Bread For The Journey

We exist here in Orange County to nurture the human spirit of goodwill. In demonstrating the belief that when we bring the best of who we are, to the services of all, both giver and receiver share in the wealth of what is accomplished. We provide a simple, accessible, neighborhood model of philanthropy, responsive to the strengths and creativity of the community.

Bread for the journey grows organically from the ground up, built upon the natural generosity of ordinary people. We fund projects based on the belief that a small, quiet network of volunteers can serve others with simplicity, dignity, effectiveness and minimal administrative costs. Our Board of Directors is a small and funding decisions are made quickly in order to capture the initial enthusiasm of a person's dream for helping his of her community.

To learn more about Wayne Muller, the founder of Bread for the Journey, and the other chapters across the nation, go to the national website at www.Breadforthejourney.org

Last quarter, Bread for the Journey of Irvine gave Rick Cryder a grant to conduct classes for prisoners at Musick Honor Farm. He's been teaching them to make leaded-glass angels that he then gives to hospitalized children with life-threatening illnesses. Rick, the "Angel Maker," has been called into service again.

Joplin Youth Center is a juvenile correctional facility that provides residential treatment for teenage boys ages 13 to 17. The Orange County Probation Department operates this facility in the midst of oak groves in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains. The maximum capacity is 64 boys, who are there serving the last 30 to 120 days of their juvenile-court sentences. The counselor there heard about the angel work going on at Musick and asked Rick to work with the boys at Joplin. Bread for the Journey of Irvine's board accompanied him as he presented his work. With funds left over from the Musick program, plus an additional $400 from BFJ, Rick could purchase the tools and materials necessary to begin with a class of eight boys. We're certain that the angels will bless their makers as well as their recipients

The Watts Labor Community Action Committee, located in a depressed area of Los Angeles, works with young men to give them alternatives to gangs and violence. They had acquired several used cars that they wanted to use to teach the art of vehicle restoration. They had the students and the willing teachers, but no mechanic’s tools. Bread for the Journey of Irvine donated $416.83 worth of mechanic’s tools so they could start their class.

(Rosa Pizano recipient, Judy Beadles Irvine BFJ secretary and Luisa Ruiz founder of "Reading Corners")

Reading regularly to her own four children and their friends, Luisa Ruiz found that she had become the neighborhood storyteller. Her apartment manager offered her the use of a recreational room, and the idea took hold. She is now in charge of a staff of volunteer readers in nine different areas of Santa Ana. Luisa stresses the importance of family literacy, and now many parents are learning right alongside their children.

Bread for the Journey of Irvine gave Luisa a small grant of $100 for supplies, and connected her with their friend, Gayle McCue. Gayle retired from teaching in 2002 and donated over a hundred children's books to Reading Corners. The League of United Latin American Citizens recently awarded Luisa the honor of "2002 Woman of the Year" for community service in Orange County.

Fernando Leon, founder of La Calle News, Inc., believes that "every child, boy or girl, young woman or young man, has an inherent right to achieve their full potential. It is the mission of La Calle to aid and provide enlightening opportunities in order to achieve a better quality of life." With this mission in mind, Mr. Leon offers the "Been There - Done That" conference series for young at-risk women. Featured speakers are now successful women who have "been there and done that" as it relates to domestic violence, alcohol, drugs, gang activities, single parenthood and more. The young at-risk women attend the conference for free. Bread for the Journey of Irvine gave Mr. Leon a $270 grant to cover some of the expenses of his last conference. They are also seeking additional ways to offer him support for the exciting, life-changing work that he offers to his community.

Due to an unusual set of circumstances, Bread for the Journey of Irvine found itself in possession of a well-running used car. They decided to keep the spirit of generosity flowing by donating the vehicle to the Orange County Rescue Mission. The Rescue Mission helps families who are homeless, jobless, or have drug- or alcohol-related problems. In southern California, it is especially difficult to get and keep a job without a car. Now, one of the rehabilitated families will be delighted to find their transportation needs met as they integrate themselves back into the workforce.

As a child, Rick Mojarro came from Mexico to live in a poor section of Santa Ana, speaking very little English as a student at Roosevelt Elementary School. Today he is the visionary, enthusiastic principal of Kennedy Elementary School in Santa Ana, dedicated to making a difference in the lives of local families. He is the founder and president of the Cornerstone Village Neighborhood Association, made up of parents and concerned citizens who have been credited with a lowered crime rate and an improved quality of life in the community.

One of the main challenges at Kennedy is the wide range of English-language proficiencies among the students - and their families - as they arrive here from Mexico. Mr. Mojarro received state funding to create a multi-level language-development curriculum; he now needed to "package" it so the children would identify with it and take it home to share with their families. Bread for the Journey of Irvine donated $300 and, in partnership with the department store Target, bought more than 30 backpacks in various colors to represent the various levels of the "take-home" language program. The kids loved the backpacks and decided to name their language development class "The Bread Club," in honor of Bread for the Journey of Irvine.

Matt Martino, 14, couldn't talk with his grandfather, Alfred Eye, when visiting him in the hospital because Eye was in a respirator. Matt had a great solution; he brought a white, dry erase board like the ones used in his classroom at school. After that visit with grandpa, Eye wrote, "Could you bring enough for the whole ward here so we can communicate with each other?" Matt ordered and bought more white boards from his school. Some months later, Matt's grandfather died and a while after that, Matt was involved in a project at his church on resourcefulness and making a difference. Each student was given a few dollars and, remembering the white boards, Matt used his as seed money to raise a total of $600. He bought 300 more boards, and he and his mother, a nurse, put a picture of Matt and his grandfather, along with their communication story, on the back of each board and distributed them to local hospitals. Bread for the Journey of Irvine was able to give Matt a check for $400 to continue his work of providing white boards to the hospitals still requesting them. When asked what is the best part of the experience so far, Matt says, "Being able to help families communicate with each other!"
(Autumn 2001)

In Orange County, in the shadow of Disneyland's opulence is an impoverished community called the Jeffery Lynne neighborhood. The majority of the people who live here are Mexican immigrants. Many of them work for minimum wage at Disneyland in the garden, kitchen and in maintenance jobs. Josie Montoya, an energetic and generous spirit who volunteers many hours helping others, told us about Worldwide Opportunities, a Christian group that provides a food cooperative program for an annual fee. Volunteers from the Jeffery Lynne neighborhood go once a week, at an appointed time, to a local church parking lot. There they can pick up an abundance of food to distribute to the people in their neighborhood. Last year, with an annual budget of $1,000, they distributed 25,000 bags of food to their neighbors. Bread for the Journey of Irvine donated $300.00 to be used for annual dues for this community to belong to the food cooperative.

Lending Library for Literacy

Club Los Amigos, founded by Josie Montoya, is a Saturday morning bilingual literacy program for thirty children in the Jeffery Lynne neighborhood in Orange County. A small apartment has been donated and Josie has recruited volunteers to teach reading and writing skills. A Lending Library is being started through a donation of books from Scholastic Books, and the children will write reports on each book that they read. Bread for the Journey of Irvine has contributed $300.00 toward bookshelves, chairs for the children, and basic furnishings. The program will begin in February 2001.

Bread for the Journey is a federally tax exempt 501 (c)(3) public charity, receiving it's support through contribution of funds, time and energy from individuals and organizations.

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For More Information Please Contact
Jo Ann Tyson Tatham & Jack Tatham
irvinebreadforthejourney@cox.net
P.O. Box 54321
Irvine, CA 92619