We Care Mixer
It was in the fall of 2009 Fernando Buendia Laysa “Junior” realized that the students he was helping simply needed more! Using the community he had created through the SDAFFL, SDTF, and SD Hoops, he began planning an event he called “We Care.” With the help of CEO Dr. Jacobs of the SD LGBT Center and her staff, they were able to identify a school in need which was more than willing to accept funds from openly gay organizations in order to help the kids. The free event served to do many things: raise money for underprivileged students at Memorial Prep and Fay Elementary, raise money for the youth programs at the LGBT Center, and bring in toys for the Imperial Court’s Toys for Kids Drive. The local LGBT sports leagues and Junior’s friends and family all donate to a raffle which gives 100% of the proceeds back to the kids. The event has now grown to include SD High Rollers Bowling, SD Armada Rugby, SAGA Ski/Snowboard, AFCSL, Frontrunners SD and Different Strokes Swim Team. Lasting just a couple hours on a Sunday night for the last nine years, the event has attracted up to 800 people at a time and in total has raised just short of $50,000 and collected over 5,500 toys for local children from low-income families.
Junior believes that in order to help our LGBT community, it is important to set a great example for ALL youth, LGBT and heterosexual. He believes that if you show all children and young adults love, and try to help them, they will grow to understand that a person’s sexuality has nothing to do with the amount of love he/she can give.
2018 marks the 10th anniversary for the We Care event.
San Diego Pride raises funds primarily through festival ticket and beverage sales, and through sponsorships, and exhibitor fees. These funds support San Diego Pride’s community philanthropy which has distributed more than $2.5 million in advancement of its mission to foster pride, equality, and respect for all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender communities locally, nationally, and globally.
