facebook and twitter. baybigwknd is the hashtag. we'll see you back here in just a little bit. before we forget, i want to congratulate you on the documentary done on you "from the fields." it's going to air after this.

we want to encourage everyone watching this to stay tuned about the program about damian. >> a programming note from the mayor. it's 10:30 here on nbc bay area. thank you so much. we are not here to talk about me, we are here to talk about you. you were nominated for the recipient of the family of the year. the foundation is more about showcasing this family of the year because you do so much work throughout the year and we partnered to do so much work in getting kids ahead and keeping them ahead. tell us about the good work. >> the silicon valley has four prioritie priorities. these are things we spend all or most of our time working on. first is youth and education and closing the gab in what is called s.t.e.m., science, technology, engineering and math. >> it requires a lot of hard

work. they are there on saturdays and on the weekends. >> through a program called a learn, we have a summer program where we serve 1600 students throughout santa clara. you are right. what you are seeing on the screen here are young people who show up every other saturday from 9:00 to 12:00 to take algebra. algebra one as eighth graders. i don't know what you were doing in eighth grade -- >> it wasn't algebra. >> these are people we least often hear about yet they exist. we want to reward them for that and prepare them for great opportunities in high school and further beyond in college. >> what i'm impressed with is you don't get them for the summer, then wish them luck and they are on their way. you track them. you don't let go of them. >> we have a great resource that

we are doing a longitudinal study on the students. we hold it up through college. we want to show in five, six, ten years from now, how many of our students who participated in our summer program and year round program went on the college. most cases, they will be first generation to attend college and hopefully graduate, with a degree that helps them become employable here in silicon valley. we want to build our own engineers and scientists from our neighborhood. >> that's one component. there's other community work you do. it's generosity of grants and donors and those who participate and help out with the hispanic foundation. briefly, about the other foundation? >> a healthy ageing program. caring with respect where we train latino home caregivers, people caring for an elder, how to do that but in a way they care for themselves, too. this is a stressful

responsibility, raising and caring for an elder. most cases, the elders have dementia or alzheimers and the pressure that creates for the family can be pretty enormous. our other programs include latino board where we train latinos on non-profit boards of directors. we have two academies successfully. they are graduate fellows in that program and 55% of them are already serving on non-profit boards here in silicon valley. the area research as you know, because you documented, we research and published the first latino report card. we are doing the follow up work to engage our community to deal with the issues addressed in the report card and identify solutions to improve the quality of life for la 25tinos here.

>> a major port is when they award their la familia awart. we'll talk more when we continue.

we are back with former san jose mayor, now the director and ceo of the hispanic foundation of silicon valley. when you award one family the honor of being selected as the family of the year. tell us about this family. >> you are going to learn more about them directly in a second. it's a wonderful family. another example that we try to demonstrate with the la familia award. this is the 23rd time we have recognized a family in silicon valley, a latino family that is

doing wonderful things in the community. we like to say that we see the la familia award as a way to acknowledge ordinary people doing extraordinary things. i think the family is very much like that. the program they set up in the section of san jose, you know the history of that community. for many, many years, it was neglected and forgotten. it went through tremendous flooding issue several years ago. they came right in, right after that and began to provide services for that community and bring love and joy around the holiday season. this is where it started. it evolved to its own foundation. these are people who created their own foundation, they are getting on scholarships from our community to go on and pursue their dreams in college. truly, truly remarkable work. just a family here in silicon valley. they live in the sunniville

neighborhood and live in the area i was raised in, three blocks from where my mother lives. pure coincidence. i don't sit on the committee. >> i know they talk about the rowdy gonzalez kids down the street. >> that was my brother. but, wonderful family. >> we have a video they provided for us. this is some stills and some video of their work there in the area with the santa visit. there's mrs. clause. you'll meet judy in a bit. what kind of ambassadors are they for good will? >> i say you can see the results of any program by looking in the eyes and the smiles of the recipients. these photos are beautiful because look at these eyes. look at these smiles. to come into a community that you don't even live in. i think it's significant. this is not the neighborhood they live in. they live a few miles away.

to understand there are people who don't have what we all have and to acknowledge that they can make a contribution and i think if every family took on this family as an example and tried to do something like this in their community, who knows what our community would be like. i think they serve as wonderful ambassadors and i think judy may share this, but i suspect the family itself enjoyed doing this and kept them together as a family. as families we should try to find ways that we can do things together. i know you and monica and your children are involved in different things. i just think that we all can serve as ambassadors. >> for conflict of reasons your family can't be included. everybody knows about your brother bob and your family,

what they do. that's what this does. it goes beyond the dinner table. if you have enough, share with the community. >> historically, our posters have been known for that. maybe along the lines, some of us may have forgotten that or need to be reminded of it. i think the santiago family is the way to do that. the la familial award is the way to do it. it's a sell-out for the third year in a row. we are very pleased and happy and thankful for our sponsors and individual ticket buyers. we are looking forward to celebrating with the santiago family. visit our website to learn more about the foundation and contact us about ideas they have in terms of volunteering or contributing. >> not to jump ahead, but start thinking about next year's family. the santiago family works behind

the scenes, behind camera lights. they do it from the heart, not for the attention. >> absolutely. every one of us knows a family like that. we encourage them to get into our website and nominate them. >> the hispanic foundation of silicon valley. the ball is this coming saturday at the san jose fairmont. there's the web as dress for more. learn more about the award and the educational endeavors and everything else the foundation is doing. mayor, thank you so much for being on our show. >> my pleasure. up next, you'll meet judy santiago and the work of the family. stay with us. ♪ just put a little bit of yourself ♪

♪ in everything you do [ female announcer ] add your own ingredients to hamburger helper for a fresh take on a quick, delicious meal. it's one box with hundreds of possibilities. of green giant vegetables it's easy to eat like a giant... ♪ and feel like a green giant. ♪ ho ho ho ♪ green giant good morning. i'm kris sanchez. we have a lineup f events in the bay m up to a million people expected to head to the city for the italian heritage parade.

let's go to mike inouye if traffic details. >> we deal with all the traffic activity. here is the bay bridge, light at the toll plaza. look at this. we have reports of one and possibly two cars with flat tires as you approach the "s" curve. another major concern is camel state park. we are expecting the tailgaters to arrive early for the game. kris, there you go. >> thank you very much, mike. stay with us, we have complete coverage at www.nbcbayarea.com. also on facebook and twitter. they are this year's recipients of the la familia award. judy and with us is michael gross, a board member for the santa visit foundationlet welcome to the show.

>> thank you. >> congratulations. >> thank you. >> judy, you and i spoke last week when we were doing our exclusive report on your family and success. your reaction, first of all to be honored as this year's family of the year. >> over whelmed. >> tell us why? >> i thought we were a small portion of the event. to be acknowledged like this is an honor. >> you met joe. you were both single parents and became the real brady bunch. the three oldest were the same-sex. he told everybody we had three sets of twins and a single. >> it was not love at first sight. your son mark told me about the time where you screamed at him

when he was coaching the opposing team? >> little league. oh, yes. >> tell us what happened. >> well, when joe would get upset about something, he would come storming out of the dugout like that. it was a call that i thought was not wrong so i told him to get back in the dugout. >> and be quiet. >> and be quiet. i yelled then thought oh, dear, i shouldn't have said that. >> the rest is history, as they say. it takes a lot to keep a family close knit. for your brady bunch family to keep them close. >> keep the talking going and a lot of love. a lot of love. >> you have no connection to the community but you saw the floods of 1983 and your family did. that was it. that's when you said they need our help.

tell us about that. >> one of my daughters mother-in-law helped with the reading program at the library and asked if we would come do santa. we went with a bag of candy canes and had to go back. >> we lost joe ten years ago, but he was the original santa. >> he was. >> you are mrs. clause because it says so on your signature and business cards. tell us about that. >> well, i figured if he was santa then i had to be mrs. we were married. i'm mrs. clause. >> as a board member, michael, your reaction -- your foundation has given out nearly $250,000 in scholarships to children. >> deserving students. we have a lot of people come through and they think it's a free handout. it's not. these are kids that want to

succeed in a showdown. it shows us their commitment to getting an education, we want to be there and help them. that's what the santa program is all about. >> as a non-member of the family and sitting on the outside, tell us about the good work of the santiago family both in the community, as a family, first of all, then as community members. >> to most people, christmas comes once a year. to judy, it's 24/7. she talks, she walks, it's all about the santa foundation. not only providing funding for the foundation but she becomes the mentor for a lot of students that we provide the scholarships to. she's tracking their grades. she's on the phone. she's on the internet. she's texting them saying how are you doing? how was that class?

what are you going to go on for next year? why did you only get a "b." i thought you said this was going to be your favorite class? she's asking questions. she's out there talking to the kids all the time. it doesn't just happen around christmas. >> we have the video we showed you. you met a little girl a long time ago named elsa and she's about to graduate from college. she credits a lot of her success to your foundation. tell us about elsa. >> when she received the similarship, she came up to me after the fact, i didn't know this, but she brought a picture of us when she was 7 years old. she sat on our lap. she said i remember you then and i can't believe now i'm getting a similarshicholarship. i'm going to make you proud. and she has. she's on her way. >> a commitment they have to do is give back.

>> absolutely. >> tell us about that. >> part of the application, they find a form stating they will give back 30 hours of community service every year and they do. they do. >> your husband was a roofer by trade? >> yes. >> but he was kind of like the real life santa claus. tell us about joe. >> he was. he sort of had the build. when he put the suit on, it was magical. he became santa claus. he did. >> is it as magical today as it was on the first try? >> it's actually more so. every year, it seems to grow. i mean, our first visit, we actually wanted to buy everybody a toy. now, when i look back, it's like, wow, we are giving out scholarships plus a toy. >> phenomenal. >> the santiago family will be

honored this year at the hispanic foundation ball. there's the web address. we'll be back and speak more with theme when we continue. stay with us.

back here with the santiago family, the recipients of the la familia award. not that you needed this award, but does it legitimize the good and tireless work your foundation is doing? >> it actually puts focus on it. you know, getting news out there in the community about the things we do. a lot of people don't really understand this is part of san jose. it has its own character and heart. when people come out to this

program, our meeting and one of our board meetings or the event in december, they are blown away. there's 600 kids running around. where did all the kids come from? all the community members and family members. to be able to get some attention about what we do, you know, it brings more people into the community. when people hear about the scholarship program, they might be in the community for four or five years and say this is the first we have heard about this. it's an opportunity. people are so busy these days we bombard them a lot with information. we want the right people to hear this message and apply to the scholarship. we love to give out money to these kids. >> it's near and dear to my heart. where were you when i was going to school? i could have used it. this is, i say, a huge responsibility, this award.

it's a huge torch that the previous family is handing over to you. do you see it that way as well? it's a lot of -- not that the expectations are many, but it's a huge honor to have this torch passed on to you. >> i definitely do. i hope it will continue on. it will burn forever. it's, like i said, it started s small. it was a bag of candy canes, but that sugar has sure gone a long way, sweetened a lot of people's lives. >> it has. what is that feeling like to know there were so many families nominated but they read your bio and read your story and said we have to give it to the santiago family. >> you are going to make me cry. >> i'm getting there. >> it was truly an honor. i'm speechless.

>> you never imagined anything like it? >> never. never. >> you'll see in the report i'm doing about your family, but you know, there are no witnesses that you and joe arrived on a sleigh. maybe you did. did you? >> we wished we had one. we snuck in the back door. yeah. >> if they had a mayor, it probably would be the santiago family next in line to take care of business there. >> it takes a village. we didn't do it alone. >> any final thoughts to those who selected you and nominated you? >> i can't talk. >> i'll come back to you, then. >> michael, any thoughts? >> i didn't want to say this about judy, that without her and joe doing this in the very beginning, none of this would have ever happened. it took somebody looking from the outside in to see that there

was a need and as a board member and community member, we are so happy they did. >> joe used to call you mom. >> he did. >> do you think he's saying way to go mom? >> oh, yeah. plus danny and michelle, they are all up there looking down. >> i'll let you -- can you give us your final thoughts. i think you said enough with your reaction here. >> i just feel to blessed and so grateful. >> all right. it's an honor for me to tell your story. we'll see you at the hispanic foundation ball. >> thank you. you can find out more about the good work of the hispanic foundation of silicon valley. the ball happens this coming saturday, october 13th at the san jose fairmont hotel, the home of the hispanic foundation. thank you so much. good work. >> thank you very much. here is what's happening in

your "comunidad del valle." ♪ ♪ ♪

celebrating a special day. ♪ ♪ next week, follow me on twitter,@newsdamian. we thank you for being a long time partner with "comunidad del valle." a programming note, in a few

minutes you can watch a documentary here, "from the fields: an american journey." it's humbling to have the focus be on yourself. sometimes you have no choice. you can watch that after this show. thank you for sharing a part of your sunday with us. next week, on one side of me will be san jose mayor, the other side the san jose police officers as sossociatioassociat. you won't want to miss it. alright let's break it down. mom, pop it. ♪ two inches apart, becky. two inches. t-minus nine minutes. [ ding ] [ female announcer ] pillsbury cinnamon rolls. let the making begin. ♪

too bad the guys aren't here we're clear. ok, swarm! swarm! hello [ female announcer ] pillsbury chocolate chip cookies. let the making begin