Buscaglia

Fit 4 the Cause

In response to America’s healthcare crisis…

Fit 4 The Cause provides diverse exercise and nutrition education programs for low-income communities, many of them with special needs. We serve thousands of beneficiaries including vulnerable children, at-risk teens and fragile seniors in Ventura, Simi Valley, Conejo Valley and the San Fernando Valley. We continue to keep our communities together during the pandemic, offering virtual classes daily. We track progress through our programs and the well-being of these groups.

Click here to learn more about Fit for the Cause.

Access Books

The mission of Access Books is to provide high interest reading material to under served children in Los Angeles by providing low income neighborhoods with a warm and welcoming school or community library.  Their purpose is to advance childhood literacy in poor schools so children will have the foundation they need to be lifelong readers and leaders.

Click here to read more about 2022 recipients. 

Walk With Sally

Who is Sally?

Sally was Nick Arquette’s mom. He and his brother lived with her in Northern California while she was diagnosed with and battling breast cancer. They struggled to try to make sense of why their mother was going through this and at the same time longed to have a mother who was just like all the other mom’s they saw with their friends. As the mounting pressures of cancer took their toll, this single mother could no longer care for her two sons and Nick and his brother moved to Idaho to live with their father. The impact of cancer had started to take it’s toll. At just 11 years old Nick realized that cancer changes everything… he and his brother had to leave everything they had known, school, friends, family, and move to start a new life with their father in Idaho. Although he had his brother, Nick had always wanted someone who could understand what he was going through since his friends hadn’t really been exposed to cancer in their own lives yet.

THE BEGINNING

 
Eventually Nick moved to Southern California, started his own life as an entrepreneur in the film and healthcare industries and yet always kept Sally in his heart. By the time he reached his early 30’s Nick realized that who Sally was, and her spirit, were no longer alive. She had succeeded in making sure that he grew up to be ok and yet her memory was fading around him. Thinking back on those days in his early teens, he started diving into the world of mentorship, wanting to create an opportunity to give hope to children who have been in a similar place as he was. There was nothing available in the community like this, so his creative instincts kicked in, and after extensive research, and with the support of friends and family, he started the Walk With Sally mentoring program in 2005.
 

Parentis Foundation

Parentis Foundation is proud to celebrate Read Across America Day 2023 and Dr. Seuss’ Birthday with our 300+ young scholars across Orange County who meet with their dedicated reading mentors twice weekly to both improve their reading skills and enhance their love for reading and discovery! 
 
 

Access Books

Many thanks to @vanaveryprep 8th grade Spanish class for helping with the book drive at Lillian Street Elementary School! 
For more information on Access Books and events in the Los Angeles area, visit: https://www.accessbooks.net And browse our video collection on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/accessbooks/videos Los Angeles Unified School District Compton Unified School District @ala_aasl Lillian Street Elementary

Fit 4 The Cause

Fit 4 the Cause received a grant for rent/occupancy/utilities, fitness instructor salaries, program staffing and home studio tech including lights, Zoom and cameras for remote classes. The funds will help F4TC to serve 750 individuals free of charge through weekly fitness classes. Fit 4 The Cause provides diverse exercise and nutrition education programs for low-income communities, many of them with special needs. They serve thousands of beneficiaries including vulnerable children, at-risk teens and fragile seniors in Ventura, Simi Valley, Conejo Valley and the San Fernando Valley. They continued to keep their communities together during the pandemic, offering virtual classes daily. They hope to transition back to on-site classes as the pandemic lessens.
 
Walt and Pam are two local seniors. Once runners, they experienced an ACL and knee replacement respectively. They struggled with keeping active until they discovered Fit 4 The Cause’s Senior Sneakers program. When COVID made social distancing necessary, the couple volunteered to maintain a Zoom account so that Fit 4 The Cause could provide virtual fitness classes. They also host virtual social hours on Zoom that give members the opportunity to catch up and remain socially engaged. Their efforts have helped dozens of people keep physically and mentally healthy in the midst of the pandemic.
 

Kingdom Causes Bellflower

Kingdom Causes Bellflower received a grant to help support their transitional housing home, Margaret’s House.  Margaret’s House is a three-unit transitional home that offers short-term (6-9 months) housing and services for low-income families with minor dependent children.  Margaret’s House provides each family with case management and housing search assistance in a dignified, high-quality living experience.  Funds will go towards the expenses of the program including case management and facility costs.  The mission of Kingdom Causes Bellflower (KCB) is to be a catalyst that inspires, connects, and mobilizes people towards personal and community transformation.  KCB helps people get off the street, provides support services to those at risk of homelessness, creates pathways to sustainable work through social enterprise, and offers ongoing training and education to the community.

Walk With Sally

Friendship Activities for Adult Mentors & Youth Mentees

Friendship activities are a key component youth mentoring program for children and families impacted by cancer. Walk With Sally hosts quarterly group friendship activities with all mentoring friendships, their families, and prospective families as well. The goal is to provide an educational and experiential day-long event while offering all participants a sense of community. And most importantly give families the chance to just have FUN.

These activities have included the Gentle Barn, Whale Watching at the Ocean Institute, and Surfing & Ocean Healing (in partnership with the Jimmy Miller Memorial Foundation) at El Porto Beach.

Click here to learn more about Walk with Sally. 

Friendship Foundation

Friendship Foundation received a grant to purchase supplies such as art supplies, crafts, sports equipment, and games for school clubs. Friendship Clubs will reach approximately 2,500 children during the grant year. The Friendship Foundation transforms the lives of people with special needs, their families, volunteers, and eventually society. Friendship Foundation’s mission is to bring happiness and companionship to children with special needs in a way that celebrates their uniqueness and individuality through participation in age-appropriate social, recreational and educational activities with their peers. Build leadership skills and foster the values of altruism, volunteerism, and sacrifice among student volunteers. Impart renewed strength, comfort and peace of mind to the parents of these special children. And heighten the community’s awareness, sensitivity, and sense of responsibility with regard to responding to these vital needs. The Friendship Foundation (then known as the Friendship Circle) also received a grant from the Leo Buscaglia Foundation in 2010.
 
The values that students learn while apart of Friendship Foundation goes on to serve them throughout the rest of their lives. Whether it’s the volunteer or the student who had someone take the time to show they care. What an amazing way to share love with our fellow humans. Leo would be so proud.

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