Finally Mom Shared Thanksgiving with the Bikini Chef Tai!

Tai cooked for twenty sharing a wonderful Thanksgiving feast --

 so happy to have Norma to share the day!

Tai Honored at Dodger Game

Tai and A Chance for Children were honored at the Dodger game with a "Go to Bat Award" given to someone who goes to bat for others in the community. The LA County Lifeguard Chief Mike Frazer, LAPD Olympic Division and many youth from the foundation and their parents got a share in the day!

Pageant of the Master in Laguna Beach

The Pageant of the Masters is a spectacular event in Laguna Beach every summer. Where great art comes to life. Tai has rarely missed in over twenty years and always tries to include a few children from A Chance for Children. This year Jane Bakerink and her precious daughter Julia shared in the fun weekend!

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It's Camp!

Tai's foundation, A Chance for Children, held their 20th annual summer camp for inner city and homeless children in Los Angeles. Pepperdine University hosts the week long of amazing activities -- learning to swim and a day at the beach thanks to LA County Lifeguards, surf thank to Malibu Makos, scuba thanks to Ocean Adventures & Miss Scuba, fish thanks to Marina Del Rey Anglers, and go to Pacific Park!

Tai Honored for Women's History Month!

William Taylor, Assemblyman Mike Davis, Tai Collins, Special Fleming, Robyn Taylor, Lelar Marshall

Tai was honored by the Assembly of the State of California by Assemblyman Mike Davis for Women's History Month at City Hall in Los Angeles.

For event pictures go to: www.48thadevents.org/womens-history-month.html#

Exerpts from Tai’s Speech

Since I was a child I have always loved and been intrigued by “Angels” – so how appropriate that I would end up living and pursuing my dreams here in the “City of Angels” – and that my calling would be caring for the little angels of here.

I am incredibly grateful to be honored alongside these other remarkable women – but my best reward comes from the relationships I have with the children in this community – relationships that will forever be a part of me –

My gift comes every week when I arrive at Tom Bradley Elementary School, or MLK Park,  or 92^nd Street Elementary or to the police station to work with kids – and I’m greeted with amazing love and hugs and kids faces lighting up calling out – “Miss Tai!”

We plant seeds, and we never know how they will grow. When I began this foundation, I never dreamed how it would blossom.

After almost 20 years serving in this city, I am on my second generation of children and many of the youth I now work with are the children of my first kids.

It is the children and their parent who will always hold a special place in my heart – who I have lifelong relationships with. They have enriched my life and simply made my life better…

When parents like Lora, who is here tonight, say to me referring to her daughter Lelar  – “your girl is growing up.” Or Robin and William Taylor’s parents say to me --  “my kids are your kids.” Or when Special says to me, “you’re like my family.”

That is my greatest reward. To the parents I say, Thank You for sharing your children with me! I am honored to consider them mine too!

I am thankful to my partner in A Chance for Children Greg Bonann, and for all the amazing partners and volunteers who help me make what I do possible… like Desiree Manuel… and Kim Matthews for providing transportation to so many events… they all help make what I do possible. From Marissa to Raul to the LAPD – I offer a huge thank you.

Greg and I have always had a saying – that children go where there is fun but they stay where there is love.  I love the children I serve – my hope and belief is that they know that.

I’d like to end with a quote from Mother Teresa. She said; “The miracle is not that we do the work, but that we are happy to do it.”

I could not be any happier serving the precious, priceless, amazing children of Los Angeles.

ACFC Goes to El Cholo

Tai and Marissa took children from A Chance for Children's after school program at Tom Bradley Elementary school to El Cholo as guests of the owner Ron Salisbury and his son Brendon. The kids got a tour and history lesson of the family restaurant that opened in the 1920's. They got to go in the kitchen and help with making tortillas and learned how to make guacamole - which most of the kids had never eaten. We ended with a feast that left us all happy and very full! Thank you Ron & El Cholo for a wonderful afternoon! 

Tea Time Fun

Tai and Marissa shared a great day today with four generations for tea at the McCharles House in Tustin!  Our young ladies from A Chance for Children's Etiquette Class and after school program learned about tea as well as witnessed a butterfly "cocooning." Tai's dear friend Minke is visiting from Fire Island and joined them. Also Kelly Vaughn is back in town from Singapore and came along!

Betty Perez, Minkie McKivett, Helen Koszden, Marissa McDaniel, Telisa Sanders, Robin Taylor, Tai Collins. Kelly Vaughn

Marissa's favorite thing at the tea was the water flavored with lemons and fresh roses.

Betty Perez, Tai Collins, Minkie McKivett

Magic Moment...

After our (A Chance for Children) Christmas Celebration at Communidad Cesar Chavez homeless shelter, Tai captured "watching for Santa."

A Chance for Children 20th Annual Christmas Event...

at Communidad Cesar Chavez homeless shelter.