Ronnie Forbes receives 2023 MLK Legacy Award

Dr. Martin Luther King Fellowship Breakfast honors three from the Tri-Vallely

The 23rd Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Fellowship Breakfast for the Tri-Valley will be held in person on Monday, January 23rd, 2023 after two years as a virtual event due to Covid.

This year’s keynote address will be by Dr. William Nelson, Assistant Superintendent of the Pleasanton Unified School District.

LEGACY AWARD WINNER – RONNIE FORBES

Ronnie joined the military in 1984 and served in Korea for three years. After being discharged by the Army, Ronnie suffered from PTSD, which led him to leave his wife, children, and support network, and to live on the streets. Unforgiveness drove him to self-medicate with drugs and alcohol. He was homeless in Oakland and Hayward and was in and out of jail multiple times.

During his last stint in jail at Santa Rita, God gave Ronnie a grace-filled moment of intense clarity. He told Ronnie that he was either going to serve God behind the walls of prison, or he’d serve God outside the walls of prison. But one way or another, he would serve.

Ronnie made his decision.

He went back to the places where he’d been homeless and started delivering food where he’d once stood in line for a meal himself.

Motivated by his experience of homelessness and having stood in those same lines where he was now delivering food, Ronnie felt called to do even more. He organized One Nation Dream Makers so that others could use their God-given skills and can-do attitude in service to their communities - mitigating food insecurity and helping those most in need.

During the height of the COVID-19 Pandemic, One Nation Dream Makers hit a record of 1,700 boxes of food delivered each week. Each one of these boxes feeds a family of 4 for a week. This means One Nation Dream Makers was able to feed over 6,800 people a week during the height of the Pandemic.

Ronnie is an expert at barbeque and is using those talents to help others, at a recent fundraiser for Goodness Village, he ran the barbeque for the event.

He got involved with the VFW and is currently the Commander of Post 7265 Livermore VFW and a member of the American Legion.

As a homeless person himself, he recently opened a “Warming Center” for the homeless in Livermore.

Video: https://youtube.com/watch?v=3uf65Ib3oUk&feature=share

The 2023 Legacy award recipients from Pleasanton and Dublin are:

Kelly O’Lague, formerly CEO of Hively & the YMCA and President of the Pleasanton Community of Character Collaborative

Matt Troiano, co-founder of the annual Tri-Valley Community Thanksgiving Dinner and active leader of the Knights of Columbus.

To Attend the MLK Legacy Breakfast:

Registration is at the Chamber Website: www.Pleasanton.org

Cost is $40 per person