Jump for Joy!

It's hard to believe that we have open for over 4 months! Time flies when you're having fun... And, we are definitely having fun!

In September, our character trait was Leadership! Students talked about what it means and takes to be a leader. Our guest speaker for the month was Vernard Hollins, CEO and Director of Always 100! According to Hollins' website, "Always 100 basketball is designed to challenge and achieves athletic excellence which in turn fosters self confidence, leadership, and personal growth. The Always 100 motto is to give 100% at all times and the focus is to help kids remain active and productive — keeping them focused on positivity, not negativity."
We were so thankful for his visit. Not only do the children of The Brandon Foundation love Vernard and his program, but Vernard continues to support us as we grow and become leaders ourselves.

In October, our character trait was Compassion. During the month, we talked a lot about how we can help others who are suffering and what it means to have empathy and show compassion. On a Sunday afternoon, the children of the foundation visited the Shadarobah Horse Rescue Ranch! They had an amazing experience while they were able to learn about the horses. Students were told how the horses were rescued and taught how to care for them. Students immediately felt connected to the horses and were excited to be able to ride them. As a group, the children of the foundation were able to donate money to the ranch to sponsor one dental cleaning for a horse that desperately needed it. We will look forward to our next visit!

Also in October, we were blessed to have a visit from Kate's Kart! Kate's Kart is a program that promotes reading in children by providing books to children during hospital stays. Kate's mom visited the foundation and told the children Kate's story. As they sat quietly, they listened intently. After they heard her story, they were thrilled to be able to donate several books to Kate's Kart.

During November, we focused on our new character trait: Responsibility. In December, we've been discussing the character trait: Health and Wellness, and we have collected over 100 cans to take to the Community Harvest Food Bank!

We have a new member: Kava. He is our friendly dog who will be visiting as the students of the foundation begin to participate in animal therapy. We will have more to come on this amazing experience.

As we prepare for our Christmas break, we count our blessings and look forward to spending time with our families. Our Christmas wish? Please consider voting for us, beginning on Tuesday, December 17th, in the "Jump for Joy" contest for the Young and Free Indiana Program. You can watch our entry and vote here:
http://www.youngfreeindiana.com/jump-for-joy.

Winning this contest would mean $3,000 for computers and help with funding summer enrichment camps for the children of The Brandon Foundation!

Blessings to you from The Brandon Foundation!

Five more weeks...

Several of our friends won't like to hear that their summer is coming to an end, but The Brandon Foundation is excited!

Five more weeks until we open our doors and welcome our first group of children!

School begins August 19th for Fort Wayne Community Schools, and after school that first Monday, children of The Brandon Foundation will walk through our doors eager to meet their mentors.

The mentors? They're eager, too... Eager to begin relationships with the first group of future leaders to enter our program. Eager to be a part of the foundation's mission. Eager to guide children as they grow academically and socially... Eager to learn and grow as much from the children as the children learn and grow themselves.


Speaking of growing... Have you seen our new logo? It's perfect for us.



The tree is rooted in the book; the tree symbolizes our children, as they place their foundation in their education and grow into solid, strong community leaders. Education is a powerful tool for children, and being able to use their education while establishing relationships and developing as young adults is equally powerful -- a combination that is the focus of The Brandon Foundation.





Mark your calendar!
August 24th at St. Henry's Community Center, The Brandon Foundation will be co-hosting a Community Flea Market & Garage Sale. If you're interested in purchasing a table for $10 and selling your items or products, please message us on Facebook or email us at brandonfoundation@hotmail.com.

We have other things in store that day, too, so be sure to watch as the date gets closer!


Mentor, maybe?
Yes, you! Could you be a mentor to one of our children? We have children registered and ready to begin, but we could use a few more mentors. The commitment is minimal, but the benefits are a lengthy list. Are you hesitant? What's holding you back? Talk to us... Anyone connected to The Brandon Foundation can answer your questions. We need you. More importantly, the future leaders of our community need you. All we ask is that you consider the possibility.

What's a Mentor?

According to the famous Merriam-Webster dictionary, a mentor is "a trusted counselor or guide."

Exactly: Trust. Counsel. Guide.

At The Brandon Foundation, mentors will work to build trusting relationships with our students. As the relationship develops, mentors help counsel through social and academic guidance, which is grounded in Christian love.

Mentors play a crucial role in the success of the foundation. It is their relationships that encourage the involvement in school and community. It is their relationships that support personal development.

Merriam-Webster suggested synonyms for mentor:  tutor, coach.

Exactly: Tutor. Coach.

Of course, our mentors help by tutoring students who struggle with their academics. But, our mentors are also coaches, providing knowledge and techniques for success and setting obtainable goals for our students' futures.

Even if the students who visit The Brandon Foundation do not need academic support, each student is paired with a mentor who they can trust to counsel, guide, and coach them as they learn about themselves, discover their true potential - both academically and socially, and identify their roles as future leaders in their community.

A few hours a week.

That's it: a few hours a week.

Can you spare a few hours of your time to spend with the children of The Brandon Foundation? We need people like you! Without mentors, our program is less successful - our children are less successful. The mentors are the heart and soul of this program, and we need more mentors to begin this school year...

10 months.

That's it: a few hours a week for ten months.

We know we can change the lives of the children who attend The Brandon Foundation. Don't you want to be a part of that? It is certain to change your life, too; it has already changed ours.

Please consider contacting us for more information! We would love to hear from you.

Message us on Facebook or email us at brandonfoundation@hotmail.com.

"So love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength." Mark 12:30

 

"I can do everything through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13

"He gives strength to those who grow tired and increases the strength of those who are weak.  Even young people grow tired and become weary, and young men will stumble and fall.  Yet, the strength of those who wait with hope in the LORD will be renewed. They will soar on wings like eagles. They will run and won’t become weary. They will walk and won’t grow tired." Isaiah 40:29-31

Welcome!

Welcome to The Brandon Foundation Blog!

Who are we and what will we do?
We are teachers, educators, parents, friends, and members of all ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds of the community. We are dedicated to instilling a passion for education and success in our students, encouraging them as they become the future leaders of our community.

Curriculum Overview
Students will be partnered with a mentor and tutor who will help support their academic goals. According to each student, a plan will be developed to meet his/her individual academic needs. Within our program, the students will participate in community service activities in order to prepare them to be positive leaders and citizens in our community.

At The Brandon Foundation, we believe that EVERY child has the ability to succeed; we celebrate diversity and strive to instill integrity, compassion, and confidence in each child. It is our MISSION to show each student their potential and help support them in meeting their goals.

How can you keep in touch with us?
We appreciate you taking the time to visit; please consider joining us by following our blog. To do that, please enter your email address in the box under "Follow Us!" to the left of this post. When you follow us, you will receive an email each time we post on or update our blog; it's a great way to keep in touch with us!


"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world." -Nelson Mandela