HHCF Summer Fundraising Drive Starts Now! Donate Today! 501c3

Greetings from the Hip-Hop Chess Federation!

We hope this letter finds you in great spirits and great health. The Hip-Hop Chess Federation is about to announce our Summer Camps for chess, performing arts and Hip-Hop dance.

Last summer the HHCF Summer Camp was sold out every week! We are in the process of moving facilities this Summer in anticipation of another amazing summer. We are seeking a bigger facility and we should have one solidified within the next 7-10 days. To do this we will need your help in raising $2500.00. This will allow us to purchase new equipment, pay our chess and dance coaches, relaunch our website and scholarship some of the kids whose parents are unable to pay for the camp. We’ve done some amazing things with the HHCF this year. But none of it can continue to happen without you. The Hip-Hop Chess Federation is a 501(c)3 non-profit and your donation is tax deductible. Make a donation to the HHCF TODAY!

The Hip-Hop Chess Federation has a lot of amazing things to announce and we wanted to share them with you!

1. HHCF founder presented at Harvard University VIEW EXCERPTS HERE. Listen to the full lecture HERE

2. Our Cheer and Hip-Hop dance team took 1st, 2nd and 3rd at US Nationals in Disneyland VIEW HERE . Because of the victory our team was invited to PIXAR Studios to perform at a private Monsters University event. We are bound by contract not to show the photos and stuff yet, but, once we get the green light, you will love it. It was an honor, and it was VERY fun.  

3. Hip-Hop Chess Federation will be doing an event at the World Chess Hall of Fame May 8th!

4. HHCF feature in Black Enterprise

5. Aprill 22nd HHCF will drop Opera House Massacre video directed by Mike Relm on YoutTube. Mike Relm is a video remix king (with over 13 million hits on YouTube!!). He is an old ally of the HHCF and is also the producer of Adisa’s www.bishopchronicles.com podcast.

YouTube recently purchased the airplane hangar that the famous Spruce Goose airplane used to be in and made a film studio out of it. Only stars like Matt Damon were previously allowed to shoot there. But because of Mikes following on YouTube he was invited to shoot there and he and Adisa came together with a truly one of a kind film clip called The Opera House Massacre (a remake of a famous game played by the chess legend Paul Morphy). Its about the fusion of chess and jiu jitsu. It will debut on April 22nd on Relmvision and you will be able to catch it also on Bishop Chronicles and www.hiphopchess.blogspot.com . Neither chess, nor jiu jitsu has been filmed like this before. We encourage you to you share it with your friends after you see it.

I know this economy is a beast, but in the shadow of all the turmoil today, you can know that you donate to an organization committed to being on the frontlines to combat violence and enrich the minds of all children and teens. Donate today!  

Yours,

Adisa Banjoko

Founder, HHCF

Hip-Hop Chess Federation Emergency Fundraiser

Accident leaves HHCF in need this Holiday Season. TheHip-Hop Chess Federation is the worlds first non-profit to fuse music, chess and martial arts, to promote unity, strategy and nonviolence. We've teach chess, anti-bullying techniques and the importance of keeping mind body balance to kids all over SF Bay Area. In addition to these programs, we offer a performing arts division which has a Cheerleading, Dance and Acting program. Our performing arts programs cheerleaders and dancers are proud holders of 4 National/International Titles and 1 Division Championship. Our organization has been seen on the over of Chess Life and featured in NY Times, Forbes.com, Good Morning America and SJ Mercury News.

Sadly, last week the only vehicle the organization has was struck from behind while sitting in stopped traffic on the freeway. In the backseat sat the three children of the founder (ages 3, 11, 14). The back portion of the car was crushed and considered to be a totaled vehicle. Miraculously none of the children suffered any serious injuries.     

The Director of the Performing Arts and Head Coach of cheerleading suffered severe back injuries as well as nerve damage to her shoulder. She was taken by ambulance to the hospital and is recovering at home with her family. 

We are working hard with the insurance companies in hopes of a fast recovery. However, the at fault party's insurance company is less than proactive in helping the HHCF get back on its feet, so we are turning to you, our supporters and the community. 

The HHCF is responsible for Winter Camps, where we help kids of all social and economic backgrounds (many of our kids are on scholarship paid personally out of the pocket of the founder of the HHCF). The vehicle that was totaled was used to transport supplies, pick up students who could not afford to travel to the camps, pick up lunches and other needs of our camp families. It is also key in providing transportation for our camp supervisors and instructors. Without this transportation, we will be forced to cancel all the camps for the reminder of Dec and January. This will leave countless children with no supervised care and education, plus parents with no one to keep their children active and safe during their school breaks. 

How can you help?

- The HHCF needs a vehicle that can seat no less than 6 people at a time. We believe we can purchase a low price, used vehicle for roughly $9,000 if we chose a low end, high mileage used car. We are no looking for luxury. Just safety that can get our teachers, students and sometimes parents to and from the training facility. A vehicle that will have room to transport all the supplies we need for teaching as well.

- 3 HHCF Computers were destroyed in the accident. All computers were used as part of our Chess Lessons, Performing Arts, Entrepreneurship Youth Programs. These laptops and the programs on them value is between $528-$988 each. Our dream is to get all three replaced but would be elated is we could replace at least 1 of the computers before our camps resume on December 26 (camps can ONLY resume, if we are able to secure a vehicle). 

- Chess pieces. Large bags of chess pieces were broken up in the crash. These pieces were enough to cover at least 5 chess boards. 

- Teacher replacement: Due to the accident our lead Camp Director and Performing Arts Choreographer has been injured to the degree of being unable to teach all of her assigned programs. The HHCF must recruit/hire a replacement/assistant Teacher to take over some of the roles our Director can no longer fill. If we are lucky we will be able to find a volunteer to fill this role, but if we must hire someone during her recovery we will need at least $3,200 (this will cover the expense of the teacher/coach over the 6-12 weeks we have been told our Director needs to recover). 

We are a IRS recognized 501(c)3, any donation you make is tax deductible. If you own a Car Dealership or Manufacturer and you donate the car to the HHCF, you can write this off on your 2012 taxes. Anything you give will allow the HHCF to fulfill its obligations to the community we serve. 

Please understand our goal is to secure these items before we are forced to cancel another day of our winter programs which resume on December 26th. Every day we do not have these items is another day we must call and tell all our families we serve that they will have to seek other resources for their children during the break. 

Please share this will all our friends, family, local business, politicians, anyone whom you believe can help the HHCF fulfill its duties. We have never failed our families before and we will do what ever it takes to continue to help our children have a safe and happy place to go while their parents are hard at work.

We appreciate your kindness in these hard times.