Bel Passi Baseball

The funds used from Make Dreams Real would subsidize the enrollment fees for low income players to keep the costs of registration affordable for youth players. Bel Passi baseball is a youth baseball recreation league in Modesto.

Robotics Summer Camp

The Patriot Robotics program was founded by Dr. Liliana Lazo and Heidi Pagani at Beyer High School in late 2011 and first competed in 2012 to motivate students future involvement in STEM fields. The after-school program is comprised of students ages 14 to 18 years old. The students participate in building, wiring, and programming of the robots for regional competitions. In the 2017-2018 season, the team officially added a business/outreach component. 

The Patriot Robotics teams include two FIRST Technical Challenge (FTC) teams and one FIRST Robotics Challenge (FRC) team. With the guidance of coaches and mentors, the students have had success at winning awards and qualifying for World Championships.

Outdoor Adventure! Camp

The program is designed to assist scouts to expand their imaginations and further their scouting capabilities.  And to increase self-confidence in learning new skills. During the month of June an outdoor program will be held for the older Cub Scouts (age 9 and 10 boys and girls).  These youth will attend Outdoor Adventure! Camp which utilizes Camp Warren McConnell in Livingston and the youth with their parents will camp under the stars. This camp will prepare the youth and their parents to bridge to the older program Scouts BSA. For those where camping at this event might be their first time, this helps the parents understand the safety we ensure for overnights. Activities include crafts, swimming, fishing, wood projects, leather projects, archery, wrist rocks, BB shooting, songs and of course campfire.  All meals will be provided beginning with lunch at check-in through Sunday morning breakfast. Then during the month of July, we will hold at two different locations Day Camps.  Each camp is four days long but does not have an overnight element.  One will be in Stockton (at the Stockton Beach Club) and the other back at Camp McConnell in Livingston. The theme is also Outdoor Adventure! and is for Scouts in the first grade through fifth grade boys and girls. The program contains a variety of activities that include crafts, wood working, leather crafts, exploring nature, learning skits and songs. The adventures are endless! 

Summer Camp Programming

Since 2012, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Stanislaus County operates club sites at C.F. Brown and Sylvan Elementary Schools, and Somerset Middle School and West Modesto. The outcomes for children and youth are embodied, enabling all young people, especially those who need us most, to reach their full potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens. The Boys and Girls Club does this by assisting with academic success, good character & citizenship, and adopt healthy lifestyles. Clubs are fun, safe places where youth learn new skills, connect with positive peers, and receive support and guidance from caring adults. Each Club provides a wide range of experiences for youth, offering them a foundation of support as they grown, develop and ultimately chart a path for their own adult lives. The grant money from Make Dreams Real goes directly to the Junior Staff program. The Junior Staff program Today is a practical small-group program that assists Club teens in exploring a career in youth development or other human services, with a particular focus on Boys & Girls Club work.

Camp Taylor

The money from Make Dreams Real provides a new camp experience for about 18 children battling heart disease. Camp Taylor operates a 5-day, medically supervised camp for children with high medical needs. At camp, they are able to participate in fun and challenging recreational activities, making them not longer feel “different” from their peers.

Discover Art Field Trips

In keeping with the Carnegie Arts Center’s mission to be the community’s resource for discovering and learning through the arts, a major component of our ongoing programming targets arts education through the schools. Our Discover Art field trips have brought students from Kindergarten through High School to see exhibitions every year since our opening in Fall 2011. Each school visit includes a gallery tour and a hands-on art lesson, allowing students to connect the ideas and concepts presented by the art they see in the gallery to an actual work of art they make themselves. 

With each new exhibition in our gallery, a new tour and art-making activity are developed. Field trips have introduced students to the works of Ansel Adams, Edgar Degas, Pablo Picasso and José Guadalupe Posada. Other exhibitions students have visited include Japanese ceramics, art quilts, and pastel paintings. Field trip lessons have covered elements in art such as the use of space, color, light, balance, and emphasis. Themes for discussions and projects are drawn from the exhibitions, such as developing narrative, use of graphic design in advertising, and exploring satire or caricature. 

Low Sensory/Special Needs Nutcracker

The Low Sensory/Special Needs Nutcracker is a production very dear to Central West Ballet.  They work with county and local special education departments to create a Nutcracker open for all school children with special needs, their families or caregivers to enjoy this holiday tradition in a non-judgmental environment. The production is uniquely different from the traditional Nutcracker: house lights are up 25%, volume is down 25% with no special effects used (no fog, snow or cannon shot sounds).  An ASL Interpreter signs the welcome and brief reading of The Nutcracker story and, time allowing, the Q&A afterwards. The performance is half the length of our regular Nutcracker and patrons are encouraged to move, walk around, clap, verbalize, etc. whenever they need or want to. This production is on December 11, 2024.

Latino Leadership Initiative

The City Ministry Network’s Hispanic Youth Council is a group of young people from Hispanic backgrounds who come together to serve their communities and grow in their faith. The council is a part of the larger City Ministry Network, which seeks to empower urban churches to serve their communities more effectively.

The Hispanic Youth Council provides a platform for Hispanic youth to develop leadership skills, build relationships with other young people, and serve their communities through various outreach programs. The council members are encouraged to live out their faith by serving others and being positive role models in their communities.

Overall, the City Ministry Network’s Hispanic Youth Council aims to empower Hispanic youth to become leaders in their communities and grow in their faith, while also equipping churches and youth leaders to better serve Hispanic youth.

Cricket’s Hope Summer Camp

The MDR grant will send 60 children to camp at Cricket’s Hope. The camp supports children who are tremendously underserved and have experienced immense trauma. The camp serves these children by teaching art therapy and coping mechanisms.  

Camp Wokini

Camp Wokini, is a weekend overnight camping experience for children and teens aged 6 to 17 who have experienced the death of someone close to them in the recent past. Last year, 42 campers lost their immediate care giver. The most significant loss being a parent, sibling and grandparent. Campers come from diverse backgrounds, 56 are low-income and qualify for school lunch programs. More than half of the camper’s ethnicity identified as Hispanic. Formerly known as Camp Erin of the Central Valley, Camp Wokini has served hundreds of children over the past 10 years. The goal is to teach camp participants how to cope with the pain of losing a loved one through grief education and emotional support, while enjoying traditional camp experiences and activities geared towards healing. The unique program is led by grief support professionals and trained volunteers. The program provides them with a safe space to feel hard emotions and bond with others who find themselves facing those same tough situations.

YES Company!

The Gallo Center for the Arts (GCA) has recently partnered with the Stanislaus County Office of Education (SCOE) to produce YES (Youth Entertainment Stage) Company, a nine-week theater intensive for youth, grades 7-12. This summer-long experience culminates in a full-scale Broadway-style musical for the community. Prior to 2018, YES Company was exclusively managed by SCOE, under the direction of Melanee Wyatt. Upon the announcement of her retirement, SCOE invited GCA to partner with them, in order to ensure the future of this program. After much deliberation, GCA agreed to expand its arts education programming to include YES Company, as it understood the value YES Company brought to the community, especially its youth. Under this new agreement, GCA oversees all of the artistic, administrative, and operational components of the program. SCOE provides some financial support, use of facility space and storage, as well as mentoring support.

Girl Scouts Heart of Central California – Community Troop Program

At Girl Scouts Heart of Central California (GSHCC), they believe that all girls should have access to our program and its life changing benefits, which is why they make the Community Troop program a priority. The Community Troop program brings Girl Scouting directly to girls in under-resourced neighborhoods as part of their afterschool programs at no cost to the school, family, or girl. They partner with Modesto ASES, Ceres ASES, Riverbank USD, and others to deliver Girl Scout programing to 1,135 girls (and counting) at 53 Title 1 Schools across our region. Currently, they serve 370 girls at 23 schools in Stanislaus County alone—up from 290 girls last year. Through the Community Troop Program, girls are exposed to the research-backed Girl Scout Leadership Experience with trained afterschool program staff providing service-learning curriculum and activities on a weekly/bi-weekly basis. Girls receive a uniform or t-shirt and annual membership. To ensure a well-rounded Girl Scout experience, they also offer Community Troops a financial literacy activity box, 2 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) activity boxes, a Mobile STEM Center + Maker Space program visit, and opportunities to participate in the annual Cookie Program by hosting Cookie Booths at their school.

Gratton Elementary School’s mission is to prepare students in a safe and supportive environment, to achieve academic excellence, including fine arts and athletics, and to develop leadership and interpersonal skills necessary to be successful when entering the next level of education. Gratton School District is a one school, TK through eighth grade, rural school district. They serve 136 students that live in Denair and the surrounding areas. Due to being a small rural school district, funding will help to provide updated technology to students to further develop the instructional program. They hope to purchase 20 updated Chromebooks for our students as well as 3 Chromebook carts to manage and charge the existing devices in three of our classrooms.

HAVEN Program: Healthy Alternatives to Violent Environments

The money from Make Dreams Real would go to fund the HAVEN program- Healthy Alternatives to Violent Environments. It is a multi-week program for youth at risk of witnessing and/or experiencing intimate partner violence. HAVEN peer educators will improve the social and emotional competence of youth participants by supporting them to develop and engage in self-regulating behaviors; to interact positively with others; to use words and language skills; and to communicate emotions more effectively.

College Academy Program

The College Academy (CA) program offered in two South Modesto schools (1 middle & 1 high school) connects to other supplemental mentorship programs. This provides 12-year pipeline students can undergo as they progress through middle school, high school, higher education, and beyond. Through College Academy, over 4,000 student mentees nationwide have been served and currently employ over 200 Mentor Fellows who lead programming on the ground. They aim to align 4 separate events as core service-learning experiences that will enhance the College Academy and provide students with a unique slate of opportunities to serve a myriad of underserved populations and cultivate their bond with the environment. Roughly 40 of the students (20 from each school) will participate in each experience, led by the Mentors and Program Managers.

Empower Hour/Wellness Wednesday

Invest In Me’s mission is to foster empowerment, cultivate leadership, promote well-being, and encourage civic engagement among the diverse population of Stanislaus County. Through innovative programs, partnerships, and advocacy, they strive to create opportunities for personal growth, community collaboration, and positive social change. For over a decade, Invest In Me has served thousands of young individuals ages ranging from 11-26, through our flagship Leadership Cohort program for young women. In 2021, Invest In Me added Empower Hour, a networking opportunity for young people to meet local professionals, build their social capacity, and be exposed to interesting career opportunities. In 2022, Invest In Me birthed Wellness Wednesday, a program focused on encouraging the mental wellness of youth in our community. Through these programs they aim to educate, offer service-learning opportunities, and elevate the voices of young people.

Central Valley Youth Programs

First Tee is an international youth development organization introducing the game of golf and its inherent values to kids and teens. Through after-school and in-school programs, we help shape the lives of young people from all walks of life by reinforcing values like integrity, respect, and perseverance through the game of golf. And it’s making a difference. The funds from Make Dreams Real allows First Tee to increase the number of diverse participants in its DRIVE program.

Camp Jack Hazard

The Jack and Buena Foundation, through Camp Jack Hazard offers a teen leadership program called the Leader in Training program. Many teenagers are looking for programs that will help foster their leadership skills and give them volunteer opportunities to serve in this community. The Jack and Buena Foundation will find 10 – 15-17 year old (or sophomores in High School) who are interested in participating in this leadership program. The participants will be the underserved youth in our community who need the financial support to participate in a positive and educational experience. The Leaders in Training program is a two-week program at summer residential program, Camp Jack Hazard. The first week of the program is dedicated to our participants fostering their innate leadership skills, teach them pro-active communication and discipline strategies, train them to assist the Program Directors in facilitating various activities, and generally prepare them to assist in taking care of 8-10 youth, ages 8-15. During their second week, the participants will actively play the role of a staff member in a cabin setting. Their responsibilities will be to help provide safe, fun, character-based activities and programs for their cabins.

Everett School Outreach Dance Program

The money granted from Make Dreams Real made it possible for 15 classrooms of children to receive 8 hours of dance instruction for eight weeks. The eight weeks of dance instruction culminated in a performance showcasing the students at the Gallo Center for the Arts. Some exceptional students were also offered in-depth dance education classes during the school year as well.

‘Farm -to-Table’ Garden Program

Knights Ferry School will use funds for a “farm-to-table” garden program. They currently have five goats, six planted garden boxes and four young fruit trees. The garden requires a level of expertise and particular skills to maintain that are unavailable from anyone on site. They have begun developing the program by working with an outside garden expert who assists with appropriate planting for the season, soil maintenance, plant maintenance and instruction for students in the areas of soil health, providing for pollinators, organic pest control, irrigation and pruning practices. Additionally, they have plans to create a viable composting system. Students will learn about agricultural processes at the same time they are growing food for themselves. This is an innovative way to bring agriculture into the elementary school on a real-time basis.

Children’s Garden

Modesto Children’s Garden was established with the mission to strengthen Stanislaus County students’ understanding of the natural world and the vital role fresh produce plays in supporting health and strengthening academic and developmental outcomes. An engaging and interactive addition to existing school science curriculum that serves 4,000 visitors annually, the Garden provides a joyful, hands-on educational experience through which school-aged children come to understand every aspect of the growth cycle, knowledge that empowers them to become lifelong stewards of their health. In this way, Modesto Children’s Garden plays an important role in ongoing efforts to combat childhood obesity and attendant health challenges, while also strengthening health equity by increasing Stanislaus County’s knowledge of, interest in and, most critically, access to fresh and nutritious food. That children gain these benefits through fun outdoor activities and service-learning projects only enhances the organization’s impact.

Youth Center

Established in 1948, the Modesto Gospel Mission boasts a rich history of offering support and services to individuals in Stanislaus County. Going beyond typical assistance, the Mission extends a helping hand to some of the most vulnerable members of our community. The Youth Center is accessible to all local youth five days a week and offers a range of activities from 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. On Friday evenings, from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m., it hosts a program called G.A.T.E. (God’s Anointed Teen Event), providing a safe space for local teenagers to gather instead of being on the streets. The Youth Center aims to create a nurturing environment for children and families, focusing on their overall well-being. Collaborating with local organizations, it offers various activities like devotions, coping skill sessions, book clubs, and indoor and outdoor recreational activities. These activities aim to promote personal growth, self-esteem, and community engagement.

After School Arts Program

Modesto Junior College’s After School Arts program was launched in 2023 by a team of professors with a passion for sharing music and the arts with children in the local community.  Committed to the philosophy of “when students teach students, everyone learns,” MJC’s After School Arts program is led entirely by MJC students, providing valuable experiential learning opportunities for students, and offering robust arts enrichment to children and youth that might not otherwise have access to arts education. MJC’s After School Arts program meets on local elementary and jr. high school campuses and is offered as an enrichment opportunity to students in partnership with the after school program on the school site. Student instructors meet twice weekly with a group of 10-15 students for 1.5-2 hour classes. Course sessions last for six weeks, current offerings include piano, guitar, and voice lessons. Planning is underway for the expansion of course offerings in the 2024-25 school year, including music theatre, computer graphics, video game design, drawing, painting and photography.

Recording Arts Music Summer Camp

The grant from Make Dreams Real Foundation pays for kids from low income families to be able to attend a music technology camp designed and run by the non-profit Modesto Sound (Recording | Live Sound | Education) organization.

 Activities include:

• Learning about microphones, recording, and interviewing people
• Writing and voicing a public service announcement for public radio
• Field trips
• Creating an original song
• Recording songs
• Learning about live sound
• Teamwork building
• Making a drum and having drum circles
• Holding a concert including performance of the original song

Before camp even begins Modesto Sound staff meet with campers and their families and perform community service work to get to know everyone while volunteering. During camp, they acquire valuable skills in leadership, teamwork, and communication as well as music and technology knowledge. 

Link-Up

The Modesto Symphony Orchestra’s Link Up program works with 3^rd to 5^th graders all over Stanislaus County by teaching them the recorder in the classroom. Using a student guide and with instruction from their teacher, students learn multiple recorder songs and later attend a concert performed by Modesto Symphony and get to interact with the musicians. This event is truly electric and it is such a fun time seeing the kids perform and love music!

Salida Unified School District- Because of the funding provided by Make Dreams Real, 50 additional students were able to attend Outdoor Education who would not have been able to attend without the scholarship opportunity.

Stanislaus Union School District- Stanislaus Union School District has a 70% poverty rate. Because of the funding provided from Make Dreams Real, no child is excluded from Outdoor Education due to a lack of ability to pay.

Sylvan Union School District- 58 students in the Sylvan Union School District were able to attend camp because of the grant given by Make Dreams Real. Without the grant, because of financial reasons, these children would have never been able to experience this highly collaborative experience.

Additional school districts:
Patterson Unified School District
Riverbank Language Academy

Recreation Scholarship Program

The Patterson Recreation Scholarship Program is provided for any individual 18 years and under, who wish to participate in City of Patterson Recreation programs and is not financially able to! Applicants must live in the city limits of Patterson and provide proof of residency. They must meet the age qualifications and show proof of financial need. Applicants are accepted on a first come, first served basis and are awarded up to $100 / youth. 

With the funding from the Make Dreams Real Endowment Fund, we were able to in provide 58 youth the opportunity to participate in Summer Camp, arts classes, cooking for youth, swim lessons and youth soccer. Each of the programs listed have components that meet our objectives of healthy options for Patterson’s youth by getting them outside and active. The success of the grant was immediate, with the outpouring of youth scholarship applications, resulting in the use of all grant funds prior to the start of summer programming, in June 2018.

Exploratorium and Tech Interactive Museum Field Trips

The money from Make Dreams Real goes to fun Exploratorium field trips for 4th and 5th graders at Roberts Ferry Elementary. The funds are also used for the Tech Interactive Museum for 2nd and 3rd graders.

Red Shield Youth Program

The Salvation Army Modesto Red Shield After-School programs provide children a safe haven from gang-ridden areas with positive mentors to help build character and establish positive role models. Because of the economic environment of South Modesto, many families struggle to provide adequate, nutritional meals for their families. The After-School program steps in and ensures that every child receives a snack when they arrive and a hot, nutritious meal before they leave. This program helps fill the gap for the families that cannot provide consistent, healthy meals to their children. The Red Shield also offers academic tutoring, computer literacy, teen gang prevention, water safety (swim lessons, junior lifeguarding certification), boxing, baseball, and basketball. As a result of the programs offered, children will increase their academic performance, become more food secure, and stay safe from dangerous environments. This grant would help us reach out to approximately 20 additional youth in the program we serve. This will help us to revitalize the program in a safe environment. The prior two years have been anomalies due to COVID-19.

Adapted Bike Camp

We at Society want to thank everyone with Make Dreams Real for the continued support of our Adapted Bike Camp. The purpose of the camp is to provide an “immersion” experience in bicycling using specially designed equipment and teaching methods. Because of grants like Make Dreams Real, we are able to host a bike camp to teach individuals with diverse abilities how to ride a bike.

 We had two new campers that registered who were a little older than our usual participants. Upon talking to them a little more, we learned that they were sisters who wanted to learn to ride a bike to ride alongside their son/nephew. In the years prior, the son was a participant who learned to ride through our program and has successfully been riding on his own. The mom and her sister were determined to complete the camp so that they can ride alongside him. At the end of the week they both completed the camp successfully, riding a two-wheeled bike on their own. In a follow up survey, the daughter said that “They ride their bikes together all the time now, and I love seeing how happy and social that makes my brother. Thank you a million times over.”

Turlock Youth Theater

Turlock Youth Performing Arts Youth theater program is a performing arts program designed for children and youth in Turlock, California. The program provides a creative and supportive environment where young people can learn about and engage in all aspects of theater production, including acting, singing, dancing, and technical theater.

The Youth Theater Program offers a variety of classes and workshops throughout the year. Classes are taught by experienced theater professionals who help children develop their skills and confidence in a fun and nurturing environment. Workshops focus on specific aspects of theater production, such as audition techniques, improvisation, and stage makeup.

The program also produces several full-length productions each year, featuring children and youth in all roles both onstage and behind the scenes. These productions provide opportunities for young people to showcase their talents and build their confidence while working together as a team.

The Youth Theater Program is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment where all children and youth can participate and feel valued. The program also seeks to provide affordable access to high-quality performing arts education for all children and youth in the community.

United Way of Stanislaus County – IRS’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA Program)

The United Way of Stanislaus County in partnership with Downey High School juniors and seniors is offering free tap preparation to community members from low and moderate incomes through the IRS’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA program). The IRS’s VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program for high school students has a significant impact on the community in several ways: financial literacy, community service, access to tax assistance, economic impact, and educational opportunities. Overall, the IRS’s VITA program for high school students plays a vital role in promoting financial empowerment, community engagement, and educational enrichment, ultimately contributing to the well-being and prosperity of the community. The 9-month academic year cohort will consist of 20-40 students who will spend the fall learning about each of the areas mentioned above as well as developing soft skills (empathy training) and the tax season completing tax returns for community members (approximately 10-15 hours a week).