A Special Message from the Executive Director for 2010

The Kids' Breakfast Club (TKBC) is 18 years old this year!  It is only appropriate and fitting to congratulate the Hayward community and celebrate our 18^th birthday.  The mission of The Kids' Breakfast Club is to improve the quality of life for kids and their families.  We fulfill our mission statement by providing free healthy and nutritious breakfasts to kids and their families, literacy opportunities to kids, and we provide educational opportunities to parents by providing parent education workshops on health, nutrition, and family education.  All of these activities are conducted at a critical time for a family--while school is not in session.

18 years ago Dr. Marlena Uhrik asked her Early Childhood Development students at Chabot College if they wanted to do a class project that would truly change the lives of children.  Dr. Uhrik explained to her students there were kids in neighborhoods surrounding Chabot College going without food when school was not in session such as during the winter break.  In the winter of 1992 Dr. Uhrik and her students organized a group of students and community volunteers, planned arts and crafts activities for kids, recruited parent educators to conduct parent workshops, and collected food donations from local grocery stores.  This was the genesis of the winter session program and the first TKBC site was at the Salvation Army on A Street in Hayward, California.

In 1992 (18 years ago) when the first TKBC winter session was implemented 46% of all the kids in Hayward public schools were participating in the federal and state free or reduced priced meal program at school.  That was 9,406 Hayward kids!  Today in 2010, there are 22,098 kids enrolled in Hayward public schools and 13,346 or 60.2% of all the kids in Hayward public school are currently participating in the free or reduced priced meal program at school.  While TKBC is 18 years old this year, the problem TKBC started working on 18 years ago has become quantitatively larger and qualitatively more intense.  There are more kids today going without eating especially when school is not on session and simultaneously more and more kids today are expected to meet some of the highest academic expectations ever put upon on a generation of kids in history.  While all of our kids have guaranteed access to good and quality nutrition 180 days of the school year, it is the other 185 days of the year when school is not in session that concerns TKBC.  It concerned Dr. Uhrik 18 years ago and it concerns me today.

TKBC today is in two East Bay school districts (Hayward USD and Newark USD) providing free breakfasts and activities for kids and their parents three Saturdays a  month.  We continue to offer breakfast and activities for the whole family during winter and spring breaks from school.  In 2009, TKBC served over 3,000 kids and their parents.  We have over 300 volunteers on our volunteer list and they come from Bay Area companies, colleges and universities, local high schools, as well as from other community service organizations such as local Rotary clubs and the Castro Valley and Hayward Chamber of Commerce.  The organization Dr. Uhrik established 18 years ago continues today as a good and quality service and advocacy organization for kids and their families in Hayward and surrounding communities.

Over the years we have served hundreds of kids and their parents.  One student in particular who I believe personifies the impact TKBC has on kids is Izamar Avila.  Izamar and her family have been actively participating with TKBC for over 7 years.  After Izamar and her parents went on a TKBC college tour to California State University, Monterey Bay (CSUMB) Izamar decided to go to CSUMB after she graduated from Hayward High School.  Today while Izamar is the first one in her family to go to college she is also modeling excellent student leadership to her brothers and sisters by immersing herself in all of her general education courses, exploring all of her educational and career options, and on her school breaks she comes back to volunteer at TKBC.  Izamar and her family is just one example of how TKBC impacts kids and families.

I want thank everyone who contributes to the success of TKBC.  Contributing money or their volunteer service, all of it truly makes a difference in our community.  We are currently planning activities which will lead us into our 20^th year and we hope to have a big gala acknowledging all of the people involved over the years to make The Kids' Breakfast Club the place to go for breakfast, activities, and educational success. 

Have a great year!
Mark A. Salinas
Executive Director

The Kids' Breakfast Club (TKBC) has four Saturday Academy programs and each program provides kids and their parents with nutrition and education activities on Saturdays when school is not in session.  The Saturday Academy programs are implemented at four different elementary schools in Hayward and Newark, California and both kids and their parents (or an adult 18 years or older) must attend together.  A Saturday Academy program consists of a free nutritious breakfast, reading and math literacy activities, arts and crafts activities, recreational activities, as well as parent education.  Each program starts at 9:00AM and ends at 11:00AM.  

SEE CALENDAR ABOVE FOR TKBC DATES

Volunteer at TKBC!  The success of TKBC is based on the motivation and enthusiasum of volunteers from all over the Bay Area.  Groups and individuals are encouraged to sign-up and volunteer.  Click on the volunteer application link below, read all of the information, and call or e-mail TKBC to volunteer.  TKBC requests all groups or individuals to notify TKBC at least two weeks in advance before volunteering.  Thank you for your volunteer support!