Evergreen Spotlight Magazine | February 2016 Feature

E VER FEBRUARY

GREENSpotlight

ANDRÉ CHAPMAN, BUILDING
A HEALTHIER COMMUNITY
THROUGH UNITY

INSIDE...

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Resident Spotlight: Eme O. Akpabio

Photos by Shannon Lee Photography

ANDRÉ CHAPMAN, services to foster children. e visit sparked André’s interest. “My mom had
been a foster parent, so I spoke to her and my foster sister about their experience.
BUILDING A HEALTHIER I gained a new perspective and the idea to open a home for kids in foster care
and expose them to technology, giving them opportunities and access.”
COMMUNITY THROUGH UNITY
e road from inspiration to execution was not perfectly smooth. e largest
“In today’s crazy, very hectic, very busy, nonstop, not-enough-time-in-the- challenge of Unity Care’s rst few years was nding people who were willing
day society, there’s a huge amount of emptiness in people. You see it played to rent homes to the organization. Unity Care really took o when the
out in the media, people not connected to anything that gives them a sense of organization was able to start buying homes and nding people who would
meaning and what value they have.” align with the mission of helping children nd opportunity.

André Chapman could be called a ‘rara avis’. Unusual in the mobile “At rst, everyone told me Unity Care was a crazy idea, but my biggest support
community of Silicon Valley, he is not just a California native but a native of was my fraternity brothers. When I was looking for homes to open, I faced a
the Bay Area—one who uses his business skills in a people-centered way to lot of NIMBY [Not In My Back Yard] rejection, so I ended up enlisting friends
enhance the tech industry and the community that surrounds it. and family to nd homes for the kids. I asked a friend to buy some homes so I
could then rent them from him.”
A resident of Evergreen since 1997, André is the founder of Unity Care Group,
Inc. (www.unitycare.org) which focuses on “[developing] educational and André opened his rst residential facility in 1993. “ ere was a large children’s
social programs designed to enrich the lives of underserved youth.” Unity Care shelter that was the rst place children would go, but it was just a temporary
o ers residential facilities for youth in foster care and those who have aged out of placement,” he remembers. “Unity Care was one of the few options for longer-
the foster care system. It also manages many community-based, education, and term placement.”
behavioral health programs in Santa Clara, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, and Placer
Counties, which serve more than 6,000 youth and families per year. e rst group of children Unity Care worked with ranged from seventh-
graders to high schoolers. André wanted to make sure the children were
surrounded by positive role models, people who looked like them but o ered
a di erent perspective than they had been exposed to before.

André grew up in Palo Alto before moving south to attend San Jose State “What we would typically do, since 99.9% of the counselors were college
University (SJSU). At SJSU he became part of the Greek system, joining Phi students, was to have study hall at SJSU so the kids could see themselves on a
Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. Founded in 1914 at Howard University, Phi Beta college campus. Older volunteers and my fraternity brothers would take them
Sigma’s ideals are expressed in its motto: “Culture For Service and Service For to a ‘day on the job’. We worked with many corporate partners to get kids
Humanity.” e brothers of Phi Beta Sigma are considered to be its greatest exposed to lots of opportunities, since ‘you don’t know what you don’t know’.
source of strength, with a belief in brotherhood that extends beyond the Children and youth emulate their environment and we wanted to give kids a
fraternity to the community at large. vision of what the opportunities and possibilities are for them.”

André earned a Bachelor’s Degree in business and a Master’s in organization 23 years later, some of the kids who went through Unity Care’s program have
management and, for years, put those skills to work in the for-pro t marketplace. returned to work for the organization. “Lifelong partnership is a mission,”
“I worked in the tech industry and was perplexed about the lack of minorities, André says, “so we’re lifelong partners to the kids who come through the door,
being the only person of color in the room,” he says. “I felt like, especially being even the ones who aren’t 100% successful in the program.”
in Silicon Valley, [we] could create a better pipeline to help kids get involved and
realize the potential that was down the street from them.” Unity Care started out as a weekend ministry for André while he continued
his for-pro t work during the week. Eventually, he realized that he was
e Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989 o ered André a pathway toward engaging deriving more ful llment from his work with the kids. He began to devote
in community-oriented work. While helping a client re-establish their business, more time to the nonpro t and walked away from the tech sector entirely at
he was invited to visit a nonpro t the client was involved with that o ered the end of 1999.
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February 2016

“It was a big decision. I had been involved with a lot of startups in a booming Sports are a big part of their family experience. André Jr. runs track at UCLA.
economy, but I felt I wasn’t being true to what God meant for me to do. I Aaron was on the football team at UW, but had to resign from the team a er
decided to ‘step out on faith’ and focus on passion. Unity Care really took o tearing his ACL (a ligament that runs through the knee) a third time. Ronnie
at that point. I did go back to tech at one point, lured by the ‘golden handcu s’, plays basketball, Renée plays so ball, Ariana is involved in dance.
but it quickly didn’t work out. at reinforced the decision I’d made to focus
on Unity Care and community service full time.” “Weekends are busy with activities, which is why, when Teresa and I can get o
the grid, we go as quick as we can!”
André’s ancée, Teresa, has a similar resume. Where
André worked in sales, Teresa worked in human André and Teresa like to spend their downtime relaxing,
resources for tech companies before moving to enjoying nature, and traveling. Recently, they walked
the nonpro t side of the aisle. e couple rst met on the glass walkway over the Grand Canyon. Closer
almost six years ago at Silicon Valley’s Cinequest to home, they’re season ticket holders for the Warriors,
enjoy the summer music and art events at Evergreen
lm festival. eir mutual friends thought they Village Square, and enjoy walking Kane, their nine-year-
would make a great match, but the pair didn’t click old German Rottweiler, around the neighborhood.
right away. Two years later, another mutual friend
re-introduced them and they saw each other in a Community service is also an important part of their
di erent light. family life. ey’ve worked to teach their children the
value of giving back “and the virtue of being prepared,
“We have very similar goals,” says André. “She’s because life is not always easy. We feel very blessed for
focused on being a great mom, being engaged with what we have because not everyone is as fortunate.”
the community. She volunteers, is heavily involved
with the church, and visits senior citizen homes. We André looks forward to helping more underserved youth
both have a sense of caring for others and a natural become connected to the potential that Silicon Valley
desire to give back. We want to create a better o ers. He urges others to engage however they can. “I
environment for our kids to grow up in.” encourage people to get involved with whatever talents and
strengths they bring to the table. ere are never enough
Together, André and Teresa have six children from people to touch the lives of these kids. Take the time, get o
their previous relationships. André’s oldest son, the grid, and get involved in your own backyard.”
André Jr., is a senior at UCLA majoring in political
science. His second son, Aaron, is attending the Unity Care invites the community to change the lives of
University of Washington. Daughter Ariana is a underserved kids in our backyard by supporting its 5th annual fundraising gala,
student at Evergreen Valley College. YouthLive! 2016, on April 23rd at San Jose’s Fairmont Hotel. e event will be
emceed by ABC7’s Spencer Christian and will feature youth talent, fashion, and
Teresa’s oldest daughter, Christiana, is a student at UC Merced. Her middle a youth art auction. To purchase tickets or to volunteer, call (408) 971-9822 or
child, Ronnie, is a student at Evergreen Valley High School. Renée, the visit www.youth-live.com.
youngest, attends Quimby Oak Middle School.

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