Month: May 2014

Hispanic Scholarship Fund


I recently went to an event for the HSF. It was a beautiful event. At the JW Marriott and It presented ten scholarships. It made me happy to see the smile on the student’s faces when they where acknowledged for their hard work.

“HSF scholarship award amounts range from $1,000-$15,000. The average award amount is $2,500 for students attending four-year institutions and $1,250 for students attending two-year institutions.”

This year’s Corporate Sponsors where Wells Fargo and Target.

The awards that the students won at the event are in addition to scholarships that they have already received. Karen Villegas, the Female Scholar of the Year winner for a Gates Millennium Scholar and has received a good through graduation scholarship. 

HSF award on average 3,000 students per year for a total of 60,000 and $430 million since 1975. 

You can Donate Today: https://my.hsf.net/en/donations/donate#/donate

See more at: http://hsf.net/en/resources/faqs/general-questions/#sthash.WhwrVods.dpuf

Ford Ecoboost Challenge

Last week I had the opportunity to take the Ford Coast-to-Coast Ecoboost Challenge at Santa Anita Park in the LA area and let me tell you, it was pretty great!

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I arrived at around 9:30am to the designated location which was already set and ready to go with the lineup of Ford’s newest cars and a series of courses made up of orange cones to begin the endeavor of test driving in the beautiful California weather.

Among the cars that I had the chance to drive were the Ford Fusion, Ford Escape (which I’ve had the opportunity to drive in the past and is probably my favorite!), and the Ford F-150. I’m going to be honest for a second and tell you that I am not a car expert but Ford personnel made it a point to address any questions and concerns I had in terms that I could understand so Ford definitely gets some major cool points from me. Getting behind the wheel of Ford’s newest models and testing out their potential in their custom tracks definitely has me considering the purchase of one when the time comes.

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The real winning activity, however, was the Ford Hybrid Challenge. I have never driven a hybrid before but had general knowledge of how these innovative cars are great for the environment (kudos Ford for going green!). I was definitely intrigued and I could not leave the event without getting behind the wheel of the Ford C-Max! I was also relieved to have a Ford employee in the passenger seat in this custom course, which definitely calmed my nerves. The C-Max feels great when you’re behind the wheel, by the way. There is a sense of control when you’re driving and had I not been told that I’d be driving a hybrid, I would not have known the difference between this car and a traditional gas car.

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All in all I had a blast taking Ford’s Ecoboost Challenge. What interests me the most about  Ford’s new models are their promise of fuel efficiency, which at this point and time is a win for everyone in California!

TLFoundation Orphanage Project

TLFoundation Orphanage Project By Jes Sofia Valle 
In Social Impact Located In Los Angeles, CA

 PEOPLE HELP PEOPLE in Guatemala. This September 2014 we hope to provide orphanages with Education and Mental Health, along with providing basic needs such as Milk, Diapers & other necessities. We are going to Guatemala!! Help us out! or Join us!! I’m Jes, with one S, like Yes in Spanish. I ‘m a child Therapist and Child Advocate. I’m looking to be able to help orphans and their homes. I will tell you how this all started.

 WHILE ON MY TRIP TO GUATEMALA, I had the urge to help someone other than myself. I felt that I should be doing more than just spa-hopping, so with just one day left on my rental car. I put my mind to what wanted to accomplish. Really, it was instinctual – I wanted to give to kids. Anyone that knows me already can vouch for how much I love helping kids, so I went to a few bigwig companies to ask for help. After a few weeks of waiting some companies said no, but others said yes. I sat down in one of two Starbucks locations in Guatemala, and talked to my friend on Skype. When I was done with my conversation, a man approached me and in English (mind you, was conversing in English on Skype, in a part of the world where all you hear is Spanish), and he said, “I was eavesdropping and overheard you wanted to help an orphanage.” I said, “Yes!” and he introduced himself as Mike and said he was a director of a team in Guatemala who works with local orphanages — talk about heaven sent! “We provide food for them,” Mike shared, and from I immediately was completely amazed and inspired by the get-go. He told me about his organization, Orphaned Resources International, and through the conversation, I was able to link him to various sources of mine. And I told him I was interested in helping an orphanage dedicated to babies and toddlers and he gave me three choices to choose from.

I ultimately chose Hogar de Ninos, Amor de Patricia. I ran to a store, which had already agreed to help in my quest, and a representative from Huggies also happened to be there, too. I asked them for diapers, and was able to fill my car with Huggies, milk, baby formula, toys and bottles. They gave me so much for the kiddos, in addition to what I purchased myself that I ended up with so much more than what I expected to end up with. After about an hour drive, When I went inside, my heart was filled with so much emotion; I wanted to adopt all of them! I wanted to take them home and work my butt off to give them a life outside those orphanage walls. But I knew that I could not give them all the lives they deserve all by myself, which is why I’m asking YOU and brands to help Guatemalan orphanages with a donation to help the orphanage hire teachers and a psychologist. we will provide basic needs such as Milk for the babies and kids, diapers, and clothes. This time I cannot buy all the things I would like to give them, and I would also like to help more than one orphanage.

So can you help me?

 Ways You Can Help: 

Donate to buy: Milk, Diapers, Clothes, and Toys
 Donate airfare to help us give.
 Donate to Hire Teacher and Psychologist ($600 Monthly)

PLEASE help SHARE this through Social Media! FACEBOOK/TWITTER/INSTAGRAM/ ANY SOCIAL MEDIA OUTLETS! Trust us, it helps!

 Thank you! Jes and Team

 http://bit.ly/1okGcFf

Three reasons / Tres Razones

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Three reasons / Tres Razones

There are three major reasons why you SHOULD get Insurance:

  1. You don’t want to be in a situation where you have to go to the doctors (knock on wood) and then you find out you have something more than just a headache.
  2. You don’t want to use up all your money (one scan can cost up to 1K) and then not be able to continue to find out what else is wrong and declare bankruptcy because you have so many bills to pay.
  3. You deserve to have insurance! Why don’t you have it already? Why are others reaping the benefit of talking to their doctors, working on their health and you are not?

Hay tres razones principales por qué necesitas seguro:

  1. No quieres estar en una situación donde tienes que ir a los médicos (golpee la madera) y te das cuenta tienes algo más que un dolor de cabeza.
  2. No quieres usar todo su dinero (una exploración puede costar hasta 1K) y luego no ser capaz de continuar a ver qué pasa y declararse en bancarrota porque tienes muchas cuentas que pagar.
  3. Te mereces tener seguro! ¿Por qué no lo tienes ya? ¿Por qué otros están cosechando los beneficios de hablar con sus médicos, que trabajan en su salud y no estás?

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HOW? ¿Como? ……

HealthLawHelper is an informational tool designed for individual consumers. It incorporates the best information Consumer Reports has about the federal healthcare law’s impact on consumers. Though enrollment has picked up, millions of Americans are still not aware of their options under the new law. The HealthLawHelper bridges this knowledge gap and helps connect consumers with their new options or puts their mind to ease about how the law actually may or may not affect them.

The tool works for any scenario and it gives you options. In many cases, the tool will direct the user to their state marketplace for new coverage options. But for example, if you already have Medicare coverage or coverage through an employer, the tool helps you understand how your current situation fits in to law.

Spanish:

AseguraTuSalud es una herramienta informativa para los consumidores individuales. Incorpora la mejor información que tiene Consumer Reports sobre el impacto que tiene la ley federal de cuidados de salud en los consumidores. Aunque las inscripciones han aumentado, millones de estadounidenses todavía no están conscientes de las opciones que tienen con la nueva ley. AseguraTuSalud cierra esta brecha de conocimiento y ayuda a conectar a los consumidores con sus nuevas opciones o los tranquiliza sobre cómo la ley realmente funciona o cómo les puede afectar.

 

La herramienta funciona para cualquier escenario y te brinda tus opciones. En muchos casos, la herramienta dirige el usuario al Mercado de Seguros Médicos de su estado para que vean sus nuevas opciones de cobertura. Pero, por ejemplo, si tú ya tienes cobertura de Medicare o cobertura a través de un empleador, la herramienta te ayuda a entender cómo tu situación se ajusta o no a la ley.

Click

Mental Health Month

Thursday, May 1

“Speak Up for Kids” #ISpeakUp Selfie Project

APA is partnering with the Child Mind Institute for the third year of the “Speak Up for Kids” campaign. APA staff and the association’s followers on Twitter and Facebook will be encouraged to take pictures of themselves holding a sign (PDF, 163KB) completing the sentence “I speak up because…” with why they care about children’s mental health. Supporters can share their photos on their own personal networks using the #ISpeakUp hashtag. APA followers’ messages will be shared on APA social networks throughout the month of May.

Sunday, May 4

“How to Tell When a Kid is Struggling” Webinar, 7-8 p.m. (EDT)

APA and the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) are hosting a webinar for PTA members entitled “How to Tell When a Kid is Struggling Emotionally.” APA Executive Director for Professional Practice Katherine Nordal, PhD, will open the discussion. Rockville, Md.-based clinical psychologist Mary Alvord, PhD, will talk with parents, educators and youth-serving professionals about how to recognize when a youth is struggling and what to do when you know a child or teen needs help.

Tuesday, May 13

Finding Answers #EquityChat, 2-3 p.m. (EDT)

APA will co-host a Twitter #EquityChat on health disparities affecting boys and men in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Finding Answers initiative. Wizdom Powell, PhD, an APA member and expert on African-American men’s mental health, will lead the discussion. Powell is chair of the APA Working Group on Health Disparities in Boys and Men.

Wednesday, May 14

Blogging for Mental Health

Psychologists writing for APA’s public education blog, Your Mind, Your Body, invite people to share their stories related to mental health and emotional wellness.

Thursday, May 15

Community Forum on Substance Abuse and Mental Health, Chicago School of Professional Psychology, 901 15th St., NW, Washington, D.C., 5:30-7:30 p.m. (EDT)

The APA Office of Ethnic Minority Affairs will sponsor a community forum through its Ethnicity and Health in America Series to raise awareness about the physiological impact of substance abuse and addiction among Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. Hosted in partnership with the Chicago Professional School of Psychology, the D.C. Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs, the National Asian Pacific American Families Against Substance Abuse and faculty members from nearby institutions, the event will focus on mental health, substance abuse/addiction and barriers to treatment.

Wednesday, May 21

Mind the Gap: Integrating Physical & Mental Health Care, Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, 3-5 p.m. (CDT)

Panelists will discuss improving mental health care for youth and families, benefits of collaborative care for mental and physical health and actions to address the challenges of integrated care. APA member Cathy Mavrolas, PhD, chief psychologist and director of training in psychology, LaRabida Children’s Hospital in Chicago, will be among the panelists. The Child Mind Institute is sponsor of the event.

The American Psychological Association, in Washington, D.C., is the largest scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States. APA’s membership includes nearly 130,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants and students. Through its divisions in 54 subfields of psychology and affiliations with 60 state, territorial and Canadian provincial associations, APA works to advance the creation, communication and application of psychological knowledge to benefit society and improve people’s lives.