Carver among 15 charities to receive a $35,000 grant in celebration of Newman's Own Foundation's 35th celebration

See the article here in WestportNow and here in The Hour. 

To celebrate its 35th anniversary, Newman’s Own Foundation is donating $35,000 to five Westport nonprofits, the Foundation announced today.

They are among 15 nonprofits receiving $35,000 donations to mark the founding of Newman’s Own on Aug. 25, 1982 by the late Westport actor and philanthropist Paul Newman.

The Westport recipients include: CLASP Homes, Homes With Hope, Westport Historical Society, the Westport Library, and Westport Volunteer EMS. 

Photo: Jarret Liotta / For Hearst Connecticut Media

The Foundation said the 15 nonprofit organizations were originally funded and have been supported for more than three decades.

The grants are part of the approximately $30 million that is being donated this year alone by Newman’s Own Foundation and Newman’s Own, the Foundation said.

Other $35,000 recipients include: The Actors Studio, New York, N.Y.; Amref Health Africa, New York, N.Y.; Carver Foundation of Norwalk; Central Park Conservancy, New York, N.Y.; Happiness is Camping, Blairstown, N.J.; Maritime Aquarium of Norwalk; New York Foundling Hospital; Norwalk Hospital; Save the Children, and Yale School of Drama.

August is Back Philanthropy Month

Black Philanthropy Month (BPM), held each August, was created in August 2011 by Dr. Jackie Copeland-Carson and the Pan-African Women's Philanthropy Network (PAWPNet) as an annual, global celebration of African-descent giving.

Recognized by the United Nations as part of its Declaration of 2011 as the International Year for People of African Descent, and declared by Congressman Keith Ellison, with proclamations from Minnesota’s governor and the mayors of Minneapolis and St. Paul, all Black communities and their allies are invited to use August and beyond to promote the power of giving to transform lives.

In 2013, a widespread and concerted effort began to invite public participation in a wave of high-impact events, media stories and service projects.  Expanding each year, the BPM civic engagement and awareness campaign occurs online and in communities with local and global dimensions.

Primary aims of BPM are informing, involving, inspiring and investing in Black philanthropic leadership to strengthen African-American and African-descent giving in all its forms. A new organizing concept frames the BPM campaign each year.

The theme for 2017 is: Giving Voice to Fuel Change.

Themes for past years were:                                                                                                                                   

2016: Elevating A Culture of Giving

2015: A Season of Change

2014: Generosity At Home and Around the Globe

2013: Of Dreams And Mountaintops

Help Carver kids sing a new song our nation needs right now - WeR1

GO HERE TO MAKE A DONATION ON THE CROWDFUNDING PLATFORM THE IMPACT VINE

WE HAVE RAISED $710 OF OF OUR $1,500 GOAL. HELP US MAKE THIS SONG A REALITY!

For its 80-year anniversary year, the Carver Foundation of Norwalk is recording a theme song written and sung by world-renowned artists and Carver’s own vocalist! This effort will help make the Carver story known worldwide and advance its mission of Building Lifetime Achievers!

Please give generously to help Carver complete this important project. Your gift will support:

• Recording Carver’s alumnae Gabbie Pierre-Louis on We R 1
• Finishing the musical instrument recording for the song
• The final mix and master of We R 1
• Filming a short video of Gabbie and Carver students in the studio for a behind the scenes look
• Releasing We R 1 as a worldwide single on iTunes, Spotify, and all major retail/streaming sites

Goal: $1,500

The Song

Carver alumnae Gabrielle Pierre-Louis will join renowned music artists Michael McDonald, Peabo Bryson, Oleta Adams and other international star vocalists to produce the song “We R 1” for worldwide distribution. “We R 1” was written by Morris Pleasure and his wife, Lori, in 2002, and recently gifted to Carver. Over the years, Morris Pleasure captured recordings of the artists named above for the future release of the song. The song is sung in the style of the charity single “We Are the World” written by Michael Jackson and Lionel Richie. The advent of Gabrielle’s powerful voice brings the professional recording of “We R 1” now to completion.

The Recording

Factory Underground Records is a Norwalk-based independent recording studio. Universal Music Group/Caroline distributes Factory Underground’s label worldwide. “We R 1” will be available soon on Spotify, iTunes, and on many other platforms available in 115 countries. Carver after-school students will observe the recording process at Factory Underground as part of Carver’s STEAM programming.

Gabrielle Pierre-Louise

Carver alumnae and Norwalk resident Gabrielle Pierre-Louise (Gabbie, 21 years old) is currently studying to be a dentist at the University of Bridgeport, inspired by years of helping her mother and father and other family members deliver humanitarian relief and dental care in particular to Haiti and other places in need. Gabbie is a gifted vocalist who is using her prodigious talent to support Carver.

Morris Pleasure

Mr. Pleasure received Carver’s Child of America award at a performance at Carnegie Hall in 2014, the only time Carver ever conferred this honor apart from Carver’s annual gala. The award recognized Pleasure’s volunteer support of Carver’s “Youth Voice” initiative, WeR1Voice (named after his song). Born and educated in Connecticut, Pleasure is an American composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist, and touring musician. He has recorded and performed with artists such as Ray Charles, Najee, George Duke, Earth, Wind & Fire (a band member for 10 years), Roberta Flack, Christina Aguilera, Peter Cetera, Mary J. Blige, David Foster, Bette Midler, and many others. Pleasure appeared in the documentary, This Is It, and Janet Jackson’s film, Janet: Live in Hawaii.

We R 1 Lyrics

WE ARE ONE…

WE KNOW OUR WORLD HAS GONE ASTRAY

EVIL AND VIOLENCE EVERYDAY

IT CAN’T GO ON THIS WAY FOREVER

FATHER HEAR OUR PRAYER FOR THE FUTURE

OUR CHILDREN GROW UP IN A WORLD OF PAIN

IN A LIFE WITHOUT DREAMS WHAT HOPE REMAINS

WE’VE GOT TO CARE FOR EACH OTHER

LOVE IS THE ONLY WAY

WE ARE ONE….

JUST LIKE THE SUN WILL CROSS THE SKY

EACH DAY A JOURNEY AS TIME GOES BY

WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER

WE MUST BELIEVE

WE ARE ONE…

WHEN LIFE GETS HARD TO UNDERSTAND

WE HAVE TO HAVE FAITH IN THE MASTER’S PLAN

LET’S MAKE A NEW WAY FOR THE CHILDREN

HELP THEM BELIEVE

WE ARE ONE…

ENOUGH OF THIS POVERTY AND DESPAIR

CORRUPTION, INJUSTICE EVERYWHERE

IT’S TIME TO MOVE ON, LET’S WORK TOGETHER

THROUGH UNITY, WE CAN MAKE IT BETTER

LET’S BE A BEACON IN THE NIGHT

SPREAD PEACE LIKE WE’RE ANGELS TAKING FLIGHT

A MESSAGE OF LOVE AND UNDERSTANDING

HEAL OUR WORLD TODAY

DON’T GIVE UP HOPE FOR YOUR BROTHER

HELP HIM BELIEVE

WE ARE ONE.

LOVE ALL AROUND AND YOU’LL KNOW

THEY’RE PEOPLE WHO’RE BELIEVERS WHEREVER YOU GO

A SMILING FACE WILL SHOW

WE NEED UNITY

IT’S UP TO YOU AND ME.

Integrating Social and Emotional Support for Students Through Mentorship

Fly with Carver at Sky Zone Norwalk!

TMT Alumni Weekend at Carver

TMT wraps up successful alumni weekend

Contributed report; Wednesday, August 9, 2017             See the article at The Hour here.

NORWALK — The first Bub Classic TMT Alumni Basketball Tournament, hosted by the Teaching and Mentoring Through Basketball program, was a huge success according to those who ran the two-day event at Norwalk High and the Carver Center.

Four $500 scholarships were handed out Sunday, including two to alumni players Justice and Ian Gardner.

Norwalk High graduates Deandre Russell, left, and Sarah St. Surin were the recipients of $500 scholarships in honor of TMT Basketball founder Mike McElveen. The two were presented their scholarships as part of TMT’s alumni weekend at Norwalk High and the Carver Center.

Norwalk High graduates Sarah St. Surin and Deandre Russell were also given scholarships in honor of TMT co-founder Mike McElveen, who died earlier this year.

The winning TMT alumni team included Evan Kelly, John Boykin, Brian Wade, Moriba Keita, Antwan Boyd, Lamar Tate, Takari Smalls and Tyler Shular.

TMT Basketball would like to thank everyone who supported the event, especially the event sponsors Carver Center, AFSCME LOCAL2405, Sign Smart, Jordan’s Too Restaurant & Pizza, Famous Pizza House, Slice of Italy Pizza, Prime Burger, C&S Grocery (The Yellow Store), SONO Harbor Deli, Pauli’s Bagels & Deli, Supreme Auto Collision, East Avenue Pizza, Gene The Barber, Inside The Locker Room with Ant and Jay and Crown Trophy. 

All proceeds will benefit the TMT Scholarship Program, the National Kidney Foundation and the TMT Basketball Program.

This team of TMT Basketball alumni won last weekend’s tournament. From left: front row, Evan Kelly, John Boykin, Brian Wade and Moriba Keita; back row, Antwan Boyd, Lamar Tate, Takari Smalls and Tyler Shular.

International Youth Day is this Saturday

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The Hour: TMT Basketball returns to Carver!

TMT Basketball alumni come back to give back

By John Nash                          See the article in The Hour here. 

NORWALK — In 2001, Terrence Fuller and Mike McElveen decided to reach out to the youth of their home city, teaching and mentoring through basketball.

That’s how TMT Basketball was born.

This weekend, more than 70 players who played either youth, travel, or AAU basketball at TMT Basketball are coming back to their home city to honor one of their own.

The first Bub Classic TMT Alumni Basketball Tournament will be held Saturday at Norwalk High School and Sunday at the Carver Center.

Multiple alumni teams are expected to be formed along with games involving present-day players at the two sites. All told, 11 alumni games are on tap.

The tournament’s moniker — Bub — is in honor of McElveen, who died last year after a short illness.

“Mike and myself, we had always kind of talked about getting some of our kids together that had graduated and gone on to college,” said Fuller, director of TMT basketball. “We wanted to put them in a tournament or something of that nature.”

Mike EcElveen

An alumni tournament including all of his former players proved to be the most popular idea.

“We ran it past some of the guys and they were excited about it,” Fuller said.

Since TMT was founded it has helped to produce a who’s who of basketball players from the city.

Some of the alumni expected to be back this weekend are Evan Kelley (Sacred Heart), Steven Enoch (UConn/Louisville), Roy Kane Jr. (New Haven), Drew Sawyer (Endicott) and former McMahon basketball standout Lamar Tate, who now coaches with TMT.

As part of the weekend, TMT will be giving away four scholarships — two $500 scholarships to program alumni, and two $500 scholarships in honor of McElveen.

Norwalk High graduates Deandre Russell and Sarah St. Surin will be honored as McElveen scholarship recipients, while Notre Dame-Fairfield graduate Ian Gardner (Dominican College) and Trinity Catholic product Justice Page (Hartford) will receive alumni scholarships.

Those will be awarded during a special ceremony at 1 p.m. on Sunday, at the Carver Center.

The tournament will benefit TMT’s scholarship fund, the basketball program itself and a donation to the National Kidney Foundation in McElveen’s name.

“Mike has done a lot for this city as far as basketball and being a mentor and coach, not just inside TMT but outside, too,” Fuller said. “He was a phenomenal guy for this community.”

Honoring McElveen through those he helped mold as young men is a way for him to keep giving back, Fuller said.

“It’s our alumni and they meant a lot to him,” Fuller said. “This allows us to keep Mike’s legacy moving in the right direction.”

Games begin at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday and will continue through 6 p.m. both days.

Last Days of Summer: See the Video and Photos!

See 736 photos here, 316 photos here, and 267 photos here!