In 2003 the Rex Foundation initiated this page of Community Connections to announce activities that other organizations are doing. Community Connections present activities of non-profit organizations that carry out work in the areas the Rex Foundation supports and with whom we have established connections for collaboration.

JazzMasters Workshop Announces
2008 Route 66 Trip to Support Music For Kids

(posted 4/3/08)

On May 12, western bebop band Cow Bop will depart Chicago , headed west on Route 66 in support of JazzMasters Workshop, which provides music-mentoring programs for children. The Rex Foundation endowed the program with The Jerry Garcia Award as the first piece of support for the Route 66 event. Like previous trips, where the band left with only $100 and no scheduled gigs, bopping and bartering their way to the west coast securing per-mile pledges, they hope to get the word out to raise awareness and funds to ensure that the music stays a part of young peoples' lives.

This time, they are setting up concerts in advance along with impromptu troubadour-style street and business performances, and are coordinating the release of their new CD (Route 66) as well. All proceeds go to music-mentoring programs across the country. "We want to share our love of music, our culture and the legacy of our great country on its most meaningful road. It's all about community," says Bruce Forman , founder of JazzMasters Workshop and leader of Cow Bop. "This is a grassroots effort and we need everyone's help. If anyone knows of a place to play, a potential sponsor or are interested in setting up a program, I want to hear from you. Of course, if you feel like sitting in and playing a tune, that's what it's all about! How about a caravan?"

Along the way they'll be printing web journals that will be published in newspapers and doing radio call-ins. You can read the journals of past trips on the web at: www.wayoutwestmusic.com and from there you can link to the mentoring program's and band's websites. You can email Bruce at bruceforman@yahoo.com

Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity
News Update

(posted 4/3/08)

“Youth Homeless: a Growing Trend”, narrated by Peter Coyote is the story of the challenges youth face while trying to raise themselves on the streets.  They share the issues with existing services and real solutions that need to be implemented.  The young adults you see are youth who have turned their lives around from a life of homelessness. These youth are now community leaders paving the way toward change both locally and statewide.

 Ambassadors of Hope and Opportunity (AHO) is the only non-profit in Marin County that provides a comprehensive safety net of services, including stable housing, guidance with a life coach and community connections for young adults ages 18 to 25 who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. AHO is on the forefront of the growing, previously under-documented trend of homelessness among this age group.