Jordan Sidoo Receives Michael Cuccione Foundation’s 2015 “Leader of Tomorrow” Scholarship

For the past several years, Jordan Sidoo has dedicated considerable time and effort to a fundraising cause that is very dear to his heart – breakfast programs in elementary and secondary schools in the New Westminster and Vancouver areas of BC. Jordan has raised and donated thousands of dollars to support breakfast clubs in the schools and ensure that children start the day with a nutritious breakfast.

Jordan says he had a privileged life, so helping pay for breakfast for needy children “is the least I can do.”

Domenic and Gloria Cuccione of the Michael Cuccione Foundation recognized Jordan’s efforts and on July 20^th, 2015 at the reception for the 5^th Annual MOJ’s Whistler Shootout Golf Tournament, present Jordan the “ Leader of Tomorrow” Scholarship Award for his positive outlook and unyielding drive to succeed in the face of adversity.

Since 1997 the Michael Cuccione Foundation has been raising research dollars to help find the cure for cancer. Michael James Cuccione was born on January 5th 1985 in Burnaby, British Columbia and was blessed with many talents: he was a singer, songwriter, a dancer, actor, and motivational speaker and became a dedicated crusader for the fight against childhood cancer. He once described his life as almost perfect with a loving family: father Domenic, mother Gloria, his sister Sophia and younger brother Steve.

Michael Cuccione Foundation’s 2015 “Leader of Tomorrow” Scholarship

Michael fought a personal battle against childhood cancer and from the beginning declared he wanted to make a difference. He wrote his own songs that would give people hope and help raise funds for childhood cancer research, produced his own CD and called it “Make A Difference”, and by the age of eleven years old he raised $130,000 in CD sales. A meeting was set up with the President at BC Children’s Hospital and when Michael sat down he was asked, “What do you want to do with the money you have raised?” Michael said, “I want to fund the young researchers because if we don’t we won’t have them in the future”. The President almost fell off her chair with the incredible insight. This is how the Michael Cuccione Foundation began.

Although Michael won his battle with this disease, he passed away at the tender age of 16 due to respiratory complications; however, he continues to “Make A Difference” through the legacy of his foundation.

For more information about the Michael Cuccione Foundation visit www.michaelcuccione.biz/?user=GD

Sidoo Family Giving Sponsors Breakfast Club

On Monday May 14, 2012, David Sidoo and Manjy Sidoo joined a number of smiling young faces at the Strathcona Community Centre to present on behalf of Sidoo Family Giving a $20000 donation to the Breakfast Club programs offered there. The Vancouver Sun newspaper’s Adopt a School program matched the Sidoo Family Giving donation.

The breakfast program at Queen Alexandra School and Strathcona Community Centre feed a healthy breakfast 200 of Vancouver inner-city children – and family members if needed – who go to school in the morning with empty stomachs.

Sidoo Family Giving has already actively sponsored Breakfast Clubs at David Sidoo’s alma mater New Westminster Secondary School in New Westminster, BC. In late 2011, Manjy Sidoo read an article in the Vancouver Sun’s Adopt-a-School series that detailed Queen Alexandra School and its needs. “The story just spoke to me. The programs there are so important to maintain and I said to David ‘this is a school I want to help as well as Strathcona,” said Manjy.

In the 14 years that the breakfast program offered out of the Strathcona Community Centre has been running, the number of children being fed has almost tripled.

David Sidoo was initially shocked to learn that children in his own backyard are going to school without a nutritious – or any – meal in the morning. “We all need to know this. We have to keep it in our conscience…” said David.

It can make an incredible difference in a child’s life to have a nutritious meal each morning. And it’s David and Manjy Sidoo’s hope that others will follow their lead and take action to support local breakfast clubs in their backyard.

Sidoo Family Giving – David Sidoo and Manjy Sidoo

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.