Community Unites to Give Back During 13th Sharefest Workday

A public park restroom damaged by graffiti is repainted with a beautiful, landscape mural. A school for special needs children gains a sensory garden. A Boys and Girls Club finds inspiration in a new, cozy reading nook. These are just a few of the more than 300 projects completed at 50 sites across the South Bay and Harbor area during Sharefest’s 13th annual Workday on April 30.

“Nearly 3,000 individuals turned out representing churches, businesses, schools, and more, all to help give back to their communities by completing these beautification projects,” said Chad Mayer, Sharefest Executive Director. “We continue to hear amazing stories of how people stepped up to help, and this day wouldn’t be possible without our dedicated volunteers and generous sponsors and partners.”

One of the highlights of the day was seeing families and individuals of all ages working together for a common cause as they cleaned, built, painted, and planted to improve the sites at which they served. One volunteer shared, “We built a stronger bond with the school and community who saw volunteers working together to make the community a more beautiful place!”

Another volunteer who served with her family said, “My son was so proud of the work he did since we worked at his school.” Sharefest seeks to instill a desire to serve together in our communities, and it starts with opportunities like these!

Title sponsors Los Angeles Council District 15 and Councilman Joe Buscaino, and Balfour Beatty Construction adopted several projects in addition to supporting Workday. Places such as the Wilmington Post Office, L.A. Harbor Boys and Girls Club, and Walteria Elementary School, among many others, received incredible makeovers as a result of their support.

“Each year I am amazed by the work completed by Sharefest, their generous partners, supporters, and the hardworking, passionate volunteers of Workday,” said Councilman Joe Buscaino, who stopped by many sites during Workday and pitched in with painting and cleaning. “This day is about bringing people together to beautify and improve our communities and instill in all of us a greater pride in our cities. CD15 is proud to be part of this day.”

“This is my sixth year leading a project for Sharefest’s Workday,” said Ben King, BBC Project Superintendent, who helped lead the way at the Walteria Elementary School project. “It’s so inspiring to be a part of this event. Every year something unbelievable happens as people and organizations come through to help us meet needs and finish projects.”

In addition to L.A. Council District 15 and Balfour Beatty Construction, numerous others sponsors generously gave to ensure this year’s projects would be completed, including Phillips 66, the Harbor Community Benefit Foundation, Toyota, Tesoro, and many more. These sponsors model what it means to unite for a common goal of bettering our cities and schools.

As a result of the dedication and work of everyone involved in making these transformations possible, students can now take more pride in their schools, teachers can benefit from refreshed facilities, and communities can enjoy clean, beautiful spaces.

View photos and watch a video recap of the 13th Annual Sharefest Workday.

Balfour Beatty Golf Classic Raises $110,250 for Sharefest Programs

Workday title sponsor and Sharefest longtime partner, Balfour Beatty Construction, has stepped up once again to help support this year’s projects. The 4th Annual Balfour Beatty/Sharefest Golf Classic took place in Long Beach on Friday, April 15, when 160 generous donors and sponsors turned out for a great day on the green. Together, they raised a record-setting $110,250 toward Sharefest programs, including Workday and the Summer Youth Development Academy, as well as to provide scholarship funds for area high school students interested in pursuing careers in construction.

In addition to supporting all Workday projects as a title sponsor, BBC has adopted 10 project sites, including beautification projects at schools in the Redondo, Torrance, Culver City, and Wiseburn School Districts.

“This is my sixth year leading a project for Sharefest’s Workday,” said Ben King, BBC Project Superintendent. “It’s so inspiring to be a part of this event. Every year something unbelievable happens as people and organizations come through to help us meet needs and finish projects.”

One of these sites that will soon undergo transformation is Walteria Elementary School in Torrance. During Workday on April 30, BBC volunteers will paint center court logos, update backboards and rims, and add district-supplied nets. Additionally, BBC plans to extend the kindergarten play area by 800 square feet and update the fencing, create murals to build school spirit, repaint lunch benches, assist with general campus clean up, and more. This is just one of the many examples of the positive work that will be completed by BBC and their team.

“Balfour Beatty Construction is a class corporation that believes in giving back to the community with high quality,” said Dr. George Mannon, Superintendent, Torrance Unified School District. “BBC’s dedication to improving schools is making a tangible difference and our school and district facilities and in our students’ academic success. Thank you, BBC, for the example you are of the positive impact service and volunteerism can have in our communities.”

During this year’s Golf Classic, Assemblyman David Hadley awarded BBC with a certificate for their “Exceptional Support, Service, and Volunteerism to our Schools and Students,” recognizing BBC’s commitment and intentionality in giving back to local communities.

“Each year, the team at Balfour Beatty Construction goes above and beyond to support our communities by giving so generously, adopting projects to meet needs, and bringing an incredible team of volunteers,” said Chad Mayer, Sharefest Executive Director. “The vendors they bring together also step up to further support Sharefest programs. Schools and communities are transformed for the better thanks to their dedicated efforts.”

View photos and watch a video recap of the 4th Annual BBC/Sharefest Golf Classic.

Wedgewood Service Day Transforms Wilmington Park Elementary

In March, while students were away at spring break, preparation work began at Wilmington Park Elementary School for a special Day of Service sponsored by Wedgewood Inc., an integrated network of real estate and residential rehabilitation companies located in Redondo Beach.

Following prep work, the Day of Service took place on March 31 and brought together 107 volunteers from Wedgewood to complete more than $40,000 of improvements at this deserving school. The scope of work was extensive, and included new landscaping and murals. Inside, the library and teachers’ lounge received significant renovations to better serve students and teachers. With new flooring, paint, shelving, and furniture, as well as new appliances in the teachers’ lounge, the community at Wilmington Park can now take additional pride in the spaces in which they learn and work. Special thanks to Main Street Management, Anderson Cabinets, and NuLook Flooring for their great work in helping with these much needed improvements.

“Outreach and volunteerism is a core part of our mission at Wedgewood,” said President and CEO Greg Geiser. “Our team continually looks for ways to give back and support our communities, and partnering with Sharefest allowed us to identify an area of need here at Wilmington Park Elementary. Together, we were able to improve the learning environment for everyone in the Wilmington Park community. For us the thank you happened at the end of the day when a student was leaving and turned to a friend and said, ‘Now we have the best school.’ I hope everyone in their community can share a little of that feeling.”

Each student was challenged to identify a civic concern, research its causes and potential remedies, and prepare an advocacy speech to inspire change. Students integrated research, mentor feedback, and peer review to develop their final Powerpoint presentation with a goal of delivering a powerful message of need and hope.

Wedgewood also hosted a shoe and book drive ahead of the service day, collecting 50 pairs of shoes and 500 books to give to the incredible students at this school. Students and teachers were moved by their generosity.

“What a wonderful experience and fantastic group of people,” said Wilmington Park Principal Adriana Nakano. “The time and effort put into these projects is absolutely amazing! The students were so excited and full of joy. It was such a fun day. Thank you so much!”

During the day’s events, music students from the school performed for volunteers during their lunch break. Additionally, local community leaders dropped by to view the work and thank Wedgewood for their commitment to improving lives through outreach, including Assemblyman David Hadley, Gabriela Medina, Field Deputy for Los Angeles Councilman Joe Buscaino; Manny Lopez, L.A. Mayor's Harbor Area Representative; and Lupe Lopez, Los Angeles Unified School District Director of Community Engagement for the Office of Dr. Vladovic, and Steve Napalitano, Senior Deputy to L.A. County Supervisor Don Knabe.

“This project was a perfect example of what Sharefest is about—bringing organizations together to utilize our strengths and resources to give back to our community,” said Chad Mayer, Sharefest Executive Director. “We couldn’t have done it without Assemblyman David Hadley and Sharefest Board Member Joe McMahon III, who helped connect Sharefest and Wedgewood to make this project happen.”

View photos and watch a video recap of the Wedgewood day of service.

A Memorable Night at the 2015 Sharefest Gala

Nearly 400 guests and supporters joined us November 7 for the 12th annual Sharefest Voices of Hope Gala at the Torrance Marriott to celebrate a successful year of transformed communities and empowered lives. It was a memorable evening complete with entertaining emcees, talented youth musicians, a lively auction, and powerful stories of community impact. (Watch the gala video recap.)

Throughout the evening, guests heard from several amazing Sharefest Youth Development Academy students. Representing our Voices of Hope, these high school students shared about their community advocacy projects and the dreams they have to bring about change. (Watch the Voices of Hope video to see more of their stories.)

“It was wonderful to have so many of our youth involved in the gala this year,” said Sharefest Executive Director Chad Mayer. “They are the reason we are here, and they are the ones who will carry on this legacy of change.”

In addition, this year Sharefest introduced four new awards to recognize individuals and organizations making significant efforts to instill change and inspire others toward positive growth. The award recipients included Supervisor Don Knabe, the 2015 Honorary Gala Chair, whose work to bring individuals and organizations together to stop human trafficking is helping save lives.

Youth Hero Award recipient Nnamdi Asomugha was recognized for his work to motivate at-risk youth to pursue their dreams and go to college through the Asomugha College Tour for Scholars (ACTS). Several ACTS students attended the gala and shared with the audience where they are currently attending college. “I think that anytime you dedicate your life to serving others, you can’t fail. And that’s what we’re doing to continue to do,” said Asomugha. (Watch a video of Asomugha's impact featuring our friends at the NFL Network.)

Joyce Sharman, wife of the late Bill Sharman, received the Legacy Award for her contagious kindness and generosity as she helps athletes and local leaders discover joy in bringing encouragement and empowerment to those facing challenging health, economic, and social conditions. “I love what Sharefest does, how they make a difference in the community. How they show young people they can make a difference in the world,” said Sharman. She went on to encourage the audience, “You don’t have to be famous and you don’t have to be rich to make a difference in someone’s life.” (Watch this powerful video of Sharman's legacy hosted by sportscaster John Ireland.)

The Media Award went to Univision 34 Los Angeles for empowering the Hispanic community and equipping Latino families with resources focused on education, health, prosperity, and participation to help overcome the critical issues they face.

Each of these award recipients not only lead change, but also inspire change as they model to local youth and those around them what it means to serve and give back. For these reasons and so many more, Sharefest was proud to recognize each recipient.

This evening of community celebration would not have been possible without the support of Sharefest’s dedicated sponsors, including Supervisor Don Knabe, Wells Fargo, Cornerstone Construction Group, Toyota, and so many more. Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and all in attendance, more than $200,000 was raised to support Sharefest programs.

“We are so grateful for the generous encouragement we received from those who attended this special night,” said Mayer. “It’s been an incredible year of impact and growth, and we look forward to extending our impact even further in the year to come.”

Watch a video recap of the Gala.

Voices of Hope

During this year’s Summer Youth Development Academy, 27 students from local Los Angeles high schools spent four weeks dissecting what it means to be a leader and discovering how they can become positive, influential leaders in their communities.

They learned from special guest speakers in government and business who shared their pathways to leadership, the challenges and successes, and inspired students with their stories and advice. Assemblymember Mike Gipson challenged students to find their strengths and passions and from these, shape a career path. Joyce Sharman, wife of the late Bill Sharman, longtime Laker coach and 10-time NBA champion, taught students that “kindness has the power to change the world.” Pilar Hoyas of Watson Land Co. encouraged students, saying, “Education is the pathway to true change for yourself and others.” And Gabriela Medina, field deputy for Councilman Joe Buscaino told students, “Don't let careless choices define you. Make the necessary changes to move forward in a better way.” Students gleaned invaluable wisdom from these speakers and many others, motivating them to pursue their goals in education and future careers.

Students also engaged daily with the challenges of Los Angeles area communities by interacting with one another around information found in newspaper, online sources, and news magazines. Throughout the four weeks they used this information to work on their capstone project, a Point of View presentation to help raise civic awareness to needs plaguing our communities.

Each student was challenged to identify a civic concern, research its causes and potential remedies, and prepare an advocacy speech to inspire change. Students integrated research, mentor feedback, and peer review to develop their final Powerpoint presentation with a goal of delivering a powerful message of need and hope.

At the culmination of Summer YDA, these 27 high school students presented to more than 100 guests at The Asomugha Foundation Voices of Hope event. They addressed issues such as a need for more sober living facilities, and the ongoing challenge of body image for women in a culture focused on Hollywood celebrities and models. It was a powerful afternoon watching students discover and express their concerns and identify ways to make their communities better.

Sharefest looks forward to seeing communities grow stronger as these students go back with new-found leadership skills and a firm conviction that change is possible.

Watch a video recap of their summer experience…