When parents make volunteering a family event, both the community and family benefit.
On March 31, a national day dedicated to Cesar Chavez, schools were not in session, but many parents with their children as well as residents of all ages honored his legacy with a Day of Service. South Bay Community Services (SBCS) hosted various opportunities in Chula Vista including activities in all five Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood (CVPromise) partner schools for a morning filled with celebration, learning, and hands on activities.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to come together, get to know one another and strengthen the community,” SBCS Engagement Director Liz Ramirez said.
Ramirez said the day offered a variety of activities from educational workshops to re-beautification activities to painting new school murals and restoring school gardens.
Enedina Ruelas, 47, and her children, Miguel, 12, and Enedene, 5, volunteer regularly throughout the year and they were among the dozens of volunteers who took part in the Day of Service.
Two years ago, Ruelas began her involvement with CVPromise through Universidad de Padres, an 8-week parent education program offered at Castle Park Elementary where her son Miguel attended. Shortly after, a CVPromise Promotora, a parent liaison stationed on the campus, approached her with an invitation to join the Garden Committee and help maintain the school garden.
Today, she continues to oversee the upkeep, planting, and harvesting of the garden. School and community families share many of the fruits and vegetables. The garden, Ruelas said, produces healthy meals for many families.
Ruelas has also recruited her husband and children to assist with the gardening efforts. Learning more about growing vegetables and healthy cooking has inspired them to begin building their own vegetable garden at home.
“Volunteering as a family has brought us so much closer together,” Ruelas said. “I see how my children have turned into young leaders and my husband is just as excited as I am to be involved in community projects.”
Now that Miguel has transitioned to Hilltop Top Middle School, Ruelas is working with school teachers, other parents and Promotoras to build a new Garden Committee on that campus. Shortly, she hopes the committee can create a recipe book featuring their produce and family recipes to motivate both children and their parents to learn more about the benefits of organic produce and healthy eating.
Ruelas is also a recent graduate of the CVPromise Resident Leadership Academy (RLA), an 18-week civic engagement workshop.
“I know I can do something for my community. I used to think I didn’t have a voice or a vote and now I know I can speak up,” Ruelas said. “I know that by organizing we can achieve many things.”
Recently, the RLA was selected as the 2017 South Region Award recipient of the Live Well San Diego Public Health Champion Award. Currently, the group is working towards improving the lighting in the streets of the Castle Park neighborhood and increasing bicycle racks in public spaces such as schools, supermarkets and parks.
“I feel very proud and happy to be a part of the CVPromise programs. I feel if it weren’t for them, I would still be blind or numb to what goes on in my neighborhood. Most importantly, I am grateful because it allows me to spend time with my kids and my husband,” Ruelas said.
On May 6 Ruelas and the RLA graduates will spearhead the first Neighbor Day event at Castle Park Elementary where they hope to connect with more community residents. The morning will consist of a pancake breakfast followed by a walk through the neighborhood where participants will deliver flowers and meet new neighbors.
“We want to support our neighbors. We want them to know we are here to help, especially our elderly residents. And we want to give our children a good example,” Ruelas said..
To learn more about Neighbor Day, please visit SouthBayCommunityServices.org. CVPromise is coordinated by SBCS and is proud to partner with Castle Park Elementary, Castle Park Middle, Castle Park High School, Hilltop Middle and Hilltop High School to bring new opportunities and pathways of success for their students and families. For more information, please visit CVPromise.org or call 619-422-5005.
