Ambassador Program provides opportunities for youth to contribute to their communities in a meaningful way. Involving youth as partners in this mission empowers them with leadership opportunities and helps them become empathetic, reflective individuals, setting them on a course to becoming community leaders.
The Little Sunshine Foundation’s mission is to provide underprivileged youth in the community the necessary resources to improve their quality of life through literacy and sports programs while also providing an avenue to train young adults on how to give back to their community because we believe every child deserves a little sunshine.
At the Salvation Army’s Summer Camps for Kids, campers learn to swim, play sports, go scouting and make music and art while under the watchful eyes of trained counselors. They make new friends, learn new games and activities, and have a great time enjoying California’s spectacular great outdoors.
“Tammy had no idea at age seven how her first experience with The Salvation Army summer camp would change the course of her life,” says Braga, “and now she is one of some 140 trained staff who run the camps all year round, as we make our facilities available to other nonprofits and agencies when we are not using them.”
(San Bernardino, Calif.) Growing up with a single mom and four siblings, Tammy remembers being shy and fearful as a little girl. She credits the music she learned at camp for bringing hope into her life. Even though her home life was tough, Tammy recalls singing those songs with her brothers and sisters to remember the joy of being at camp.
“Many children from low-income families rarely experience life outside their immediate neighborhood. That’s why The Salvation Army’s annual summer programs for kids are so important,” said Major Isaias Braga, The Salvation Army San Bernardino area director.
Years later, Tammy is bringing that same joy to children as a member of The Salvation Army camp staff, making sure kids in her community experience the life-changing power of summer camp for themselves.
“Every year, thousands of kids of all ages get a fresh perspective on life as they meet new friends, discover new activities, and get a taste of the great outdoors. As campers learn to swim, play sports, create music, make art, and scout, their trained counselors help them navigate the complicated emotions and struggles often associated with their lives back home,” said Major Braga.
“A week at one of our summer camps costs $350 for one child,” says Major Braga, “but the child’s family pays only $25, thanks to the generosity of people who know that being at camp exposes kids to positive influences and keeps them away from gangs and drugs.”
Sadly, we know that children are most likely to commit or experience criminal activity between 3 and 6 p.m. on weekdays. But if they are at camp, their exposure is a whole different experience, said Major Braga.
At the Salvation Army’s Summer Camps for Kids, campers learn to swim, play sports, go scouting and make music and art while under the watchful eyes of trained counselors. They make new friends, learn new games and activities, and have a great time enjoying California’s spectacular great outdoors.
“Tammy had no idea at age seven how her first experience with The Salvation Army summer camp would change the course of her life,” says Braga, “and now she is one of some 140 trained staff who run the camps all year round, as we make our facilities available to other nonprofits and agencies when we are not using them.”
Please help our children have a safe and wonderful summer. Please mail a tax-deductible donation to: Salvation Army Camp Sponsorship, P.O. Box 26, Redlands, CA 92373 or donate online at https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/equip-families/, said Major Braga.
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About the Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. To donate go to: www.salvationarmyusa.org
“From clothes that don’t fit anymore to books you don’t read anymore, to kitchen and household items you don’t want or use, the Salvation Army can use them to recycle lives.”
(San Bernardino, Calif.) Spring is here and spring cleaning is on a lot of people’s minds right now. But rather than throw things away, donate them to the Salvation Army.
“The Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center of San Bernardino will be happy to accept your donations of whatever you are cleaning out—clothes, furniture, even unwanted small appliances—and distribute them to our six Family Stores in the San Bernardino area,” said Administrator of Business at the San Bernardino Adult Rehabilitation Center, Major Donald Sheppard.
Shoppers get great bargains and the Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center’s drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs get funds to continue serving those in need, said Major Sheppard.
“Our Family Stores raise almost all of the program’s revenue, which is used to help the rehabilitation centers’ men new job skills, helping them become more productive members of society after they complete the program,” said Major Sheppard.
Major Martha Sheppard, Administrator of Program (L), and Major Donald Sheppard (R), Administrator of Business, at the San Bernardino Adult Rehabilitation Center. Their 122-bed facility posted a 39 percentsustained recovery rate this past April.
“From clothes that don’t fit anymore to books you don’t read anymore, to kitchen and household items you don’t want or use, the Salvation Army can use them to recycle lives and 100 percentof the monies raised at the stores stays within the operations of the rehabilitation program” adds Major Sheppard.
“We need donations of every kind,” said Carl M. Dameron, Chair of San Bernardino’s Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center Advisory Board.
“We receive no other funds, and with the Covid pandemic, donations have been at an all-time low. You can donate cars, trucks, boats, clothing, furniture, small appliances and even property,” said Dameron .
You can drop-off donations at all locations located at all of The Salvation Army Stores. You can also call 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825) or visit the website at www.SATruck.org for the location near you.
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About the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center
The Adult Rehabilitation Center is a six-month social model program, which combines a comprehensive rehabilitation program and work therapy for men who wish to overcome drug or alcohol addiction. These men attend individual and group counseling, substance abuse education, 12-Step meetings, and learn about stress management, anger management, parenting and overcoming addiction, as well as spiritual counseling. Re-entry and alumni support services are also provided. Many recreational activities are also provided, which alumni can continue after their treatment as part of a sober lifestyle.
The Salvation Army is an evangelical part of the Universal Christian Church. One of the largest charitable and international service organizations in the world, The Salvation Army has been in existence since 1865 and in San Bernardino since 1887, supporting those in need without discrimination. To donate, call 1-800 SATRUCK.
April Reya a medical assistant, gives the COVID-19 vaccination shot to Alicia Cazenave, of San Bernardino, Recently,at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Cazenave received the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine. (Photo by Valda Wilson)
“People of color are tired of being treated differently by doctors because of their skin color. At LaSalle, we pride ourselves on treating all patients with respect and giving them the care, they need, regardless of their ethnicity,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga, MD, founder and CEO of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc.
In a new policy statement, “Eliminating Race-Based Medicine,” pre-published online May 2, 2022, in Pediatrics, the AAP observes that race is a historically derived social construct that has no place as a biologic proxy. Over the years, the medical field has inaccurately applied race correction or race adjustment factors in its work, resulting in differential approaches to disease management and disparate clinical outcomes.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics is taking an important step toward dismantling race-based medicine. This effort calls for acknowledging the impact that differential lived experiences have on individual and population health outcomes through a race-conscious health equity lens rather than through approaches that have inappropriately identified skin color as an independent risk-adjusting variable,” Dr. Wright said.
“Social determinants of health need to be carefully considered in the development of care delivery strategies including factors embedded in broad categories such as access, the physical environmental and community supports. Evidence informed incorporation of these factors is vital in all areas of medicine.”
“We are honored to have more Doctors to help serve the thousands of patients who have placed their trust in our network of primary physicians and healthcare professionals in California,” said Dr. Albert Arteaga founder and Chief Executive officer of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. Left to Right: Dr. Joseph V. Selvarj, Dr. Albert Arteaga, Dr. Cheryl Emoto, and Dr. Felix A. Albano.
Dr. Albert Arteaga, MD, CEO of LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc., says, “As a minority-owned organization, we have never treated any patient—adult or child—with any but the most conscientious and rigorous care. Many of our doctors and support staff are themselves minorities and they know very well how important it is to make all patients feel comfortable and to deliver to all patients the highest standard, the gold standard, of care.”
Race-based care has been pervasive for decades. One example is how some pediatricians deal with Black children who may be suffering from a urinary tract infection. According to Dr. Joseph L. Wright, M.D., M.P.H., FAAP, from American Academy of Pediatrics, rather than apply the gold standard test, they use a lesser procedure because they assume that Black children don’t get urinary tract infections as often as white children.
April Reya a medical assistant, gives the COVID-19 vaccination shot to Vicki Creighton, of Riverside, Recently, at the LaSalle Medical Associates medical office located in Rialto, Calif. Creighton received the one-shot Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
But that is not the case at LaSalle. “When we interview prospective providers, we make sure that they are in sync with our values and standards,” says Dr. Arteaga. “The gold standard is the only standard we apply to the people under our care.”
After two years of virtual doctor visits, all of LaSalle six clinics are open for person-to-person patient visits. Clinics are now open in San Bernardino, Rialto, Fontana, Hesperia and Victorville which is temporarily closed.
“The evolution of modern medicine has produced incredible advancements and accomplishments in health care,” Dr. Wright said. “But we must acknowledge and address the stark inequities that persist in leaving vulnerable populations behind. We are better than this. Now is the time for change.”
For more information or to make an appointment at a LaSalle Medical Associates Clinic call: Fontana (909) 823-4454; San Bernardino 17th Street (909) 887-6494 pediatrics only clinic; San Bernardino Mt. Vernon Ave. (909) 884-9091; Rialto (855) 349-6019; and Hesperia (760) 947-2161.
LaSalle Medical Associates, Inc. is one of the largest, independent, and Latino-owned healthcare companies in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties. The corporate office is in Redlands.
LaSalle operates six clinics employing more than 100 dedicated healthcare professionals, treating children, adults and seniors in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. LaSalle’s patients are primarily served by Medi-Cal and Healthy Families. LaSalle also accepts Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Molina, Care 1st, Health Net, and Inland Empire Health Plan (IEHP) coverage.
LaSalle is also an Independent Practice Association (IPA) of independently contracted doctors, hospitals, and clinics, delivering high quality patient care to approximately365,000 patients in Fresno, Kings, Los Angeles, Madera, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Joaquin, and Tulare counties.
“We need to take the stigma away from mental health issues in the Black family”, said Healthy Heritage Movement founder Phyllis Clark.
(Ontario, Calif.) Join the Healthy Heritage Movement for a Healthy Laugh! “In honor of May being Mental Health Awareness Month, Healthy Heritage is celebrating with a Comedy Show and Mental Health Resource Fair at the world-famous Improv Comedy Club in Ontario”, said Healthy Heritage Movement founder Phyllis Clark.
Our mission is to eliminate health disparities within the African American Community through health education, policy change, and community outreach, said Clark.
The Healthy Heritage Movement has assembled a group of more than twenty mental health professionals, organizations, and aware comedians to entertain and inform African Americans in the IE of what is available to help people on Sunday, May 15, 2022, at 4:00 pm.
“The day’s feature is a two-hour, stand-up clean comedy show at the Ontario Improv Theater for ages 18 and older,” said Clark.
The comedy lineup includes:Lamont Bonman, who has also performed as Rev Monty B. Sharpton in clubs, churches, and concerts across the country. He created the wildly popular group Rev Monty B Sharpton and the Anointed Oreos; Gayla Johnson, an actress and stand-up comedian; and Donna Maine, a L.A.-based clean, corporate comedian and comedy writer.
Also, Richard Weiss, popular comedian, author, comic strip publisher and Coachella Valley resident, who openly shares his pilgrimage from shame and pain, to joy, love and laughter, in person, in his comedic performances and on his website.
Co-sponsors include Community Mental Health Equity Project (CMHEP), Broken Crayons Still Color, California Reducing Disparities Project (CRDP), California Department of Public Health and Riverside University Health System Behavioral Health and the African American Family Wellness Advisory Group.
Tickets are on sale for $25 online and at the Improv box office theater. “I know the event will sell out! Purchase your tickets today,” said Clark.
According to Clark, the night promises to be filled with laugher from a line-up of hilarious comedians, but it will also be an opportunity for individuals to talk to mental health professionals, gather mental health resources, network with the community, and enjoy good food and drink.
“Come celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month, and help Healthy Heritage continue our mission of removing the stigma of mental health in our communities! Ultimately, assuring us it is okay to not be ok,” said Clark.
This resource fair is also in celebration of our Broken Crayons Still Color Program, an 8-week program created around reducing the stigma of mental health for African American women. The program teaches effective strategies to identify signs of and cope with depression, stress, anxiety, PTSD, substance abuse and other mental health challenges.
For a list of Black mental health professionals in the Inland Empire, for a class near you or more information visit BrokenCrayons.org or call (951)293-4240 or email:
hhmmovement9@gmail.com
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About Healthy Heritage
Healthy Heritage Movement, Inc. was founded in 2007 by Phyllis Y. Clark in Southern California. Created to target and address health disparities within the African American community, Healthy Heritage Movement focuses on the wellbeing of African Americans through health education, policy change and community outreach. For more information on Healthy Heritage go to: www.HealthyHeritage.org
The comedy lineup includes:
Gayla Johnson is an actress and stand-up comedian. She’s appeared on such television shows as ABC’s Scandal, Supergirl, Bones, Greys Anatomy, Legions, The Fosters, Young & The Restless, Comedy Central’s Workaholics, and more. She has a diverse background in Theatre and a Degree in Broadcast Communications, she flowed into public speaking and then the challenging field of Standup Comedy. She has made guest appearances on COMICS UNLEASHED, SiTv’s LAFF JAM, INSIDE JOKE, B.E.T. COMIC VIEW, TBS COMEDY FESTIVAL, and the COMEDY TIME Series on YouTube. She’s quoted as saying “Stand-up Comedy is the one thing you can do badly, and no one will laugh at you”.
Donna Maine is an LA-based clean, corporate comedian and comedy writer (or less clean, depending on situation) who performs across the country. Her comedic insights run the gamut, including relationships, kids, medical background and coping with middle-age in a post-millennial world. Donna has been bringing laughter to all the major comedy clubs, the Burbank Comedy Festival, the inaugural Palm Springs Comedy Festival and events everywhere. She incorporates musical comedy and Christian comedy, writes jokes tailored to celebrations or roasts and has hosted numerous shows, including a long-running showcase of female comedians at Flappers Comedy Club. Donna can be heard co-hosting on radio, as well as doing voiceovers, and is a recent Funniest Housewives Finalist. She’s also available for acting roles. To make your event a fun-filled success, book Donna now!
Lamont Bonman has also performed as Rev Monty B. Sharpton in clubs, churches, and concerts across the country. He created the wildly popular group Rev Monty B Sharpton and the Anointed Oreos, known for their hilarious parodies which are featured on their CD Brand New Oldies. They are the Weird Al Yankovic of Gospel. Lamont is a series regular in the upcoming TV series Fifty and Over Club and will also be in the soon-to-be-released feature film Miracle of Tony Davis. From Las Vegas to Broadway, Lamont Bonman shares his gift and shares the Gospel.
Richard Weiss “Drinking led to blackouts for me which I call ‘The 90s’,” Weiss shares to a room full of laughter. “My family got together and gave me a little present… they got me tickets, luggage and a going away party called an ‘intervention’.” Richard Weiss, popular comedian, author, comic strip publisher and Coachella Valley resident, openly shares his pilgrimage from shame and pain, to joy, love and laughter in person, in his comedic performances and on his website.
Professor Willie Davis, Ph.D., Assistant Dean of Loma Linda University’s School of Pharmacy
“Our basic mental health training class teaches people proven ways to approach friends or family members who may seem to be struggling and get them to reach out for professional help,” said Ceseña.
(San Bernardino, Calif.) “I wasn’t sure what I expected to learn from the class I took with the Inland Empire Men’s Mental Health Program,” says Professor Willie Davis, Ph.D., of Loma Linda University’s School of Pharmacy, “but I have to say that it gave me the information I needed to get one of my students the help she needed.”
The Making Hope Happen Foundation offers three free classes through its Inland Empire Men’s Mental Health program for people who would like to help someone they know who seem to be having a hard time in one way or another but aren’t sure how to approach them or what to say that can get them started on feeling better.
Program Manager Gerzon Ceseña says, “Our classes teach people how to recognize the warning signs for things like depression and suicidal thoughts, along with the right and wrong things to say to their friends or family members who seem to be preoccupied with a problem or problems that they may be reluctant to talk about.”
“We offer two Mental Health First Aid courses, one that focuses on adults and one on youth, along with an introductory course we call ‘QPR,’ which stands for Question, Persuade, Refer, that provides insights into helping someone who may be thinking about suicide,” said Ceseña.
The day after Professor Davis took the QPR course, he was approached by a student who was feeling down and thinking about dropping out of the program. “I used what I learned in the QPR class to get her to start talking about a recent trauma she suffered and the thoughts of suicide she was having. She agreed to my suggestion that she get some help.”
“I’m happy to say that since that day, she has gotten counseling and is now feeling better and doing better academically.”
The QPR Gatekeeper course takes about an hour to 90 minutes, depending on how many people are enrolled and the number of questions that are raised during the training. It provides basic essentials that prepare attendees to then go on to either the Youth or Adult Mental Health First Aid course.
Making Hope Happen is a nonprofit foundation linked with the San Bernardino City Unified School District. The nonprofit is based on the philosophy of Gallop Senior Scientist Dr. Shane J. Lopez. Hope allows people to envision a better future, design a path toward that future, and take purposeful steps toward it. As a result of a deep commitment to this quest, the San Bernardino Community and School Alliance (CASA was reorganized and renamed the Making Hope Happen Foundation).
The Foundation’s Inland Empire Men’s Mental Health program offers free mental health training for people who would like to be able to help friends or family members that would like to learn effective ways to approach friends or family members who seem to he has emotional or mental health problems but aren’t sure about what to say or do.
For more information on The IE Men’s Mental Health Program go to the group’s web page at IEMensMentalHealth.org or call (909) 347-7234.
