The first benefit for World Housing House Party, Change the Rules for Girls’ initiative raised almost $500,000 for a Cambodian housing project. Jordan, David and Manjy Sidoo were there to help raise funds and support this cause.
Read more in BC Business Magazine: https://www.bcbusiness.ca/World-Housing-House-Party—Change-the-Rules-for-Girls-2020
On December, 22, 2018, Jordan Sidoo and Dylan Sidoo presented Gladstone Secondary with a $10,000 donation to get the school’s breakfast program up and running.
Read the complete details in the Vancouver Sun.
In late 2013, while Jordan Sidoo was still attending St George’s School in Vancouver, he started an online fundraising program selling pen-and-pencil sets to raise money to support the Breakfast Club program at Queen Alexandra elementary school. Although Jordan relocated to California to attend University of California, Berkeley, this year, he continued to run the fundraising program online and on December 11, 2014 attended the school to hand-deliver a cheque for $6500.
The Sidoo family has been supporting The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fun Adopt-A-School program for two years and Jordan has been actively involved along with his parents David and Manjy.
Jordan says he had a privileged life, so helping pay for breakfast for needy children “is the least I can do.”
“There’s no reason why other (privileged) people shouldn’t be getting involved. I know there are lots of people who could do this but it doesn’t seem to cross their minds.”
“Maybe if we can get the word out, it will inspire others.”
To help Jordan fundraise to support the Breakfast Club program, visit breakfast-club.ca and to support The Vancouver Sun Children’s Fund Adopt-A-School program, visit vansunkidsfund.ca.
Read more about Jordan’s cheque presentation at Quee Alexandra elementary here.
Goldie Dhillon – Director – Team Punjabi/Executive Director – Prime Televsion, David Sidoo and Kulwinder (Kal) Dosanjh – VPD Detective.
David Sidoo, a highly decorated athlete in university and professional football, has never forgotten his roots and is extremely dedicated to promoting youth in sport within his community in Vancouver, BC and the surrounding area.
Recently David was recognized by two different organizations for his contributions to athletics.
Goldie Dhillon, Director of Team Punjabi and Executive Director of Prime Television awarded David the Sports Life Time Achievment Award on behalf of the Kidsplay Foundation for his contribution to the sport of football as a South East Asian. David had a memorable 5-year career with the UBC Thunderbirds, including captaining the team to its 1982 Vanier Cup victory. He went on to be the first Indo-Canadian to play in the CFL and spent five years with the Saskatchewan Roughriders and one year with the BC Lions.
Kids Play is a non profit organization working towards keeping kids away from the lifestyle of drugs, gangs, and violence. Kids Play holds sports tournaments, conferences, and other projects for the youth community to learn about the opportunities they can seize within life. The organization is operated by leaders from all across the Lower Mainland wanting to bring a positive change within the community. Kids Play believes their work will allow the youth to discover the potential they have within themselves to reach greater heights in any aspect of life.
For more information about Kids Play visit www.kidsplayfoundation.com
Kulwinder (Kal) Dosanjh – VPD Detective and Councillor Candidate for the City of Surrey, BC – was on hand to present David with the Vancouver Police Athletic League Youth Soccer Tournament Sponsor Recognition Trophy. Each year the Vancouver Police Athletic League (PAL) organizes a soccer tournament for children attending elementary schools in the Downtown Eastside and East Vancouver. In 2015 close to 1000 children participated. These events wouldn’t be possible without the support of many sponsors and community partners, including David Sidoo.
The Vancouver Police Athletic League (PAL) is a youth crime prevention initiative that uses athletic, recreational and educational programs as a tool to foster positive rapport and mutual trust between police officers and youth.
The objectives of PAL are:
For more information about the Vancouver Police Athletic League (PAL) visit vancouver.ca/police/community-policing/youth-outreach/police-athletic-league.html
Jordan Sidoo has developed a passion to create awareness for and change in the lives of the thousands of children in British Columbia who go to school hungry each morning. Jordan believes very strongly that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and especially so for school age children whose classroom studies demand clarity and focus for several hours each day.
For more than a year Jordan has been working hard to raise money and awareness for the breakfast club programs operating in schools throughout the lower mainland. Last year he created a website, breakfast-club.ca, as a means to create awareness and raise money by selling pen and pencil sets online. Since Christmas 2013, Jordan has raised $8700 via the website alone, and every dollar is going to support breakfast clubs in the lower mainland.
On April 9, 2014, Jordan presented a cheque for $3000 to the New Westminster Secondary School Breakfast Club program. NWSS is the alma mater of Jordan’s father, David Sidoo, and his uncle, Paul. The donated funds will provide 3000 breakfasts to NWSS students over the course of one year.
The impact of this is not lost on Jordan, who feels very blessed with his family, friends and lot in life. According to Jordan’s father, David, “President Clinton would say, ‘To those whom much has been given much is expected.’ Although Jordan has had his share of adversity he learns from the down times, works hard and gives back.”
Simply put, if Jordan can help one child to have a better life, it’s all worth it.
On February 13, 2014, 17-year-old Jordan Sidoo, along with his parents David and Manjy, joined forces to serve a hot pancake breakfast to more than 60 children at Queen Alexandra Elementary School in Vancouver.
On this day, Jordan donated $5600 to the school’s emergency breakfast program, raised through the sales of pen/pencil sets and tote bags through his fundraising website www.breakfast-club.ca. David and Manjy Sidoo added another $4400 from the Sidoo Family Giving foundation.
During the Queen Alexandra Elementary pancake breakfast, Jordan presented a cheque in the combined total of $10000 to a school representative. And Queen Alexandra can certainly use the money – their emergency breakfast program consistently feeds nearly 70 children each day.
Jordan acknowledged having experienced the lack of focus and energy that result from missing breakfast, though he admits it was due to his own choice to skip a meal. Many local children miss breakfast on a school day, and not by choice. “I want to raise awareness about how important breakfast is as a meal for kids,” he said.
Diligent and determined, Jordan continues to raise more funds to support much-needed emergency breakfast programs in Vancouver area schools.
Read more about this event here:
http://www.vancouversun.com/pencil+sales+feed+hungry+children/9515068/story.html
David Sidoo during his playing days at UBC. Photo courtesy UBC Athletics.
Former CFLer David Sidoo has a long history of supporting and giving back to his alma mater, UBC. His contributions have been reflected in myriad ways, including a number of student scholarships and David’s name being attributed to the Thunderbird Stadium field – now known as “David Sidoo Field”.
In January 2014, the BC provincial government gave David Sidoo the honour of being appointed to the UBC Board of Governors. David’s term will last until December 31 of this year.
In addition to the President of UBC and the Chancellor the Board consists of nineteen members, of whom the provincial government appoints eleven and UBC students, faculty and staff elect eight.
From the UBC Board of Governors website:
“Established in 1908, the University of British Columbia (UBC) attracts 54,000 students from across Canada and 140 countries around the world to two major campuses.
The British Columbia University Act confers on the UBC Board of Governors responsibility for the management, administration and control of the property, revenue, business and affairs of the University.
Members of the UBC Board of Governors represent a diversity of backgrounds and bring to the Board the views of their various constituencies; decisions are ultimately made in the best overall interest of the University.”
Congratulations on your appointment, David!
Jordan Sidoo holds a thank-you card next to his dad, David, and other kids in front of the new playground at Lord Selkirk Annex.
Six months after being inspired to raise funds to install a new playground at Lord Selkirk Annex elementary school, Jordan Sidoo was invited to cut the ribbon to officially deem the playground open for play. On June 18th, Jordan and his father, David Sidoo, joined the excited schoolchildren on the playground to commemorate the opening. Some children were so excited they cried tears of joy.
As reported earlier, Jordan sold pen and pencil sets to raise $6000 of the $7800 required to install the equipment that was to replace an ageing and condemned wooden structure in the school’s playground. The Sidoo family contributed the remaining $1800 to make the new playground dream a reality.
The playground will be well loved by the kindergarten through grade 4 students. “It’s fantastic to see all these kids so excited,” commented David.
Read more here.
Sidoo Family Giving – David Sidoo and Manjy Sidoo
www.sidoofamilygiving.com
Sidoo Family Giving Facebook Page
Twitter.com/David_Sidoo
David Sidoo and VPD Constable Kal Dosanjh at a soccer tournament for the inner city youth of Vancouver.
As a former pro athlete whose life was changed by sports at a pivotal age, David Sidoo understands the value of athletics in the life of a youth…especially an inner city youth.
On the weekend of May 25, 2013, David was delighted to attend and support the Vancouver Police Department Soccer Tournament for Inner City Youth. More than 500 kids participated in the event, which was organized by the VPD Athletic League and Detective Kal Dosanjh.
From the Link Paper article, Dosanjh is quoted as saying, “David is an example of what sports can do, being the first Indo-Canadian professional football player,” Dosanjh said. “David would agree with me that by engaging the youth in a sporting activity it will provide them with a positive outlet, provide them an opportunity to develop self esteem, provide an environment which facilitates personal growth and promotes learning to work well with others in a team setting. This program is designed to develop a strong connection with youth at any early age, so that a sense of community, safety and integrity become well entrenched values.”
There are many wonderful programs to engage youth in sports…why not check into opportunities in your community and see how you can make a difference too!
Sidoo Family Giving – David Sidoo and Manjy Sidoo
Surrey MLA Dave Hayer presenting Jordan Sidoo with a BC Certificate of Appreciation
David and Manjy Sidoo are dedicated philanthropists whose passion for giving back to their community has not been lost on their sons.
Through a number of community initiatives, 16 year old Jordan Sidoo has tirelessly worked to create awareness and give back to the community he calls home. From raising funds to replace the equipment in a local school’s playground to Street-to-Home foundation, and from the Sidoo-supported Breakfast Club initiative to We Day, Jordan maintains a clear focus on community service in addition to being an honour roll student at St George’s School.
The young man’s efforts have not gone unnoticed as he was recently each awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by Surrey MLA Dave Hayer, on behalf of the Provincial Government of British Columbia.
Congratulations, Jordan…you are truly an inspiration to the next generation of philanthropists!
