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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