Monday, December 31, 2018

Happy New Year!


As the New Year approaches us with hopes anew, here is to wishing you and your family a wonderful year ahead.

Friday, December 28, 2018

Join Us Tomorrow for Our Last Community Clean Up of the Year!

 
When: Saturday, December 29, 2018 at 9am 

Where: Starbucks Downtown Fairfield 700 Jefferson St Corner of Jefferson & Texas (map)

Description: We meet every last Saturday of each month (weather permitting). We clean up different locations and neighborhoods. Please join us. All are welcome

At the Matt Garcia Foundation we don’t want to complain about this, we want to create solutions to problems. It is with this spirit that we began our Monthly Community Clean Ups.

On the last Saturday of every month, volunteers get together and clean up a neighborhood in Fairfield. We pick up trash, work on landscaping paint windows, fix fences – all in an effort to improve our community. This is another example of community coming together to help make a difference.

The Matt Garcia Foundation Dream Team, is all about stepping up and stepping out of ourselves to serve others and our communities to be a part of the solution. Matt would say ” if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, please just pick it up” How simple is that! So, that is what we do.

Tuesday, December 25, 2018

Saturday, December 22, 2018

Creating A Community And Finding Purpose


Stephen Thompson walks you through his journey from being a ward of the state at age nine to Silicon Valley Executive and how he created a community to pave the way.

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Three Types of Forgiveness and Why They Matter to Us As Leaders


Forgiveness.

We see it in public gestures like Nelson Mandela forgiving his captors after his long imprisonment or when President Ford pardoned President Nixon.

And we often see the results when there is no forgiveness.

Like in the news every day - from revenge violence to road rage to people arguing about reclining seats on airplanes.

Yes, Mandela and Ford were leaders, but how does forgiveness apply to us as "everyday" leaders?

It applies immediately and directly.

But before I share my thoughts, let's start with the three types of forgiveness. They are:

• Forgiveness of self
• Forgiveness of others
• Forgiveness of situations

As I describe each, I believe the relevance to you both personally and as a leader will become clear.
Forgiveness of Self

We all make mistakes. We all exercise poor judgment. We all screw up. It is what we do next that matters most. If, after our mistakes, we live in guilt and in the past where the mistake happened, nothing positive will come from it.

It's considered a universal truth that "we learn from our mistakes". Yet this "truth" is missing a couple of components - lessons in mistakes are there but the learning isn't guaranteed, and the learning won't come if we are living in the mistake or not willing or able to reflect on it, or won't let go of it and forgive ourselves first. A more complete statement of that truth is that "we can learn from our mistakes if we will let ourselves learn and choose to do so."

And that learning can't happen without self-forgiveness.

There are other reasons why self-forgiveness is important. It will allow ourselves to focus on the future, rather than the past, and it will allow us to reduce our stress and frustration (and makes us healthier too).

Forgiveness of Others

Admit it.

When you read the title of this article, this was probably the type of forgiveness you were thinking of.

Think for a second about the way you feel about a person who hasn't forgiven you. Do you want to be around them, or work for or with them? Are you willing to give them your best effort? Or does the barrier between you (which can include self-forgiveness too) keep you from moving forward?

When we don't forgive others, we set ourselves up for animosity, reduced productivity, more conflict and drastically lowered trust.

So how open to forgiving others are you?

Forgiveness of Situations

Things happen that might not be anyone's "fault". Do you know people who continue to dwell on a past situation that caused them grief or pain, even if it was just a situation? When we are able to forgive situations, we are able to let go of those negative feelings and move forward.

Your forgiveness of situations defines how forgiving you tend to be of negative circumstances, events, or situations that are beyond anyone's control. This would include things like illnesses, natural disasters and the like.

Can you let go of these situations so you can move forward?

If you hear yourself saying lots of "If only... " or "If it had just happened that way... " type statements, you likely have a ways to go in this area.

So What?

When we can forgive, we can move from a past focus to a future focus, which provides us with hope, accountability, and the opportunity for growth and advancement. As long as we (or others, or an entire group) are living in the past, no progress can be made.

Because error is part of being human, forgiveness allows mistakes, failure, slip ups, errors in judgment and decision making, flaws and other breakdowns to become a source of increased wisdom and learning. Without the forgiveness, the same events and situations create more divisiveness, angst, conflict and discord.

The best leaders use the practice of forgiveness to transform themselves and their organizations into forward-looking, agile learners and promote better results every day.

But?

If you are still reading and still are having reservations, it is likely that you agree with my premise, but aren't sure how to let go. Perhaps this quotation from the psychiatrist Thomas Szasz will help - "The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget."

The point is instructive. Events, mistakes and mishaps in the past can be learned from, but only if we can let them go through forgiveness. This does not mean we should forget those events, but rather put them in the proper perspective. They are events in the past that we can't change now, but we can learn from.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Eikenberry

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8733671

Sunday, December 16, 2018

Why Are Afterschool Programs Important?


Afterschool programs are so crucial to the future children and families of America. Please let your schools in your community know that you would like these options for your kids.

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Year-End Message from Teresa Courtemanche




December 2018

Dear friends and visitors of our website,

On behalf of The Matt Garcia Foundation Board of Directors, the entire Garcia-Courtemanche family, I want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and the happiest of Holiday Seasons.

It has been ten years since my son, the late Fairfield City Councilman Matt Garcia, was murdered on September 1st, 2008 at the young age of twenty-two. Over the course of these difficult years, your thoughts, prayers, kind words, and support have strengthened me as a person and allowed me to be a mom to my two daughters, Briana and Tea’Rae. My husband (of 28 years), who many call Brother Ray (for the love he has for our city), and I are now grandparents to Ansel Kevin Owen, who will be one year old on December 30th of this year. We are truly blessed!

After we lost our son, we established The Matt Garcia Foundation, built on Matt’s campaign promises and philosophy: when you SUPPORT YOUTH, it will help STOP CRIME and ultimately STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY.

Because of you:

• We have established youth advisory boards to mentor students through high school. Some have become actual board members of our foundation: Sakina, nineteen years of age, is an aspiring policymaker, and Briana, twenty years of age, is an aspiring school teacher. Both are in college and mentoring youth.

• This Christmas Season our community will support youth at The Matt Garcia PAL Youth Center with many after-school opportunities for tutoring and mentoring, enabling thousands of children to have a higher quality of life.

• I have helped mentor women who have lost their loved ones.

• I have gone into several prisons and spoken to hardened prisoners convicted of murder about the impact that their decisions have had on family members.

• The Matt Garcia Career and College Academy provides students the opportunity to develop themselves and become productive members of society.

• The Matt Garcia Home for Women and Children has supported hundreds of women and children, protecting them from the elements while helping them to get their lives on track.

• The foundation has hosted monthly community service days for the past ten years.

• One hundred students have received scholarships to help them advance their college careers.

As we finalize our 2018 activities and prepare for 2019, would you consider helping us financially? This is the first time that I have sent out a request asking specifically for your financial support. I am confident that this is the right thing to do. With NO paid staff, it is your generosity we rely on, which will be multiplied for generations to come. Your donations are completely tax-deductible, as we are a legitimate non-profit. I have enclosed a return envelope for your convenience, or you can go online to www.ffinest.org and donate securely there.

For all those we mentor and serve – Thank You!

Teresa, your foundation president and Matt’s Mom





Monday, December 10, 2018

How to Disagree Productively and Find Common Ground | Julia Dhar


Some days, it feels like the only thing we can agree on is that we can't agree -- on anything. Drawing on her background as a world debate champion, Julia Dhar offers three techniques to reshape the way we talk to each other so we can start disagreeing productively and finding common ground -- over family dinners, during work meetings and in our national conversations.

Friday, December 7, 2018

How to Turn a Negative Situation into a Positive One | Brian Tracy


The great business of life is to eliminate negative emotions. I’ve spent more than four-thousand hours studying how to turn negative situations into positive ones, and what I’ve discovered is that negative emotions are the single biggest enemy that any of us have. If we had no negative emotions, our lives would be wonderful -- as would our relationships, our health and everything else. Watch this video and learn how to eliminate negative feelings and take control of your emotions.

Tuesday, December 4, 2018

What We Can Do About the Culture of Hate | Sally Kohn


We're all against hate, right? We agree it's a problem -- their problem, not our problem, that is. But as Sally Kohn discovered, we all hate -- some of us in subtle ways, others in obvious ones. As she confronts a hard story from her own life, she shares ideas on how we can recognize, challenge and heal from hatred in our institutions and in ourselves.

Saturday, December 1, 2018

There's More to Life Than Being Happy | Emily Esfahani Smith


Our culture is obsessed with happiness, but what if there's a more fulfilling path? Happiness comes and goes, says writer Emily Esfahani Smith, but having meaning in life -- serving something beyond yourself and developing the best within you -- gives you something to hold onto. Learn more about the difference between being happy and having meaning as Smith offers four pillars of a meaningful life.

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Don't Miss Fairfield's Annual Christmas Tree Lighting, "Snow-Lympics" This Friday!


Snow-Lympics
Friday, November 30, 2018
6:00pm - 8:30pm

W. Texas Street
Fairfield, CA 94533

The Matt Garcia Foundation will participate again this year with the downtown Fairfield Association and it’s Annual Christmas Tree Lighting. We can’t wait to see you and your families on November 30th. Join us for a fun-filled evening everyone can enjoy. #FFINEST


Sunday, November 25, 2018

How to Let Go of Being a "Good" Person — and Become a Better Person


What if your attachment to being a "good" person is holding you back from actually becoming a better person? In this accessible talk, social psychologist Dolly Chugh explains the puzzling psychology of ethical behavior -- like why it's hard to spot your biases and acknowledge mistakes -- and shows how the path to becoming better starts with owning your mistakes. "In every other part of our lives, we give ourselves room to grow -- except in this one, where it matters most," Chugh says.

Thursday, November 22, 2018

Happy Thanksgiving!


May you enjoy this celebration with your family full of laughter and peace. Happy Thanksgiving!

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

"Snow-Lympics" - Downtown Fairfield's Annual Christmas Tree Lighting is November 30th


Snow-Lympics
Friday, November 30, 2018
6:00pm - 8:30pm

W. Texas Street
Fairfield, CA 94533

The Matt Garcia Foundation will participate again this year with the downtown Fairfield Association and it’s Annual Christmas Tree Lighting. We can’t wait to see you and your families on November 30th. Join us for a fun-filled evening everyone can enjoy. #FFINEST


Friday, November 16, 2018

How to Find Joy


Speaker and author Simon T. Bailey shares some powerful inspiration on maintaining a joyous attitude.

Tuesday, November 13, 2018

Support The Matt Garcia Foundation Through AmazonSmile!

Click the logo above to start shopping!

You can help support The Matt Garcia Foundation by shopping through AmazonSmile.

  • Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Matt Garcia Foundation whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
  • AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same Amazon Prime benefits.
  • Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

Saturday, November 10, 2018

"Snow-Lympics" - Downtown Fairfield's Annual Christmas Tree Lighting is November 30th


Snow-Lympics
Friday, November 30, 2018
6:00pm - 8:30pm

W. Texas Street
Fairfield, CA 94533

The Matt Garcia Foundation will participate again this year with the downtown Fairfield Association and it’s Annual Christmas Tree Lighting. We can’t wait to see you and your families on November 30th. Join us for a fun-filled evening everyone can enjoy. #FFINEST


Wednesday, November 7, 2018

Why Credibility is the Foundation of Leadership


Why would anyone follow you? Barry Posner asserts that we follow people we believe are credible – competent, honest, forward-thinking, and inspirational. People will not believe the message if they don’t believe in the messenger.

Sunday, November 4, 2018

Negative Thoughts Are Your Greatest Enemies


Entrepreneur Network Partner, Brian Tracy describes the moment when he realized how to get rid of negative thoughts: "I was twenty-one, I was broke and living in a small one-room apartment in the middle of a very cold winter working on a construction job during the day."

Thursday, November 1, 2018

Extraordinary Times Demand Extraordinary Leadership



René reveals through breathtaking examples how culture superseeds vision and endures the most extraordinary situations. René Carayol, one of the world's leading business gurus specializing in leadership and culture. Drawing from his own unique experiences on the boards of the biggest British and American organizations; from Marks & Spencer and Pepsi to IPC Media and the Inland Revenue, René has had the privilege of working closely with some of the world's best leaders; Sir Richard Branson, Bill Clinton, Ko Annan and Colin Powell to only name a few!

Monday, October 29, 2018

Why It's Worth Listening to People You Disagree With | Zachary R. Wood


We get stronger, not weaker, by engaging with ideas and people we disagree with, says Zachary R. Wood. In an important talk about finding common ground, Wood makes the case that we can build empathy and gain understanding by engaging tactfully and thoughtfully with controversial ideas and unfamiliar perspectives. "Tuning out opposing viewpoints doesn't make them go away," Wood says. "To achieve progress in the face of adversity, we need a genuine commitment to gaining a deeper understanding of humanity."

Friday, October 26, 2018

Join Us For Our Monthly Community Clean Up Tomorrow!

 
When: Saturday, October 27, 2018 at 9am 

Where: Starbucks Downtown Fairfield 700 Jefferson St Corner of Jefferson & Texas (map)

Description: We meet every last Saturday of each month (weather permitting). We clean up different locations and neighborhoods. Please join us. All are welcome

At the Matt Garcia Foundation we don’t want to complain about this, we want to create solutions to problems. It is with this spirit that we began our Monthly Community Clean Ups.

On the last Saturday of every month, volunteers get together and clean up a neighborhood in Fairfield. We pick up trash, work on landscaping paint windows, fix fences – all in an effort to improve our community. This is another example of community coming together to help make a difference.

The Matt Garcia Foundation Dream Team, is all about stepping up and stepping out of ourselves to serve others and our communities to be a part of the solution. Matt would say ” if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, please just pick it up” How simple is that! So, that is what we do.

Tuesday, October 23, 2018

Behind The Glass - Thank You Itzko Glass & Metal, Inc (IGM)


An excellent article on our Event Sponsor for this year's annual Golf Tournament. Thank you IGM for the continued support!

Read the article HERE

Saturday, October 20, 2018

When You Feel Like Giving Up, Do This!


Entrepreneur Network partner Ben Angel breaks down 3 key daily habits you can do to get back on track and use the power of your mind to refocus your thoughts to your advantage.

Wednesday, October 17, 2018

FORGIVENESS - A Minute With John Maxwell


Learn why John Maxwell believes that Forgiveness is the most wanted word in the English language.

Sunday, October 14, 2018

Anger, Compassion, and What It Means To Be Strong | Russell Kolts


While anger can feel powerful in our bodies, many of us use angry behavior to avoid dealing with things that make us uncomfortable. Compassion gives us a way to be strong that helps us courageously face the things that scare us—about the world, and about ourselves—and help make them better.

Russell is a licensed clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychology at Eastern Washington University, where he has taught for the past 16 years and has received numerous honors including twice being named the associated student body’s Faculty of the Year. Dr. Kolts has authored and coauthored numerous books and scholarly articles, including The Compassionate Mind Guide to Managing Your Anger, An Open Hearted Life: Transformative Lessons for Compassionate Living from a Clinical Psychologist and a Buddhist Nun (with Thubten Chodron), and the forthcoming Buddhist Psychology and CBT: A Practitioner’s Guide (with Dennis Tirch and Laura Silberstein). Dr. Kolts has pioneered the application of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) to the treatment of problematic anger and regularly conducts trainings and workshops on CFT.

Thursday, October 11, 2018

The Matt Garcia Foundation's 9th Annual Golf Tournament is on Monday!


Ninth Annual Golf Tournament – October 15, 2018

The Matt Garcia Foundation on is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 9th Annual Golf Tournament is an opportunity to ensure that the impactful youth and community programs that we support throughout the year will continue. Our late city councilman, Matt Garcia, was a young man with a vision. With the help of generous individuals and companies such as yours, our foundation on has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.”

Step up to Support the DREAM, Sponsorship Available.

For Additional Support – Email Volunteer Board Members:
Susie Young – Susie@ffinest.org
Vince – Vince@ffinest.org

DOWNLOAD BROCHURE FOR MORE INFORMATION
AND REGISTRATION DETAILS

Monday, October 8, 2018

Support The Matt Garcia Foundation Through AmazonSmile!

Click the logo above to start shopping!

You can help support The Matt Garcia Foundation by shopping through AmazonSmile.

  • Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Matt Garcia Foundation whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
  • AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same Amazon Prime benefits.
  • Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

Friday, October 5, 2018

Forgiveness in an Age of Anger


We think we're entitled to "righteous anger", but is it really so righteous? And does anger actually help us fight injustice? In an increasingly angry culture, Brant Hansen encourages us to re-think our assumptions, and embrace a lifestyle of forgiveness.

Tuesday, October 2, 2018

Our 9th Annual Golf Tournament is October 15th!


Ninth Annual Golf Tournament – October 15, 2018

The Matt Garcia Foundation on is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 9th Annual Golf Tournament is an opportunity to ensure that the impactful youth and community programs that we support throughout the year will continue. Our late city councilman, Matt Garcia, was a young man with a vision. With the help of generous individuals and companies such as yours, our foundation on has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.”

Step up to Support the DREAM, Sponsorship Available.

For Additional Support – Email Volunteer Board Members:
Susie Young – Susie@ffinest.org
Vince – Vince@ffinest.org

DOWNLOAD BROCHURE FOR MORE INFORMATION
AND REGISTRATION DETAILS

Saturday, September 29, 2018

The Power of Positivity | Brain Games


See firsthand how positive and negative reinforcement can affect a player’s game on the court.

Wednesday, September 26, 2018

Join Us For Our Monthly Community Clean Up On Saturday!

 
When: Saturday, September 29, 2018 at 9am 

Where: Starbucks Downtown Fairfield 700 Jefferson St Corner of Jefferson & Texas (map)

Description: We meet every last Saturday of each month (weather permitting). We clean up different locations and neighborhoods. Please join us. All are welcome

At the Matt Garcia Foundation we don’t want to complain about this, we want to create solutions to problems. It is with this spirit that we began our Monthly Community Clean Ups.

On the last Saturday of every month, volunteers get together and clean up a neighborhood in Fairfield. We pick up trash, work on landscaping paint windows, fix fences – all in an effort to improve our community. This is another example of community coming together to help make a difference.

The Matt Garcia Foundation Dream Team, is all about stepping up and stepping out of ourselves to serve others and our communities to be a part of the solution. Matt would say ” if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, please just pick it up” How simple is that! So, that is what we do.

Sunday, September 23, 2018

The Matt Garcia Foundation's 9th Annual Golf Tournament is Less Than a Month Away - Register Today!


Ninth Annual Golf Tournament – October 15, 2018

The Matt Garcia Foundation on is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 9th Annual Golf Tournament is an opportunity to ensure that the impactful youth and community programs that we support throughout the year will continue. Our late city councilman, Matt Garcia, was a young man with a vision. With the help of generous individuals and companies such as yours, our foundation on has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.”

Step up to Support the DREAM, Sponsorship Available.

For Additional Support – Email Volunteer Board Members:
Susie Young – Susie@ffinest.org
Vince – Vince@ffinest.org

DOWNLOAD BROCHURE FOR MORE INFORMATION
AND REGISTRATION DETAILS

Thursday, September 20, 2018

Connor Ellison's Story - Donate Life California


Congenital hepatic fibrosis has kept Connor Ellison from playing tackle football, but it hasnt kept him from being a football player.

Right now nearly 20,000 Californians wait for an organ transplant. That's 21 percent of the 94,000 people waiting across our country. Tragically, one third of them will die - waiting.

Now, Donate Life California allows you to express your commitment to becoming an organ, eye and tissue donor. The Registry guarantees your plans will be carried out when you die.

CLICK HERE for more information about becoming an organ donor.


Monday, September 17, 2018

What Comes After Tragedy? Forgiveness | Azim Khamisa and Ples Felix


On one awful night in 1995, Ples Felix's 14-year-old grandson murdered Azim Khamisa's son in a gang initiation fueled by drugs, alcohol and a false sense of belonging. The deadly encounter sent Khamisa and Felix down paths of deep meditation, to forgive and to be forgiven -- and in an act of bravery and reconciliation, the two men met and forged a lasting bond. Together, they've used their story as an outline for a better, more merciful society, where victims of tragedy can grow and heal. Prepare to be moved by their unimaginable story. "Peace is possible," Khamisa says. "How do I know that? Because I am at peace."

Friday, September 14, 2018

Why the "Wrong Side of the Tracks" is Usually the East Side of Cities | Stephen DeBerry


What do communities on the social, economic and environmental margins have in common? For one thing, they tend to be on the east sides of cities. In this short talk about a surprising insight, anthropologist and venture capitalist Stephen DeBerry explains how both environmental and man-made factors have led to disparity by design in cities from East Palo Alto, California to East Jerusalem and beyond -- and suggests some elegant solutions to fix it.

Tuesday, September 11, 2018

Our 9th Annual Golf Tournament is October 15th!


Ninth Annual Golf Tournament – October 15, 2018

The Matt Garcia Foundation on is pleased to announce one of our most exciting events of the year. Our 9th Annual Golf Tournament is an opportunity to ensure that the impactful youth and community programs that we support throughout the year will continue. Our late city councilman, Matt Garcia, was a young man with a vision. With the help of generous individuals and companies such as yours, our foundation on has been able to raise the essential funds needed in “Keeping the Dream Alive.”

Step up to Support the DREAM, Sponsorship Available.

For Additional Support – Email Volunteer Board Members:
Susie Young – Susie@ffinest.org
Vince – Vince@ffinest.org

DOWNLOAD BROCHURE FOR MORE INFORMATION
AND REGISTRATION DETAILS

Saturday, September 8, 2018

Support The Matt Garcia Foundation Through AmazonSmile!

Click the logo above to start shopping!

You can help support The Matt Garcia Foundation by shopping through AmazonSmile.

  • Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Matt Garcia Foundation whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
  • AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same Amazon Prime benefits.
  • Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

Legacy of Matt Garcia Still Touches Lives

Members of the Fairfield High School Pipe and Drums perform during a 10th anniversary celebration of the Life and Legacy of Matt Garcia at the Downtown Theatre in Fairfield, Saturday, Sept. 1, 2018. (Aaron Rosenblatt/Daily Republic)


FAIRFIELD — The death of Matt Garcia 10 years ago this weekend, which ended the dream of one young man, became an inspiration for hundreds of others to keep his dream alive and to follow their own.

More than 300 people came out Saturday to celebrate the life of Matt Garcia at the Downtown Theatre in Fairfield. The event included a screening of “The Life and Legacy of Matt Garcia,” along with a formal ceremony of remembrance.

Matt Garcia, the youngest city councilman elected in the state of California in November 2007, was just 22 years old when he was shot in Cordelia on Sept. 1, 2008, but that wasn’t the end of his story.

“Matt’s dream involved supporting the youth and creating places for them to go and things for them to do; changing a culture of violence and crime in the city through youth involvement. By uniting a community all people will have a sense of belonging and responsibility to the city of Fairfield,” said Tony Wade, a presenter.

Decorating the walls in the lobby were copies of letters from the recipients of his donated organs. Also decorating the area were pieces of artwork made from guns, bullets and residue from weapons given to the police and re-purposed for Art for Peace.

The Solano County Gun Buyback program, which helped make that happen, was sponsored by the Matt Garcia Foundation, an organization created and dedicated to creating peace and helping the youth in Solano County.

He touched even more lives, some in ways that were unexpected.

Jessica Samra of Fairfield didn’t know Garcia.

“I was skeptical about him being so young and running for office,” she said. “But then I heard about how every time he met someone things would turn around. I voted for him.”

Engulfed by the grief of the end of her marriage, she started volunteering with the Matt Garcia Foundation.

“How could I feel so bad for myself? It wasn’t like I lost a son,” she said.

Samra has volunteered for five years, helping others and cleaning up the community to make it better for everyone.

“I can follow in his footsteps,” she said. “I can plug in and give back to the community. I’m grateful for the foundation being here.”

Garcia’s aunt, Debbie Cudmore, remembers a young man who did everything that he said he would do.

“He was bigger than life,” she said. “I am so proud of him.”

She remembers him putting his mind to something and just doing it.

His biological father, Matt Garcia, remembers his son as a dreamer.

“He always had a vision of what he wanted to be,” he said. “He ran for City Council because he wanted to be on the City Council.

“His message was so good it changed people’s lives,” he said. “It saved people from becoming gang members.”

The Matt Garcia Foundation was established to carry out Garcia’s dream. Those dreams have grown and evolved over the 10 years since his death to include so much more than he might have ever imagined.

People gather with trash bags and gloves to clean up the downtown area on the last Saturday of the month for what has become the Monthly Community Clean-Ups. In addition, more organizations have been created to better the community, including Allan Witt Park Little League Project, Fairfield PAL – The Matt Garcia Youth Center, The Matt Garcia Learning Center School which later became the Matt Garcia Career and College Academy, The Matt Garcia Home for Women and Children, Matty’s Yankees – Fairfield Pacific Little League and S.O.A.P. – Save Our Activities Programs.

Garcia’s stepfather, Raymond Courtemanche, said he hopes that people take his message of life, light and love and make Fairfield and the world better because of it.

“I hope people take a stand and create a creative, supportive environment,” he said.

His mother, Teresa Courtemanche, said it feels like yesterday when she last saw him. She believes she grew up with him when at 19 years old she became his mother.

“I wish he was still here,” she said. “I learned about love, dedication, commitment and perseverance because of him.”

His parents plan to keep the dream alive.

“This is what keeps our family going, knowing the dream is alive and well.”

Article Source: Daily Republic

Saturday, September 1, 2018

Matt Garcia's Life & Legacy Premiere is TODAY - Stream it LIVE on Our Facebook Event Page!!


**THIS EVENT WILL STREAM LIVE ON OUR FACEBOOK EVENT PAGE.**


Ten years ago on September 1, 2008, tragedy struck when one single bullet took the life of Fairfield City Councilman Matt Garcia. The Matt Garcia Foundation was created to keep Matt’s dream alive. To create a safe place for our youth, change the culture of violence through youth involvement, and create unity within Fairfield's community.

Join us for an evening to remember Matt, his dream, and how we as a community can continue to keep his dream alive. Doors open at 4:00pm and the program will begin at 4:30pm.

We are currently sold out of tickets, but please join us via Facebook and spread the word!

Thursday, August 30, 2018

Matt Garcia's Life & Legacy: Keeping The Dream Alive Premiers on Saturday Night


Ten Years ago, September 1, 2008, tragedy struck Fairfield, Solano County, and abroad… Fairfield City Councilman Matt Garcia was struck by a single bullet in the back of his head that took his life. At 21 years of age, Matt Garcia was the youngest elected City official in Northern CA. Elected on the premise – Support Youth, Help Stop Crime, Strengthen our Communities.

Come see the Life & Legacy of Fairfield City Councilman Matt Garcia. Biography will premier, at the Fairfield Downtown-Theater on Saturday, September 1, 2018 at 4:00pm.

See you there!

Events Tickets: Downtown Theatre

Monday, August 27, 2018

5 Things Great Leaders Do


Knowing how to be an effective leader will make you more successful in any role you're in, whether that is climbing the corporate ladder, building a network marketing downline, or working for social change. In this video, I'll share the 5 things great leaders have in common.

Friday, August 24, 2018

Sponsorship is Available for The Matt Garcia Foundation's 9th Annual Golf Tournament on October 15


The Matt Garcia's 9th Annual Golf Tournament is set for October 15, 2018! 

Step up to Support the DREAM, Sponsorship Available

Email Volunteer Board Members:
Susie Young - Susie@ffinest.org OR/ Vince - Vince@ffinest.org
For Additional Support

Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Join Us For Our Monthly Community Clean Up On Saturday!

 
When: Saturday, August 25, 2018 at 9am 

Where: Starbucks Downtown Fairfield 700 Jefferson St Corner of Jefferson & Texas (map)

Description: We meet every last Saturday of each month (weather permitting). We clean up different locations and neighborhoods. Please join us. All are welcome

At the Matt Garcia Foundation we don’t want to complain about this, we want to create solutions to problems. It is with this spirit that we began our Monthly Community Clean Ups.

On the last Saturday of every month, volunteers get together and clean up a neighborhood in Fairfield. We pick up trash, work on landscaping paint windows, fix fences – all in an effort to improve our community. This is another example of community coming together to help make a difference.

The Matt Garcia Foundation Dream Team, is all about stepping up and stepping out of ourselves to serve others and our communities to be a part of the solution. Matt would say ” if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, please just pick it up” How simple is that! So, that is what we do.

Saturday, August 18, 2018

Donate Life PSA - Check Out Their Booth at the "Matt Garcia's Life & Legacy Premier" on September 1st!


Right now nearly 20,000 Californians wait for an organ transplant. That's 21 percent of the 94,000 people waiting across our country. Tragically, one third of them will die - waiting.

Now, Donate Life California allows you to express your commitment to becoming an organ, eye and tissue donor. The Registry guarantees your plans will be carried out when you die.

Matt Garcia was an organ donor… Look for us at the Donate CA booth during the Matt Garcia's Life & Legacy Premier: Keeping The Dream Alive on September 1st at the Downtown Theatre. Get your FREE tickets for the event HERE.

CLICK HERE for more information about becoming an organ donor.

See you there!

Wednesday, August 15, 2018

3 Ways to Lead Yourself Into the Future


There are three ways to lead yourself into the future, and it simply starts with understanding how to recalibrate your GPS. GPS stands for:

• What am I grateful for? When you get up every single day, can you identify the one, two or three things that you are most thankful for as you start the day? This allows us to be more productive during the day.
• How do I intend to be purposeful? Where there is no purpose, abuse of time, energy and resources is inevitable. So how do you find your purpose? Ask yourself, why are you here right now? What is that you can do to make the biggest impact and difference today?
• What will it take to be a slashy? Whoever told you that you have to do just one thing, don’t believe the hype. If you’re working in a job, it’s OK to have a side hustle. If you’re in business for yourself, it’s OK to do a few things—just make sure you love it.

We are now living in a very disrupted world—a world of uncertainty, ambiguity and change. The most important thing we have to think about is how we are going to lead ourselves into the future.

Sunday, August 12, 2018

Don't Forget to Reserve Your Tickets for Matt Garcia's Life & Legacy Premier: Keeping The Dream Alive


Ten Years ago, September 1, 2008, tragedy struck Fairfield, Solano County, and abroad… Fairfield City Councilman Matt Garcia was struck by a single bullet in the back of his head that took his life. At 21 years of age, Matt Garcia was the youngest elected City official in Northern CA. Elected on the premise – Support Youth, Help Stop Crime, Strengthen our Communities.

Come see the Life & Legacy of Fairfield City Councilman Matt Garcia. Biography will premier, at the Fairfield Downtown-Theater

See you there!

Events Tickets: Downtown Theatre

Thursday, August 9, 2018

Is Hope Worth Having?


Is it smart to be cynical? In her talk, Junah Jang explores what it means to be both informed and hopeful in an era where bad news is more accessible than ever. Junah is a student at Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, USA. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Monday, August 6, 2018

A Letter From Matt Garcia's Liver Recipient


Fairfield City Councilman Matt Garcia’s Liver Recipient…

“I am writing to thank you very much for the Liver that I got as a transplant September 5th 2008….so that I could have a good life. My family will keep you in their prayers... From a 15- year old girl from Oregon. 
September 30th 2008’’


Don't miss "Matt Garcia's Life & Legacy Premier: Keeping The Dream Alive" on September 1, 2018 at the Downtown Theatre in Fairfield. Get tickets HERE


Matt was an organ donor… Look for us at the Donate CA booth during the September 1st Premier.


CLICK HERE for more information about becoming an organ donor.

See you there!

Friday, August 3, 2018

Sponsorship is Available for The Matt Garcia Foundation's 9th Annual Golf Tournament on October 15


The Matt Garcia's 9th Annual Golf Tournament is set for October 15, 2018! 

Step up to Support the DREAM, Sponsorship Available

Email Volunteer Board Members:
Susie Young - Susie@ffinest.org OR/ Vince - Vince@ffinest.org
For Additional Support

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

How Can You Change Someone's Mind? (hint: facts aren't always enough) - Hugo Mercier


Why do arguments change people’s minds in some cases and backfire in others? Hugo Mercier explains how arguments are more convincing when they rest on a good knowledge of the audience, taking into account what the audience believes, who they trust, and what they value.

Lesson by Hugo Mercier, animation by TED-Ed.

Saturday, July 28, 2018

Get Your Tickets for the Premier of Matt Garcia's Life & Legacy: Keeping The Dream Alive


Ten Years ago, September 1, 2008, tragedy struck Fairfield, Solano County, and abroad… Fairfield City Councilman Matt Garcia was struck by a single bullet in the back of his head that took his life. At 21 years of age, Matt Garcia was the youngest elected City official in Northern CA. Elected on the premise – Support Youth, Help Stop Crime, Strengthen our Communities.

Come see the Life & Legacy of Fairfield City Councilman Matt Garcia. Biography will premier, at the Fairfield Downtown-Theater

See you there!

Events Tickets: Downtown Theatre

Wednesday, July 25, 2018

Join Us For Our Monthly Community Clean Up On Saturday!

 
When: Saturday, July 28, 2018 at 9am 

Where: Starbucks Downtown Fairfield 700 Jefferson St Corner of Jefferson & Texas (map)

Description: We meet every last Saturday of each month (weather permitting). We clean up different locations and neighborhoods. Please join us. All are welcome

At the Matt Garcia Foundation we don’t want to complain about this, we want to create solutions to problems. It is with this spirit that we began our Monthly Community Clean Ups.

On the last Saturday of every month, volunteers get together and clean up a neighborhood in Fairfield. We pick up trash, work on landscaping paint windows, fix fences – all in an effort to improve our community. This is another example of community coming together to help make a difference.

The Matt Garcia Foundation Dream Team, is all about stepping up and stepping out of ourselves to serve others and our communities to be a part of the solution. Matt would say ” if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, please just pick it up” How simple is that! So, that is what we do.

Sunday, July 22, 2018

Support The Matt Garcia Foundation Through AmazonSmile!

Click the logo above to start shopping!

You can help support The Matt Garcia Foundation by shopping through AmazonSmile.

  • Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Matt Garcia Foundation whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
  • AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same Amazon Prime benefits.
  • Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

Thursday, July 19, 2018

Our 9th Annual Golf Tournament is October 15 - Sponsorship Available!


The Matt Garcia's 9th Annual Golf Tournament is set for October 15, 2018! 

Step up to Support the DREAM, Sponsorship Available

Email Volunteer Board Members:
Susie Young - Susie@ffinest.org OR/ Vince - Vince@ffinest.org
For Additional Support

Monday, July 16, 2018

Everyday Leadership - Drew Dudley



We have all changed someone's life -- usually without even realizing it. In this funny talk, Drew Dudley calls on all of us to celebrate leadership as the everyday act of improving each other's lives. (Filmed at TEDxToronto.)

Friday, July 13, 2018

How to Avoid Miscommunication - Katherine Hampsten



Have you ever talked with a friend about a problem, only to realize that he just doesn’t seem to grasp why the issue is so important to you? Have you ever presented an idea to a group, and it’s met with utter confusion? What’s going on here? Katherine Hampsten describes why miscommunication occurs so frequently, and how we can minimize frustration while expressing ourselves better.

Lesson by Katherine Hampsten, animation by Andrew Foerster.

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

The Power of Laughter


Few things are more beneficial to a person's overall well-being than laughter. In fact, a good sense of humor is not only an indicator of better mental health, it's an indicator of better physical health as well.

Saturday, July 7, 2018

Insight Into the Teenage Brain


Dr. Adriana Galván is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology and Brain Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she is the Director and Principal Investigator of the Developmental Neuroscience Laboratory. Dr. Galván's expertise is in adolescent brain development.

Her research aims to uncover the neurobiology underlying characteristic teenage behavior, such as risk-taking, exploration and thrill-seeking. Through her research, Dr. Galván's goal is to understand the opportunities and vulnerabilities that accompany adolescent brain and behavioral development in order to inform policy, juvenile justice and public health issues that affect youth.

Wednesday, July 4, 2018

Happy 4th of July!


"I believe in America because we have great dreams, and because we have the opportunity to make those dreams come true." 
-Wendell Willkie​

Sunday, July 1, 2018

The Real Risk of Forgiveness–And Why It’s Worth It


Forgiveness is tricky. Everyone says you should forgive, but no one will tell you how, exactly, to do it. And is it always possible—even for something as traumatic as gun violence?

In this vulnerable and heartfelt talk, writer Sarah Montana takes us through her journey of forgiving her family’s killer. She offers an inside look at what we risk when we choose to forgive, and a hopeful glimpse of the freedom that lies on the other side of grief.

Sarah Montana is a NYC based writer, editor, and branded content producer. She has ghost written book proposals for celebrity experts, some of which have been sold to publishers for six figures. She creates and shapes content for authors and business owners, including ebooks, reality TV pitches, articles, memoirs, and marketing copy. She is also a playwright and creates her own original content. Her most recent play, The Girl, The Ghosts, and the Minotaur was selected for a staged reading at Life Jacket Theater Company’s 2017 Proof of Concept Reading Series in New York City.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Thursday, June 28, 2018

Join Us For Our Monthly Community Clean Up on Saturday!

 
When: Saturday, June 30, 2018 at 9am 

Where: Starbucks Downtown Fairfield 700 Jefferson St Corner of Jefferson & Texas (map)

Description: We meet every last Saturday of each month (weather permitting). We clean up different locations and neighborhoods. Please join us. All are welcome

At the Matt Garcia Foundation we don’t want to complain about this, we want to create solutions to problems. It is with this spirit that we began our Monthly Community Clean Ups.

On the last Saturday of every month, volunteers get together and clean up a neighborhood in Fairfield. We pick up trash, work on landscaping paint windows, fix fences – all in an effort to improve our community. This is another example of community coming together to help make a difference.

The Matt Garcia Foundation Dream Team, is all about stepping up and stepping out of ourselves to serve others and our communities to be a part of the solution. Matt would say ” if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, please just pick it up” How simple is that! So, that is what we do.

Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Why Failure is Good for You


In this video Brian Tracy gives you tips on how to accept failure and use it to propel you to even greater success. Failing can be better for you in the long run, as it spurs you forward and fans the flames for better success in the future.

Friday, June 22, 2018

Help for Kids the Education System Ignores | Victor Rios


Define students by what they contribute, not what they lack -- especially those with difficult upbringings, says educator Victor Rios. Interweaved with his personal tale of perseverance as an inner-city youth, Rios identifies three straightforward strategies to shift attitudes in education and calls for fellow educators to see "at-risk" students as "at-promise" individuals brimming with resilience, character and grit.

Tuesday, June 19, 2018

How To Replace Negative Thoughts


In this video Brian Tracy gives you tips on how to replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. Sometimes we can be to hard on ourselves and the result is negative self talk. We must always strive to talk to ourselves in a positive way even when we make a mistake.

Saturday, June 16, 2018

Support The Matt Garcia Foundation Through AmazonSmile!

Click the logo above to start shopping!

You can help support The Matt Garcia Foundation by shopping through AmazonSmile.

  • Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Matt Garcia Foundation whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
  • AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same Amazon Prime benefits.
  • Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

Wednesday, June 13, 2018

Are You Born To Lead? Leadership Traits That Every Leader Must Have


Are you born to be a leader? Many claim that a person is born to lead and scientists have claimed that one can inherit it through their genes. So is it too late for us who were not born out of influential families? According to D.R. Forsyth, one can develop leadership potential through hard work and careful observation. With that said, how can one be a leader? What traits and styles should one have in order to develop their leadership potentials? Below are just some things that you ought to consider to be able to develop your leadership potentials.

Act on It

The first thing to do to develop one's initiative is to act on an opportunity that comes along their way. One must develop their drive to make things happen the way they want it to. People who take the lead are on their way to becoming leaders as they are often the first person who would spot opportunities for the company that they work for and are not afraid to pursue it.

Be Responsible

Becoming a leader means being responsible and taking ownership of the problem. They exhibit a "can do" attitude, anticipate problems head on and provide several solutions or action plans in order to resolve the matter readily.

Innovative and Risk Taking

Suggesting new ways of handling things and taking risks are also some of the traits that one should develop to become a potential leader. Innovative thinking or "thinking out of the box" helps create change to the old ways and paves the way for a better and more productive company.

Motivating others

Leadership involves motivating others and directing them on what to do. The leader encourages the staff and fellow team member to work on the common goal together. They provide support and believe in the abilities of the people around them.

Self Confidence

People who are self-confident exude an aura of authority. They are not in doubt of their ability to make a decision and trust their decisions. They are emotionally stable, assertive and self-assured. To develop self-confidence, one must be consistent in what they are doing and demonstrate their integrity and commitment. Self-assured individuals also project their aura to their team and help create an environment where every staff or member feels valued and has a sense of belonging.

These are just some of the traits that every individual should develop if they want to lead or become a leader later on. Leaders are born, but leadership skills can be developed.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Francheska_Craig

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8623828

Sunday, June 10, 2018

Robert Wright: The Evolution of Compassion



Robert Wright uses evolutionary biology and game theory to explain why we appreciate the Golden Rule ("Do unto others..."), why we sometimes ignore it and why there’s hope that, in the near future, we might all have the compassion to follow it.

Friday, June 8, 2018

Nelson Mandela and the Science of Forgiveness


After Nelson Mandela passed, the world lost not only an international icon of peace and reconciliation, but also someone with the unique ability to truly forgive. Casting aside his anger and resentment to those who held him imprisoned for 27 years, he went on to achieve greatness and influence the lives of millions of people. Trace looks at the science behind this power of forgiveness.

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

3 Simple Ways to Build Self-Confidence


Confidence is believing in yourself, your power and your ability to get it done.

How can you develop more self-confidence?

1. What is right about you?
Take out a sheet of paper, and in 30 seconds or less, write down what’s right about you.

2. Upgrade your verbal software.
Language is the software of the mind. How do you talk about yourself when you talk?

3. Own the room.
Look to the right, look to the left, and say, Today, I’m going to make it happen.

These things build your self-confidence from the inside out.

Friday, June 1, 2018

Take a Street and Build a Community: Shani Graham at TEDxPerth



How well do you know your neighbours? Suburban life is often isolating and rarely a true community experience. This is not the case in Hulbert Street.

Shani Graham helped lead a sustainable-living revolution that ultimately resulted in strong neighbourly relationships, the fences pulled down and the establishment of a street festival. In this talk, she explains how it happened.

Tuesday, May 29, 2018

How to Stay Calm Under Pressure - Noa Kageyama and Pen-Pen Chen


Your favorite athlete closes in for a win; the crowd holds its breath, and at the crucial moment ... she misses the shot. That competitor just experienced the phenomenon known as “choking,” where despite months, even years, of practice, a person fails right when it matters most. Why does this happen, and what can we do to avoid it? Noa Kageyama and Pen-Pen Chen explain why we choke under pressure. 

Lesson by Noa Kageyama and Pen-Pen Chen, animation by Olesya Shchukina.

Saturday, May 26, 2018

From Pain, to Power to Success: Macio Thompkins



Macio Thompkins is a 19 year old employee of the City of Atlanta and a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School in Atlanta. Growing up on the Northwest side of Atlanta, Macio had to overcome numerous challenges and hurdles to achieve his dream of graduating high school and being a model of success for his family and friends. However, thanks to Beyond the Bricks program offered this summer at Georgia State University, Macio dreams now include sharing his talent with the world and his message of determination and success.

Wednesday, May 23, 2018

Join Us For Our Monthly Community Clean Up on Saturday!

 
When: Saturday, May 26, 2018 at 9am 

Where: Starbucks Downtown Fairfield 700 Jefferson St Corner of Jefferson & Texas (map)

Description: We meet every last Saturday of each month (weather permitting). We clean up different locations and neighborhoods. Please join us. All are welcome

At the Matt Garcia Foundation we don’t want to complain about this, we want to create solutions to problems. It is with this spirit that we began our Monthly Community Clean Ups.

On the last Saturday of every month, volunteers get together and clean up a neighborhood in Fairfield. We pick up trash, work on landscaping paint windows, fix fences – all in an effort to improve our community. This is another example of community coming together to help make a difference.

The Matt Garcia Foundation Dream Team, is all about stepping up and stepping out of ourselves to serve others and our communities to be a part of the solution. Matt would say ” if you see a piece of garbage on the ground, please just pick it up” How simple is that! So, that is what we do.

Thursday, May 17, 2018

Support The Matt Garcia Foundation Through AmazonSmile!

Click the logo above to start shopping!

You can help support The Matt Garcia Foundation by shopping through AmazonSmile.

  • Amazon will donate 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to The Matt Garcia Foundation whenever you shop on AmazonSmile.
  • AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same Amazon Prime benefits.
  • Support your charitable organization by starting your shopping at smile.amazon.com.

Monday, May 14, 2018

Can You Really Tell If a Kid is Lying? | Kang Lee



Are children poor liars? Do you think you can easily detect their lies? Developmental researcher Kang Lee studies what happens physiologically to children when they lie. They do it a lot, starting as young as two years old, and they're actually really good at it. Lee explains why we should celebrate when kids start to lie and presents new lie-detection technology that could someday reveal our hidden emotions.