Dear A Boy and His Dream Friends and Supporters,
As we near the end of 2020, we want to reflect back on and share with you the amazing success and progress we made despite all the pandemic challenges. But first, we want to thank you all for supporting us during this trying time. We know that you have also experienced many challenges throughout this time, and it means the world to us that you still found ways to support our organization. From the bottom of our hearts, we are grateful for you. Thank you, and Happy New Year!
Even though 2020 put a wrench in many of our event fundraising plans, we still worked very hard and came up with creative and fun ways to raise funds for the A Boy and His Dream children. Here's our 2020 recap:
In February, we had a lovely in-person fundraising event hosted at the beautiful Roche Bobois showroom. Over 200 people attended this event, including a few of our students who spoke at the event. It was marvelous. Thank you to the Roche Bobois Team for hosting this pre-pandemic soiree.
In July, we awarded 12 students with A Boy and His Dream scholarships. 11 students were present to receive their scholarships, and one student received their scholarship virtually. This COVID19 compliant award ceremony luncheon was hosted by Gibsons Italia and emceed by Ryan Chiaverini.
In August, we kicked off our very first virtual and in-person event, "Workout for Charity," hosted by Sunny Biggy Fitness and Gibsons Italia. The turnout was quite remarkable; even during a pandemic, we were able to be safe and still have a ton of fun while supporting an important cause. At this event alone, we raised over $7,000!
In September, we held our second virtual and in-person event, "Hip Hop for Charity," with Dance Master Labake Oyebanjo. Thank you to Labake Oyebanjo, RH Motion PIctures, and DJ Corey Sanford for donating their talent and time. Thank you to Gibsons Italia for hosting us.
In November, "Cooking for Charity," hosted by Katherine Ziegler and Chef Anna Hagopian from Mera Bites, was also a huge success. This was our first entirely virtual event and our first attempt at a cooking show - it was epic! We had a large audience who were excited, engaged, and following along as we cooked three of Anna's favorite recipes. Thank you to our event corporate sponsor, Property Rocks.
You can still make a difference before 2020 disappears. Your donation will be an incredible gift to the children we support. A Boy and His Dream Foundation helps children reach their educational dreams through scholarships, mentoring, providing clothing, school supplies, and more.
A Boy and His Dream Foundation inspires struggling youth to realize there is hope for their future, that they can do whatever they set their mind to and that they can make a difference. We do this through speaking engagements, college scholarships, mentorship, and pro-bono workshops locally, nationally, and internationally. Donations from our generous supporters fuel everything we do.
A Boy and His Dream Foundation is a non-profit 501c3 organization. All of our members are volunteers. All the money we raise goes back to the children.
We are sending warm wishes for continued health and well-being to you and your loved ones in the new year. Thank you for supporting the children of A Boy and His Dream Foundation.
A Boy and His Dream Scholarship Awards Luncheon
Hip Hop for Charity - September 2020
Learn about why A Boy and His Dream was founded in Sunny Akhigbe's story in the book, A Boy and His Dream.
While author, Sunny Akhigbe (pen name Ambrose Okosun), was just beginning his life in March of 1973 in Lekki, Nigeria, his parents' marriage was ending. Left with his grandparents to eke out a living in a small village, Sunny Akhigbe was separated from his mother and was not allowed to see his birth father. From a young age, he was dealt a hard life.
In A Boy and His Dream, Sunny Akhigbe shares the struggles he endured and how he strived to overcome those early challenges. From hunger to being ostracized by a polygamist family, he experienced severe poverty while growing up. At the same time, his elders imparted important lessons that Sunny Akhigbe took to heart, including the message that he was in charge of his own destiny.
Learning by trial and error and with guidance from God, Sunny Akhigbe tells how he became educated, earned several degrees, and immigrated to the United States. A Boy and His Dream narrates the story of a man who has come a long way from being an abused little boy in Nigeria.
At a time when we are all experiencing the pandemic, generosity is what brings people of all races, faiths, and political views together across the globe.
Generosity gives everyone the power to make a positive change in the lives of others and is a fundamental value anyone can act on.