Monday, December 30, 2019

5 Reasons Why Your 2019 Goals Failed | Brian Tracy


Are you wondering why your 2019 goals/resolutions might have failed? When it comes to achieving success, the most important step is setting good goals, however, not all goals are created equal. Watch today's video to start 2020 with the right tools to achieve your goals.

Friday, December 27, 2019

Mr. Rogers Greatest Advice


Mr. Rogers Inspirational Advice. Fred Rogers was one of the most inspirational voices on public television. He reach millions of children and adults from around the world with his positive messages.

Tuesday, December 24, 2019

Saturday, December 21, 2019

What Children Can Teach Us About Kindness


Did you know the key to happiness is helping others? Watch this inspirational life lesson from children that we can all learn from. This video shows how giving back to others and always being kind will make you and others around you happy.

Sunday, December 15, 2019

How Risk-Taking Changes a Teenager's Brain | Kashfia Rahman


Why do teenagers sometimes make outrageous, risky choices? Do they suddenly become reckless, or are they just going through a natural phase? To find out, Kashfia Rahman -- winner of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (and a Harvard freshman) -- designed and conducted an experiment to test how high school students respond to and get used to risk, and how it changes their still-developing brains. What she discovered about risk and decision-making could change how we think about why teens do what they do.

Thursday, December 12, 2019

How to Motivate People to Do Good for Others | Erez Yoeli


How can we get people to do more good: to go to the polls, give to charity, conserve resources or just generally act better towards others? MIT research scientist Erez Yoeli shares a simple checklist for harnessing the power of reputations -- or our collective desire to be seen as generous and kind instead of selfish -- to motivate people to act in the interest of others. Learn more about how small changes to your approach to getting people to do good could yield surprising results.

Monday, December 9, 2019

Volunteer with the Matt Garcia Foundation


ISSUE AREA(S)
Justice, Legal Services & Civil Rights

REQUIREMENTS
Age Minimum (with Adult): 18+, Minimum Age:18+


Matt Garcia was a man with a vision. He was the youngest city councilman elected in the state of California in November 2007. Matt was a great young leader and inspiration to all who knew him. Matt was only 22 years old… but, he lived more in those short years than many adults can even imagine. He led by inspiration, with integrity and ambition.

Matt’s dream involved supporting the youth and creating places for them to go and things for them to do; Changing a culture of violence and crime in the city through youth involvement. By uniting a community all people will have a sense of belonging and responsibility to the city of Fairfield. Matt’s life was cut short, but his legacy, work and heart live on.

The Matt Garcia Foundation was established to carry out Matt’s dream. We are dedicated to the work and efforts that Matt started and hope that we can inspire others to be the change in this world we live in, just as Matt inspired us.

Opportunity Leader: Teresa Taylor Click here to email this contact

Friday, December 6, 2019

Join Us Tonight at the Christmas Tree Lighting & Holiday Festivities in Downtown Fairfield!


Christmas Tree Lighting & Holiday Festivities

December 6, 2019 6:00pm to 8:30pm

Rain or Shine

Tree Lighting at Jefferson & Texas Street

Tuesday, December 3, 2019

What is Compassion?


What is compassion? We'll look at what compassion means and examples you might notice it in your own life.

Saturday, November 30, 2019

Getting Unstuck


There will be times in your life when you feel stuck and when you're stagnant, but when you have those moments, there are three things you should do:

1. Analyze when you have been successful in the past
2. Be mindful of how you speak to yourself and the language that you're using
3. Begin to identify what you have done right instead of you've done wrong

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Happy Thanksgiving!


Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other. 
-Randy Pausch

Sunday, November 24, 2019

Join Us on Saturday For Our Monthly Community Clean Up!




When: Saturday, November 30, 2019, 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 a 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.

Thursday, November 21, 2019

You Can Help 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, November 15, 2019

Why Accountability Is Key to Being a Better Leader


If you're looking to be a better leader in all aspects of your life, you have to hold yourself accountable. Accountability is keeping your commitments to people. Holding those commitments will build deeper, more meaningful relationships and when you build deep relationships with people, you create loyalty and trust. Once you create loyalty and trust, people will never want to let you down because they know that you'll never let them down.

Tuesday, November 12, 2019

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?

Saturday, November 9, 2019

How to Handle Failures in Life | Brian Tracy


Everyone tends to make mistakes and the busier you are, the more mistakes you will make. The only question is, do you stay positive and move forward from life’s inevitable ups and downs? Let's talk about how to handle mistakes and failures.

Thursday, November 7, 2019

Rediscovering Hope Through Self-Forgiveness


Even as a high school football star, Billy fell into a dark tunnel. Within a 9-month period, Billy’s two most important people were killed and he felt responsible for both deaths. He found his light switch after 20 years of incarceration, which led him to rediscover hope through self-forgiveness.

"I see myself as caring, earnest, loyal and full of life. I want to bring happiness to a person’s day. If I notice someone isn’t happy or feeling well, I want to make him smile. I find joy and passion in team settings; I love to work with others. What got us where we’re at does not need to define us. I love sports and working out."

Sunday, November 3, 2019

The Power of Positivity | Brain Games


See firsthand how positive and negative reinforcement can affect a player’s game on the court.

Thursday, October 31, 2019

If You're Different: BE DIFFERENT


"You can not... EVER... live the life of your dreams by settling for someone else’s idea of what you should be doing with your life."

Monday, October 28, 2019

The Freedom of Forgiveness | Kenneth Goodrum


The Assistant Director of Student Conduct and Community Standards at Central State University advocates for forgiveness, if only for yourself.

Friday, October 25, 2019

Join Us Tomorrow For Our Monthly Community Clean Up!




When: Saturday, October 26, 2019, 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 a 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, October 22, 2019

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month - Letters of Encouragement


In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, The Matt Garcia Foundation will be writing letters of encouragement to send to women recently diagnosed with breast cancer. 

Please join us tomorrow, Wednesday, October 23rd from 5:30pm - 7pm at The Matt Garcia Career and College Academy located at 1100 Civic Center Drive. 

Saturday, October 19, 2019

Wednesday, October 16, 2019

You Can Help 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, October 13, 2019

How to Let Go of Being a "Good" Person — and Become a Better Person


What if your attachment to being a "good" person is holding you back from actually becoming a better person? In this accessible talk, social psychologist Dolly Chugh explains the puzzling psychology of ethical behavior -- like why it's hard to spot your biases and acknowledge mistakes -- and shows how the path to becoming better starts with owning your mistakes. "In every other part of our lives, we give ourselves room to grow -- except in this one, where it matters most," Chugh says.

Monday, October 7, 2019

3 Myths to Happiness | Brian Tracy


Just as the natural physical state is health and vitality, the natural emotional state is peace and happiness. Your feeling of inner happiness is there to tell you what you should be doing more or less of. Let's talk about the three major myths about happiness that each of us has to some degree.

Friday, October 4, 2019

Only 10 Days Away Until Our 10th Annual Golf Tournament!



Tenth Annual Golf Tournament – October 14, 2019

The Matt Garcia Foundation is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 10th 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 has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.”

Tuesday, October 1, 2019

The Science of Kindness


There are scientifically proven benefits to being kind! It is contagious, teachable, and makes you feel all fuzzy inside.

Saturday, September 28, 2019

Creative Ways to Get Kids to Thrive in School | Olympia Della Flora


To get young kids to thrive in school, we need to do more than teach them how to read and write -- we need to teach them how to manage their emotions, says educator Olympia Della Flora. In this practical talk, she shares creative tactics she used to help struggling, sometimes disruptive students -- things like stopping for brain breaks, singing songs and even doing yoga poses -- all with her existing budget and resources. "Small changes make huge differences, and it's possible to start right now ... You simply need smarter ways to think about using what you have, where you have it," she says.

Thursday, September 26, 2019

Join Us On Saturday For Our Monthly Community Clean Up!

 
When: Saturday, September 28, 2019, 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 a 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.

Thursday, September 19, 2019

The Matt Garcia Foundation's 10th Annual Golf Tournament is October 14th!


Tenth Annual Golf Tournament – October 14, 2019

The Matt Garcia Foundation is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 10th 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 has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.”

Monday, September 16, 2019

You Can Help 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 13, 2019

Stand Up For Everything That Matters To You


"Whatever you BELIEVE IN – LIVE THAT. Don’t be scared of the opinions of others. If they don’t stand tall with you, they aren’t right for you."

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

7 Simple Steps to Seize the Day! | Brian Tracy


Allow yourself to dare to dream big dreams. Decide what’s right before you decide what’s possible. Imagine your future as ideal in every respect, and remember: Whatever others have done, within reason, you can probably do as well, so just do it.

Saturday, September 7, 2019

Iyanla Vanzant: Forgive Yourself First


Spiritual life coach Iyanla Vanzant helps those in crisis, trying to fix what is broken and holding them back in their lives and relationships.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

Sunday, September 1, 2019

The Matt Garcia Foundation's 10th Annual Golf Tournament is October 14th!


Tenth Annual Golf Tournament – October 14, 2019

The Matt Garcia Foundation is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 10th 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 has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.”

Thursday, August 29, 2019

What Comes After Tragedy? Forgiveness | Azim Khamisa and Ples Felix


On one awful night in 1995, Ples Felix's 14-year-old grandson murdered Azim Khamisa's son in a gang initiation fueled by drugs, alcohol and a false sense of belonging. The deadly encounter sent Khamisa and Felix down paths of deep meditation, to forgive and to be forgiven -- and in an act of bravery and reconciliation, the two men met and forged a lasting bond. Together, they've used their story as an outline for a better, more merciful society, where victims of tragedy can grow and heal. Prepare to be moved by their unimaginable story. "Peace is possible," Khamisa says. "How do I know that? Because I am at peace."

Monday, August 26, 2019

FORGIVENESS - A Minute With John Maxwell


Learn why John Maxwell believes that Forgiveness is the most wanted word in the English language.

Friday, August 23, 2019

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Why It's Worth Listening to People You Disagree With | Zachary R. Wood


We get stronger, not weaker, by engaging with ideas and people we disagree with, says Zachary R. Wood. In an important talk about finding common ground, Wood makes the case that we can build empathy and gain understanding by engaging tactfully and thoughtfully with controversial ideas and unfamiliar perspectives. "Tuning out opposing viewpoints doesn't make them go away," Wood says. "To achieve progress in the face of adversity, we need a genuine commitment to gaining a deeper understanding of humanity."

Saturday, August 17, 2019

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

The Matt Garcia Foundation's 10th Annual Golf Tournament is October 14th!


Tenth Annual Golf Tournament – October 14, 2019

The Matt Garcia Foundation is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 10th 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 has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.”

Saturday, August 10, 2019

You Can Help 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, August 8, 2019

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.

Monday, August 5, 2019

Fred Rogers: Look for the Helpers


When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”

Thursday, August 1, 2019

The Real Risk of Forgiveness–And Why It’s Worth It


Forgiveness is tricky. Everyone says you should forgive, but no one will tell you how, exactly, to do it. And is it always possible—even for something as traumatic as gun violence?

In this vulnerable and heartfelt talk, writer Sarah Montana takes us through her journey of forgiving her family’s killer. She offers an inside look at what we risk when we choose to forgive and a hopeful glimpse of the freedom that lies on the other side of grief.

Sarah Montana is an NYC based writer, editor, and branded content producer. She has ghostwritten book proposals for celebrity experts, some of which have been sold to publishers for six figures. She creates and shapes content for authors and business owners, including ebooks, reality TV pitches, articles, memoirs, and marketing copy. She is also a playwright and creates her own original content. Her most recent play, The Girl, The Ghosts, and the Minotaur was selected for a staged reading at Life Jacket Theater Company’s 2017 Proof of Concept Reading Series in New York City.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Monday, July 29, 2019

"Let There Be Light” - Art Show and the Matt Garcia Foundation Mannequins Fundraiser


The Fairfield-Suisun City Visual Arts Association (FSVAA) graciously extends an invitation to the Public to the Opening Reception for the “Let There Be Light” Art Show and the Matt Garcia Foundation/Mannequins Fundraiser.

These fun-filled free art events run from June 26 to August 4 at the Solano Town Center Gallery located at 1350 Travis Blvd., Ste. D-8, in Fairfield. The Mannequins will be on display during this time and offer a variety of figures that are uniquely painted by a theme that is sure to captivate the eye. These creative, one-of-a-kind pieces of art will be auctioned off during the Closing Reception on August 3rd from 3-5:30 pm. Wine, donated by BackRoad Vines, and snacks will be served during the receptions. Bidding is open to everyone! The Mannequins will be awarded to the highest bidders so be sure to attend and place your bids between June 26 and August 1.

These events are sponsored by Macy’s, JC Penney, and the artists of the FSVAA. The FSVAA supports keeping Matt Garcia’s Dream alive and will donate all proceeds and donations from this exhibit to the Matt Garcia Foundation. Let’s unite and help make this a successful event!

For additional information regarding this exhibit and future events, please visit our DONOR WEBSITE or contact Gallery Director and FSVAA President, Dennis Ariza at 707-688-8889.

Friday, July 26, 2019

Join Us Tomorrow For Our Monthly Community Clean Up!

 
When: Saturday, July 27, 2019, 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 a 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, July 23, 2019

3 Questions to Ask Yourself About Everything You Do | Stacey Abrams


How you respond after setbacks is what defines your character. Stacey Abrams was the first black woman in the history of the United States to be nominated by a major party for governor -- she lost that hotly contested race, but as she says: the only choice is to move forward. In an electrifying talk, she shares the lessons she learned from her campaign for governor of Georgia, some advice on how to change the world -- and a few hints at her next steps. "Be aggressive about your ambition," Abrams says.

Saturday, July 20, 2019

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.

Wednesday, July 17, 2019

Make An Impact


"When you were born, you cried, and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice."

Sunday, July 14, 2019

How You Treat People Is Who You Are! (Kindness Motivational Video)


"No matter how educated, talented, rich or cool you believe you are, how you treat people ultimately tells all. Integrity is everything."

Thursday, July 11, 2019

CGI Animated Short Film: "Mr Indifferent" by Aryasb Feiz


Let’s take time to reflect on how we can make a difference. Let’s reach out to those who need help and volunteer for causes that change us for the better, just as they change the world.

Tuesday, July 9, 2019

You Can Help 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, July 6, 2019

How to Turn a Negative Situation into a Positive One | Brian Tracy


The great business of life is to eliminate negative emotions. I’ve spent more than four-thousand hours studying how to turn negative situations into positive ones, and what I’ve discovered is that negative emotions are the single biggest enemy that any of us have. If we had no negative emotions, our lives would be wonderful -- as would our relationships, our health and everything else. Watch this video and learn how to eliminate negative feelings and take control of your emotions.

Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Why Credibility is the Foundation of Leadership


Why would anyone follow you? Barry Posner asserts that we follow people we believe are credible – competent, honest, forward-thinking, and inspirational. People will not believe the message if they don’t believe in the messenger.

Saturday, June 29, 2019

How to Motivate People to Do Good for Others | Erez Yoeli


How can we get people to do more good: to go to the polls, give to charity, conserve resources or just generally act better towards others? MIT research scientist Erez Yoeli shares a simple checklist for harnessing the power of reputations -- or our collective desire to be seen as generous and kind instead of selfish -- to motivate people to act in the interest of others. Learn more about how small changes to your approach to getting people to do good could yield surprising results.

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Join Us On Saturday For Our Monthly Community Clean Up!

 
When: Saturday, June 29, 2019, 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 a 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, June 23, 2019

What Children Can Teach Us About Kindness


Did you know the key to happiness is helping others? Watch this inspirational life lesson from children that we can all learn from. This video shows how giving back to others and always being kind will make you and others around you happy.

Thursday, June 20, 2019

Volunteers Needed for The Teddy Bear Workshop on June 24th!


Join The Matt Garcia Foundation on Monday, June 24 at 5pm in making teddy bears to bring comfort to children in hospitals across Solano County.

Monday, June 17, 2019

4 Tips to Improve Leadership Skills | Brian Tracy


Leaders never stop growing and developing. They have the capacity to keep themselves from falling into a comfort zone. They are lifelong students. All leadership qualities can be learned. The hard part is identifying the qualities that you must learn to succeed as an effective leader.

Friday, June 14, 2019

Our Teddy Bear Workshop Needs Volunteers on Monday, June 24th!


Join The Matt Garcia Foundation on Monday, June 24 at 5pm in making teddy bears to bring comfort to children in hospitals across Solano County.

Tuesday, June 11, 2019

Final Matt Garcia Academy Grads Earn Diplomas

Matt Garcia Career and College Academy graduates, from left to right, Cheyanna Kraly, Ethin Mac Donald and Disney Moreno, flip their tassels to celebrate graduating at the Fairfield Community Center, Thursday, June 6, 2019. (Robinson Kuntz/Daily Republic)

FAIRFIELD — Seven graduates bid goodbye Wednesday afternoon to the Matt Garcia Career & College Academy.

They also represented the last class that can call themselves graduates of the school named after late Fairfield City Councilman Matt Garcia.

It has been serving sixth through 12th grades and is becoming a school of choice for middle schoolers. The high school portion will be closed.

Zachary Wasilchin attended Matt Garcia all four years.

“It’s more of a family,” he said of the school, adding that he didn’t think he would have thrived in a traditional high school.

A five-year member of the Fairfield Fire Department’s Explorer Post, he plans to take an emergency medical technician course, attend the fire academy and work for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection or the U.S. Forest Service.

Wasilchin is so serious about his career, he was going out for a meal after the ceremony then on to a business meeting at the Fire Department.

History and art teacher Michelle Hays worked with some of the graduates since middle school. She also emphasized the family atmosphere at the academy, noting that the students pushed each other to study and graduate.

“It was very much a team effort,” she said.

While the graduates were in elementary school when Garcia was shot and killed in a case of mistaken identity, they all knew who he is and strive to follow Garcia’s Keep the Dream alive message.

Raymond Courtemanche, Garcia’s stepfather, was a frequent visitor to the campus, Hays said.

“It’s an ending and beginning,” principal Dennis Foster told the graduates and their guests.

The Matt Garcia Career & College Academy was the perfect place for “misfit students and staff,” he said.

“Today is a milestone in your long journey of life,” Foster said. “It shouldn’t be a pinnacle.”

Student speaker Ethin Mac Donald mentioned he was apprehensive about the school closing, noting the need will remain.

He encouraged his fellow graduates to make a commitment to keep learning.

Mac Donald thanked staff and family for all their support, especially in the beginning.

“We can take it from here,” he said.

Article Source: https://www.dailyrepublic.com/all-dr-news/solano-news/fairfield/final-matt-garcia-academy-grads-earn-diplomas/?fbclid=IwAR2OMk-pbSaZ1gsEyO62HZ39d4lwwRr054Oi1F7pPe0R4bmmiVKHDanBZuI

Saturday, June 8, 2019

You Can Help 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, June 5, 2019

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 training and workshops on CFT.

Sunday, June 2, 2019

Thursday, May 30, 2019

This Is What Makes a Great Leader Stand Out


A good leader is always in service to others. Whether they choose to guide the people around them with empathy, inspiration or solid business principles, you can count on a strong leader to put the team first.

Monday, May 27, 2019

Negative Thoughts Are Your Greatest Enemies


Entrepreneur Network Partner, Brian Tracy describes the moment when he realized how to get rid of negative thoughts: "I was twenty-one, I was broke and living in a small one-room apartment in the middle of a very cold winter working on a construction job during the day."

Friday, May 24, 2019

Join Us Tomorrow For Our Monthly Community Clean Up!

 
When: Saturday, May 25, 2019, 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 a 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, May 21, 2019

Helping Others Makes Us Happier -- But It Matters How We Do It


Research shows that helping others makes us happier. But in her groundbreaking work on generosity and joy, social psychologist Elizabeth Dunn found that there's a catch: it matters how we help. Learn how we can make a greater impact -- and boost our own happiness along the way -- if we make one key shift in how we help others. "Let's stop thinking about giving as just this moral obligation and start thinking of it as a source of pleasure," Dunn says.

Saturday, May 18, 2019

What Comes After Tragedy? Forgiveness


On one awful night in 1995, Ples Felix's 14-year-old grandson murdered Azim Khamisa's son in a gang initiation fueled by drugs, alcohol and a false sense of belonging.

The deadly encounter sent Khamisa and Felix down paths of deep meditation, to forgive and to be forgiven -- and in an act of bravery and reconciliation, the two men met and forged a lasting bond.

Together, they've used their story as an outline for a better, more merciful society, where victims of tragedy can grow and heal. Prepare to be moved by their unimaginable story. "Peace is possible," Khamisa says. "How do I know that? Because I am at peace."

Wednesday, May 15, 2019

The Power of Positivity | Brain Games


See firsthand how positive and negative reinforcement can affect a player’s game on the court.

Sunday, May 12, 2019

Happy Mother's Day!


A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take. 
Cardinal Mermillod

Thursday, May 9, 2019

Monday, May 6, 2019

You Can Help 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, May 3, 2019

How to Let Go of Being a "Good" Person — and Become a Better Person


What if your attachment to being a "good" person is holding you back from actually becoming a better person? In this accessible talk, social psychologist Dolly Chugh explains the puzzling psychology of ethical behavior -- like why it's hard to spot your biases and acknowledge mistakes -- and shows how the path to becoming better starts with owning your mistakes. "In every other part of our lives, we give ourselves room to grow -- except in this one, where it matters most," Chugh says.

Tuesday, April 30, 2019

How Risk-Taking Changes a Teenager's Brain | Kashfia Rahman


Why do teenagers sometimes make outrageous, risky choices? Do they suddenly become reckless, or are they just going through a natural phase? To find out, Kashfia Rahman -- winner of the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (and a Harvard freshman) -- designed and conducted an experiment to test how high school students respond to and get used to risk, and how it changes their still-developing brains. What she discovered about risk and decision-making could change how we think about why teens do what they do.

Saturday, April 27, 2019

Join Us TODAY for the FSVAA/Matt Garcia Foundation's Public Paint Day


The Fairfield-Suisun City Visual Arts Association (FSVAA) graciously extends an invitation to the Public to the FSVAA/Matt Garcia Foundation Public Paint Day. The event will be held on April 27, 10am to 2pm at the Solano Town Center located at 1350 Travis Blvd. in Fairfield, lower level, next to the children’s play area. The Paint Day is open to the Public of all ages and will offer children and adults a chance to add a touch of color to a mannequin art project. These mannequins, along with several others will be on display at the Solano Town Center Gallery, located on the second floor outside of Macy’s.

Also join us in celebrating the opening of a new Exhibit, “All About Texture.” The Show opens on Wednesday, April 3 at 11 am and runs thru May 19. The Gallery is open Wednesday thru Sunday, 11 am - 6 pm. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, April 6, 3-5 pm. The Show will also spotlight artwork by Featured Artist, Cherol Ockrassa from American Canyon.

During the Show, the creative, one-of-a-kind works of art will be auctioned off during the Closing Reception on August 3, from 3-5:30 pm. Wine, donated by BackRoad Vines, and snacks will be served during the receptions. Bidding is open to everyone! The Mannequins will be awarded to the highest bidders so be sure to attend and place your bids between June 26 and August 1.

These events are sponsored by Macy’s, JC Penney, and the artists of the FSVAA. The FSVAA supports keeping Matt Garcia’s Dream alive and will donate all proceeds and donations from this exhibit to the Matt Garcia Foundation.

Let’s unite and help make this a successful event!

For additional information regarding this exhibit and future events, please visit our website at https://www.fvaa-arts.org/ or contact Gallery Director and FSVAA President, Dennis Ariza at 707-688-8889.

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

FSVAA/Matt Garcia Foundation Public Paint Day


The Fairfield-Suisun City Visual Arts Association (FSVAA) graciously extends an invitation to the Public to the FSVAA/Matt Garcia Foundation Public Paint Day. The event will be held on April 27, 10am to 2pm at the Solano Town Center located at 1350 Travis Blvd. in Fairfield, lower level, next to the children’s play area. The Paint Day is open to the Public of all ages and will offer children and adults a chance to add a touch of color to a mannequin art project. These mannequins, along with several others will be on display at the Solano Town Center Gallery, located on the second floor outside of Macy’s.

Also join us in celebrating the opening of a new Exhibit, “All About Texture.” The Show opens on Wednesday, April 3 at 11 am and runs thru May 19. The Gallery is open Wednesday thru Sunday, 11 am - 6 pm. The Opening Reception will be held on Saturday, April 6, 3-5 pm. The Show will also spotlight artwork by Featured Artist, Cherol Ockrassa from American Canyon.

During the Show, the creative, one-of-a-kind works of art will be auctioned off during the Closing Reception on August 3, from 3-5:30 pm. Wine, donated by BackRoad Vines, and snacks will be served during the receptions. Bidding is open to everyone! The Mannequins will be awarded to the highest bidders so be sure to attend and place your bids between June 26 and August 1.

These events are sponsored by Macy’s, JC Penney, and the artists of the FSVAA. The FSVAA supports keeping Matt Garcia’s Dream alive and will donate all proceeds and donations from this exhibit to the Matt Garcia Foundation.

Let’s unite and help make this a successful event!

For additional information regarding this exhibit and future events, please visit our website at https://www.fvaa-arts.org/ or contact Gallery Director and FSVAA President, Dennis Ariza at 707-688-8889.

Sunday, April 21, 2019

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?

Thursday, April 18, 2019

Join Us on Saturday for Our Earth Day Cleanup!


Join the Matt Garcia Foundation in celebrating Earth Day on Saturday, April 20 from 9:00am - 11:00am at Laurel Creek in Fairfield. To register go to: www.fssd.com/earthday

Important
Remember to turn in your waiver form on the day of the event to the Site Captain. If you are under the age of 18, the waiver form must be signed by a parent or guardian. For specific questions, please email Kevin Cullen at kcullen@fssd.com

Monday, April 15, 2019

Creative Ways to Get Kids to Thrive in School | Olympia Della Flora


To get young kids to thrive in school, we need to do more than teach them how to read and write -- we need to teach them how to manage their emotions, says educator Olympia Della Flora. In this practical talk, she shares creative tactics she used to help struggling, sometimes disruptive students -- things like stopping for brain breaks, singing songs and even doing yoga poses -- all with her existing budget and resources. "Small changes make huge differences, and it's possible to start right now ... You simply need smarter ways to think about using what you have, where you have it," she says.

Friday, April 12, 2019

Volunteers Needed for Earth Day Clean Up on April 20!


Join the Matt Garcia Foundation in celebrating Earth Day on Saturday, April 20 from 9:00am - 11:00am at Laurel Creek in Fairfield. To register go to: www.fssd.com/earthday

Important
Remember to turn in your waiver form on the day of the event to the Site Captain. If you are under the age of 18, the waiver form must be signed by a parent or guardian. For specific questions, please email Kevin Cullen at kcullen@fssd.com

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

Saturday, April 6, 2019

2019 NCVRW Theme Video: Honoring Our Past. Creating Hope for the Future.


The 2019 National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW) Theme Video celebrates the progress made by those before us as we look to a future of crime victim services that is even more inclusive, accessible, and trauma-informed.

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

How We Can Help the "Forgotten Middle" Reach Their Full Potential | Danielle R. Moss


You know the "forgotten middle": they're the students, coworkers and regular people who are often overlooked because they're seen as neither exceptional nor problematic. How can we empower them to reach their full potential? Sharing her work helping young people get to and through college, social activist Danielle R. Moss challenges us to think deeper about who deserves help and attention -- and shows us how to encourage those in the middle to dream big.

Thursday, March 28, 2019

Join Us For Our Monthly Community Clean Up On Saturday!

 
When: Saturday, March 30, 2019, 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 a 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, March 25, 2019

FORGIVENESS - A Minute With John Maxwell


Learn why John Maxwell believes that Forgiveness is the most wanted word in the English language.

Tuesday, March 19, 2019

You Can Help 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, March 16, 2019

Forgiveness in an Age of Anger


We think we're entitled to "righteous anger", but is it really so righteous? And does anger actually help us fight injustice? In an increasingly angry culture, Brant Hansen encourages us to re-think our assumptions, and embrace a lifestyle of forgiveness.

Wednesday, March 13, 2019

Our Second Annual FREE Youth Baseball Clinic is on Saturday!


The Matt Garcia Foundation is hosting another FREE Baseball Clinic with MLB players on March 16 for youth ages 12-15! Lunch provided!  Visit the Northern Solano Babe Ruth Facebook page for more information!

Sunday, March 10, 2019

Why It's Worth Listening to People You Disagree With | Zachary R. Wood


We get stronger, not weaker, by engaging with ideas and people we disagree with, says Zachary R. Wood. In an important talk about finding common ground, Wood makes the case that we can build empathy and gain understanding by engaging tactfully and thoughtfully with controversial ideas and unfamiliar perspectives. "Tuning out opposing viewpoints doesn't make them go away," Wood says. "To achieve progress in the face of adversity, we need a genuine commitment to gaining a deeper understanding of humanity."

Thursday, March 7, 2019

The Matt Garcia Foundation's Second Annual FREE Youth Baseball Clinic


The Matt Garcia Foundation is hosting another FREE Baseball Clinic with MLB players on March 16 for youth ages 12-15! Lunch provided!  Visit the Northern Solano Babe Ruth Facebook page for more information!

Monday, March 4, 2019

Take a Street and Build a Community: Shani Graham at TEDxPerth



How well do you know your neighbors? Suburban life is often isolating and rarely a true community experience. This is not the case in Hulbert Street.

Shani Graham helped lead a sustainable-living revolution that ultimately resulted in strong neighborly relationships, the fences pulled down and the establishment of a street festival. In this talk, she explains how it happened.

Saturday, March 2, 2019

Is Hope Worth Having?


Is it smart to be cynical? In her talk, Junah Jang explores what it means to be both informed and hopeful in an era where bad news is more accessible than ever. Junah is a student at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, USA. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Wednesday, February 27, 2019

Our Second Annual FREE Youth Baseball Clinic is March 16!


The Matt Garcia Foundation is hosting another FREE Baseball Clinic with MLB players on March 16 for youth ages 12-15! Lunch provided!  Visit the Northern Solano Babe Ruth Facebook page for more information!

Saturday, February 23, 2019

The Real Risk of Forgiveness–And Why It’s Worth It


Forgiveness is tricky. Everyone says you should forgive, but no one will tell you how, exactly, to do it. And is it always possible—even for something as traumatic as gun violence?

In this vulnerable and heartfelt talk, writer Sarah Montana takes us through her journey of forgiving her family’s killer. She offers an inside look at what we risk when we choose to forgive and a hopeful glimpse of the freedom that lies on the other side of grief.

Sarah Montana is an NYC based writer, editor, and branded content producer. She has ghostwritten book proposals for celebrity experts, some of which have been sold to publishers for six figures. She creates and shapes content for authors and business owners, including ebooks, reality TV pitches, articles, memoirs, and marketing copy. She is also a playwright and creates her own original content. Her most recent play, The Girl, The Ghosts, and the Minotaur was selected for a staged reading at Life Jacket Theater Company’s 2017 Proof of Concept Reading Series in New York City.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Sunday, February 17, 2019

The Matt Garcia Foundation's Second Annual FREE Youth Baseball Clinic


The Matt Garcia Foundation is hosting another FREE Baseball Clinic with MLB players on March 16 for youth ages 12-15! Lunch provided!  Visit the Northern Solano Babe Ruth Facebook page for more information!

Thursday, February 14, 2019

You Can Help 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.

Monday, February 11, 2019

How Can You Change Someone's Mind? (hint: facts aren't always enough) - Hugo Mercier


Why do arguments change people’s minds in some cases and backfire in others? Hugo Mercier explains how arguments are more convincing when they rest on a good knowledge of the audience, taking into account what the audience believes, who they trust, and what they value.

Lesson by Hugo Mercier, animation by TED-Ed.

Friday, February 8, 2019