Google gives $500K to support Somos Mayfair
Big news for Somos Mayfair, which announced Thursday that Google’s philanthropic arm is donating $500,000 to support Somos Fuerte — a new job training and job placement program from the East San Jose nonprofit.
Somos Mayfair Executive Director Camille Llanes-Fontanilla said the new initiative would build bridges between organizations that promote transformative change with the talent, expertise and cultural humility of the people living in the Mayfair community and others like it. “Through this project, we want to support families in accessing greater economic opportunities, while also influencing our field to truly advance equity,” she said. The grant through Google.org will be spread out over three years.
Somos Fuerte, which also received seed funding from the Health Trust, was unveiled Thursday at Somos Mayfair’s 20th anniversary celebration at the Mexican Heritage Plaza in San Jose. The program has two components: Somos Mayfair will recruit and train community workers for shortterm projects at other nonprofits and community organizations. Those organizations could also turn to Somos Mayfair for training for their staff and volunteers on both shortterm and longer-term projects. Javier Gonzalez, Google’s South Bay public affairs manager, said the Mountain View tech giant was proud to support the Somos Fuerte initiative’s efforts to create more economic opportunity in the community. “Their unique approach of leadership academies, job training and career placement will help better connect organizations and residents in a way that we hope will help bring transformative change,” he said.
WEEKEND FUN: The hot weekend may be a little more spicy in Milpitas thanks to the fourth annual Milpitas International Festival and BBQ contest. The festivities — including a car show, crafts, barbecue, food trucks and live music — will take place from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on Alder Drive, between McCarthy Boulevard and Tasman Drive.
Meanwhile, downtown Campbell will be filled with tunes and dancing this weekend for Boogie: Campbell’s Music Festival. You may remember it when it was the New Orleans-themed Boogie on the Bayou or more recently Boogie on the Avenue. No matter the name, it’s still a lot of fun, with five stages of live music, food, crafts and fun activities for the kids on Saturday and Sunday.
GET THAT STINKING RECORD: Given that the South Bay has produced competitive eating champions Joey
Chestnut and Matt Stonie, it’s hard to believe the Gilroy Garlic Festival has never had a garlic-eating contest. That’s all going to change this year when contestants take aim at the world record on July 28, the first day of this year’s festival.
The current record of 36 cloves was set by some guy named Patrick Bertoletti in 2012 in East Dundee, Illinois. We can’t let that stand. It’s a matter of Santa Clara County pride.
If you’re up to the challenge, you can get details at gil roy garlic festival. com/ garlic eating contest. You’ve got to fill out an online application and post a video on social media of yourself eating five whole cloves of raw garlic by June 23. The festival will pick 10 contestants to compete in July for a grand prize of two VIP tickets to next year’s festival. You’d think they’d throw in a tin of breath mints, too.