Press Releases | Shoulder To Shoulder

Are you a State Employee? Member of an AFL-CIO affiliated labor union? Do you work for a company like SAFE Credit Union or VSP?

If so, did you know that you can support Shoulder to Shoulder through the United Way Workplace Giving Program?

That’s right, Shoulder To Shoulder (STS) has recently been accepted as a United Way Certified Nonprofit Partner. This means that employees of qualifying organizations can now support STS through payroll deductions. It’s a simple, no hassle way to give to STS in any amount.

All you have to do is contact your employer’s HR Department to see if your organization is a part of the United Way Workplace Giving Program.

You can also request that a representative of STS come and speak or set up a display at your workplace. United Way Giving Program employers are more than willing to have our reps come! They simply need to receive a request from you.

The United Way Workplace Giving Program. It’s a simple way to make a powerful difference for urban fatherless young men. STS is proud to have been selected for this program. Please contact your employer today to see if you qualify, or call Donna Ramos at 916-285-5422 for more info.

Shoulder To Shoulder United Way #24410

United Way Accepts Shoulder To Shoulder as a Non-Profit Partner

STS is proud to announce its acceptance as a Nonprofit Partner with United Way of Greater Sacramento. STS submitted to a rigorous application and review process and is now part of the select group of non-profits that have been endorsed by The United Way. We are proud to have been able to earn this designation, and we are especially happy about the new pathways this offers for friends and supporters of STS to play a part in what we do. Allow us to explain.

Have you ever wanted to become a financial supporter of Shoulder to Shoulder, but just haven’t been able to find a convenient way to give? Well now there’s an answer to that challenge: the United Way Workplace Giving Program.

This program makes it is possible for you to give to STS in any amount you choose through payroll deduction right at your workplace. Most larger employers in our region are part of this program, including The State of California, AFL-CIO Union Affiliates, and companies like SAFE Credit Union and VSP. All you have to do is contact your organization’s HR Department to see if your employer or organization is a part of the United Way Workplace Giving Program. They’ll help you set up your monthly donation via payroll. It’s that simple.

But there’s even more. You can also request that a representative of STS come and speak or set up a display at your workplace. United Way Giving Program employers are more than willing to have our reps come! They simply need to receive a request from you.

A recent study discovered that Sacramento residents are less likely to give and actually donate fewer dollars than the national average. In fact, only 62% of households in the Greater Sacramento Region give to charities. One of the big reasons for this is that people who sincerely want to give just don’t know a simple way to give that is convenient, reliable and goes to support charities that help people right in their own backyard. The United Way Workplace Giving Program changes all that. With your help, we believe more people than ever will begin giving to support charities like STS to change lives right here in our own city.

The United Way Workplace Giving Program. It’s a simple way to make a powerful difference for fatherless young men. STS is proud to have been selected for this program. Please contact your employer today to see if you qualify, or call our office at 916-285-5422 for more info.

Cardboard Boats Set Sail in Del Paso Heights

Fatherless Youth Compete in Annual Community Event

(Sacramento, California, July 29, 2011):

Shoulder To Shoulder will host its 4th Annual Del Paso Heights Cardboard Boat Regatta on Saturday, August 6 at Rio Linda High School Pool, culminating the agency’s 5-week Level Up summer program. Boats will be designed and built by boys ages 11-16 who will team up and compete in the race. The team with the last boat floating wins. The Regatta will also feature a BBQ, swimming and awards ceremony celebrating the achievements of the young men and volunteers participating in the Level Up program. The event is free and open to the public. Level Up is an alternative to a summer spent on the streets and includes a variety of recreational and academic activities, plus service projects and field trips. College students from California and Arizona serve as group leaders and mentors. In Del Paso Heights, approximately 70% of youth live in a fatherless home. Fatherless youth are more likely to parent before age 20, abuse drugs and join a gang rather than finish high school, attend college and join the workforce. “The program lets the boys know their options and choices,” states LaToya Griffin, mother of one of the participating youth. “Before this program, they didn’t think they had any.” During the school year, Shoulder To Shoulder operates Freedom Hall, a youth development program for fatherless young men at Martin Luther King Jr. Technology Academy and Grant High School. The program provides mentoring, tutoring, character development, life skills training, and engages youth in community service. Student Isaiah Mathews says “They showed me how I was going down the wrong path and that I needed to get it together. Now I come down and help other boys like some of the mentors helped me. I want to give back.” Shoulder To Shoulder’s Founder Bill Coibion states, “Del Paso Heights has some of the highest rates of crime, poverty, child abuse, and drop-outs in Sacramento County. We are setting a positive example for these young men, to help them become leaders in their community and inspire others to follow in their footsteps.” Shoulder To Shoulder’s goal is to break the cycle of fatherlessness in Del Paso Heights.

Pastor Henry Wells Interviews Bill Coibion on KFIA

Bill Coibion is interviewed by Henry Wells during the Pastor to Pastor Radio Program on KFIA. Bill shares the charge he is leading to revert the devastating results of a fatherless generation in our very community. He describes Freedom Hall, Level Up and other programs designed to solve specific problems that have resulted from the deficiency caused by the absence of a father or male figure in the home. Listen as he shares the need, the opportunity to make a difference and what you can do about it.

01 Pastor To Pastor – Interview Bill Coibion – Henry Wells

Freedom Hall Award Night – May 26th

On May 26nd, Freedom Hall will be holding its Student Award and Volunteer Appreciation night from 6 to 8 p.m. Team and Individual awards handed out for outstanding character, GPA increase and more. We will also be recognizing our volunteers who serve our young men involved with Freedom Hall. A light snack will be provided for the event. We hope that you will join us as we celebrate the dedication of our volunteers and the accomplishments of our Young Men.

“Because We Care” Draws Over 400 Volunteers

Volunteers make Del Paso Heights a more beautiful place to live

On Saturday, October 23, 2010, Shoulder to Shoulder (STS) partnered with the Twin Rivers Unified School District (TRUSD), local businesses, churches and colleges from throughout California for the 4^th Annual Because We Care (BWC) school beautification project on six Twin Rivers district campuses: Rio Linda High, Grant High, Rio Tierra Middle School, Madison Elementary, Babcock Elementary, and Smythe Academy K-6.

This beautification effort was the largest in the event’s history. Despite rainy weather, volunteers were able to complete over 52 detailed projects established by TRUSD, including planting trees, laying sod, laying bark, and extensive weeding and trimming. Due to the large number of volunteers and the speed in which the projects were completed, Twin Rivers representatives were able to assign more projects at each site and many volunteers were even able to come back to Martin Luther King Technology Academy (MLK) and provide some clean-up. Community clean-up also took place in the neighborhoods around Grant High and Rio Tierra Middle School with thousands of pounds of trash hauled off by Sacramento County.

While the visual transformation to the campuses is impressive, the personal transformation of the volunteers and transformation to the community is just as impacting.

“My blindness to what’s out there became transparent. Living in So Cal and Irvine, I see I’m really greedy and selfish. This opportunity opened my eyes and teaches me to give back.”

-Tim from UC Irvine

During the event, over 400 volunteers descended on the TRUSD, serving for 8 hours each, providing over 3200 man hours. This event was predominately youth-driven, as more than ¾ of the volunteers were under the age of 21. Over 150 of these volunteers joined STS from Navigator groups from the campuses of CSU Long Beach, Rio Hondo Community college, San Diego State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, UCLA, UC Irvine, USC, UC San Diego, and UC Riverside. These students drove great distances and slept on the MLK gym floor in order to serve the North Sacramento area. Students groups also participated from UC Davis, Simpson University, California Baptist University and Jesuit High School. Recognizing the impact they could make for their school district, students from Highlands High, Foothill High, Grant High and various other campuses in TRUSD also joined the effort to clean-up their own school district.

I brought two individuals. They were amazed that college students would, of their own choosing, come up and help to improve someone’s else’s community this way. They also commented about the volunteers just working and working. I think everyone was amazed as they walked the campus at the end of the day just how changed the place was.

- David, STS Site Coordinator

BWC kicked-off at two locations, MLK and Madison Elementary, with breakfast, safety instructions and a group picture before volunteers began work on six designated campuses. After the service projects were completed, volunteers returned to MLK where STS provided a barbecue dinner, encouragement and a fun evening for all volunteers who stayed.

This event could not have been completed without the contribution of many community partners. TRUSD provided project oversight, materials, tools, transportation of volunteers as well as breakfast and lunch for all volunteers on the day of the event. The tool kits they created allowed the volunteers to be highly efficient in completing the projects. Joining Because We Care for the fourth year, Teichert Construction provided equipment and manpower that was crucial in completing several projects, and Sacramento Food Bank provided food items for the volunteers. Sacramento County picked up all piles created in the community clean-up and allowed us to dump for free. These partners, among many others, made the event possible.

Thanks to the efforts of our many volunteers and community partners this event was a huge success! STS sincerely thanks all who were involved in the effort and we look forward to partnering with the community for this event in the future.

See slideshow at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfJHvrnEc-E

Thank you to our sponsors!

Kick-off Breakfast Engages the Community

September 22^nd “Shoulder to Shoulder” (STS) launched their multi-year campaign to “Break the Cycle of Fatherlessness in Del Paso Heights”. The event, held at First Presbyterian Church in Roseville, was attended by over 120 community leaders who represented different churches and businesses. Assemblymen Ted Gaines was the Master of Ceremonies for the breakfast and shared his support for STS and the vision to equip urban fatherless young men for life, enabling them to become well-balanced, mature men in their family and community, and breaking the cycle of fatherlessness. Three speakers, Bill Coibion, Founder and President of STS; Dr. Sam Huddleston, a member of the STS’s Advisory Board; and Sherwood Carthen, Chaplain for the Sacramento Kings, shared their encouragement for the cause and efforts of the staff and volunteers at STS.

Community leaders enjoyed a delicious breakfast catered by Randy Peters Catering before the day’s program began. STS’s mentoring effort, Freedom Hall, is located on the campus of Martin Luther King Jr. Technology Academy in Del Paso Heights, Sacramento. After an inspiring video about Freedom Hall, which included the voices of 12 different people about how Shoulder To Shoulder, has impacted them, Bill Coibion spoke briefly about the vision, mission and background of STS, followed by a brief message from Sam Huddleston. Then STS’s, Man on the Street, Don Male, interviewed several urban fatherless young men involved in Freedom Hall, grateful mothers, and some of the mentors involved in the program. Their sharing revealed to community leaders the impact Freedom Hall has on young men in 2 to 3 years. In addition, Frank Porter, Superintendent of Twin Rivers School District and Board of Trustees President, Michelle Rivas, shared their support and appreciation for the efforts of STS and the impact it has had at MLK and the District.

Sherwood Carthen then shared an inspiring message about the true definition of success. His message inspired community leaders to more clearly see the opportunity to help bring others along with them as an integral part of success.

Team STS was blessed by the supporters that came to the breakfast. The cycle of fatherlessness will only be broken when people come together and decide to make a stand and assist these young men. Our hope is that the breakfast was merely a spark that begins to ignite STS’s multi-year campaign.

STS intends to reach 1,000 businesses and 200 churches to partner with STS over the next 10 years. The goal is to have each church and/or business provide tutors, mentors or give $1,000 a year ($83.33 a month) to support one of our young men. Meeting this goal will help “Break the Cycle of Fatherlessness” in Del Paso Heights.

Community gathers to discuss ways to support STS

September 22 Breakfast to Benefit Shoulder To Shoulder

The First Presbyterian Church in Roseville will be the site of Shoulder To Shoulder’s campaign kick-off to “Break the Cycle of Fatherlessness” in Del Paso Heights. The event will be held on Wednesday, September 22 at 7a.m. and feature breakfast with 200 business and community leaders, success stories and information about how to get involved. Table sponsorships are available; call (916) 285-5422.

Shoulder To Shoulder operates a youth development program for fatherless young men on the campuses of Martin Luther King Jr. Technology Academy and Grant High School in Del Paso Heights. The program provides mentoring, tutoring, character development, and engages youth in community service.

Founder Bill Coibion states, “We teach the keys to a prosperous life: having a goal, a vision, a dream; believing you can achieve it, working hard and avoiding distractions.” The program has served 80 youth since 2007. Last year, 38 students who wanted to join the program could not because of the agency’s limited resources.

According to Gallup, 72% of Americans believe that fatherlessness is our biggest social problem. The absence of a father leaves young men angry, struggling with questions about their identity and ill prepared for life. Where there is significant fatherlessness, there is significant poverty, leading to lower academic achievement, increased drop-out rates, gang involvement, and subsequent incarceration, while perpetuating the cycle of fatherlessness.

“I love Shoulder To Shoulder,” says MLK Principal Samuel Harris. “The program has improved my school tremendously. I have boys who have gone from 1.0 GPA to 3.0 GPA. It has made a powerful difference.”

In Del Paso Heights, approximately 70% of youth live in a fatherless home. Shoulder To Shoulder’s goal this year is to raise $50,000 and recruit 30 volunteers to mentor 60 fatherless young men.

Founded in 1996, Shoulder To Shoulder (STS) is a community-sponsored, faith-based non-profit corporation serving urban fatherless young men from middle school to high school graduation. Our vision is to equip urban fatherless young men for life, enabling them to become well-balanced, mature men in their family and community, breaking the cycle of fatherlessness.

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