Hoop DREAMS COME TRUE Fund 2016
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Hoop Dreams Inc is raising funds for 3 specific “DREAMS COME TRUE” this year. First, Jordan is headed back to Colombia again in May for the third year in a row and will be working with a group of kids there in an impoverished area of Bogota, and is hoping to take some new balls and gear down for those kids. The second DREAM is to help a wonderful, albeit poor farmer in Colombia regain some dignity and a full mouth of teeth. And the third DREAM is to raise some money for the Hoop Dreams Financial Aid fund, which helps kids get to summer basketball camps whose families cannot financially support their wish to attend camps.
1st Dream : El Enjambre
The group, the Beehive (El Enjambre) was started by Juan Saison, whom Jordan met during pickup basketball his first year in Bogota. Juan runs an evening program for youth in a neighborhood known for its drug violence and gangs. Three days a week he works with the kids on the basketball court, and the 2 other days he provides a place to do crafts and helps with homework for anyone who shows up. He grew up in the neighborhood, and wanted to provide an outlet for young people to gather and learn about life outside of the drugs, gangs and violence surrounding that area. Jordan was very impressed when hearing about what Juan does for the youth, all out of his own time and without pay. After working with Juan last year for 3 days, Jordan is hoping to return this year with some gifts of basketballs, shorts, and t-shirts for the kids of the Enjambre with your help!
2nd Dream : Teeth for Narcisso
In the northern part of Colombia during the 80’s and 90’s there was much violence and displacement of rural people for the drug cartels and traffickers. Jordan’s sister Jes works with a small organization (Zembrandopaz) that works at helping those communities who were displaced return to their land and work through the emotional damage that was done. Zembrandopaz owns a small farm just outside of Sincelejo where they are working at sustainable agriculture and citrus production. While the farm was in tatters when purchased, it has come along beautifully, thanks in no small part to Narcisso.
Narcisso was a leader of his community back in the 1990’s, well known and respected in his area, and owned a profitable farm of about 10 acres. Narcisso was a voice against the drug lords and traffickers in his area, encouraging people to resist the aggressive drug trade gangsters. There were many threats on his life during this time. Finally, one day in 1998, a man showed up at his farm and put a gun to Narcisso’s face. Without even giving Narcisso and family a chance to leave, the man pulled the trigger. By an unbelievable miracle, the bullet ricocheted out of Narcisso’s mouth and after 3 weeks in the hospital he was able to escape his area. Zembrandopaz took him in and allowed him and his wife Manuela to live on the farm in exchange for tending to the land.
Jordan has been blessed to work for Narcisso and get to know him the past 2 years while down visiting his sister. Narcisso has helped turned the farm in to an actual place of production. He is a bright and funny man, and has made almost a full recovery. He still grows dark and sad when talking about his home and the event that brought him to the brink of death. While most of the physical wounds have healed, the one thing that he has not been able to do is afford a full mouth of teeth. Jordan, through Hoop Dreams Inc, is hoping to bring Narcisso a few hundred dollars to help him get a new mouthful of pearly whites. The bullet knocked out all but 2 of Narcissos teeth, which makes eating a bit tricky. He is also very self aware of his smile, although he would never admit it. It is something most of us take for granted, and a small gift Jordan would like to help provide for this wonderful man.
3rd Dream : Hoop Dreams Financial Aid
Each year, a few parents contact Hoop Dreams before camps and ask about some form of financial assistance or lower cost. While we try and keep the cost of camps as low as we can, there are expenses to be taken care of. We do not want to turn any child away from the opportunity to learn and play basketball if they want, but also realize that we cannot continue to do what we do without recovering some income. This summer we hope to have some extra money in our Financial Aid account so we can help more kids get to camp whose families may find the financial burden to be excessive.
1st Dream : El Enjambre
The group, the Beehive (El Enjambre) was started by Juan Saison, whom Jordan met during pickup basketball his first year in Bogota. Juan runs an evening program for youth in a neighborhood known for its drug violence and gangs. Three days a week he works with the kids on the basketball court, and the 2 other days he provides a place to do crafts and helps with homework for anyone who shows up. He grew up in the neighborhood, and wanted to provide an outlet for young people to gather and learn about life outside of the drugs, gangs and violence surrounding that area. Jordan was very impressed when hearing about what Juan does for the youth, all out of his own time and without pay. After working with Juan last year for 3 days, Jordan is hoping to return this year with some gifts of basketballs, shorts, and t-shirts for the kids of the Enjambre with your help!
2nd Dream : Teeth for Narcisso
In the northern part of Colombia during the 80’s and 90’s there was much violence and displacement of rural people for the drug cartels and traffickers. Jordan’s sister Jes works with a small organization (Zembrandopaz) that works at helping those communities who were displaced return to their land and work through the emotional damage that was done. Zembrandopaz owns a small farm just outside of Sincelejo where they are working at sustainable agriculture and citrus production. While the farm was in tatters when purchased, it has come along beautifully, thanks in no small part to Narcisso.
Narcisso was a leader of his community back in the 1990’s, well known and respected in his area, and owned a profitable farm of about 10 acres. Narcisso was a voice against the drug lords and traffickers in his area, encouraging people to resist the aggressive drug trade gangsters. There were many threats on his life during this time. Finally, one day in 1998, a man showed up at his farm and put a gun to Narcisso’s face. Without even giving Narcisso and family a chance to leave, the man pulled the trigger. By an unbelievable miracle, the bullet ricocheted out of Narcisso’s mouth and after 3 weeks in the hospital he was able to escape his area. Zembrandopaz took him in and allowed him and his wife Manuela to live on the farm in exchange for tending to the land.
Jordan has been blessed to work for Narcisso and get to know him the past 2 years while down visiting his sister. Narcisso has helped turned the farm in to an actual place of production. He is a bright and funny man, and has made almost a full recovery. He still grows dark and sad when talking about his home and the event that brought him to the brink of death. While most of the physical wounds have healed, the one thing that he has not been able to do is afford a full mouth of teeth. Jordan, through Hoop Dreams Inc, is hoping to bring Narcisso a few hundred dollars to help him get a new mouthful of pearly whites. The bullet knocked out all but 2 of Narcissos teeth, which makes eating a bit tricky. He is also very self aware of his smile, although he would never admit it. It is something most of us take for granted, and a small gift Jordan would like to help provide for this wonderful man.
3rd Dream : Hoop Dreams Financial Aid
Each year, a few parents contact Hoop Dreams before camps and ask about some form of financial assistance or lower cost. While we try and keep the cost of camps as low as we can, there are expenses to be taken care of. We do not want to turn any child away from the opportunity to learn and play basketball if they want, but also realize that we cannot continue to do what we do without recovering some income. This summer we hope to have some extra money in our Financial Aid account so we can help more kids get to camp whose families may find the financial burden to be excessive.
Organizer
Jordan Buller
Organizer
Breckenridge, CO