Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
SafeCare Financial Services delivers on its pledge of $5000.00 and extends a challenge to other IE businesses to do the same. (L to R) Leilani Palmer, Excutive Director of YouthPower Solutions I E Youth Build Program; Wallace J. Allen, Host ETB; Reverend Jim Peterson, SafeCare Director; and Andrew Valles, SafeCare CEO and ETB Co-host.
SAN BERNARDINO, CA- The CEO of SAFECARE Financial Services recently delivered a $5000 check to the YouthPower Solutions IE Youth Build Program. The Monday afternoon presentation resulted from a pledge made during a conversation on the EMPIRE TALKS BACK (ETB) radio talk show. Leilani Palmer, YPS Youth Build Executive Director, and Felix Marchany, Development Director, were there discussing the program’s goals and policy. Andrew Valles, ETB Co-host, became so enthused with them and their program that he pledged $5000.00 and challenged other IE entities to match him in an effort to raise $30,000 for the program.
Valles had this to say about his donation,
“Some have asked ‘why has SafeCare of San Francisco chosen to financially sponsor YouthPower Solutions Youth Build (in San Bernardino)?’ Though I am the chief executive officer of the company, I could answer, ‘Why not?!’ However, the Youth Build organization commands an answer which is complete and respectful. So here is my answer, I was invited to come see so-called at risk youth and young adults express their desire to achieve more for themselves. I was skeptical.”
He continues,
“What I observed were young people poised to defy the odds of a decaying inner city, but all they needed were a few resources. Resources denied to them by their own families and their communities. In short, there was a need and a want. I merely used the power of my office to commit a small amount of money, which I thought and felt with this organization would shift lives and perspectives. If there is a disappointment which I have then it would be that no other individual, company, group or band of community members have taken me, an outsider, up on my matching funds challenge. That says plenty to me about a community. A community where the political leadership years ago was content with eroding education funding, which is the same ilk which insults the children they failed prior be depriving them of opportunities and resources in adulthood.”
You can find more about the YouthPower Solutions Youth Build Program at their website www.Youthbuildinlandempire.webs.com. The ETB radio talk show, hosted by WSSNews Publisher Wallace J. Allen is broadcast each Sunday morning at 10 a.m. on KCAA 1050-AM radio with video streamed live from www.kcaaradio.com. The new hi-tech way to hear the show is to simply dial up the program on your phone at (832) 999-1050!
