Introduction:

The Community Hands Network (CHN) is a non-profit organization umbrella and includes the Multi-Media Mentor Academy and the Animal Habitat and Petting Zoo of San Diego outreach programs. The vision of CHN is to empower youth of all ages to sustain enduring changes in their lives, their environment, and in their communities.

Funding for CHN and its Multi-Media Mentor Academy and Animal Habitat and Petting Zoo of San Diego programs, will be provided by government grants, corporate sponsorships, foundation grants, fundraising events, executive board member contribution, individual donations, and the DJ Jam Entity.

The founder of CHN is Walter “DJ Jam” Nash. Nash attended Cal State Dominguez Hills where he majored in Music with an emphasis in Audio Engineering.  While studying and perfecting his craft he was noticed and recruited by recording artist/producer Dr. Dre to work as his DJ. His career has also included DJ’ing and working with high profile recording artists such as Snoop Dogg and others. While touring the world with Dre and Snoop he was able to visit various exotic destinations and see diverse landscapes. He was especially interested in attending safaris, and visiting zoos, special animal habitats, rehabilitation clinics, and wildlife and animal resource centers. Vis à vis these experiences, Nash developed a strong passion and interest for animals.  

Nash began to breed and raise hairless guinea pigs, eventually shipping them around the world to meet a need for hypoallergenic pets that serviced children and other individuals with animal dander allergies. This in turn led to his experience in raising other domesticated and exotic animals such as monkeys, pigs and goats; lizards, tortoises and turtles; fish and hermit crabs; peacocks, ducks, and other varieties of birds. Through research, Nash developed a high level of expertise in working with animals by building a baseline knowledge of animal needs including habitat, hygiene, nutrition, medical, and social-emotional. Additionally, Nash consulted and collaborated with experts, participated in webinars, and read textbooks in order to acquire the knowledge to be a successful animal caretaker.