Community Development Board of Directors

Left to Right: Mike Alviar, Willie Elston, Henry Ung, Julie Mendell, Vicky Hernandez, Milton Cortez, Jose Lara, Sally Lew, Karen Hilburn, Scott Eberlein, Jose Joaquin, Robin Thorne, Bob Cabeza, Cheryl Lee

Our Community Development Board of Directors just finished their Annual Board Retreat last Saturday, January 14th. They worked on the Board Structure, the Branch Strategic Plan, How to get the Board more involved and the Strong Kids Campaign. We also formed our NEW Program, Financial, Development, Nominating and Program Committees. A great time of fellowship and hard work was had by all! Many thanks to Sally Lew, Curt Gibbs and Alan Kumamoto for organizing and running the event. Many thanks also to Ron Ung who coordinated the event location and logistics. Check out our very talented and good looking CD YMCA Board of Managers in the photo as well!

Season Greetings from YI and CAP!

YMCA SAFE Program

How does the After School Programs educate and bring awareness about what it means to be healthy?  SAFE! Students and families participated in the S.A.F.E program last year. SAFE stands for Students Assets for Fitness Education. Students and families learned how to make healthy choices
 from active activities to what they should eat. Students participated in the SAFE program in the after school program where parents attended parent classes.  Student’s had better attitudes and behaviors towards healthy lifestyles. Over 1,000 children and families engaged in various nutrition activities and lessons.  Family and children are now able to utilize this information to make healthier choices regarding what to eat. Being active is important in the after school program, students learned about benefits of being physically active and the benefits of living a healthy lifestyle, both physically and nutritionally. Students are playing more and staying active. The after school programs family fitness nights where students and family members can come to the program and play games with a nutrition focus.  Families were dancing to Zumba, learning Karate, taste healthy foods and more. The YMCA S.A.F.E. Program addresses several issues facing today’s urban youth. Healthy lifestyle choices are a combination of healthy habits, nutritional habits and physical activity. See the slideshow above for photos!


For more information about the SAFE Program contact Trang Truong. 

Youth Institute Thanksgiving Dinner 2011

This monday the Youth Institute took part in the 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Potluck Dinner at St. Luke's Church in Long Beach. We had an amazing turn out with plenty of food to spare, nobody left with an empty stomach. Bob Cabeza, Vice President, gave a memorable toast sharing his experiences from his recent trip to Cambodia and how fortunate we are to have the blessings we do in America. We were all thankful to be able to enjoy the food provided, which was delicious, especially the home-cooked turkey brought by Bob's niece, Jessica. Enjoy the photos from the event below. 

Photos taken by Leo Salcido, Senior Art Director Change Agent Productions.

Food Drive at Longfellow Elementary

Ali Carias, a 1st grade program leader at Longfellow Elementary, had an idea this holiday season. She wanted to help those in need in the Longfellow Community. Ali and her students decided to collect canned goods and other food items for families who wouldn't be able to afford a Thanksgiving Meal this year.  It was a service learning project that started with one program leader and her twenty students, but when the other program leaders heard about it, they and their students bought into the idea as well. When all was said and done, what started as an idea to help out one Longfellow Family has turned into a program wide initiative that will help over ten families. Each family will receive a box similar to the one pictured above, as well as turkeys from money that was also donated. We would like to thank all of the families who donated to make an impact to our community. Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

A Letter From Cambodia

Dear Friends,
   
    We are in our 5th day in Cambodia and it has been quite an impacting and learning experience both for our Cambodian American staff, Board Members, other staff and the Cambodian YMCA Youth and Children that we are impacting daily.
     First, we spent a day teaching and working with the Street Kids School where we set up a carnival and water rides for over 70 street children from the slums of Phnom Penh. We heard their stories of sorrow such as them not going to school because they have to work selling things in the street to get food for their families or that they are orphaned taking care of their brothers and sisters and struggling daily digging in trash to survive.  Both stories would be tragic if not for this little YMCA and the food that the Y gives as well as teaching the children basic academic skills like reading, writing, English and math. Our staff's hearts went out to the children there. It was incredibly happy and heartfelt but very sad when we left.  
     Now we are doing a five day leadership and digital media training for 34 young adult YMCA members and volunteers who want to make positive change in their communities and help shape the new Cambodia from a Youth perspective. The Long Beach YMCA Cambodian American staff have been profoundly touched by their exposure to the culture, their people and their problems and progress. We are helping them start a small digital media program with the emphasis on developing a micro business in Phnom Penh.
     This is profoundly important global work and all of our Community Development YMCA staff are proud of our Participation and experiences. We will have a profoundly important story to tell in a documentary when we return to the US. I do not think that It is possible for me to capture the profound emotional and cultural impact of our experiences in this e-mail.  

Until then, wish us safe travels and PEACE,  

Bob Cabeza
Vice President of Community Development
YMCA of Greater Long Beach

Cambodian Cultural Exchange Slideshow

View detailed descriptions of photos on Community Development's Facebook Page.