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.
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!
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!
A new generation of philanthropists is on the rise and David and Manjy Sidoo’s son Jordan is becoming recognized as a “youth leader” among them. He recently received a letter of appreciation from Hamish Jenkinson, the UK Chairman of “Free the Children”, the world’s largest youth-driven charity. Jordan was instrumental in connecting his peers and classmates to the Free the Children organization and acted in the role of “We Day Ambassador” to assist Mr. Jenkinson in his visit to Vancouver last October.
Read more about Jordan’s involvement in the 2012 We Day event in Vancouver here.
On December 15th, 2012, David and Manjy Sidoo and their two sons joined volunteers and members of the Association of South Asian Professionals (ASAP) in a Blanket Drive near Oppenheimer Park in the Downtown Eastside. The Sidoos and David Gadhia and family donated 300 blankets to the cause and were on hand to distribute them to those in need on that cold and rainy Vancouver day.
The Sidoo Family Giving manifesto is “Supporting our communities through time, talent and treasure.” With the line up of recipients stretching for blocks, the Sidoos and other ASAP volunteers saw clearly how much of an impact the Blanket Drive made on the lives of many in their community. “When you see such poverty you have to do something. After we’d handed out all the blankets and stuff we later saw a few guys sitting on a bench wrapped up in them and I told Jordan ‘take a look, that’s why we have to help,’” said David Sidoo.
David Sidoo and his family Manjy and son Jordan have responded to our Adopt a School story that the school needs $7,800 to erect a new playground at Lord Selkirk elementary school.
The Sidoo Family has worked together to give a lasting gift to 73 elementary school children at Lord Selkirk Annex in Vancouver.
Recently, the school board mandated that the school tear down an aging playground structure, which would leave children with just one plastic structure to play on. The school had applied to the Vancouver Sun for a $7800 grant to erect used playground equipment from another school to replace the soon-to-be-removed set.
David and Manjy Sidoo have been strong supporters of the Adopt-a-School campaign and have a very deep focus on making a difference in the lives of children in their community. This belief is something that they are passing on to their children.
In a two-week period, David and Manjy’s son Jordan raised $4000 selling pen sets to support the replacement of Lord Selkirk’s playground. And as a member of the St George’s school service committee, Jordan has committed to rounding up other St Georges students to help dismantle the equipment for transfer to Lord Selkirk Annex.
Last week the Sidoo Family came forward to advise the school that they would cover the remaining cost of installing the equipment. “As a family we wanted to do something for Christmas and it’s really nice being able to help this school. The kids shouldn’t lose their playground,” said David Sidoo.
David Sidoo Family Giving Donation to Arts Umbrella
On Monday, September 17, 2012, David and Manjy Sidoo of Sidoo Family Giving attended the Arts Umbrella Surrey Centre Launch as special guests for their generous $20,000 donation to the program.
The Arts Umbrella program provides the highest quality visual and performing arts education to Metro Vancouver children and youth, regardless of their financial circumstances. For more than 33 years, Arts Umbrella operated from Granville Island; in January 2012, Arts Umbrella opened a new permanent facility in South Surrey; and in September 2012, Arts Umbrella opened their Surrey Centre facility. More than 30,000 children have been touched by Arts Umbrella programs.
The new Surrey Centre facility will enable the Arts Umbrella to deliver more arts programs to children and youth in the Surrey area.
David Sidoo, delighted to be in attendance and share the Sidoo Family Giving vision, spoke to event attendees and presented a $20K cheque to the Arts Umbrella organizers.
