News And Events
Lace-It-Up Campaign Soft Launch
Lace-It-Up for Youth Empowerment
Have you noticed the many problems that are harming our youths nowadays?
Video game addiction, obesity, school bullying, negative peer pressure, gang violence, teen pregnancy, depression, alchohol/drug abuse, and teen suicide are among the alarming problems that are destroying the lives of young people and their families.
Many laws and rules have been legislated, and even enforced, to prevent the devastating problems harming our youths. Although the intentions are earnest, the methods have not been as successful as initially projected.
Before addressing a method of addressing the issues, our local community members must feel the necessity, urgency, and unity to invest the time and energy required to lead the younger generation to a healthy and meaningful life.
If all of us continue to be observers and watch our youths fall into their most primitive instincts and desires, then what hope can we speak about for the next generation?
The Lace-It-Up Campaign raises awareness of youth problems in the community by promoting the wearing (and displaying) of teal-colored shoelaces. Just as one wears pink to support breast cancer awareness, the Lace-it-Up Campaign utilizes the color teal in order to bring attention to the youth problems of this generation. Supporters (youths and adults) wear the teal laces to show their concern for these youth issues and to indicate that they are an agent of change in the movement.
For a limited time, we have FREE teal laces that are available upon request. For those who want to join the movement and raise awareness of problems hurting our youths, send a self-addressed, sufficiently stamped envelope to: Supportful Foundation, 1659F
Press Release for Dental-ful Program
Supportful Foundation Advances Charitable Dentistry in
Innovative New Program Encourages Charitable Dentists by Subsidizing Costs of Restorative Dental Work for Underserved Individuals
San Jose, CA, March 17, 2012 --(PR.com)-- The Supportful Foundation, a U.S. charitable organization which promotes healthy living by facilitating programs and services that improve the well-being of individuals and communities, announced today that the Dental-ful Program is active in the continental United States. With this release, Dental-ful is now able to subsidize costs for dentists who perform charitable restorative dentistry while reducing financial burdens for patients so they can receive proper treatment. This empowers and encourages dentists who want to deliver charity to underserved individuals in their community.
The Dental-ful Program provides dentists and patients with an innovative option to reduce the costs of charitable dental services. Usually, generous dentists, dental assistants, and hygienists are able to perform charitable dental treatments, consisting of extractions, fillings, and cleanings, without help from a dental laboratory. When these dental professionals meet a patient who needs restorative work and is unable to afford the cost of treatment they become very limited in their ability to help this patient because laboratory fabrications are a cost to the dental professionals also. However, a new option for charitable dentists is now available through the Dental-ful Program.
The Dental-ful Program, offered by the Supportful Foundation, is a dynamic dental network which connects underserved and disadvantaged individuals with compassionate dentists, laboratories, suppliers, and organizations.The Dental-ful Program gives out free and discounted crowns, bridges, or dentures to qualified applicants. The removal of the financial burden of laboratory costs creates a synergistic relationship of care between the dentist and the laboratory for the benefit of the disadvantaged person. The simple application process of Dental-ful results in speedy assessments and determinations. Every application has a field for a dentist’s recommended treatment (prescription) and a field for the patient’s Statement of Request for Charitable Treatment. Upon reception of the application, the Supportful Foundation will evaluate the merits of the request and contact the applicants who are accepted.
“The ability to connect two or more compassionate professionals for the benefit of the patient who is less fortunate is what makes the Dental-ful Program really special,” said David J. Rodriguez, Executive Director of the Supportful Foundation. “If patients come to realize the heart of the sponsoring dentists and suppliers, they will get more than a new smile. They will get inspiration and encouragement to pass along creative forms of charity to others in their daily lives continually.”By reducing restorative dental costs for charitable treatments, Dental-ful is encouraging compassionate dental professionals to promote healthy living and improve the well-being of others.
Go to http://www.supportful.org to download the Application for Dental Restoration/Supply and find it under the “Programs” tab. Or download from this press release below.
About Supportful Foundation
The Supportful Foundation is a charitable organization which promotes healthy living by facilitating programs and services that improve the well-being of individuals and communities. Existing programs send medical professionals abroad to foreign countries, develop youths for empowered living, and facilitate dental supplies and equipment to worthy causes that are aligned with its mission to promote healthy living. The Supportful Foundation is actively establishing strategic and synergistic relationships with leading companies in the
Contact:
David J. Rodriguez
Executive Director
(510) 689-8669
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Mexican Students Shed Tears of Joy
The students of Monterrey, who came to the camp to learn English, were very emotional as they sent us away. They were crying and asking us when we will return.
The every-day world of these beautiful Mexican students was a foreign one for the 430 college volunteers who made the trip from the United States.
After the first day of the camp, one student came up to one of the camp directors and said, “I want to join your army. The bad guys have killed innocent people and put their body parts on bridges. But you guys come here and give us smiles. I was looking for this kind of organization.”
We were energized to hear this student’s sincere gratefulness because the journey to get there was long and uncomfortable. The previous day we traveled for 16 hours to get from Dallas,TX to Monterrey, Mexico. However, with just a few words from a thankful student we were beginning to feel that there were going to be other great things from this camp.
Each day the students arrived at 9am and left at 8pm. The volunteer English teachers represented 15 states of the U.S.and served over 1,100 Mexican students with sincerity and humility. The students enjoyed mind lectures, English lectures, Academy classes, group study time, song and dance practice, and the famous IYF Scavenger Hunt.Hosted by the International Youth Fellowship (IYF), the English Camp uncovered incredible and shocking differences of life that we never could have guessed just from sitting in our homes in the U.S.
One of the volunteer teachers told us what happened during group study time while she was leading pronunciation practice. In Spanish, there isn’t a “z” sound, like there is in English. So to learn a new sound the students must repeat the sound in many different ways. There is zebra, buzz, and others. Specifically, there is a Greek letter that is pronounced “zay-ta.”
It seemed like a good practice word, but what the volunteer didn’t know is that one of the most brutal and infamous gangs in Monterrey goes by the name “Zeta” (zay-ta). When the teacher brought up this pronunciation word in the lesson, the students who heard it got big eyes and said, “Ssshhhhhh! Don’t say that. You can’t say that.” In fact, they were filled with such fear that when the teacher tried to write it on a piece of paper the students told her that they should never write that word because of the bad things that Zeta has done and will do to destroy their enemies.
With this new information, the unexplainable joy and unity of the camp began to make sense. The high school and college students of Monterrey have been suppressing the joy of their youth and the pursuit of their dreams because of the legitimate fear that permeates their communities. Instead of suppressing their joy at the English Camp, the students were able to release the joy that was built up inside of them.
The focus of the IYF’s educational camp was on the heart and they used original programs and unique classes that are designed to pull the students out of their usual frame of thoughts. The easiest and funnest program, which can be hard in the beginning, is learning new dance moves during dance time. Since it can be uncomfortable and awkward to dance to music you don’t know, especially when you are surrounded by people you may consider strangers, American students prefer to sit and watch the fun. But in Monterrey, when it was dance time, 100% of the students participated and flooded the gymnasium. It was clear that they have been deprived of such opportunities to learn in this sort of environment. Their passion and enjoyment covered any learning imperfections they had.
To watch and participate with the students during dance time was unforgettable.
However, the camp was a success because it introduced these precious students to the world of the heart. The director gave a story about a young soldier who had served in the Korea War and landed on a mine which took away his left arm, leg, and eye. The soldier, John, felt shameful and didn’t know how he should live a normal life again upon returning home to the U.S. When he called his mother to tell her that he was on his way back to the States his mother became very happy, “John, I missed you so much. Please hurry home.” Then John told her that one of his friends had lost an arm, a leg, and an eye in the war and that John wanted to take care of him at their house for the rest of his life. John’s mother wasn’t prepared for her son’s request and said that he should think about it some more because it would be difficult for the family to take in his friend.
Before John made it home, the mother received a call from the police telling her she needed to come to the hospital. She arrived and was asked to identify the body of a young man who had jumped off a building and committed suicide. She discovered that her son, John, had taken his own life just hours after they had talked.
Through this story we learn the importance of opening our hearts to each other, especially our family members. John didn’t tell his mother that it was HIM who lost his leg, his arm, and his eye. If he would have told his mother, she would have said, “John, I am so proud of you. You are a brave soldier who sacrificed for your country and your family. Don’t worry about anything. Just hurry home and come rest. I will take care of you. You are my son and I love you very much.”
However, John wasn’t able to connect to the love of his mother because he did not open his heart to her.
The IYF English Camp was unforgettable for the volunteers and for the students of Monterrey.
They had a blast in the many English-learning activities but as they cried and sent us away, we felt as though we met each other from the heart and we were no longer strangers. We had become lifelong friends.
The students were asking when we will return again. As of today, we don’t know exactly when, but we will return.
We hope you, the reader, will come with us and support the youth in whatever way you can.
Share Your Professional Story in Mexico
Have you ever had an opportunity to share your professional, or personal, story for the benefit of thousands of college students?
The English Camp will take place in Monterrey, Mexico from January 6-9, 2012. The final workshop for volunteer staff will be held from January 1-5, 2012 in Dallas, Texas.
The purpose of the camp is to plant hope in the hearts of the students. This is done through lectures from renowned guests speakers, fun group activities, and mesmerizing musical performances.
Hosted by the the International Youth Fellowship, there are many exciting programs which instill a healthy and stable mindset for the camp’s attendees.
One of the interesting classes for the students are the Academy Classes. Here, professionals, like you, will speak with the students about topics which are important and engaging. Subjects may include: conversational English, oral health, fitness, law, athletics, music, dance, and Tae Kwon Do.
Naturally, the students can’t learn English within such a short period of time. But, we will teach English and lead them to see themselves speaking English fluently in the future.
Many students around the world, not just in Mexico, have become locked in their self-determined correct thoughts.
There was one student who attended the English Camp in Russia. But since English seemed to be very difficult to learn, and of no use in his self-projected future, he didn’t follow the camp schedule and began to cause problems with other students.
When one of the counselors met with hime and asked about his behavior. The student said, “My father is a farmer. My grandfather is a farmer. I will be a farmer too. There is no point for me to learn English.”
Five years later, the same counselor was attending a camp in Austria and saw a student who looked like the same boy, now a young man, who he met in Russia. He stopped the young man and asked him, “Didn’t we meet in Russia? What are you doing here?”
“I’m a volunteer interpreter here. Some people cannot speak English so I talk to them in Russian and then help them communicate with others in English.”
The counselor was very thankful because the boy in Russia had gained hope during their initial meeting and was now living a bright life as a volunteer who was serving others. Although, the young boy couldn’t see his future as an English interpreter, the camp had planted hope into his heart and he was able to break out of his mental frame. This young man’s mind had become very mature and we have heard that he is doing very well in college now.
To become a volunteer or be considered for a guest speaker at the next event, please send your professional resume to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call (510) 689-8669 to reach the Supportful Foundation.
“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know: the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who have sought and found how to serve.” -Albert Schweitzer