Saturday, December 30, 2017

Creating A Community And Finding Purpose


Stephen Thompson walks you through his journey from being a ward of the state at age nine to Silicon Valley Executive and how he created a community to pave the way.

Wednesday, December 27, 2017

Join Us For Our Monthly Community Clean Up On Saturday!

 
When: Saturday, December 30, 2017 at 9am 

Where: Starbucks Downtown Fairfield 700 Jefferson St Corner of Jefferson & Texas (map)

Description: We meet every last Saturday of each month (weather permitting). We clean up different locations and neighborhoods. Please join us. All are welcome

At the Matt Garcia Foundation we don’t want to complain about this, we want to create solutions to problems. It is with this spirit that we began our Monthly Community Clean Ups.

On the last Saturday of every month, volunteers get together and clean up a neighborhood in Fairfield. We pick up trash, work on landscaping paint windows, fix fences – all in an effort to improve our community. This is another example of community coming together to help make a difference.

The Matt Garcia Foundation Dream Team, is all about stepping up and stepping out of ourselves to serve others and our communities to be a part of the solution. Matt would say ” if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, please just pick it up” How simple is that! So, that is what we do.

Sunday, December 24, 2017

Merry Christmas!


Best wishes for a wonderful holiday season and a new year filled with peace and happiness

Thursday, December 21, 2017

10 Incredible Acts of Kindness


It seems all we ever hear about is how terrible the world outside is. In fact, if you scour through YouTube comments or any Internet forum, you’ll find that acts or even words of kindness come few and far between. So who can blame us for wanting to put the spotlight on these Top 10 heartwarming acts of kindness caught on video?

Monday, December 18, 2017

Friday, December 15, 2017

How Jobs Can Help Kids Stay in School



The NewsHour's American Graduate team recently traveled to Boston to report on youth employment rates and how the city is reaching out to businesses in an effort to link the classroom to potential careers.

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

A Prosecutor's Vision for a Better Justice System | Adam Foss



When a kid commits a crime, the US justice system has a choice: prosecute to the full extent of the law, or take a step back and ask if saddling young people with criminal records is the right thing to do every time. In this searching talk, Adam Foss, a prosecutor with the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office in Boston, makes his case for a reformed justice system that replaces wrath with opportunity, changing people's lives for the better instead of ruining them.

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Anger, Compassion, and What It Means To Be Strong | Russell Kolts


While anger can feel powerful in our bodies, many of us use angry behavior to avoid dealing with things that make us uncomfortable. Compassion gives us a way to be strong that helps us courageously face the things that scare us—about the world, and about ourselves—and help make them better.

Russell is a licensed clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Eastern Washington University, where he has taught for the past 16 years and has received numerous honors including twice being named the associated student body’s Faculty of the Year. Dr. Kolts has authored and coauthored numerous books and scholarly articles, including The Compassionate Mind Guide to Managing Your Anger, An Open Hearted Life: Transformative Lessons for Compassionate Living from a Clinical Psychologist and a Buddhist Nun (with Thubten Chodron), and the forthcoming Buddhist Psychology and CBT: A Practitioner’s Guide (with Dennis Tirch and Laura Silberstein). Dr. Kolts has pioneered the application of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) to the treatment of problematic anger and regularly conducts trainings and workshops on CFT.

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Join Us for "Breakfast with Santa" this Saturday


Breakfast with Santa

Saturday, December 9, 2017 
9:00 - 11:00 AM

Tickets: $5 per person (over age 2 years) can be purchased in Room 1 

Matt Garcia Career & College Academy 
1100 Civic Center Drive, Fairfield 

We hope to see you there!


Sunday, December 3, 2017

Support The Matt Garcia Foundation Through AmazonSmile!

Click the logo above to start shopping!

You can help support The Matt Garcia Foundation by shopping through AmazonSmile.

  • Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Matt Garcia Foundation whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
  • AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same Amazon Prime benefits.
  • Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

Thursday, November 30, 2017

Don't Miss "Carnival On Ice" Tomorrow Night!


Step right up and join the fun, this winter carnival will be the best one!

Friday, December 1, 2017
6pm - 8:30pm
on Texas Street

Activities and carnival game tickets at no cost!

Monetary donations, toys, and canned goods will be accepted for those in need during this Holiday Season!

Monday, November 27, 2017

Friday, November 24, 2017

Join Us For Our Monthly Community Clean Up Tomorrow!

 
When: Saturday, November 25, 2017 at 9am 

Where: Starbucks Downtown Fairfield 700 Jefferson St Corner of Jefferson & Texas (map)

Description: We meet every last Saturday of each month (weather permitting). We clean up different locations and neighborhoods. Please join us. All are welcome

At the Matt Garcia Foundation we don’t want to complain about this, we want to create solutions to problems. It is with this spirit that we began our Monthly Community Clean Ups.

On the last Saturday of every month, volunteers get together and clean up a neighborhood in Fairfield. We pick up trash, work on landscaping paint windows, fix fences – all in an effort to improve our community. This is another example of community coming together to help make a difference.

The Matt Garcia Foundation Dream Team, is all about stepping up and stepping out of ourselves to serve others and our communities to be a part of the solution. Matt would say ” if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, please just pick it up” How simple is that! So, that is what we do.

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Why the Best Hire Might Not Have the Perfect Resume | Regina Hartley


Given the choice between a job candidate with a perfect resume and one who has fought through difficulty, human resources executive Regina Hartley always gives the "Scrapper" a chance. As someone who grew up with adversity, Hartley knows that those who flourish in the darkest of spaces are empowered with the grit to persist in an ever-changing workplace. "Choose the underestimated contender, whose secret weapons are passion and purpose," she says. "Hire the Scrapper."

Saturday, November 18, 2017

The Matt Garcia Foundation Presents: Carnival On Ice


Step right up and join the fun, this winter carnival will be the best one!

Friday, December 1, 2017
6pm - 8:30pm
on Texas Street

Activities and carnival game tickets at no cost!

Monetary donations, toys, and canned goods will be accepted for those in need during this Holiday Season!

Sunday, November 12, 2017

Help for Kids the Education System Ignores | Victor Rios


Define students by what they contribute, not what they lack -- especially those with difficult upbringings, says educator Victor Rios. Interweaved with his personal tale of perseverance as an inner-city youth, Rios identifies three straightforward strategies to shift attitudes in education and calls for fellow educators to see "at-risk" students as "at-promise" individuals brimming with resilience, character and grit.

Thursday, November 9, 2017

The Matt Garcia Foundation Presents: Carnival On Ice


Step right up and join the fun, this winter carnival will be the best one!

Friday, December 1, 2017
6pm - 8:30pm
on Texas Street

Activities and carnival game tickets at no cost!

Monetary donations, toys, and canned goods will be accepted for those in need during this Holiday Season!

Monday, November 6, 2017

Former Dealer Transcends Post Prison Stigma


Ex-convict Coss Marte transform from a drug kingpin to entrepreneur with the help of non-profit organization Defy Ventures. Now he is giving back.

Friday, November 3, 2017

How to Raise Successful Kids -- Without Over-Parenting | Julie Lythcott-Haims


By loading kids with high expectations and micromanaging their lives at every turn, parents aren't actually helping. At least, that's how Julie Lythcott-Haims sees it. With passion and wry humor, the former Dean of Freshmen at Stanford makes the case for parents to stop defining their children's success via grades and test scores. Instead, she says, they should focus on providing the oldest idea of all: unconditional love.

Tuesday, October 31, 2017

Support The Matt Garcia Foundation Through AmazonSmile!

Click the logo above to start shopping!

You can help support The Matt Garcia Foundation by shopping through AmazonSmile.

  • Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Matt Garcia Foundation whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
  • AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same Amazon Prime benefits.
  • Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

Saturday, October 28, 2017

The Matt Garcia Foundation's 8th Annual Golf Tournament is Monday!


UPDATE: SAVE THE DATE: 10/30/2017

Monday, October 30, 2017
9:30 am - 5:30 pm
at Green Valley Country Club
35 Country Club Drive, Fairfield, CA 94534


The Matt Garcia Foundation on is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 8th Annual Golf Tournament is an opportunity to ensure that the impactful youth and community programs that we support throughout the year will continue. Our late city councilman, Matt Garcia, was a young man with a vision. With the help of generous individuals and companies such as yours, our foundation on has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.” Your participation on sends a powerful message that you are partnering with us to make our world a safer and more meaningful place. The event itself is an opportunity to network with many potential customers and clients. All of our sponsors’ names will be prominently displayed on our event publications and your donation is tax-deductible. It is our mission to support youth, help stop crime, and strengthen our community. Thank you in advance for celebrating this hope of creating a better Fairfield for tomorrow! The MATT GARCIA FOUNDATION Golf Tournament is scheduled for October 16, 2017, at the beautiful course of Green Valley Country Club.

This year’s tournament will be supporting the 2018 Northern Solano Babe Ruth Teen Baseball Clinic. We are excited to partner with our local Babe Ruth Baseball League and bring a comprehensive 2 day Baseball Clinic to our community’s youth & teens. The clinic will be held in March 2018 with college coaches & former ball players as instructors. Your partcipation on in this Golf Tournament will support this amazing opportunity and we thank you!!

Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Join Us For Our Monthly Community Clean Up on Saturday!

 
When: Saturday, October 28, 2017 at 9am 

Where: Starbucks Downtown Fairfield 700 Jefferson St Corner of Jefferson & Texas (map)

Description: We meet every last Saturday of each month (weather permitting). We clean up different locations and neighborhoods. Please join us. All are welcome

At the Matt Garcia Foundation we don’t want to complain about this, we want to create solutions to problems. It is with this spirit that we began our Monthly Community Clean Ups.

On the last Saturday of every month, volunteers get together and clean up a neighborhood in Fairfield. We pick up trash, work on landscaping paint windows, fix fences – all in an effort to improve our community. This is another example of community coming together to help make a difference.

The Matt Garcia Foundation Dream Team, is all about stepping up and stepping out of ourselves to serve others and our communities to be a part of the solution. Matt would say ” if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, please just pick it up” How simple is that! So, that is what we do.

Sunday, October 22, 2017

Our 8th Annual Golf Tournament is October 30, 2017


UPDATE: SAVE THE DATE: 10/30/2017

Monday, October 30, 2017
9:30 am - 5:30 pm
at Green Valley Country Club
35 Country Club Drive, Fairfield, CA 94534


The Matt Garcia Foundation on is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 8th Annual Golf Tournament is an opportunity to ensure that the impactful youth and community programs that we support throughout the year will continue. Our late city councilman, Matt Garcia, was a young man with a vision. With the help of generous individuals and companies such as yours, our foundation on has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.” Your participation on sends a powerful message that you are partnering with us to make our world a safer and more meaningful place. The event itself is an opportunity to network with many potential customers and clients. All of our sponsors’ names will be prominently displayed on our event publications and your donation is tax-deductible. It is our mission to support youth, help stop crime, and strengthen our community. Thank you in advance for celebrating this hope of creating a better Fairfield for tomorrow! The MATT GARCIA FOUNDATION Golf Tournament is scheduled for October 16, 2017, at the beautiful course of Green Valley Country Club.

This year’s tournament will be supporting the 2018 Northern Solano Babe Ruth Teen Baseball Clinic. We are excited to partner with our local Babe Ruth Baseball League and bring a comprehensive 2 day Baseball Clinic to our community’s youth & teens. The clinic will be held in March 2018 with college coaches & former ball players as instructors. Your partcipation on in this Golf Tournament will support this amazing opportunity and we thank you!!

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Anger, Compassion, and What It Means To Be Strong


While anger can feel powerful in our bodies, many of us use angry behavior to avoid dealing with things that make us uncomfortable. Compassion gives us a way to be strong that helps us courageously face the things that scare us—about the world, and about ourselves—and help make them better.

Monday, October 16, 2017

Love And Compassion - The 2 Essential For Success



No matter who you are or where you come from without compassion and love for yourself and the world around you, you will never get to enjoy success for what it is. Even though we all have different likes and dislikes there is a common amongst us all, that common is the need for giving and receiving compassion and love.

All kinds of success start with your thought process and if you didn't include love and compassion in that process you will always feel like there is something missing in your life. That greedy guy I described earlier would definitely relate to that in his moments of deep thought by himself. The thing is we form habits easier then we believe, even those of us who seem so strong.

How To Express Compassion And Love...

It really is quite simple to express these emotions sincerely to other people. The first thing you need to do is get rid of the "what can I get out of them attitude". Yes you know the one we have all tried it at some point in life and maybe your still trying to reach your own personal success with that attitude.

Treating other people with compassion and love is only possible when you believe you are worthy of giving it, not whether they deserve it or not. It sure is easy to come up with many reasons why others don't deserve it, how about coming up with reasons why they do?

Feeling vulnerable is something humans fear greatly and it seems we have put compassion and love into that catergory without realises the consequences of it. To show love and compassion towards others only makes you vulnerable when you can not use the word no when you need to, I sure have learned that one.

What Does Success Look Like When Compassion And Love Are A Priority?

It doesn't have a huge ego thats for sure and better still it doesn't use and abuse others for financial gain. It is when you are so comfortable with helping others you don't even think about it, you just do it naturally. Ask any successful person they will tell you that through having compassion and love and by helping others is how they got to where they are.

When compassion and love are applied to ones life while trying to achieve success, it radiates through your body language and facial expressions. This is due to the contentment felt by treating yourself and others exactly as you should and being able to apologise when you haven't.

You can spot that kind of person a mile away, they really do stand out from the crowd and just a tip that is the kind of success you want to achieve. If we were made to only think about ourselves we would not have been designed like we are.

Wishing you true success in your life full of compassion and love.


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angelene_O'Reilly

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6477019

Friday, October 13, 2017

Eighth Annual Golf Tournament Reschuled For October 30, 2017


UPDATE: SAVE THE DATE: 10/30/2017

We have spoken with the course, committee, foundation, and other members involved and decided that it would be in the best interest of our community to reschedule this tournament to 10/30/2017.

We thank you for your amazing support and ask that you continue to keep those who have been affected by this recent devastation of fires in your thoughts & prayers.


Tuesday, October 10, 2017

Stephen Post: Learn to Forgive Because Bitterness is Bad For Your Health



Professor Stephen Post is well known for his writings on the health benefits of helping others. In this video, he walks us through the many reasons why practicing forgiveness can be both therapeutic and rejuvenating. After all, studies show that people who show a proclivity to hostile emotions tend to die earlier due to heart failure. That's why the James Lang Theory of Emotions posits the emotional and physiological benefits of small acts of kindness.

Saturday, October 7, 2017

A Prosecutor's Vision for a Better Justice System



When a kid commits a crime, the US justice system has a choice: prosecute to the full extent of the law, or take a step back and ask if saddling young people with criminal records is the right thing to do every time. In this searching talk, Adam Foss, a prosecutor with the Suffolk County District Attorney's Office in Boston, makes his case for a reformed justice system that replaces wrath with opportunity, changing people's lives for the better instead of ruining them.

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

There's More to Life Than Being Happy | Emily Esfahani Smith


Our culture is obsessed with happiness, but what if there's a more fulfilling path? Happiness comes and goes, says writer Emily Esfahani Smith, but having meaning in life -- serving something beyond yourself and developing the best within you -- gives you something to hold onto. Learn more about the difference between being happy and having meaning as Smith offers four pillars of a meaningful life.

Sunday, October 1, 2017

Our 8th Annual Golf Tournament is Just Over Two Weeks Away!


Monday, October 16, 2017 
9:30 am - 5:30 pm 
at Green Valley Country Club 
35 Country Club Drive, Fairfield, CA 94534


The Matt Garcia Foundation on is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 8th Annual Golf Tournament is an opportunity to ensure that the impactful youth and community programs that we support throughout the year will continue. Our late city councilman, Matt Garcia, was a young man with a vision. With the help of generous individuals and companies such as yours, our foundation on has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.” Your participation on sends a powerful message that you are partnering with us to make our world a safer and more meaningful place. The event itself is an opportunity to network with many potential customers and clients. All of our sponsors’ names will be prominently displayed on our event publications and your donation is tax-deductible. It is our mission to support youth, help stop crime, and strengthen our community. Thank you in advance for celebrating this hope of creating a better Fairfield for tomorrow! The MATT GARCIA FOUNDATION Golf Tournament is scheduled for October 16, 2017, at the beautiful course of Green Valley Country Club.

This year’s tournament will be supporting the 2018 Northern Solano Babe Ruth Teen Baseball Clinic. We are excited to partner with our local Babe Ruth Baseball League and bring a comprehensive 2 day Baseball Clinic to our community’s youth & teens. The clinic will be held in March 2018 with college coaches & former ball players as instructors. Your partcipation on in this Golf Tournament will support this amazing opportunity and we thank you!!

Thursday, September 28, 2017

Join Us For Our Monthly Community Clean Up on Saturday!

 
When: Saturday, September 30, 2017 at 9am 

Where: Starbucks Downtown Fairfield 700 Jefferson St Corner of Jefferson & Texas (map)

Description: We meet every last Saturday of each month (weather permitting). We clean up different locations and neighborhoods. Please join us. All are welcome

At the Matt Garcia Foundation we don’t want to complain about this, we want to create solutions to problems. It is with this spirit that we began our Monthly Community Clean Ups.

On the last Saturday of every month, volunteers get together and clean up a neighborhood in Fairfield. We pick up trash, work on landscaping paint windows, fix fences – all in an effort to improve our community. This is another example of community coming together to help make a difference.

The Matt Garcia Foundation Dream Team, is all about stepping up and stepping out of ourselves to serve others and our communities to be a part of the solution. Matt would say ” if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, please just pick it up” How simple is that! So, that is what we do.

Monday, September 25, 2017

Support The Matt Garcia Foundation Through AmazonSmile!

Click the logo above to start shopping!

You can help support The Matt Garcia Foundation by shopping through AmazonSmile.

  • Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Matt Garcia Foundation whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
  • AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same Amazon Prime benefits.
  • Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

Friday, September 22, 2017

Can You Really Tell If a Kid is Lying? | Kang Lee



Are children poor liars? Do you think you can easily detect their lies? Developmental researcher Kang Lee studies what happens physiologically to children when they lie. They do it a lot, starting as young as two years old, and they're actually really good at it. Lee explains why we should celebrate when kids start to lie and presents new lie-detection technology that could someday reveal our hidden emotions.

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

HopeMakers: Helping Homeless Youth Embrace Life | Kevin Ryan


A moving talk from a man who has dedicated his life to helping youth overcome rejection, trauma, depression and abuse. He tells us how he came to understand the power of love from three teenagers whose courage taught him about the essence of home, hope and parenthood. His unexpected and heart-rending revelation at the end breaks open the very essence of what it means to love a child.

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Register Today for Our 8th Annual Golf Tournament on October 16!


Monday, October 16, 2017 
9:30 am - 5:30 pm 
at Green Valley Country Club 
35 Country Club Drive, Fairfield, CA 94534


The Matt Garcia Foundation on is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 8th Annual Golf Tournament is an opportunity to ensure that the impactful youth and community programs that we support throughout the year will continue. Our late city councilman, Matt Garcia, was a young man with a vision. With the help of generous individuals and companies such as yours, our foundation on has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.” Your participation on sends a powerful message that you are partnering with us to make our world a safer and more meaningful place. The event itself is an opportunity to network with many potential customers and clients. All of our sponsors’ names will be prominently displayed on our event publications and your donation is tax-deductible. It is our mission to support youth, help stop crime, and strengthen our community. Thank you in advance for celebrating this hope of creating a better Fairfield for tomorrow! The MATT GARCIA FOUNDATION Golf Tournament is scheduled for October 16, 2017, at the beautiful course of Green Valley Country Club.

This year’s tournament will be supporting the 2018 Northern Solano Babe Ruth Teen Baseball Clinic. We are excited to partner with our local Babe Ruth Baseball League and bring a comprehensive 2 day Baseball Clinic to our community’s youth & teens. The clinic will be held in March 2018 with college coaches & former ball players as instructors. Your partcipation on in this Golf Tournament will support this amazing opportunity and we thank you!!

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

Insight Into the Teenage Brain


Dr. Adriana Galván is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and Brain Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she is the Director and Principal Investigator of the Developmental Neuroscience Laboratory. Dr. Galván's expertise is in adolescent brain development.

Her research aims to uncover the neurobiology underlying characteristic teenage behavior, such as risk-taking, exploration and thrill-seeking. Through her research, Dr. Galván's goal is to understand the opportunities and vulnerabilities that accompany adolescent brain and behavioral development in order to inform policy, juvenile justice and public health issues that affect youth.

Sunday, September 10, 2017

Everyday Leadership - Drew Dudley



We have all changed someone's life -- usually without even realizing it. In this funny talk, Drew Dudley calls on all of us to celebrate leadership as the everyday act of improving each other's lives. (Filmed at TEDxToronto.)

Thursday, September 7, 2017

Gang 'Killing Fields' Become Site of Safe Parties for Families in Los Angeles



Los Angeles has turned former urban battlegrounds into common grounds for communities in an effort to stomp out gun violence. What looks like a regular block party is a program that brings gang members, police officers and other neighbors together. Ray Suarez examines how the Summer Night Lights event is making the city safer.

Monday, September 4, 2017

A Practical Way to Help the Homeless Find Work and Safety | Richard J. Berry


When Richard J. Berry, the mayor of Albuquerque, saw a man on a street corner holding a cardboard sign that read "Want a job," he decided to take him (and others in his situation) up on it. He and his staff started a citywide initiative to help the homeless by giving them day jobs and a place to sleep -- and the results were incredible. Find out how your city can replicate Albuquerque's model with this frank and optimistic talk.

Friday, September 1, 2017

Register Now for Our 8th Annual Golf Tournament!


Monday, October 16, 2017 
9:30 am - 5:30 pm 
at Green Valley Country Club 
35 Country Club Drive, Fairfield, CA 94534


The Matt Garcia Foundation on is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 8th Annual Golf Tournament is an opportunity to ensure that the impactful youth and community programs that we support throughout the year will continue. Our late city councilman, Matt Garcia, was a young man with a vision. With the help of generous individuals and companies such as yours, our foundation on has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.” Your participation on sends a powerful message that you are partnering with us to make our world a safer and more meaningful place. The event itself is an opportunity to network with many potential customers and clients. All of our sponsors’ names will be prominently displayed on our event publications and your donation is tax-deductible. It is our mission to support youth, help stop crime, and strengthen our community. Thank you in advance for celebrating this hope of creating a better Fairfield for tomorrow! The MATT GARCIA FOUNDATION Golf Tournament is scheduled for October 16, 2017, at the beautiful course of Green Valley Country Club.

This year’s tournament will be supporting the 2018 Northern Solano Babe Ruth Teen Baseball Clinic. We are excited to partner with our local Babe Ruth Baseball League and bring a comprehensive 2 day Baseball Clinic to our community’s youth & teens. The clinic will be held in March 2018 with college coaches & former ball players as instructors. Your partcipation on in this Golf Tournament will support this amazing opportunity and we thank you!!

Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Compassion and Kinship: Fr Gregory Boyle at TEDxConejo 2012



Father Gregory Boyle, founder and executive director of Homeboy Industries, is an acknowledged expert on gangs, intervention and re-entry and today serves on the U.S. Attorney General's Defending Childhood Task Force.

Saturday, August 26, 2017

Support The Matt Garcia Foundation Through AmazonSmile!

Click the logo above to start shopping!

You can help support The Matt Garcia Foundation by shopping through AmazonSmile.

  • Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Matt Garcia Foundation whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
  • AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same Amazon Prime benefits.
  • Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Join Us For Our Monthly Community Clean Up on Saturday!

 
When: Saturday, August 26, 2017 at 9am 

Where: Starbucks Downtown Fairfield 700 Jefferson St Corner of Jefferson & Texas (map)

Description: We meet every last Saturday of each month (weather permitting). We clean up different locations and neighborhoods. Please join us. All are welcome

At the Matt Garcia Foundation we don’t want to complain about this, we want to create solutions to problems. It is with this spirit that we began our Monthly Community Clean Ups.

On the last Saturday of every month, volunteers get together and clean up a neighborhood in Fairfield. We pick up trash, work on landscaping paint windows, fix fences – all in an effort to improve our community. This is another example of community coming together to help make a difference.

The Matt Garcia Foundation Dream Team, is all about stepping up and stepping out of ourselves to serve others and our communities to be a part of the solution. Matt would say ” if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, please just pick it up” How simple is that! So, that is what we do.

Sunday, August 20, 2017

Why are Afterschool Programs Important?



Joe Davis, afterschool advocate, on extending the education day to build better learning environments in safer surroundings.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Robert Wright: The Evolution of Compassion



Robert Wright uses evolutionary biology and game theory to explain why we appreciate the Golden Rule ("Do unto others..."), why we sometimes ignore it and why there’s hope that, in the near future, we might all have the compassion to follow it.

Monday, August 14, 2017

Our Eighth Annual Golf Tournament is October 16th - Register Today!


Monday, October 16, 2017 
9:30 am - 5:30 pm 
at Green Valley Country Club 
35 Country Club Drive, Fairfield, CA 94534


The Matt Garcia Foundation on is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 8th Annual Golf Tournament is an opportunity to ensure that the impactful youth and community programs that we support throughout the year will continue. Our late city councilman, Matt Garcia, was a young man with a vision. With the help of generous individuals and companies such as yours, our foundation on has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.” Your participation on sends a powerful message that you are partnering with us to make our world a safer and more meaningful place. The event itself is an opportunity to network with many potential customers and clients. All of our sponsors’ names will be prominently displayed on our event publications and your donation is tax-deductible. It is our mission to support youth, help stop crime, and strengthen our community. Thank you in advance for celebrating this hope of creating a better Fairfield for tomorrow! The MATT GARCIA FOUNDATION Golf Tournament is scheduled for October 16, 2017, at the beautiful course of Green Valley Country Club.

This year’s tournament will be supporting the 2018 Northern Solano Babe Ruth Teen Baseball Clinic. We are excited to partner with our local Babe Ruth Baseball League and bring a comprehensive 2 day Baseball Clinic to our community’s youth & teens. The clinic will be held in March 2018 with college coaches & former ball players as instructors. Your partcipation on in this Golf Tournament will support this amazing opportunity and we thank you!!

Friday, August 11, 2017

How to Avoid Miscommunication - Katherine Hampsten



Have you ever talked with a friend about a problem, only to realize that he just doesn’t seem to grasp why the issue is so important to you? Have you ever presented an idea to a group, and it’s met with utter confusion? What’s going on here? Katherine Hampsten describes why miscommunication occurs so frequently, and how we can minimize frustration while expressing ourselves better.

Lesson by Katherine Hampsten, animation by Andrew Foerster.

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

What Makes a Good Life? Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness



What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it's fame and money, you're not alone – but, according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, you're mistaken. As the director of 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.

Saturday, August 5, 2017

Paralyzed Teen Inspires At-Risk Youth


In the middle of efforts to steer at-risk youth away from gun violence, this teen was shot and paralyzed. It hasn't deterred him. It's only made him stronger.

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

From Pain, to Power to Success: Macio Thompkins



Macio Thompkins is a 19 year old employee of the City of Atlanta and a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta. Growing up on the Northwest side of Atlanta, Macio had to overcome numerous challenges and hurdles to achieve his dream of graduating high school and being a model of success for his family and friends. However, thanks to Beyond the Bricks program offered this summer at Georgia State University, Macio dreams now include sharing his talent with the world and his message of determination and success.

Sunday, July 30, 2017

Creating Connections With Today's Youth


  1. Be open - Being open is extremely important to building healthy student to mentor relationships, and giving the young person a safe place where they can really discuss their struggles is important. Make sure to make it clear to the student that you're providing them with a no judgment zone, and that you can be trusted as an adult to have their best interests in mind. Unless they express a desire to do harm to themselves or others, allow them to talk out the tough issues with you as you build a strong foundation of trust.

  2. Provide relevant advice - As an adult, it's possible that you've experienced just what they're experiencing now, and that you have some useful information when it comes to what to do next. Providing advice to students who come to you for help is a great way to build a healthy relationship, but it's important to do so as an equal, and not as a person who may be speaking down to them and their concerns.

  3. Treat them equally - If there is one thing that many young people despise, it's being treated childishly, and talking to or treating today's youth in a mature manner can do a great deal in building respect. When providing advice, or an ear to talk to, it's important that you respect the student just as you would wish to be respected, and to speak to them in a mature manner appropriate for their particular age group.

  4. Go to them - In many cases, a student or young person may not feel comfortable initiating a relationship, which is why it's important for the adult to extend the line of communication. Engaging the young person or simply allowing them to know that you have a willing ear should they need someone to listen is a great way to offer the opportunity for a mentor type relationship.

  5. Appropriate Self-Disclosure- This is one of the many keys to connecting with disengaged students and youth. With more than 15 years of working with at-risk youth, I've learned that it's important to let them know that we experience or have experienced many of the things that they are going through. Loss, confusion, and anger, etc. However, it is not enough to simple say, "I've also been angry." or "I've also lost a loved one." When sharing bits and pieces of your life that you believe can change the belief of the young person you are working with, you must be specific. "I may not understand exactly how you feel, but I remember losing my uncle when I was 16. I never forget him and what he meant to me." or "I can remember getting angry at my mother when I was 16 and saying something inappropriate. I didn't sit down for a week!" Not only will some of your stories get a laugh, they will be memorable and will also let the student know that we all at some point have been where they are.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ian_Humphrey

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8866448

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Our Eighth Annual Golf Tournament is October 16th - Register Today!


Monday, October 16, 2017 
9:30 am - 5:30 pm 
at Green Valley Country Club 
35 Country Club Drive, Fairfield, CA 94534


The Matt Garcia Foundation on is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 8th Annual Golf Tournament is an opportunity to ensure that the impactful youth and community programs that we support throughout the year will continue. Our late city councilman, Matt Garcia, was a young man with a vision. With the help of generous individuals and companies such as yours, our foundation on has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.” Your participation on sends a powerful message that you are partnering with us to make our world a safer and more meaningful place. The event itself is an opportunity to network with many potential customers and clients. All of our sponsors’ names will be prominently displayed on our event publications and your donation is tax-deductible. It is our mission to support youth, help stop crime, and strengthen our community. Thank you in advance for celebrating this hope of creating a better Fairfield for tomorrow! The MATT GARCIA FOUNDATION Golf Tournament is scheduled for October 16, 2017, at the beautiful course of Green Valley Country Club.

This year’s tournament will be supporting the 2018 Northern Solano Babe Ruth Teen Baseball Clinic. We are excited to partner with our local Babe Ruth Baseball League and bring a comprehensive 2 day Baseball Clinic to our community’s youth & teens. The clinic will be held in March 2018 with college coaches & former ball players as instructors. Your partcipation on in this Golf Tournament will support this amazing opportunity and we thank you!!

Monday, July 24, 2017

Join Us For Our Monthly Community Clean Up on Saturday!

 
When: Saturday, June 29th, 2017 at 9am 

Where: Starbucks Downtown Fairfield 700 Jefferson St Corner of Jefferson & Texas (map)

Description: We meet every last Saturday of each month (weather permitting). We clean up different locations and neighborhoods. Please join us. All are welcome

At the Matt Garcia Foundation we don’t want to complain about this, we want to create solutions to problems. It is with this spirit that we began our Monthly Community Clean Ups.

On the last Saturday of every month, volunteers get together and clean up a neighborhood in Fairfield. We pick up trash, work on landscaping paint windows, fix fences – all in an effort to improve our community. This is another example of community coming together to help make a difference.

The Matt Garcia Foundation Dream Team, is all about stepping up and stepping out of ourselves to serve others and our communities to be a part of the solution. Matt would say ” if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, please just pick it up” How simple is that! So, that is what we do.

Friday, July 21, 2017

Support The Matt Garcia Foundation Through AmazonSmile!

Click the logo above to start shopping!

You can help support The Matt Garcia Foundation by shopping through AmazonSmile.

  • Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Matt Garcia Foundation whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
  • AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same Amazon Prime benefits.
  • Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

When You Feel Like Giving Up, Do This!


Entrepreneur Network partner Ben Angel breaks down 3 key daily habits you can do to get back on track and use the power of your mind to refocus your thoughts to your advantage.

Saturday, July 15, 2017

Our Eighth Annual Golf Tournament is October 16th - Register Today!


Monday, October 16, 2017 
9:30 am - 5:30 pm 
at Green Valley Country Club 
35 Country Club Drive, Fairfield, CA 94534


The Matt Garcia Foundation on is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 8th Annual Golf Tournament is an opportunity to ensure that the impactful youth and community programs that we support throughout the year will continue. Our late city councilman, Matt Garcia, was a young man with a vision. With the help of generous individuals and companies such as yours, our foundation on has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.” Your participation on sends a powerful message that you are partnering with us to make our world a safer and more meaningful place. The event itself is an opportunity to network with many potential customers and clients. All of our sponsors’ names will be prominently displayed on our event publications and your donation is tax-deductible. It is our mission to support youth, help stop crime, and strengthen our community. Thank you in advance for celebrating this hope of creating a better Fairfield for tomorrow! The MATT GARCIA FOUNDATION Golf Tournament is scheduled for October 16, 2017, at the beautiful course of Green Valley Country Club.

This year’s tournament will be supporting the 2018 Northern Solano Babe Ruth Teen Baseball Clinic. We are excited to partner with our local Babe Ruth Baseball League and bring a comprehensive 2 day Baseball Clinic to our community’s youth & teens. The clinic will be held in March 2018 with college coaches & former ball players as instructors. Your partcipation on in this Golf Tournament will support this amazing opportunity and we thank you!!

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Scilla Elworthy: Fighting with Non-Violence



How do you deal with a bully without becoming a thug? In this wise and soulful talk, peace activist Scilla Elworthy maps out the skills we need -- as nations and individuals -- to fight extreme force without using force in return. To answer the question of why and how non-violence works, she evokes historical heroes -- Aung San Suu Kyi, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela -- and the personal philosophies that powered their peaceful protests. (Filmed at TEDxExeter.)

Sunday, July 9, 2017

Compassion is a Foundation to Understanding Others


As a mediator, and someone who teaches conflict resolution skills, I'm often encouraging others to look toward all forms of responses and possibilities to resolve problems. Often, especially with matters where there is a strong relationship, empathy, compassion, and forgiveness are foundations to resolving the conflict. I'd like to share a story I learned from Thomas Crum that provides a lesson in compassion.

Long ago there was a monastery that was very poor materially. The only precious possessions were three beautiful scrolls, that were always left open on a table in a small study.

One day a monk came out of the study, screaming, "Someone is stealing the scrolls!"

The abbot of the monastery came running to the study and saw that two scrolls were missing. He happened to notice that the third scroll was lying atop the window sill, where it had been apparently dropped by the thief.

The abbot grabbed the third scroll and dashed off in the direction of the fleeing thief. After a long chase, the abbot finally caught him near a small stream.

The exhausted thief collapsed on the bank and surrendered himself to the abbot. He awaited the subsequent severe punishment rendered to thieves in those days.

Instead, the abbot stood in front of the man and handed him the third scroll, exclaiming, "I have been chasing you all the way from the monastery. I wanted to give you this third scroll. You forgot to take it and it is the most important one. The teachings would be incomplete without it."

With this, the abbot bowed and walked back to the monastery.

Shortly thereafter, the thief returned to the monastery with the scrolls, totally committed to becoming one of its monks.

This story parallels the story of Jean Val Jean in my favorite novel, "Les Miserables." In both tales, the compassion shown to the thief, turned the person's life around. The compassionate response transformed the individual and had reaching effects much farther than the return of the stolen items and punishment in prison could have ever achieved.

In practical terms, increasing our awareness and compassion of others helps heighten the sense of connectedness, which improves the quality of our relationships. With compassion, comes understanding. With understanding comes a willingness to spend time and energy to collaborate and co-create solutions to conflict. You can choose to understand. You can choose to be compassionate.

Regardless of how incorrect or upsetting a person's action my be to you, the key to resolution is often to acknowledge your relationship with that person and understanding their positions and interests. Having compassion is the beginning.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alain_Burrese

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/4781471

Thursday, July 6, 2017

What Makes a Good Life? Lessons from the Longest Study on Happiness



What keeps us happy and healthy as we go through life? If you think it's fame and money, you're not alone – but, according to psychiatrist Robert Waldinger, you're mistaken. As the director of 75-year-old study on adult development, Waldinger has unprecedented access to data on true happiness and satisfaction. In this talk, he shares three important lessons learned from the study as well as some practical, old-as-the-hills wisdom on how to build a fulfilling, long life.

Monday, July 3, 2017

Why Arent We All Good Samaritans?



Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, asks why we aren't more compassionate more of the time.

Friday, June 30, 2017

The Story We Tell About Poverty Isn't True



As a global community, we all want to end poverty. Mia Birdsong suggests a great place to start: Let's honor the skills, drive and initiative that poor people bring to the struggle every day. She asks us to look again at people in poverty: They may be broke — but they're not broken.

Tuesday, June 27, 2017

Where Does Compassion Really Come From?



Can compassion be learned? The answer is yes! Sometimes, all it takes is truly paying attention to the people around us.

Saturday, June 24, 2017

Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Support The Matt Garcia Foundation Through AmazonSmile!

Click the logo above to start shopping!

You can help support The Matt Garcia Foundation by shopping through AmazonSmile.

  • Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Matt Garcia Foundation whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
  • AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same Amazon Prime benefits.
  • Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

Sunday, June 18, 2017

Nadine Burke Harris: How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime



Childhood trauma isn’t something you just get over as you grow up. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and parents struggling with mental health or substance abuse issues has real, tangible effects on the development of the brain. This unfolds across a lifetime, to the point where those who’ve experienced high levels of trauma are at triple the risk for heart disease and lung cancer. An impassioned plea for pediatric medicine to confront the prevention and treatment of trauma, head-on.

Thursday, June 15, 2017

Are You Born To Lead? Leadership Traits That Every Leader Must Have


Are you born to be a leader? Many claim that a person is born to lead and scientists have claimed that one can inherit it through their genes. So is it too late for us who were not born out of influential families? According to D.R. Forsyth, one can develop leadership potential through hard work and careful observation. With that said, how can one be a leader? What traits and styles should one have in order to develop their leadership potentials? Below are just some things that you ought to consider to be able to develop your leadership potentials.

Act on It

The first thing to do to develop one's initiative is to act on an opportunity that comes along their way. One must develop their drive to make things happen the way they want it to. People who take the lead are on their way to becoming leaders as they are often the first person who would spot opportunities for the company that they work for and are not afraid to pursue it.

Be Responsible

Becoming a leader means being responsible and taking ownership of the problem. They exhibit a "can do" attitude, anticipate problems head on and provide several solutions or action plans in order to resolve the matter readily.

Innovative and Risk Taking

Suggesting new ways of handling things and taking risks are also some of the traits that one should develop to become a potential leader. Innovative thinking or "thinking out of the box" helps create change to the old ways and paves the way for a better and more productive company.

Motivating others

Leadership involves motivating others and directing them on what to do. The leader encourages the staff and fellow team member to work on the common goal together. They provide support and believe in the abilities of the people around them.

Self Confidence

People who are self-confident exude an aura of authority. They are not in doubt of their ability to make a decision and trust their decisions. They are emotionally stable, assertive and self-assured. To develop self-confidence, one must be consistent in what they are doing and demonstrate their integrity and commitment. Self-assured individuals also project their aura to their team and help create an environment where every staff or member feels valued and has a sense of belonging.

These are just some of the traits that every individual should develop if they want to lead or become a leader later on. Leaders are born, but leadership skills can be developed.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Francheska_Craig

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8623828

Monday, June 12, 2017

Three Types of Forgiveness and Why They Matter to Us As Leaders


Forgiveness.

We see it in public gestures like Nelson Mandela forgiving his captors after his long imprisonment or when President Ford pardoned President Nixon.

And we often see the results when there is no forgiveness.

Like in the news every day - from revenge violence to road rage to people arguing about reclining seats on airplanes.

Yes, Mandela and Ford were leaders, but how does forgiveness apply to us as "everyday" leaders?

It applies immediately and directly.

But before I share my thoughts, let's start with the three types of forgiveness. They are:

• Forgiveness of self
• Forgiveness of others
• Forgiveness of situations

As I describe each, I believe the relevance to you both personally and as a leader will become clear.
Forgiveness of Self

We all make mistakes. We all exercise poor judgment. We all screw up. It is what we do next that matters most. If, after our mistakes, we live in guilt and in the past where the mistake happened, nothing positive will come from it.

It's considered a universal truth that "we learn from our mistakes". Yet this "truth" is missing a couple of components - lessons in mistakes are there but the learning isn't guaranteed, and the learning won't come if we are living in the mistake or not willing or able to reflect on it, or won't let go of it and forgive ourselves first. A more complete statement of that truth is that "we can learn from our mistakes if we will let ourselves learn and choose to do so."

And that learning can't happen without self-forgiveness.

There are other reasons why self-forgiveness is important. It will allow ourselves to focus on the future, rather than the past, and it will allow us to reduce our stress and frustration (and makes us healthier too).

Forgiveness of Others

Admit it.

When you read the title of this article, this was probably the type of forgiveness you were thinking of.

Think for a second about the way you feel about a person who hasn't forgiven you. Do you want to be around them, or work for or with them? Are you willing to give them your best effort? Or does the barrier between you (which can include self-forgiveness too) keep you from moving forward?

When we don't forgive others, we set ourselves up for animosity, reduced productivity, more conflict and drastically lowered trust.

So how open to forgiving others are you?

Forgiveness of Situations

Things happen that might not be anyone's "fault". Do you know people who continue to dwell on a past situation that caused them grief or pain, even if it was just a situation? When we are able to forgive situations, we are able to let go of those negative feelings and move forward.

Your forgiveness of situations defines how forgiving you tend to be of negative circumstances, events, or situations that are beyond anyone's control. This would include things like illnesses, natural disasters and the like.

Can you let go of these situations so you can move forward?

If you hear yourself saying lots of "If only... " or "If it had just happened that way... " type statements, you likely have a ways to go in this area.

So What?

When we can forgive, we can move from a past focus to a future focus, which provides us with hope, accountability, and the opportunity for growth and advancement. As long as we (or others, or an entire group) are living in the past, no progress can be made.

Because error is part of being human, forgiveness allows mistakes, failure, slip ups, errors in judgment and decision making, flaws and other breakdowns to become a source of increased wisdom and learning. Without the forgiveness, the same events and situations create more divisiveness, angst, conflict and discord.

The best leaders use the practice of forgiveness to transform themselves and their organizations into forward-looking, agile learners and promote better results every day.

But?

If you are still reading and still are having reservations, it is likely that you agree with my premise, but aren't sure how to let go. Perhaps this quotation from the psychiatrist Thomas Szasz will help - "The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget."

The point is instructive. Events, mistakes and mishaps in the past can be learned from, but only if we can let them go through forgiveness. This does not mean we should forget those events, but rather put them in the proper perspective. They are events in the past that we can't change now, but we can learn from.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Eikenberry

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8733671

Friday, June 9, 2017

Why School Should Start Later for Teens


Teens don't get enough sleep, and it's not because of Snapchat, social lives or hormones -- it's because of public policy, says Wendy Troxel. Drawing from her experience as a sleep researcher, clinician and mother of a teenager, Troxel discusses how early school start times deprive adolescents of sleep during the time of their lives when they need it most.

Tuesday, June 6, 2017

Sophie Scott: Why We Laugh



Did you know that you're 13 times more likely to laugh if you're with somebody else than if you're alone? Cognitive neuroscientist Sophie Scott shares this and other surprising facts about laughter in this fast-paced, action-packed and, yes, hilarious dash through the science of the topic.