08/28/2026
📢 SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT: JOHN STREET COMMUNITY DAY
In my original coverage of John Street Community Day, I incorrectly identified Pastor James Wade as the founder and organizer of the event. Pastor Wade provided the opening prayer, but he was not one of the event’s organizers.
The event was organized by members of the community who have come together to create the John St Community Foundation. Dillon Quinn Sr. reached out to correct the record and shared the following statement about who was behind the event, why they did it, and what it meant to them:
From Dillon Quinn:
“Napoleon, Bryan Ramirez, Ricky De Los Santos, and I came together as a team to make this event possible. Napoleon was the one who had the dream last year, and as soon as he reached out to me about it, I knew it was something we had to make happen. From there, it was history.
Every day, we were out reaching out to businesses, looking for sponsors, and finding ways to make the event bigger and better. We wanted to provide nothing but the best for the people in our community and do something that we felt had never really been done before.
That’s why we went beyond just school supplies. We gave away sneakers, shirts, prizes, and so much more. But it was never about how much we could give away—it was about making the kids feel special and giving them a day they would remember.
More than anything, we wanted to make an impact on the youth in our community. We know there are kids out there who may feel like they don’t have enough people in their corner or may not always feel the love and support they deserve. We wanted this event to show them that their community cares about them, believes in them, and wants to see them succeed.
Growing up, we always felt like there wasn’t enough being done for our community. Now that we’re older, we realized that instead of waiting for someone else to step up, we could be the ones to step up. We could be the positive examples we wished to see when we were younger.
None of us did this for recognition or anything in return. The reward for us was seeing the kids smiling, laughing, and enjoying themselves. If even one kid left that day feeling more supported, more confident, or simply knowing that there are people in their community who care about them, then everything we put into this event was worth it.
What made the day even more special was seeing everyone come together with nothing but positive energy. No problems, no issues—just kids, families, friends, and neighbors enjoying a great day together.
This was bigger than an event for us. It was about showing our youth that they matter. It was about showing them love, giving them support, and reminding them that their community is behind them.
And we want to give a thank you to God first and to all the sponsors, volunteers, family and friends that supported us throughout the last couple of months.”
— Dillon Quinn
I appreciate Dillon reaching out and providing the information needed to make sure the story is told correctly. I’m hoping to sit down with Dillon and the other members of the John St Community Foundation early next week so you can hear directly from them about the foundation, their work and what they hope to accomplish in our community going forward
