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Gratitude

Gratitude

by | Mar 14, 2025 | Making an Impact, Scholars

What is gratitude?

What does it look like beyond the “humblebrag” social media posts and cliche smiles?

And why is it important?

Gratitude is what makes us smile, inside or out. It is that component in life that gives us grace, grounding and awareness. It is the tiniest of light that helps us see a step forward in the darkest of nights. Finding gratitude helps us to be resilient. To remind us that there is beauty in life.

Gratitude is the sound of little sisters playing.
It is the taste of chocolate.
It is the smell of mint.
Gratitude is the puppy that always has a smile.

Gratitude is looking at the stars on a clear night.
It is a hug from a friend.
Gratitude is acing that last exam you worked so hard on.
It is a warm meal and enough to eat.

It is a teddy bear and a stuffed avocado pillow.
It is a feeling of breath.
It is an art supply kit.
Gratitude is “You”.

At least this is what our students say.

At our National Scholar Saturday in March, our Give Back community had the opportunity to explore the positive impacts and healthy practice habits of gratitude with speaker Miriam Hathaway.

Miriam is an author and positive mindset expert who has written more than 30 books, including several focused on gratitude, living life with meaning and purpose, and the importance of positive relationships. She has been featured on several national lists; her work can be found in stores nationwide and one of her projects was even featured in Oprah's Favorite Things. She is known for infusing joy and curiosity into all that she does and writes books that inspire people in making their creative ideas come to life. Which she certainly did for our community in March!

Gratitude was chosen as a theme this month as an inspiration from our December speaker, Wesley Hamilton. It has been shown to help overcome trauma, lower rates of PTSD for war veterans and increase resilience for survivors of terrorist attacks. In his podcast, Dr. Andrew Huberman, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and professor at Stanford University, indicates that specific gratitude practices have been shown to have tremendous positive effects on mental and physical health. We hope that by introducing students to mindful gratitude practices with Miriam, that it will help them find resiliency and positive threads during a time of national uncertainty.

Miriam introduced participants to the positive benefits of gratitude and how to incorporate it into our lives- even when it may not be what we really feel like there is not much to be grateful for. One particular exercise, Miriam asked students to write or share “Five Things You Can See”, “Four Things You Can Touch”, “Three Things You Can Hear”, “Two Things You Can Smell” and “One Thing You Can Taste”, of which students responded with overwhelming thoughtfulness.

In our post-event survey, many students shared that some of the most valuable parts of the ninety minutes together were learning about other things that their peers are grateful for. They shared that they appreciated “The connection I had with other students”, “When we became vulnerable and shared what we were grateful for.” and “Hearing all the great things that happened to the other Give Back students”.

Hopefully, students will carry this amazing learning experience forward with them. When life feels like a whirlwind, we can all take time to recall our “5,4,3,2,1 Gratitude Exercise” and remember that a moment of gratitude might just be one appreciative breath away.

Peer Mentor Reflections: Irene Juarez

Peer Mentor Reflections: Irene Juarez

by | Jan 31, 2025 | Scholars

Hello! My name is Irene Juarez, and I am a junior at Chapman University. I am pursuing a major in Integrated Educational Studies with a minor in English. I am also included in the Chapman 4+1 program to pursue my master's and teaching credentials after graduating from Chapman University with my bachelor’s. My future goal is to grow and build stronger connections within my communities at Chapman and with Giveback. I would like to better understand all those around me and reach out to them outside the professional field.  

When I create events or do one-on-one check-ins, I would like to do more that benefits and makes scholars comfortable while still having fun. So, having better communication and networking skills is another goal I’m working on. A third goal that I have is regarding my peer mentor position. I would like to build a comforting relationship with the mentees; I want to be a strong foundation for them so that they know they can come to me with no bias when they need anything. 

The entire reason I was motivated and intrigued to become a peer mentor for Chapman University was so that I could help other scholars in Giveback who have experienced the same background and situation as I have when leaving home for the first time: being in a new place, battling all these new obstacles that they have never before dealt with, even imposter syndrome. I want all the mentees to know I am a safe space for them to talk to and chat with. Whether on campus, in the dorms, or outside campus life, I want them to feel secure and welcomed. I, too, have experienced similar difficulties. I had a fantastic connection with fellow Giveback scholars as they helped me navigate college life, always at my side when I needed them, especially when I was struggling and feeling homesick. 

Illinois Community Engagement Luncheon

Illinois Community Engagement Luncheon

by | Oct 9, 2023 | News

At Give Back, we hold events to engage the community around us to be a part of the change that we are making with scholars and within Give Back. Illinois Give Back began a new tradition, an Annual Community Engagement Luncheon. This event was held at Ashbury’s in Boilingbrook, IL. At the event, introductions were made to those in attendance. Shameco Moore, the Coordinator of Community & Student Engagement served as the host of this wonderful event, and there were also presentations from Lydia Matlock, the Chief of Program Operations and Kelsey Novak, the Program Director. The attendees came from various backgrounds within the community, including law enforcement, businesses, and education. During the event, a Community Excellence Award was presented to Dr. Algenia, a local doctor from a pediatric practice.

A few months ago, Dr. Algenia reached out to Give Back and voluntarily hosted drives to collect winter clothing and school supplies for the students who may not have access to such items. Dr. Algenia was pleasantly surprised to receive this award, and it was an honor for Give Back to present it to him. After the event, Give Back was offered an opportunity for more businesses in Illinois to come together to help Give Back. Cristina, a local restaurant owner called Shameco to express how touched she was by the event and the experience of watching Dr.Algenia receive the Community Excellence Award a The conversation continued with an offer for her and some other businesses in the area to collaborate on an event for Give Back, her restaurant would cater the event for free, one of the other owners would host the event at their place of business, and everything would be covered. All the proceeds would go to Give Back. Shameco and Shannon Labus, a student coach in Illinois, attended the event. It was greatly organized. Shameco described it as “When I arrived, there was a dunk tank on the side of the building, there were vendor tables lining the entry to the business. It was quite a scene.” We were glad to hear about such an outcome. Shameco was able to network with others at the event to speak about Give Back and set up an area to set up founder Bob Carr’s books and t-shirt. There were so many people engaged and glad to support.

At the event, Shameco had the opportunity to meet a pleasant lady who later reached out to Shameco about the new initiative in the school called Workplace Readiness. Intrigued by the idea of providing $250 for each of the four schools, she and a few others expressed interest in becoming business sponsors for professional attire in two or possibly three of the schools. In a pleasant surprise, an owner from the area who attended the event learned that the goal for the day was initially set at $300. Impressed with the cause, he wrote a check to Give Back for that amount and encouraged them to raise the goal. By the end of the day, the event had raised $2,255, exceeding the initial goal by nearly $2,000. Give Back is incredibly grateful for the overwhelming support and generosity shown by these individuals, business owners, and community members who have wholeheartedly contributed to our foundation in any way they can. Together, we are making a meaningful difference in the lives of those we serve.

Breaking the Stigma Around Mental Health

Breaking the Stigma Around Mental Health

by | May 16, 2023 | Making an Impact

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and Give Back’s Kansas Program Director Katie Latta is actively engaged in breaking the stigma around mental health challenges. The Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) program is an evidence-based training that teaches the right way to engage with people who may be facing a mental health or substance use challenge and the right steps for getting them help if they need it. As a certified Mental Health First Aid trainer, Katie has been training Give Back staff and many of our partners in this important program. Research shows that this type of early intervention can play a huge role in helping people get the help they need. “When I first started working with High School students at Give Back, I was afraid I would say something wrong. I wanted to learn how to be comfortable talking with students and make sure I was prepared to help if needed. I learned the simple act of showing someone that you care how they feel is very valuable. ”

“As a mental health first aider, we are trained to ask questions, show that we care, and then encourage both self-help and professional help, if needed.” Katie first found the Mental Health First Aid program when she joined Give Back in 2018 and was looking for help making the transition from working with adults to working with High School students. She learned that helping students successfully complete high school and prepare for college takes more than focusing on academics, it became clear to her she needed to take more of a holistic approach, including a focus on mental health. It was during the COVID-19 pandemic that she decided to invest the time and energy to become a certified trainer. “Mental Health Challenges have affected me, my family, and many of our students. During [the pandemic] I saw mental health challenges increase in these groups and realized the importance of reducing the stigma around talking openly about our mental health. Katie decided to teach MHFA because, “I want people to not hesitate to ask someone how they are doing and then take the time to listen.

Many adults worry that they could cause harm or offend someone by saying the wrong thing. The training teaches people how to use the proper language and provides experience in getting comfortable with talking about mental health. And, while we leave the diagnosing up to the professionals, the training also teaches the signs and symptoms of common mental health challenges, and how to differentiate between crisis and non-crisis situations. Katie has already trained the majority of the Give Back staff to become Mental Health First Aiders and is now making the training available to our partners. Katie is also looking into additional training that would allow her to train Give Back students and alumni how to listen to and help each other. Who should take Mental Health First Aid? Katie says, “Everyone should become MHFA certified. Mental Health First Aid mirrors traditional first aid or CPR training, by teaching an action plan and the steps to take to get someone help. You hope you never have to use it, but it’s important to know what to do, especially if someone is in crisis.” For more information and to find a class near you visit https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org/

“Why We Strive” Fall Programming

“Why We Strive” Fall Programming

by | Nov 4, 2022 | Education

Bills, bills, bills. Can you pay your telephone bill? Can you pay your automo’ bill? If you can, then you might have a shot with Beyoncé. Queen Bey has long since sung the importance of independence and financial stability in her chart-topping hits–a message that not just the Beyhive should heed.

In the spirit of the Independent Woman herself, Give Back’s “Why We Strive” fall programming centers around personal budgeting. The programming was developed collaboratively by Illinois Manager of Mentor and Student Services Kelsey Novak and Domenic Merendino, Assistant to the National Executive Director. Together, they developed a plan that highlights a core competency, sub-competency, and personal learning objective of economic stability, financial literacy, and personal budgeting, respectively.

“It’s never too early to create some financial plan,” said Domenic. “Even if it’s a short term plan or something all the way to retirement–it’s good to have some type of budget and plan.”

Over the past month, Give Back coaches across the nation have worked with their students on personal budgeting using a variety of online and in-person tools and games–from Finances 101 to Money Prodigy to The Mint–to help them understand why budgeting is important and prepare them for successful management of their future or current bills, rent, everyday expenses, unexpected costs, and more.

“It’s important for students to get exposed to these types of skills because it’s something that isn’t taught in school,” said Kelsey. “And if it’s not taught in school or at home then you don’t know how to do it and you’re on a spinning wheel that never gets anywhere. You don’t have to start off as an expert, but it’s important to know because it’s going to get you to the goals you want in life–whether that’s starting a family or going on vacation. Knowing how to manage your money sets you up for a really good future.”

The Why We Strive programming leads up to a culminating Scholar Saturday in November that serves as a final event to wrap-up the skills, tools, and knowledge acquired over the past month. The national virtual event will feature a guest speaker who is expertly qualified in the field of finance. Students will get a chance to learn from the speaker and break out into groups for activities and discussion.

“What’s most rewarding about working with the students and helping them map out their futures is watching them utilize the tools they are given to figure out their problems,” said Domenic. “It’s great to be able to watch them figure things out themselves with the skills they learned and were exposed to.”

Stay up-to-date with all things Why We Strive by following our #GiveBackStrive hashtag on social media!