Jacqueline Quezon Banda, fondly nicknamed, "Jackie", has been working at the Grand Prairie Independent School District for the past fourteen years as a Special Education In-Home/Parent Trainer. She resides in Grand Prairie with husband Rolando Banda and
daughter Audrey Shawnn Banda.
Jackie was born in Guihulngan, Negros Oriental, Philippines to Samuel and Teodora Quezon. She is the second in a family of five children. Jackie grew up in the little town of Jimalalud and was a member of the Jimalalud United Church of Christ in the Philippines Child Center which helps children living with adults who are underaged or unemployed. These children are considered the “poorest of the poor”.
Jackie was one of those children who received a sponsorship to help towards uniforms, food, clothing, supplies, fees and medical assistance, staying at the Center since she was 3 yrs old until the age of 16 when the Center closed. She was moved to another Center in Dumaguete City and became very active in the center, the school and in her home town. She played quite well in softball that she was recruited to join a team for the Philippine National Game “Palarong Pambansa”. She was very proud to represent her home town as the first female who played the National Game. With God’s grace through this sport, she was offered a full scholarship at one of the Universities in Dumaguete City. Through all the hard work she put in to and be able to help her family, she was able to graduate with a degree in Bachelor of Secondary Education-major in Physical Education Health and Music. After a few months she came the states to get married and be with the man she loved, Rolando Banda. The got married in 2001 and are blessed with a beautiful child, Audrey Shawnn Banda, who is now in Kindergarten and enjoying her school work.
Caring for her husband, raising her child
and helping the district's special needs children
do not hamper Jackie's community involvement.
She is currently an active officer of the Filipino Dallas Lions Club,
a former Board member of the Philippine Community Center, Inc.
and generously supportive of other Filipino organizations and causes.
In 2011, Jackie participated in a PCCI fundraiser
and earned the title "2011 Mutya ng Pilipinas" (Jewel of the Philippines)
Jackie writes, "My main reason for choosing my charity is to HELP and GIVE BACK! I firmly believe that charity is to provide direct service for those in need. I do believe that there are a lot of people out there who need help. One way of doing this is to be a lead fundraiser to raise money for a good cause and succeed in reaching my goal to help and give back. I know that this won’t be possible without people supporting me for this endeavor. We are blessed in so many ways that through helping it makes us happy and proud. I am very proud that I have the opportunity to help my own family in the Philippines especially my sisters, brother, nieces and nephew to finish their school. I choose Holy Child Parish Church, Jimalalud Negros Oriental as my charity donation beneficiary to help rebuild the Church that was damaged by the earthquake. God Bless to All of the Lead Fundraisers for what we are doing is for a very good cause!"
Visit the Holy Child Parish of Jimalalud, Negros Oriental website at: http://holychildparishjimalalud.weebly.com/ |
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