Non-profit Kitten Central of Placer County answered questions while holding kittens needing new homes. (Image by: Kati Garner) It was a smorgasbord on the Capitol's grounds yesterday.

But it wasn't food.

The California State Employees Charitable Campaign (CSECC) event on the Capitol's grounds served up an enticing array of 501c(3) non-profit agencies. By law every State employee must receive a payroll deduction pledge form as well as access to a list of agencies approved by The California Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board (VCGCB).

This is the 55th year that State employees have come together to support the charities of their choice, explained Tanya Arambula, Director for the Public Sector Campaign which is the California State Employees Charitable Campaign. Image by: Kati Garner
"The State employees do an incredible job of supporting any 501c(3) for a minimum of $5 a month even if they are not in the resource guide," Arambula explains. "Once they set it up, it rolls over year after year."

According to Steve Heath, president and CEO of United Way California Capital Region, which manages the California State Employees Charitable Campaign, the California State Employees Charitable Campaign was established in 1957 to provide a single charitable fundraising drive in the State community. A model baby shows areas of the brain when the baby is shaken at the Child Abuse Prevention Center's booth. (Image by: Kati Garner)
"This year, CSECC celebrates its 55th year providing California State employees with the opportunity to use payroll deduction to support nonprofits of their choice," Heath said.  "The local CSECC represents more than 80,000 State employees in the five-county capital region of Amador, El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento and Yolo counties."

"Last year, the capital region CSECC generated more than $3.7 million for nonprofits. Statewide, more than 297,000 state employees are contacted by CSECC, and thousands of nonprofits are now receiving a total of $6.9 million," Heath explained.

According to the Donor Resource Guide, our local United Way was chosen as the best qualified agency to manage and organize the workplace giving campaign based upon the following criteria:
 
Efficiency: Fundraising costs are low, allowing nearly all of your contribution to go to the community charity of your choice.
Variety: There is a wide variety of charities to choose from based upon an individual's particular interest.
Effectiveness and Integrity: All funds designated in the CSECC are collected and successfully distributed to the appropriate agencies.

Over 1,000 state employees had the chance to mingle with the different non-profits. Image by: Kati Garner
These three women, above, representing California Dept. of Health, agree that "this is really important so that we get an understanding of the local community non-profit organizations as well as those outside who provide resources to the people in need and it gives us the opportunity to meet directly or contact them directly and find out if we can volunteer or donate money." Image by: Kati Garner Image by: Kati Garner Image by: Kati Garner Image by: Kati Garner

Above and below were part of Peace for Families display.

Image by: Kati Garner Image by: Kati Garner Image by: Kati Garner Image by: Kati Garner

"The opportunity to have people give to United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) through payroll deductions is hugely valuable to us," Steve Horton, Director, Development and Marketing. "Once people start giving through payroll deductions, they usually don't stop."

Horton says The United Way is just "one of those agencies to be proud of."

"They get us organized together, make all the approaches to businesses and state government so we can do this," Horton explained. "It's a great opportunity."
Chantay White of Women's Empowerment. (Image by: Kati Garner) The non-profit Women's Empowerment is an 8-week job readiness program for homeless women and their children.

The children are looked after in daycare.

Classes consist of resume writing, computer skills, forgiveness, anger management, yoga, cooking and nutrition classes.

"Women who go through the program have had rape or sexual molestation as children, drug abuse or addiction," Chantay White, a graduate of Women's Empowerment said.

It helps the women become well-rounded. Planned parenthood comes in, finding housing is taught, people from court to talk about a woman's legal record, workers to help with credit repair and time management are a few subjects taught.

White is a perfect spokesperson for the non-profit.

She explained about 88% of the women have had domestic abuse and/or homelessness.

"I graduated in 2010 and when I went through the program I gained my self-respect."

"Women's Empowerment was a re-socialization process for me,"White said. "I am close to getting my master's degree."