Highlights
BIG B.A.N.G. Weekend 2021
BIG B.A.N.G. Weekend 2021 kicked off on August 20th with Open Mic Night at Athletic Performance Gym. The event was MC’d by KMJ radio host Matt Otstot who kept the crowd entertained with fun witty banter, while introducing local performers and overseeing the silent auction. Thank you to DJ Straws for keeping the party going! We appreciate the generosity of The Gastro Grill Food Truck for keeping everyone fed and full. Thank you to all of these local businesses who generously donated items for the silent auction.
Tower Yoga
Irenes Cafe
Pieology Pizza
Nothing Bundt Cakes
Quesadilla Gorilla
La Vogue
Justine at the Beehive Salon
Tower Blendz
Xcape Room Fresno
Bluff Pointe Golf Course
Defy Clovis
Pelican’s Snoballs Clovis!
Food4thought LLC
Metalmark
Airways Golf Club
Wahoos
Athletic Performance
Starving Artists Bistro
Costco
Fresno Chaffee Zoo
It was an unfortunate circumstance that KYJO had to make the call to cancel the football clinic due to poor air quality. The decision to postpone the football clinic was made to ensure that the health and safety was the priority of all clinic participants, volunteers and KYJO staff. Please keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming announcement on the date that BIG B.A.N.G. 2021 football clinic is rescheduled for.
Thank you to our BIG B.A.N.G. Weekend 2021 Partners. Without the support and loyalty of these businesses BIG B.A.N.G. 2021 would not have been possible.
KYJO Events & Outings
KYJO residents and foster families enjoyed Labor Day September 6th kayaking on Millerton Lake.
Human Resources Assistant Cameron treated three residents with tickets to the Fresno State football game vs. Cal Poly!
Residential Spotlight
Corporate, Hazel staff & resident AdPa sporting their Wackiness on Wednesday during BIG B.A.N.G week!
MH Head of Service Katie, MHRS Brittany, & DCC Raeleen showing off their wackiness during BIG B.A.N.G week!
PaSh and YFC mentor Oscar celebrating PaSh 17th birthday at the Youth for Christ Campus Center
XaSm, MaSt, JoRi at the waterfall on the Fresno State campus, free speech area
Foster Family Agency
Congratulations Mary
In August, FFA Social Worker Mary Sanchez transitioned to the role of FFA Social Work Supervisor. In this position Mary will assume the responsibilities of overseeing all of the FFA Social Workers and Mental Health Rehabilitation Specialists. A hard working, loyal KYJO employee for almost three years. This promotion is well deserved as Mary has been credited from both KYJO staff and foster parents as being organized, thorough, and knowledgeable. She has a warm and professional rapport with all she comes in contact with. Congratulations Mary! KYJO is excited to see you excel in this role!
Foster Parent Adoption
After 901 days in foster care, KYJO Resource Parent Bobbie Mixon finalized the adoption of her daughter Candace. Bobbie has been a foster parent with KYJO for three years. She obtained placement of Candace when she was six weeks old. Bobbie has had a special bond with her daughter since birth. As she worked in the residential youth home her biological mother resided in while pregnant. She brought Candace home from the hospital and helped care for her prior to being placed into foster care. The Mixon family are thrilled to welcome Candace into their loving family.
Community Partnerships
Thank you to City Without Orphans (CWO) for donating school supplies and toiletries to KYJO youth. The donations come from their annual Back to School Drive, where they collected supplies and personal hygiene items for Central Valley foster youth. CWO is a Central Valley non-profit that works to ensure that the needs and the voices of foster youth and those who work and care for them are heard. To learn more about City Without Orphans, please visit their website at http://www.citywithoutorphans.com/
Employee Spotlight
4 Years
Virginia Hernandez-Residential STRTP Program Supervisor
3 Years
Arlet Hernandez-Administrative Assistant
1 Year
Martha Hoiser-Head of Mental Health Service
Kevin’s Huddle
Hello Good People!
As I reflect back on the last couple of months, it has truly been a test of resiliency for me personally. We were blessed to put on our 8th annual Big B.A.N.G. (Building a New Generation) Weekend after taking off a year due to the pandemic. The morning of August 20th, I received a phone call that my father had passed away.
As I mourned over his passing, I started to reflect how my father was always there to support KYJO’s efforts and events because of the opportunities it gave others. My father always pushed me to better myself no matter what obstacles I faced. This time around it was the biggest one yet. After speaking with my mom, she reminded me that he would want me to go with the weekend as planned. She was right! I just had to do it in his honor. With a heavy heart we continued with the weekend, but it was now Papa Joe Weekend!
I just want to shout out all who helped and supported putting this weekend together. There was no way this would have been possible without a TEAM! The KYJO event committee (Veronica, Katie, Shayla, ADvine team, Ashlie, Cameron, Maria), event donors/partners, Athletic Performance & team, former teammates, residential staff/residents, foster youth/parents, mental health staff, FFA staff, volunteers, KYJO Board of Directors, and the Fresno community. With my father looking down and the support around me. It gave me the strength needed to go on. Friday night, during our Open Mic Night, many KYJO youth displayed talents that put a smile on my face. These were priceless moments that will never be forgotten. My father would have been proud!
Unfortunately, with the poor air quality we had to postpone Saturday’s football clinic to a future date (TBD). The KYJO Values/Beliefs of Teamwork, Striving for Excellence, Ability to Adapt to Change, Perseverance, Base Decisions on Safety & Security, and We Come Up with Solutions…Not Excuses helped us overcome the many obstacles and adversities thrown our way. With so many new faces here at KYJO, it was truly a growing experience and I’m excited for what the future holds for us.
For those that have lost loved ones my prayers go out to you and your families. Do things in remembrance of those you lost and a piece of them will always be with you. Thanks to all that have reached out. It is truly appreciated!
Kevin Jordan
Executive Director
Donations
Our doors are always open to donations for our Residential Group Homes and foster youth. We are in need of:
- Athletic shoes, hiking boots and river sandals (variety of men’s and women’s sizes)
- New pillowcases and bath towels
- New or gently-used sweatpants
- Paper products (toilet paper, tissues, and paper towels)
- Kitchen supplies (aluminum foil, zip lock bags in sandwich and one-gallon size)
- Cleaning supplies (no-ammonia all-purpose cleaners, laundry detergent, dishwasher soap)
- New, unopened packages of athletic socks – crew or low cut – and boys’ and girls’ underwear
- Personal hygiene items for boys and girls (deodorant, hair supplies, bar soap, toothpaste/toothbrushes, body lotion, etc.)
- Gift cards to grocery and retail stores (Target, Wal-Mart,), restaurants/coffee shops
- Movie, bowling, skiing or swimming passes or tickets to sporting events, concerts or plays
- Arts and crafts items (yarn, beads, art paint, construction paper, poster board)
- Board games, puzzles and playing cards
Amazon Smile
KYJO Enterprises, Inc. is now a featured organization of the Amazon Smile Foundation. Amazon Smile is a charitable extension of Amazon that allows consumers to donate a portion of their purchases to the organization of their choice. Most products that are featured on Amazon are eligible for Amazon Smile with 0.05% of profits being donated. Please visit https://smile.amazon.com to learn more about the program and to sign up to have your Amazon purchases benefit KYJO.
