SUPPORTING A COMMON CAUSE

 Family as you  know we  are  partnering with  Jamaica Impact Inc. on their School Supply &Toy Drive  which  you have been  contributing  to so selflessly, the boxes are filling up!!!! Thank you:-)

On  June 28th we had another opportunity to support their efforts,  we  were in attendance at  Jamaica Impact Inc.(Jampact's) fifth  annual  C.H.I.C gala at the DiMenna center in  NYC. The Gala  is  a fundraising  effort to  support  the Maxfield Park Children at the  Maxfield Park orphanage and school in  Kingston Jamaica  and  other  schools  in the area.  The  night  was filled was individual who had  come together to  support  a  common cause:   EDUCATION for JAMAICA'S YOUTH. Each speaker spoke  eloquently and  frankly  about the  state of  Jamaica's education  system  and how important it was  that  we  as adults from the diaspora and those connected  by  members  of the  diaspora   should  be united in  raising awareness and  bring about the necessary  change for  the issues that  plaque our  youth

The  points  highligthed  at  this event  made  us  happy to  say  that  we are  a part of the  solution and yet  that  happiness was  short lived because we understood that  while the focus  was on  Jamaica's education system and the  youth's  being  impacted, we realized  that  the  problem  was global. Globally  education and literacy  has to brought to the forefront of societal issues. We can longer  only see the problems in one section,  while ignoring the other continents and countries where the innocent faces of children living  on so many streets and neighborhoods do not have access to  the simplicities of a book or the ability  to  grasp and learn to read their  first word. The  children  in Jamaica are no  different from those in North or South America, Europe , Africa or Asia. They are  all the  same and they  should be given the same opportunities, they should be given an education.  We  all need  to support  the common cause.... We  need to educate our youth!!!!!

These statistical facts and points were presented at the event ,we feel it  necessary to  share these  with  you  as  our  family since they reflect children on a global level :

• 50% of student  leave  preschool  being unable to read.
• A child's brain  grows 85% between the ages of 0-5 years
• Each  child is  born  with the inherent traits to be a genius

• Each  child  must  be given the opportunity  to make the most of their  gift at an early  age.   

Supporting the common cause, raising awareness, being the change you want to see in the world, you  are your brothers keeper, we are all the same, being a solution to the problem,living above the influence, knowing you are better, dreaming beyond your situation,hopeful,impactful, imagination, believing that you are destined for more,just do it,change. All of these phrases and words and used to inspire. For many of us they are  ours mantra and  we try to weave them into our daily  lives because they are powerful statements that we push us to beyond our limits in a positive way.

I now ask  you  what will happen to  the little ones  who  are  not exposed  to these  words or phrases because  of the situation that  they  have  no control  over? The  answer, we need to  become a  part  of the solution by  supporting a common  cause. Be  bold  enough  to  step  up  and  read  at  your child's school or any school, give a book to child in need, volunteer, extend yourself  in ways that  you would  never  think   you  could.   Give back not just  to the country or cause that  you know or are familiar with.... have a open  heart  and  impact  lives, especially the  lives of children. 

SUPPORT A COMMON CAUSE!!!!!

Much Love & Walk Good

 Attached is a link to RKM & Jampact's website to find out more about who we are  and  what  we are  doing. 
http://www.jampact.org

www.therkmfoundation.org

RKMFoundation Inc. Team Members & Jamaica Impact Inc. Team Members

Ladies of RKMFoundation with  Stephen Hill Founder of Caribbean  International Network

Ladies of  RKMFoundation Inc. & The Hon. Herman Lamont - Consul General  of Jamaica

"Wan Wan Cocoa Ful Baskit" (One one Cocoa Full Basket )

  In Jamaica, there is a saying "wan wan coco ful baskit" ("one one cocoa, full basket"). It simply means every little bit helps so take your time and you will achieve your goal. The RKM Foundation, Inc. was compelled by this sentiment, and felt that this proverb encompassed our fundraising efforts and our organization as a whole. In 2013 we need to raise a minimum of $5000 through our fundraising events.

  Family in our continuous effort  to teach you  Patois and  all things  Jamaican here is yet another  Jamaican proverb. This proverb  is the slogan  for  our  First Fundraising campaign.We  are  so excited to share this  news with you all!This  is  such a  monumental step for  us, the  little  engine  that  could, did, and will continue to do.  This is  a labor of  love from us all and we need your support. 

The “One One Cocoa Full Basket” fundraising campaign will help us to efficiently fund our programs and carry out our daily activities which directly impacts the lives of children in rural Jamaica and “YOU” can help. Every dollar donated to the “One, One Cocoa…”campaign will be directly used in collecting, transporting, packaging, shipping and the distribution of toys and books to school children ages 4-10 years in rural Jamaica. It will also improve the possibility for us to launch our 2014 early childhood reading program. The use of this proverb as our slogan aims to facilitate a spirit of philanthropy, giving each person the opportunity to be a vital part of a major cause.

Family   we  know that  you  are  behind as we continue to make our mark and change the lives  of Jamaica's youth. We  feel your perpetual love and  support and we know that with your help we will reach our goal for 2013.


One donation at a time fills our basket and impacts the lives of numerous children in rural Jamaica “One, One Cocoa” at a time.

Make checks payable to:
The RKM Foundation, Inc.
218 West Lakeshore Drive
Rockaway, NJ 07866


Much Love& Walk Good
 www.therkmfoundation.org

*** We would  like to take this opportunity  to thank KERRY- ANN CHIN MILLA & SUZANNE DEL'ORTO  of our  Design and  Creative Development Team for all the time,love and effort they  put behind this image. We love you both so much always and in all  ways. Thank you!!!! 
 


 

SUMMER TIME, SUMMER TIME

 Summer , Summer ,Summer Time , Summer Time!!!! Family  you  know  what we are  talking  about  if these lyrics  brings back memories of your  childhood or  you were a teenager when this was the summer song  in the western  hemisphere. You  know  you  want to  sing  it, you know  you  can see the video, DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince rocking those cool  fades.... WHAT!!!!

"It's late in the day and I ain't been on the court yet Hustle to the mall to get me a short set. Yeah I got on sneaks but I need a new pair Cause basketball courts in the summer got girls there. The temperature's about 88. Hop in the water plug just for old times sake. Break to ya crib change your clothes once more. Cause you're invited to a barbeque that's starting at 4. Sitting with your friends cause y'all reminisce. About the days growing up and the first person you kiss. And as I think back makes me wonder how The smell from a grill could spark up nostalgia. All the kids playing out front. Little boys messin round with the girls playing double-dutch. While the dj's spinning a tune as the old folks dance at your family reunion... There's an air of love and of happiness. And this is the fresh prince's new definition of summer madness" 

  Summer  is simply  my favorite time  of the  year, maybe it's  because I am  from the Caribbean and feeling  the rays of the sun  hit my  face directly which causing me to instantly  start sweating  reminds  me  of being a child and having  no  inhibitions; swinging from the tree swing, running around  bare feet in the grass,climbing the cherry tree to the" tippie" top to  get the biggest, ripest cherry  that I would sink my teeth into without a second thought. The  tastes  that would  flood my taste buds was a  fusion of  sweetness and tartness with  the warmth of the sun  that  had  brought  it to  that  ripened  state  as the juices  literally ran  down  my  fingers.  Summer does that  for me still at  this  age. Going for a morning walk in the park, I relish in feeling the heat from the sun, the sweat  pouring down  my  face. I  look forward  to eating  ice cream  and  having it  melt as I eat it...I only miss not being able to let  it freely drip  on my clothes,and I definitely don't miss the sticky fingers....lol.

In all  honesty  it has absolutely nothing  to  do with being  from the  Caribbean:-) Irrespective  of  where  you are  from  summer brings about  a  certain  "JOIE DI VIVRE" to the atmosphere and  those caught in its  undeniable  grasp. It  is always  fun to sit and listen to individual tell summer stories. The joy of the season and  their experiences  simply oozes from their  voices  as  their tones  raise and fall with  each  memory.
To be honest I have recently  found myself  sharing  thoses  stories in those  tones  with  my  nephew  about  my  summer  memories.

 Family, this  summer I challenge you  to take advantage of the natural  ambiance of summer, create  the memories with the little ones and the not so little ones. Let  the teenagers get out  of the house, away  from the X-Box, IPhone and the IPad( shoot  you need to get away from the IPhone,IPad and all tablets..lol) plan that vacation,  go to the beach, build a bon fire, ride a  bike, skate board,blow bubbles, eat  popsicles, make homemade ice-cream , roast  corn, eat  crab..... run bare feet through the grass, eat a freshly picked  fruit  without washing  it,blow bubbles, go down the slip and slide  full clothed, drive out of town on a summer afternoon stay until dark and  look at the stars with  everyone or with  no one.  Let  summer  do  what  it  does  natural.....let it set  you  free to  experience and  explore the world around  you,whether you are  in your back yard or 10,000 miles  away. ENJOY  your summer!!!!!!

Happy Fathers Day!!!

Yes we are a day late and a dollar short but we are still taking the time to honor our dads!!!!!
Fathers Day like Mothers day is an important time to reflect on the individuals in our life who loved and devoted their time to us during our childhood and adolescent years. Let's be honest,some of us still are being raised even though we have families of our own(let's call daddy, he would know how to fix that....I wonder if its the timing belt? dad would know exactly where that is let's call him for that!!! You know you do it,don't leave me hanging here:-))

Fathers are the men in our lives who impacted and changed our outlook on the world in a positive way. They are the men who protected us,taught us, the one who we respect,the one who taught us lessons through actions more than words. They are the men in our lives who took the time to give in the best way they knew how.

Growing up we had this larger than life perception of our DAD. He can fix anything, do everything,save anything and he could drive.....OHHHHHH that was my dad's greatest super power....Driving!!!! I was the recipient of the morning driveway drive  for many years and although it was only a few yards,I felt like I was in a spaceship being transported to the Moon!!!!!
Let the countdown begin was the thought in my head 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 .....blast off!!!!!:-)))) Weeeeee.

Our fathers are our first hero's and we love them for that,we mimic them in some ways during our childhood and even secretly hope to please them in all we do. As we get older, sometimes the bond remains the same and other times it feels strained. It can be hard for these fathers to see their little ones grow up and for us we push against that bond in an effort to find our own way.
Irrespective of the relationship you had with your father be it biological or otherwise  their is one  thing that remains constant, we have all learned from them.

We hope you all took the time this weekend to honor the fathers in your life. Dad, Daddy, Old Man, Big Man, Pops,Grandpa, Uncle,Pop-Pop,Brother,Friend,Mr.,Dr.,Father,Pastor.  Thank you for taking the time to FATHER us!!!!

Happy Fathers Day

RAIN, RAIN GO AWAY!!!

RAIN,RAIN,GO AWAY COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY,WE ALL WANT TO GO OUT AND PLAY SO RAIN RAIN GO AWAY!!!(Repeat for effect) Now for the adult version of that song. RAIN,RAIN,GO AWAY COME AGAIN ANOTHER DAY WE ALL WANT TO GO OUT AND BBQ,APPLY SUNSCREEN AND GO TO THE BEACH SO RAIN RAIN GO AWAY!!!!!! Family, the last couple of days in the Tristate area has left us singing that familiar song and our new remixed version a lot!!!! We went from summer approaching to pulling out coats and boots that we felt quite confident putting away when we saw sunblock,goggles and water balloons filling up store shelves and our weather channel apps showed a consistent spike in temps. The weather is always a great source of conversation and this week we had enough talking points to last for an entire year. Can you believe this weather? I thought summer was here? I'm just getting over allergies so I'm thankful for the rain. The frost ruined my annuals,I had to turn the air on and put the A/C in and now we need gloves...and a host of other weather related phrases and cliches:-) OK,OK we will stop whining about the rain. To be honest,all this rain inspired our TBT(Throw Back Thursday) tweets which were all about the rain games we played as children. Our Childhood was filled with some many exciting experiences and reminiscing about them always bring smiles to our faces. The ones that really stood out last Thursday included; splashing with bare feet in puddles, making paper boats to sail along the roadway as we walked home from school, sliding on wet grass during and after a shower of rain, playing rain tag and the best of all playing soccer in the rain,falling in mud as a child in always a plus!!!!!! We are sure reading this post will help you reminisce about your own childhood rain games,so in advance...YOU'RE WELCOME:-) If you have a little one or little ones, use the not so cold rainy days to take them out doors and splash in the puddles. It will be a great experience and a learning opportunity for them,but lets not fool ourselves its a great stress reliever and a nice excuse to relive a favorite childhood pass time with great side kicks!!!!! LETS HERE IT FOR THE RAIN...THAT IS CONSTANTLY FALLING!!!!! We thought the images of clear blue skies would act as a nice contrast:-) Much Love&Walk Good

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY!!!

"The natural state of motherhood is unselfishness. When you become a mother, you are no longer the center of your own universe. You relinquish that position to your children" We felt that these words spoke true to the meaning of motherhood. It is important for us to state that this day is for all mothers in every way. Although we tend to reflect on the biological aspect of the word, it has transcended that. Motherhood is the ability to love,give and teach a child or children in an unselfish way. It is giving and loving without ever expecting. Based on that definition it would then include;mothers,grandmothers,great grandmothers,aunts,sisters,friends,godmothers,teachers and every female that has ever given and loved you unconditionally without expecting. Mothering requires love!!!!! Our mother always told us that on the day she found out that she was pregnant it stopped being about her, all she wanted to do was ensure that everything that she did was to ensure that the child she was carrying was healthy and strong. As a child I couldn't understand these words, how could she start thinking only about the child if she had never even seen or known this child. Granted one point that child was me:-) still I never understood it, why had she taken herself out of the equation, how could she be so selfless to someone she had never met? The answer was simple, she was in love with the person she was chosen to create and she was willing to give her all to that life in that moment and for the rest of her life. I still am not yet a mother in the biological sense, but I am now honored to say that i understand my mothers words and have heard them echoed numerous times by many other mothers. Loving begins in the womb or on the first day you set eyes on the child you know you will love. Mothers never ask how or why,they just continuously do because it's what they know how to do, it is also what they will continue to do irrespective of how old we are:-) Family you know we have no secrets so we have to share. Our mom was here with us for an early mothers day celebration and I happened to be coughing while in the restaurant, our mom suggested I put on my jacket and was asking if "I was catching a cold because my shoulders were exposed and the temperature had dropped" :-)It never gets old. Our grandmother always held my mom's hand while crossing the street. Our other grandmother always made sure to stand beside our dad while he ate fish if we had dinner at her house. They will always be our mothers and in their eyes we will always be their babies no matter how old we are or how many children they have. Today we want to celebrate this special day with all the MOTHERS in our life. We want you all to know that we LOVE you, we THANK YOU for being SELFLESS,for SACRIFICING,for GIVING,for TAKING YOURSELVES OUT OF THE EQUATION and for LOVING US UNCONDITIONALLY before you even saw us. We are forever in your debt and we are humbled and honored to call you MOM,MOTHER,MOMMY,MOMS,GRANDMA,AUNTY,GRANNY,SIS,SISTER& everything in between HAPPY MOTHERS DAY AND ENJOY THIS YOUR SPECIAL DAY!!!!!!

Partnership with Jampact

EXTRA!!! EXTRA!!! READ ALL ABOUT IT !!!!!! Family we are serious we want you to read the entire thing:-) We are so excited to  share this amazing new with you all. The RKMFoundation,Inc is partnering with Jamaica Impact, Inc.  on their "2013 Annual School Supplies &Toy Drive" which will benefit children ages 3-6 years in the Island of Jamaica.

Partnering with Jamaica Impact,Inc.(Jampact) is such momentous and symbolic step for us as we have long admired this notable organization and the work they have done in Jamaica for over a decade. Once presented with the opportunity to be an intergral of this process we understood the significance and joined forces for the common good of helping Jamaica's next generation.
Our mission is reflected in their own with their focus also being on  early childhood education,while raising awareness of the  socio-economic issues plaquing our island home."The mission of JAMPACT is to use our collective energy, intelligence and resources to influence and improve socio-economic conditions, which affect Jamaica and the Jamaican Diaspora by (i) developing social welfare programs, with particular focus on educational initiatives targeting youth (ii) facilitate research, stimulate constructive dialogue and raise public awareness on topical issues..."   
The members of Jamaica Impact,Inc. has embraced and welcomed us into their family with loving arms  and we ask of you our extended family  to do the same.

The launch of the "2013 Annual School Supply & Toy Drive" was on May 4th 2013 and will continue through August 8th 2013.

Family, we know that this partnership will bear fruit that will be beneficial to many and we ask for your continued support as we move forward.
Attached will be a flyer for the event and a link to Jamaica Impact,Inc website.
www.Jampact.org

Much love&Walk good

Spring Forward

Happy Spring day!!!!

Family, how are  you? We  hope you  are  all enjoying the vibrant  sounds and colors of  spring.This  is  one  of  our  favorite seasons,(the other is fall, we are all about the colors) though  for some it comes with the challenges of allergies;  itchy puffy eyes,sneezing,runny nose and hay fevers to name  a few.Despite the challenges of the season we will not let" it" overshadow the beauty  of the  apricot cherry blossoms,lilies,tulips,dogwood and all the other beautiful blooms bursting out with their enchanted colors   fragrances!!!! We are   hoping  that  after  reading our opening remarks  it  will  get you  in the  mood to run outside  and start that  garden, its not too late:-)))

Family  with  all the revival and rebirth  happening around us for spring we   have some exciting  news  of  our own. We  are  involved in a  new and exciting   partnership!!!! I know, I  know, we didnt  tell  you  we were  going to  bring  a  new  person to Sunday brunch , but   lets be  honest  you  know their  is  enough  food  and Aunt P is always  baking  an extra  cake, so lets  make  room  at the  table!!!!!!
The RKMFoundation,Inc  is  partnering with  Jamaica Impact Inc.(Jampact)  on their 2013 School  Supply& Toy drive. We  have long been an admirer of Jampact  and the amazing  work they  have been doing  in Jamaica   for over a decade,their  outreach  has benefited  thousand of children.The opportunity to be in  a partnership on  such a vital project  is an honor for us.  We  are  excited about the prospects  and  how  our  unified  efforts will  impact  the  lives  of  countless children  in our  island home.

 We  ask that you  take the time to  follow this  link to the website  for Jamaica Impact.Inc.  www.jampact.org to find out  more about this  amazing  organization!!!!

 Talk  to you  soon, Walk  good!!!!

Over 1253!!!!!!

 Family  we are  on a roll :-)  We are  so excited  and we  just  can't hide  it!!!!! We're  about to lose  control and I  think we like  it, oh  yeah !!!!!!!  We  want to  say thank you to the Pointer  Sister  for that  great song:-)

I know  you  are  all  wondering why  we  feel the need  to break out our  leg warmers,disco balls, Donna Summer wigs and sparkly  tops?????. The truth is  we have the official  numbers after  inventory  for our  2nd annual  toy &book drive. Drummmmmmmmrolllllll; we  are  pleased to announce that we  collected over 1253  pieces of toys & books  with  books  totaling over 700!!!!!

We  cannot   begin to say  thank you  to  everyone  who donated, thought  of donating, asked a question,sent a cheque, gave  money, arranged  a pickup, drove to our drop off location, followed us on Twitter,liked us on Facebook  or helped in spreading the word about the RKMFoundation,Inc in  any  and  every way.(That  was  a very long sentence:-))  We appreciate and love you and ask for your  continued support.

This is amazing news. In just  2 years we have surpassed  our estimated  goals and continue to dream and implement programs that will be beneficial in bringing about monumental change   for the children  of rural Jamaica.

These books  will help  to foster an environment of literacy  and a deep  love for  reading amongst our targeted group of children ages   4-10yrs. Each  book we  pulled  from a  box  meant the opportunity  for a  child  to  dream  beyond their current situation  and  be transported  into another  world  through  its exciting pages.We  are  overjoyed  to share  this  news with you as we continue to  work together to be  a part  of the solution .
 Talk  to  you  soon.
Much love,Walk good.

Never forget  to read  to and with  your little ones!!!

57 days since we last spoke!!!!!

  57 days ...... That  is  a long time  to  not  speak  to  someone.  I  assure  you  we  are  still  the best  of  friends  and some  of  the  most  loving  family  members you  will  ever have. I hope  you  have  been  following  us on Twitter and  Facebook  and  you  are  seeing   that   we  are  keeping busy  and  pushing forward with our  cause...... and  if  you  haven't  I  am   going   to say naughty,  naughty:-) In that  shared laughter we  are  back  in each others  good  graces and playing  catch up  over  some  great  tasting Thai  food  and reggae music:-).

Lets  dive  right  in!!!!  In the  past 57  days  we have  ended  collection for our  2nd annual  toy&book  drive, we successfully  made  every scheduled  pick up and rounded up all of our collection boxes. The librarians   at  the Morris Plains  Library  were all   sad to  see  us  go, but  we  reassured them  that  we would be  back  next  year with  an even  bigger box and another  fancy flyer.
We  made  new friends  at the Rockaway  club  house  where the moms club  donated  over  100 stuffed animals  to our  toy  drive ,we were  so excited it was  hard  to resist the urge to  hug  each teddy  bear!!!!!

The  month of  March  was  all about  inventory , inventory  and  more inventory  and  we  got  through  every  single piece  of donated  toy and  book  with  the help  of peppermint  and ginger tea.  Each  bag  was  filled with another  adventure;  whether it  was a doll  house, trucks, trains,board games, dolls,princess dresses, craft kits, pocket books,globes,flashlights, crayons  or puzzles it was fun to sort  and organize  each  box or bag. ( SHHHHH!!!!!That's our  little secret ) The official word  for  all this fun  is WORK!!!

Below is a sneak peek into all you donated and we  are want to say thank you  for ever piece....We see happy children  in our future and their smiles will be because  of you!!!!!

 57 days  since we  last spoke ,57 days  of  hard  work,57 days  of  being away, 57days of  collection and inventory and a lifetime of happy memories and stories  that  we hope will be told  for another 57 years!!!!!

Much love & Walk Good!!!

www.therkmfoundation.org
www.facebook.com/rkmfoundation
www.twitter.com/RKMFoundation


 

Craft kits and Princess dresses

Stuffed animals galore

More stuffed animals- trucks,cars, trains-boardgames &puzzle tower

18 days left !!!!!!

 Family, we  only  have  18 DAYS  to  go  before  the  end  of  our  2nd ANNUAL  TOY & BOOK DRIVE!!!!!  We  are  still collecting, you can schedule  a  pick up.... email  us  @ rkmfoundation1@gmail.com
  Or Drop Your Donations  in  our collection  box@ the  Morris Plains  Library
 77 Glenbrook Rd  Morris Plains, NJ 07950
www.therkmfoundation.org
www.twitter.com/rkmfoundation  
 www.facebook.com/rkmfoundation

 

Good Vibrations of happy Childhood Memories !!!

"Childhood is supposed to be happy, and if you can't remember yours with any happiness, what hope have you later, when life starts handing you fresh grief?"

AMITY GAIGE.

 This Thursday TBT ( Throw Back Thursday) on twitter  was  all about good vibrations. We  wanted to take the time to  reflect  on  adults who were  kind  to  us  as  children or extend themselves  to  show  us warmth.  These small acts of  kinds left such  an impressionable  mark at a time when it is  most crucial, during  our  childhood.

Numerous stories  where shared  from a variety  of  individuals, what  became  evident throughout these  stories was how these individuals  were impacted  by those small gestures.  It  made  us realize  how imperative  it is to  do an act of kindness for someone, but even  more importantly, for children.

The participants sharing  these stories ranged in ages from 72-25 years. These acts of  kindness were  done  during their childhood  and  yet  they  were able  to recall the events with  such  fondness and still smile at the memory as  if it was happening in the presences  of the discussion.

This is what  happens  when you impact a  childs life in a small way with  kindness.... the memory  lives  within them nourished  by  time  and  held  scared  in their hearts. It is never  forgotten  even  after  the innoncence  is replaced  with the  realities of adult hood.

 V. McIntosh - Reminisced about  Mr.Hunter  who drove the Hostess cake truck and would give all the kids hostess cakes  whenever  he  came to the local district  to deliver Wonder  bread to the local  shops.

C.Allen - Reminisced  about  Mr.Legdgister  the local  tailor  who taught  her the benefits of reading and language.

M.Mullings- Reminisced  about  Mrs. Scott  who always  gave the kids their own slice  of bread  pudding after church. 

It is imperative  for  us  to understand  how momentous our impact  is  on the lives  of the little ones  around   us. It is  not just our own children  that we impact or influence, it is any and every  child  you  come  in  contact  with.  LEAVE A POSITIVE  MARK, YOU  NEVER  KNOW  WHEN  YOU ARE  MAKING A  TREASURED MEMORY!!!!


"The brightest light, the light of Italy, the purest sky of Scandinavia in the month of June is only a half-light when one compares it to the light of childhood. Even the nights were blue."
  EUGENE IONESCO

 Much  Love & Walk Good!!

www.twitter.com/rkmfoundation
www.facebook.com/rkmfoundation

Winter Wonderland!!!!

Happy Saturday Family!!!!
If you are in the Boston or the  Tri-state area then you woke up to a blanket  of snow. As much as 34" in some places.

We hope that you have already shovelled  your  side walks and drive ways and now you are out doors with the kids having the second round of a snowball fight!!!! Hot Chocolate anyone:-))))

The snow has grown on us ( the island girls), there is something about it that  makes us happy!!!!

We can assure you its not the digging or the frigid temps that are also a part of the package. We think its how excited the children get to see the white stuff. They eat it, throw it, build with it ,lay, roll,fall and slide on it:-))) The little ones let us yearn for the innocence of youth. Truth be told ... We don't yearn, we just jump right into the fun.....SNOW BALL FIGHT!!!!!

Family, enjoy the  wintery wonderland and after you have done all the adult  chores....join the little ones on the sled or build them a snow fort!!!!

Much love & Walk good!!!!

"Fill-A-Bagpack, Fill-A-Need Project"

Family its Saturday and we have great news!!!!
The RKMFoundation,Inc. is working together with Professional Jamaicans for Jamaica.Inc. on the "Fill-A-Bagpack,Fill-A-Need Project."

Professional Jamaicans for Jamaica, Inc., a 501 (C)(3) Tax Exempt Organization, has made great strides in the educational development of our children in Jamaica with its Annual Back-to-School Drive.

Our Annual Back-to-School Drive, “Fill-A-Backpack; Fill-A-Need Project” for 2013, seeks your help in making an impact in the educational development of the most vulnerable members of our communities in Jamaica; our children.

The Project is a charity donation drive where people donate to provide backpacks with school supplies to needy children in Jamaica.
The Project aims to fill 5000 bagpacks with school supplies to be donated to school children in the 14 parishes of Jamaica for the September 2013 school year.

Timeline Photos https://m.facebook.com/ProfessionalJamaicansforJamaica?id=173029902750110&_rdr#!/photo.php?fbid=462289577157473&id=173029902750110&set=a.173040486082385.57752.173029902750110&__user=800210300

Learning

  We are  new organization with goals and desires to make a notable difference in the lives of underprivileged school children in rural Jamaica. This movement is a process and we are always  looking  for ways to learn, grow and be inspired. You are our core, we cannot exist without the contributions and support of those who believe in the dream we have put forth.
 This article  is in a Q&A format. We  gained  so much  insight  from it  and we wanted to  share it with you.

Q&A: How Financial Analytics Are Helping One Nonprofit

January 17, 2013 · by Diana Hand · in Products and Services. ·

The following is an interview conducted by Peter Kramer, Senior Associate, Nonprofit Finance Fund, with Otis Bullock, Executive Director, Diversified Community Services. This is a cross-post from the Nonprofit Finance Fund blog.  To read the original post, go here.
Illuminating Financial Dynamics for Improved Nonprofit Management: An Executive Director’s Experience
Otis Bullock tells me that it can be a challenge “to pair a great business model with great programming”. As the executive director of Diversified Community Services (“Diversified”), an organization that serves children and families in the Point Breeze neighborhood of Philadelphia, he knows firsthand the challenges of balancing the abundant needs of his community and constituents against the constraints of limited or uncertain public and private funding.
It’s a balancing act that requires the relentless stewardship of financial assets and continual monitoring of financial and program data. Otis knows well that sound financial management is grounded in access to reliable and timely information about his organization’s annual performance, revenue and expense dynamics, balance sheet health and liquidity. He has found Financial SCAN, a comprehensive new standard for financial health analysis, to be a helpful tool in his financial management toolbox.
Here, Otis shares his experience using financial data and analysis to guide his organization forward in challenging times.
PK: How does Diversified achieve its mission?
OB: Rooted in South Philadelphia and embracing the philosophy of the settlement house movement, our mission is to enable children, youth and families to realize their fullest potential and achieve self-sufficiency in safe neighborhoods. We’re recognized as the “go-to” organization in South Philadelphia because we bring people together regardless of religion, race, or ethnicity in a spirit of friendship to make our neighborhood a better place to live.
We believe in and act for economic and social justice so that people have the opportunities to advance economically, socially, educationally, and personally. Our community-building efforts promote physical, economic, and social development – improved housing and safety, as well as increased financial resources for individuals and the community as a whole.
PK: As the new executive director of Diversified, what are the biggest obstacles your organization faces in effectively connecting money and mission?
OB: Our biggest obstacle in effectively connecting money and mission is a past inability to pair a great business model with great programming. Diversified is very well known for its work in the Point Breeze community, especially our work in early childhood education and youth development. However, we have not yet figured out a way to make it profitable; mostly because the word “profits” was never in our vocabulary. As a result, great programs with tremendous impact on the community could become significant drains on the budget.
PK: That’s certainly a reality that most nonprofit leaders face. What financial planning and management strategies have you employed to overcome these obstacles?
OB: One of the things that we have done, with the help of NFF, is look at our budget more strategically. We’ve become more proactive about our financial and programmatic priorities. We started breaking our budget down by programs, instead of solely analyzing overall revenue vs. expenses. This allowed us to see the profitability of each program that we provide. If programs are losing money, we are forced to make tough strategic decisions as to whether we should keep them and whether they are core to our mission. Breaking the budget down this way forces us to make tough (but important) decisions to keep the budget in balance with our mission.
PK: You’ve recently used our Financial SCAN tool. How have you incorporated it into Diversified’s financial analyses and management?
OB: I used Financial SCAN to create a snapshot of Diversified’s fiscal health before I took my current position as executive director. I then used it to easily explain our fiscal health to the board. It can help an organization to think strategically about its finances, as well as programs. I’m able to compare my organization’s fiscal health to that of peer organizations. I’m able to use Financial SCAN to easily explain to my board and financial staff why profitability is important – even for “nonprofits”. My organization never thought about strategically and proactively planning its financial future until I presented them with Financial SCAN.
PK: You mentioned the peer analysis function of Financial SCAN. What have you learned about your financial condition relative to your peers’?
OB: Compared to my peers, I’ve found that my organization is in good shape. However, our position is very volatile. The report helps illustrate that 85% of our revenue comes from government sources, which leaves us in a very vulnerable position considering the constant threat of government budget cuts. Liquidity in our organization is pretty good. But in looking at our SCAN, I see that our organization does not have the means to weather another government budget-cutting season. For that reason, we’re becoming much more proactive.
PK: What can you tell us about your future plans? What’s next for Diversified?
OB: We have begun a complete assessment of our entire organization. As a part of our internal strategic planning process, our future fiscal health is front and center in those discussions. That hasn’t happened in the past. For many organizations, conversations about desired impact happen with little regard for past financial history and the budget. Financial SCAN has helped my board assess the business and financial implications of our future plans.

The Power of Language!!!

" If you  talk to a man  in a  language  he understands, that  goes to his  head. If  you  talk to him  in his language, that  goes to  his  heart" Nelson Mandela

In Jamaica, English  is  our official  language, however  Patois (Patwah) is the way we express ourselves  from the heart, it is what  makes us unique.This  is also  true in every other country, we are  unified by languages and dialects.

  Languages and Dialects are  as  vital as air, it allows us to connect,express, feel, grow,evolve and transcend. It is what keeps us  going. We are excited to  hear  a baby's  first word, express sadness at the thought of  someone saying their last, mesmerized  by poets, and authors. Humbled  by the innocence of words spoken  in  youth and the significance of those saying that are centuries old. "The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant." Maximilien Robespierre. Irrespective of the language  these words  spoken by Robespierre are  translated in, the meaning is the same and the logic stand true.
 In our  quest  to  be  different  it is always  helpful to be reminded  that  we  are  the same, we  may  not  be  able to  understand every language or dialect  spoken  on  our  planet,but the  emotions evoked by thoughts and words are universal. 

Please  follow  us on twitter and  check out  today's  tweets titled Patois 101 hashtag#chatbout @ www.twitter.com/RKMfoundation

HAPPY MLK DAY!!!!!

We  would  like to say  Happy  Martin  Luther  King Jr  Day!!!!!

  The  first  time  I heard  the " I have a dream"  speech  I was  maybe 9 years  old. Growing  up in  the Caribbean, Jamaica  to be  specific  I  was aware  of our  national  heroes and  how essential  they  had  been in  our  fight  for freedom and independence but  I was not aware  of Martin Luther King.  I could  not  have  grasped  the magnitude  of that  speech at  such  a tender  age but  I  knew it was  important  based  on the reaction  of the adults around me years  after  this historic  speech had been  made.
Those  words  spoken  on  August 28,1963  in Washington  DC  will  continue  to speak volumes  not  just  to the citizens  of the United States of America but  to  the citizens  of  the world.  We   should  all be  seen  as  equals and  continue  to  strive to  realize the  dream  he  so boldly declared!!! 

"Our  lives  begin  to end  the day  we become silent  about things that  matter."

"Faith is taking the  first  step   even  when  you  don't see the whole  staircase"

" I have decided  to stick  with  love. Hate  is  too great  a burden to  bear"

" Nothing  in the world  is  more dangerous  than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity" 

Much love& Walk good!!!!!

The Talk !!!

 Have you  ever  wondered  what  happen  after  you  leave  a room, a school where you volunteered, an interview,the library or  dinner  with  friends ??????
 I am  so  happy  we are  not alone in this, it would be really  awkward !!!!!

Recently  we had the pleasure  of  talking  with Mrs. Teressine  Barro, the principal of  Niagara  primary  school located  in the parish of  St. James, Jamaica. The  students of  this  school  benefited  from  the efforts  of our  first  toy  drive. The  conversation   focused  on the  students and  their  reaction  to  the  book and  toy  given to each  child. Mrs. Barro  spoke  about  the  children's reaction  weeks after  we had  visited."They  were  so  excited  and it  gave  them  hope  and  a sense of ownership  and  belonging... for  most  of our students  they have  never  had  anything to call their own.... they  were  so  happy and grateful for what the foundation did " Mrs.Barro continued  to   expressed her  sincere gratitude to the foundation   on  behalf  of  her  student and  entire  staff. She  also  shared  with  us  the  achievements  of   her 5th and  6th  graders  who  ranked  in the 87 percentile  in  Mathematics and 95th percentile  in Reading. It  was  such  a pleasure  speaking with  her and we  left the conversation  feeling more focused  and  renewed in our  efforts to continue  impacting  the lives  of  children in rural  Jamaica.

 We chose  to  share  this  story  with  you  because  it  meant so  much  to us. This  is  an  opportunity  for  you  to  hear these testimonials and  understand  that  your  donations  are  helping us  to impact  lives  in  a positive  way.

Much love & Walk  good!!!!  

  

Off to a good start!!!!

  Hi  Everyone,
 We  are  officially 21 days into the  new  year  and   we can  honestly say that  we are  off to a  great  start. The  past  year  was  filled with  so many  positive  highlights and  we want to  keep that  momentum  going.  We  do believe  that  blogging is  one of the  best  things  we have  done and will  help  us . Yes  it is true, we havent  done  it as frequently as we  should, but we do enjoy it!!!! One  of  our  goals  this  year  is  to  put  more time and effort into  blogging  and keeping our  growing family  in the mix.

So lets  play  catch  up:-)
1) Our   2nd  annual  toy and book drive  is still  in process and  will  continue  until  Thursday February  28,2013. The   toys  and books  have  been  coming  in and we are  so  thankful for your  generosity

2).We  have  been  in talks and close conversations  with  other  organizations  in trying to  further our  cause  and take  our  foundation to the next  level.

3) The  deep  desire to create  a reading  intiative  has always  at  the  core  of our  organization  and  we  are  working  to create  a program that will  benefit school children  ages 4-12  years in the rural Jamaica .

4)We are  also  in the process of developing  a fundraising campaign to  help  with  funding  the organization efforts  of collection and distribution  of toys and books in the  island  of Jamaica.

5) Throw back  Thursday is getting some attention as   friends and  the  RKM family  has been  taking to twitter, emails and texts  to share  their  favorite  childhood  memories.

These are our  five  main areas of   focus at  this  time, we  have a lot  more to  share. I   hope  we didnt  overwhelm you , it is  not  our intention :-). As  stated  before we are off to  a  good start. Our aim  is to continue working hard at trying to  make  a difference  while impacting  the lives of underprivileged  children in  rural  Jamaica.

Much  love  & Walk  good  

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Happy New Year

Happy New Year.....Happy 2013.....Happy Happy Happy!!!

2012 was an amazing year for RKM and we want to continue doing more. Continue to support us on  this journey as we go through another wonderful year together. We have many things planned and we are so excited!!!!

We love you all!!! Happy New year