Open Letter from Mr. Tom Bieri

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

After 15 years with Social Advocates for Youth, I am resigning as the Executive Director. I am grateful for the partnerships and community that I have enjoyed over the years in helping to provide support, opportunities, and hope to children and youth in our community.

Matt Martin has been appointed by SAY’s Board of Directors to be the Interim Executive Director. I have great faith in Matt’s ability to lead, and encourage you to reach out to him in a collaborative spirit when thinking of our community’s children, youth, and families.

Thank you for working with me over the years to enrich the lives of children, youth, and families. I look back with great satisfaction at how the community has come together to help those that might have otherwise fallen through the cracks.

My new e-mail address is .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Matt can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Warm regards,
Tom Bieri

For Immediate Release

Social Advocates for Youth Executive Director Resigns

Santa Rosa, California, August 26, 2010

After 15 years of service, Tom Bieri has resigned as the Executive Director of Social Advocates for Youth (SAY).  Matt Martin, SAY’s Director of Community Resource Development, has been named Interim Executive Director, effective immediately. 

Board President, Robert Casanova, commented that under Mr. Martin’s tenure as Director of Community Resource Development, SAY has increased its fundraising capacity to record heights.  Mr. Martin, formerly Director of Operations at Boys & Girls Clubs of Petaluma, brings a wide range of expertise in staff development, program evaluation, and community partnerships.  Mr. Martin stated that “Tom Bieri brought SAY to a new level of effectiveness and impact.  I pledge to continue and expand upon the organization’s good work.  I am truly honored to have the opportunity to lead SAY during this exciting transition.”

The Board thanked Mr. Bieri for his long-time service and heartfelt dedication to SAY.  Mr. Bieri began as a counselor with the agency in 1995 and became Executive Director in 2006.

Contact: Matt Martin, 707-544-3299, ext. 226

SAY celebrated the Grand Opening of the Sunflower Community Garden with a BBQ party last Thursday, July 29th. Our partners from the City of Santa Rosa Recreation, Parks & Communities Department, as well as members of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce were on hand for a ribbon cutting ceremony led by SAY’s Executive Director Tom Bieri, and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Juan Hernandez and Vice President Macros Suarez. Video of the ribbon cutting ceremony is below:

After a month and a half of solid work in in the Sunflower Community Garden, the SAY Youth Employment Center crew has accomplished an enormous feat–they have transformed the once overgrown garden into an organized, and bountiful, vegetable garden. As you can see in our before photos, the garden needed a thorough overhaul, and our 4 crew members outdid themselves in their efforts to clean up the space. Caitlin Childs, SAY’s resident photographer, revisited the garden on July 14th to get some after photos, which you can see below:

SAY celebrated the Grand Opening of the Sunflower Community Garden with a BBQ party last Thursday, July 29th. Our partners from the City of Santa Rosa Recreation, Parks & Communities Department, as well as members of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce were on hand for a ribbon cutting ceremony led by SAY’s Executive Director Tom Bieri. Photos from the Grand Opening Part are below:

In partnership with Catholic Charities and the City of Santa Rosa, Social Advocates for Youth recently took over the management and maintenance of the Sunflower Community Garden. When the City approached SAY about taking over the garden this year, our Youth Employment Center leapt at the opportunity to take on a project that could employ at-risk youth and help them learn valuable job skills.

With funding from the City of Santa Rosa, The Sunflower Garden now employs three youth and one supervisor to work in the garden four days a week. A first job for most of the youth, they are learning about more than just what it feels like to get that first paycheck; their work the garden is teaching them about sustainability, food production, and how good it feels to be able to provide for others—all of the food they grow is dropped off at the Catholic Charities homeless shelter across the street from the garden.

For now, the joint venture between the City of Santa Rosa and SAY is a pilot program, with funding secure until September, but all of us at SAY are hoping that the funding will come through for the upcoming winter produce season, and we’re looking forward to many bountiful harvests!

The Press Democrat featured the Sunflower Garden last week, you can read the story, and check out their photo gallery here.

Before the youth got started working on the project, we went out and took some before photos of the garden, check them out below:

The Sunflower Garden is located at 7th and A street in downtown Santa Rosa. SAY is currently seeking farmers and master gardeners interested in helping to mentor and educate our youth in sustainability and best practices. If you’re interested in getting involved, please contact Toni Abraham or Jennifer Green at 707-544-3299 x 227.

Social Advocates for Youth has joined the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Sonoma County. Pictured (l-r), HC President Juan Hernandez; Teri Shaughnessy- Coldwell Banker, Kim McEachron- Medtronic Cardiovascular, Matt Martin- Social Advocates for Youth, Marco Suarez, HC Board Member