Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "donations"

Wish fulfilled: Soldiers Project and The Sacramento Bee

2013-02-06T01:28:43Z

For 25 years, readers of The Sacramento Bee have been making dreams come true for people in need throughout the capital region. In December, they came through again, this time for The Soldiers Project/Sacramento, helping to fulfill a wish for a commercial grade copy machine.

The Soldiers Project/Sacramento was one of 16 organizations and individuals featured in the newspaper's annual “Book of Dreams” series during the yuletide season. Readers contributed more than $131,000 to the effort, according to the Bee’s website; $5,000 of that was awarded to TSP on Jan. 17.

“Being part of the ‘Book of Dreams’ was a wonderful way to cap off 2012,” said Becca Bettis, program manager for the local chapter of The Soldiers Project. “This donation will allow us to buy a commercial copier and print all of our seminar materials and event flyers in-house. We are so grateful to the Bee readers who donated.”

The grant was awarded through the Sacramento Region Community Foundation which administers the Sacramento Bee Book of Dreams Fund.

Dirk Ellena, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, and his wife Courtney were featured in the front-page “Book of Dreams” article. Ellena, who suffers from post-traumatic stress due to his service in Iraq, is one of hundreds of military personnel who have been assisted by The Soldiers Project locally and nationwide since 2004.

The Soldiers Project, along with its Sacramento affiliate, is a non-profit organization that provides free, confidential mental health services to active-duty military and veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and their loved ones. Its unlimited services go beyond those provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs medical system.

Ellena’s story is one that many Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have experienced. Injured during infantry operations, he returned home suffering flashbacks, nightmares and severe survivor’s guilt. He self-medicated with alcohol, couldn’t hold a job and was homeless.

But with the help of his Soldiers Project therapist, Ellena today is a contributing member of the community. He has remarried, found work and is studying to be a nurse at a local college.

“She was my rock,” Ellena said in the Bee article, explaining the importance of his volunteer therapist to his recovery. “It sounds sappy, but I would not be here without her.”

The Soldiers Project/Sacramento, named in 2012 by the White House as one of the nation’s top 20 military service organizations, is comprised of about 45 volunteer therapists who last year gave nearly 1,000 hours of free treatment to soldiers and their families.

Providing services throughout the greater Sacramento-Placer region, TSP also offers support for military dependents and other loved ones through its Family Ties group therapy program and Peer2Peer program.

For more information about The Soldiers Project/Sacramento and its programs, visit www.tspsacramento.org. To be connected with a therapist, call locally (916)792-3728 or toll-free (877)557-5888 or e-mail Sacramento@TheSoldiersProject.org.

Disclosure: I am the publicist/media specialist for The Soldiers Project/Sacramento, the local chapter of the nationwide non-profit organization, The Soldiers Project.

Active 20-30 Holiday Party for Children Fighting Cancer

2012-12-01T03:18:26Z

Active 20-30 Sacramento Club #1 will be hosting their annual “Active 20-30 Holiday Party for Children Fighting Cancer”. The goal of this party is to bring holiday cheer to these children who may not be able to leave the hospital or possibly even their rooms, due to their health.

The Active 20-30 Holiday Party is a tradition that it’s members look forward to every year. This year’s party will benefit over 300 children. Active 20-30 recognizes the challenges these children fighting cancer, face on a daily basis. This added to the potential stress the holiday season can impose on the children and their families is part of the reason for Active 20-30 hosting this party. Sadly some of the children may not have many more Christmas seasons to celebrate with their families. Active 20-30 tries every year to make this a memorable event for the children and their families to enjoy for years to come.

While some of the children in the pediatric oncology wing of U.C. Davis Medical Center are able to come and enjoy the party held specifically for them there are those who cannot leave their rooms, or possibly beds. Active 20-30 looks forward to bringing a little holiday cheer to all of these children with food, gifts, entertainment, and a special visit from Santa.

"A man never stands so tall as when he kneels to help a child", this is the slogan for Active 20-30 Sacramento Club #1. Those words are truly understood by Club #1 members when they are involved in events like the “Active 20-30 Holiday Party for Children Fighting Cancer”. The impact that Active 20-30 members have on the children in their communities is often unrecognized by the general public. That said, it should be made clear that Active 20-30 is a service organization, which does not seek validation or acclaim. However acknowledgment and endorsement by the general public would be welcome, and could aid Active 20-30 with it's mission of improving the quality of life for the special needs of children in our communities.

The impact that the children have on the members of Active 20-30 Sacramento Club #1 is monumental. When a child goes up to an Active 20-30 member to give them a hug and say, "thank you" it is a reward that words could not truly express. However, that member knows that he helped a child in a unique way on that day.

Active 20-30 is a club with the objective of serving the community, while building lasting friendships and rendering service to youth.

To make donations to the Active 20-30 benevolent fund or to find out more information about the Active 20-30 Club of Sacramento #1, please visit www.sac2030.org.

Disclosure: I am a current board member for Active 20-30 Sacramento Club #1.

Oktoberfest '12

2012-09-24T20:50:50Z

www.sactoberfest.com

http://sactoberfest.eventbrite.com/

Cesar Chavez Park – 910 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Saturday, October 6, 2012, 12:00pm – 5:00pm

Active 20-30 Club #1 Sacramento presents their 31st Annual Oktoberfest. In past years Oktoberfest has been held at venues such as Fairytale Town, and Cal Expo. This year the fun returns to the Cesar Chavez Park, right in the heart of Downtown Sacramento.

One of the year’s largest fundraising events for Active 20-30 Oktoberfest will provide a fun and exciting day for all attendees. Like other Oktoberfest events the beer will be flowing, but Active 20-30 raises the bar for their event. Along with multiple craft beer breweries there will also be local food truck favorites, and live music. Partygoers will enjoy all that Oktoberfest has to offer as well as knowing they’re helping special needs children by attending.

Expecting over 1000 attendees Active 20-30 is excited to partner with the following vendors: Auburn Alehouse, Berryessa Brewing Company, Lockdown Brewing Company, River City Brewing Company, Roseville Brewing Company, Rubicon Brewing Company, Ruhstaller Brewing Company, Track 7 Brewing Company, and Mark Stein Beverage. Food will be available from Krushburger, and Coast-to-Coast Sandwiches. Live music by Arden Park Roots will entertain partygoers through out the day.

Tickets are available from Active 20-30 members, or online at http://sactoberfest.eventbrite.com. For more information please visit www.sactoberfest.com or http://twitter.com/sactoberfest. Check Oktoberfest out on Facebook. All funds raised from Oktoberfest will go towards benefiting the special needs children of the Sacramento region

Active 20-30 is a volunteer club with the objective of serving the community, while building lasting friendships and rendering service to youth.

To find out more information about the Active 20-30 Club #1 of Sacramento, and our events throughout the year please visit www.sac2030.org.

Contact:
Chris Ives – Oktoberfest Co-chair
chrisives@gmail.com
P.O. Box 933
Sacramento, CA 95812
916 834 6364

###

Disclosure: I am an Active member of Active 20-30 Sacramento #1. I currently am serving on the Board of Directors, and am the current Promotions/Sponsorships chair.

Special Kids Family Picnic

2012-09-11T18:53:29Z

Fairytale Town, William Land Park – 3901 Land Park Drive, Sacramento, CA 95822

Saturday, September 15, 2012, 10:30am – 2:00pm

Active 20-30 Club #1 Sacramento presents its annual Special Kids Family Picnic. In cooperation with Fairytale Town the park will be closed to the public. Children with special health care & developmental needs along with their families will be invited to join us for a day of fun at Fairytale Town, free of charge.

Our biggest hands on event with children each year allows specials needs children an opportunity to enjoy an environment specifically organized for them. We provide games, activities, entertainers, food and drinks to the children and their families.

Hosting up to 1000 kids, Fairytale Town is a fun and exciting location for Active 20-30’s Special Kids Family Picnic. Our members look forward to this event all year long. Seeing the children’s smiles, and hearing their laughs is a heart warming gift our members enjoy.

Active 20-30 is a club with the objective of serving the community, while building lasting friendships and rendering service to youth.

To find out more information about the Active 20-30 Club of Sacramento #1, and our events throughout the year please visit www.sac2030.org.

Contact:
Brannan Millard - Special Kids Family Picnic Co-chair
brannanmillard@yahoo.com
P.O. Box 933
Sacramento, CA 95812
916 425 5535

Ryan Feist – Special Kids Family Picnic Co-chair
rfeist@gmail.com
P.O. Box 933
Sacramento, CA 95812
916 690 7442

###

Disclosure: Anthony Trejo is a Board Member of the Active 20-30 Sacramento Club #1.

SACTOPALOOZA '12

2012-05-15T22:38:37Z

It's that time of year again!

The time has come again!!!!! The Active 20-30 Club of Sacramento #1 is proud to announce its 44th annual Spring Party, Sactopalooza 2012. This years party is being held at a Sacramento landmark, The Sacramento Zoo, on June 16 from 5pm - 10pm. With a capacity of 2,500 party goers (21+ years old), Sactopalooza is promising to entertain with TWO top tribute bands to No Doubt and The Red Hot Chili Peppers, six bars, terrific food, mechanical bull riding, jousting, and DJ Rigatony performing on a separate dance area.

- This is a Rain or Shine event and all attendee's must be 21 and over ( MUST have valid ID )
- Check in @ WILL CALL to receive your Entrance Ticket
- All Sales Final

*********** ADDED BONUS ***********
Thanks to one of our sponsors, PAVILION CAR WASH, each ticket stub is redeemable for a FREE car wash ($11.99 value).

Get your tickets online NOW!

http://www.sactopalooza.com

http://www.facebook.com/sactopalooza

twitter: @sactopalooza

sactopalooza@gmail.com

Active 20-30 Club #1 Sacramento will host its annual Spring Party fundraising event, now known as Sactopalooza. 100% of proceeds raised go toward helping enrich the lives of special-needs children in the Sacramento Region.

Disclosure: Anthony Trejo is Publicity Chair for Active 20-30 Club # 1 Sacramento

It's for the Kids

2012-04-24T22:44:26Z

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Active 20-30 donates to local children charities

Evan’s Kitchen – 855 57th Street, Sacramento, CA 95819
Thursday, April 26th 5:30pm

Active 20-30 Club #1 Sacramento will be presenting checks to local charities who have benefited from donations made by the Active 20-30 club.

While raising money, and participating in hands on events the members of Active 20-30 are given the opportunity to develop friendships, leadership skills, and optimize their personal growth.

For over 90 years this international service organization, which started in Sacramento, has helped numerous charities. While making monetary donations to organizations such as United Cerebral Palsy, Junior Achievement, and the Getty Owl Foundation is a goal of Active 20-30, its members go the extra mile with hands on events.

Taking children who may not ordinarily be able to go to a pumpkin patch, enjoy an amusement park, or going to see Santa are just a few examples of hands on events the Active 20-30 members participate, and look forward to through out the year.

Active 20-30 is a club with the objective of serving the community, while building lasting friendships and rendering service to youth.

Contact:
Anthony Trejo – Publicity Chair
atrejo@sac2030.org
Active 20-30 Club No.1
P.O. Box 933
Sacramento, CA 95812

###

Alyboo & Izybee Foundation Opens Retail Boutique

2012-04-18T21:32:13Z

Surrounded by precious, handmade baby clothes, Cyndi Mitchell thinks back to 2009 when her tiny twin daughters were born prematurely and she was thrown into the uncertainty of what comes with a child, or children, who must be hospitalized in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Mitchell remembers those days as some of the hardest in her life, and in an attempt to help other families in similar circumstances, she and her husband Dustin founded the Alyboo and Izybee Foundation, named after their two beautiful daughters Aly and Izy.

This amazing foundation is funded through donations, fundraisers and now, a children’s boutique, which had their grand opening on Saturday. The boutique, Aly & Izy’s Closet, offers new and gently used clothing and other children's items as well as maternity clothes donated by the public. All proceeds go to support families who have critically ill infants in local area NICU's. The store is now open Monday, Wednesday, Friday and weekends 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. (closed Tuesday and Thursday) and patrons are encouraged to stop by to shop and hear about the work the foundation does.

The Alyboo & Izybee Foundation offers support services to families that have one or more infants in one of the Sacramento area’s six NICU facilities. It provides care baskets, isolette covers, blankets and other comfort items to these families as a small way to help them through a difficult time. The biggest item provided to these families, however, is the opportunity to stay free of charge, in the Foundation's fully-stocked RV and keep it parked in the parking lot of their child's hospital. The RV allows parents to be on location with their child, and eases some of the financial and emotional burden that can come as a result of having a child or children required to stay in a NICU. Many families, particularly those from out-of-town, have nothing with them when they come to the hospital but the clothes on their back. The RV comes stocked with food, blankets, towels and personal care items, all donated by caring members of the community, or purchased directly by the Foundation.

These efforts are done 100 percent by volunteers, including running the new store. The Alyboo & Izybee Foundation hopes to raise enough money in the coming months to purchase a second RV to cover two NICUs simultaneously, with the long-term goal of providing an RV to families at every NICU in the Sacramento region. The dream is an expensive one, but the new retail location will go a long way in raising funds for the Foundation.

“I am excited to move into this new, expanded location with Aly & Izy’s Closet,” said Mitchell, executive director of the Alyboo & Izybee Foundation. “Selling these items makes it possible for the Foundation to offer support services to other families in crisis." The Foundation strives to help NICU babies and their families, and it hopes that this store will continue to make that happen.

Aly & Izy’s Closet accepts donations of clothes, infant care items, volunteer workers and cash donations for the Foundation. Alyboo & Izybee Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization, Tax I.D. 27-1339329. For more information about the foundation, a list of donations accepted, Aly & Izy’s Closet and the RV for NICU Babies, visit www.abibf.org or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HelpingNICUBabies

Aly & Izy's Closet
4800 Granite Drive Suite B7
Rocklin, Ca 95667
916.419.3343

Store Hours:
Monday, Wednesday, Friday-Sunday 10:00 am-5:00 pm
Closed Tuesday and Thursday

Disclosure: Janna Haynes conducts marketing on behalf of the Alyboo & Izybee Foundation.

Local Artists Join Together to Benefit Sacramento’s Safe Ground Nov. 12

2011-11-08T15:13:02Z

Art does many things. It gives us a history of culture. It decorates our homes. It helps the homeless.

This 2nd Saturday, Vox Sacramento art studio is giving back to the community, as well as providing a unique art show called “Home.” The studio is asking locals to bring camping equipment, blankets and coats to the exhibit. Items will be used by Safe Ground Sacramento, a homeless advocacy organization supported by a coalition of local non-profits trying to provide a safe, dry and warm solution for local residents without homes. SafeGround supports a self-governed, alcohol, drug and violence free homeless community alternative.

The exhibit features several local artists, including:

B. Shearer
Andy Brooks
Jill Allyn Stafford
Robert Couse-Baker
Kelly O'Neill
Tomas Overbai
Lisa Oullette

Art is available for purchase and some artists will be on hand at the event. The studio is located at 1818 11th St. and the showing is from 5 to 9 pm.

Every day, more than 1,450 homeless men, women, children and families are struggling to make it on Sacramento County’s streets, while the current ailing economy has resulted in more people on the streets, but fewer private and government dollars to help them.
The next few months will be particularly difficult for Sacramento’s homeless community. There is a tremendous need for warm coats, blankets, sleeping bags and other camping items. Contributions, along with financial donations, will go far toward helping Sacramento’s growing homeless population.

Safe Ground currently needs churches, synagogues, congregations, union halls and business owners in the midtown area to permit up to 100 homeless to stay overnight on their property, from 6pm to 7am the next day. Safe Ground provides its own staffing and cleanup. For more information, contact SafeGround at 916-448-2448 or Steve at 916-769-8877.

Disclosure: I'm a volunteer for Safe Ground.

Does Thelassemia trait exist in your red blood cells?

2011-09-27T19:59:39Z

I have been a whole blood donor for more than nine years altogether now. And have contributed to my first ten gallon donation only a few years ago. I am satisfied that News10 does cooperative advertising with the Blood Source, because rewardingly that is how I really got started. Today, I have been to over three Sacramento locations to donate to the city of Sacramento my B- blood type so there will be enough blood plasma for transplant recipients and people with blood disorders. The Blood Source teaches as well as they perform their pronounced job classifications. For example, their Intake Nurse, responsible for approving me a spinning tube; was separating the cells from the blood plasma with a spinning device known as a centrifuge and describing plain as light when borrowed.

More recently I have been invited to donate blood platelets and often known as triples, at the midtown Blood Source lab in Sacramento. I am acutely involved in the procedure today, but it’s not a bother. The nurse phlebotomist does essentially everything the same as when you donate whole blood, but has really enjoys your presence because she has a close proximity enveloping due to the monitoring of your blood returns to your blood supply.

I am pleased I am only am walking distance away from the midtown lab and likewise luxuries lofts. You will agree the Blood bank will have your number and that to care for all others; all you really need is recovery and our help donating every seven days.

But donating blood components requires that you divest sometimes as much as 1 ½ to 2 hours of your time as you are hooked up to a machine that first receives your blood takes the components which are necessary and pumps the released blood back into your blood supply.

After your very first draw the law will be able to make some calculated determinations, like whether you have Hepatitis c, AIDS, cancer, or Thelassemia trait. Thelassemia trait is a condition in which sometimes your red blood cells namely are averse to collecting enough oxygen as they travel back and forth from the brain to your heart. This trait potential can be monitored but most Physicians believe it is due to poor circulation and deficiencies in Iron deposits.

I am thankful that after several batteries of test, my manifests suggest its okay to donate again.

Sac Metro Fire and Firefighter Assoc Assist with Pillow Pet Donations for UCD Children's Hospital

2011-07-11T17:06:57Z

Sacramento Ca- Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District, Metro's Firefighter Association and UC Davis Children’s Hospital have partnered with Pillow Pets for Life Foundation, a non-profit organization whose aim is to bring comfort to hospitalized children. They have come together with the common goal of collecting at least 1000 donated pillow pets, an actual snugly pillow shaped like an animal character, to distribute to children undergoing medical treatment at UC Davis Children’s Hospital. Sacramento Metro Fire is partnering with the foundation which is using Sac Metro Fire facilities as drop off locations for the Pillow Pets. Once the goal of 1000 is met, Firefighters from the Sacramento Metro Fire District will have the honor of delivering the Pillow Pets to the UCD Children's Hospital.

The Pillow Pets For Life Foundation has set a goal to air its cause for the week of July 10, 2011, through K-Love Radio, Sac Bee Newspaper, and local news stations hoping to gain greater support from the general public to reach its compassionate goal. For additional details please contact the foundations president.

Pillow Pets for Life Foundation

Founder/President: Kara Kateley

kara.kateley@hotmail.

916-912-6796

Sac Metro Fire Partners with Reading Tree for Book Donation Drive

2011-06-21T16:30:45Z

Sacramento, CA- The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District (SMFD) is promoting literacy this summer through its partnership with Reading Tree. The objective is to put books in the hands of local children to promote literacy, and to support recycling and reuse of unwanted books.

SMFD Fire Chief Henke encourages the community to drop off their gently used books at the Reading Tree book donation containers located at SMFD stations starting June 17, 2011. SMFD will be hosting the Reading Tree bins through November 18, 2011.

Reading Tree and SMFD have partnered on this book collection effort to develop in-classroom lending libraries in Reading Partner Sacramento schools in the Sacramento region. All types of books are welcome, including new, used, hardback and paperback. Quality children’s books are donated to local, early learning programs and elementary school-age children.

The Reading Tree was established in 2000 as a public charity. The organization has two missions. The first is to collect books from families who no longer want them, and deliver them to children, families, schools, and libraries that need them. The second is to keep books from contributing to the saturation of the nation’s landfills. Reading Tree places and maintains book collection bins in communities across the country to collect and redistribute used books. Reading Tree supports children’s literacy by getting books into the hands of children. Over 4 million books have been gifted to families, schools, and libraries since 2007. Reading Tree invites members of the community to become involved by donating books they no longer need to aid the literacy crisis.

Donated books will go to change lives in our community. For more information, please visit www.readingtree.org, or call 888-402-BOOK.

Contact: Lisa Lonteen & Captain Barbara Law

lisa@readingtree.org

law.barbara@smfd.ca.gov

California Family Fitness Teams up with Sport Chalet in “Soles for Souls” for the Japan Disaster Relief Fund

2011-04-05T17:04:26Z

California Family Fitness has partnered with Sport Chalet to participate in a shoe drive to benefit the tsunami victims in Japan. All shoes that are donated will be sent directly to Soles4Souls for distribution to the Japanese people.

“We highly encourage everyone in the community to donate at least one pair of shoes,” said Randy Karr, President of California Family Fitness. “It is devastating to see how the tsunami and earthquake in Japan has affected so many, which is why we have partnered with Sport Chalet in Soles4Souls to lend a helping hand and make a difference.”

To donate to this very worthy cause, people can drop off gently worn shoes at either Sport Chalet or a California Family Fitness club in Roseville, Rocklin, Folsom, Elk Grove or Orangevale. Shoe donations will be accepted until Thursday, April 7, and will then be collected by Soles4Souls.

To locate a Sport Chalet or participating California Family Fitness location please visit:

http://www.californiafamilyfitness.com

http://www.sportchalet.com

Justin Dyke is a public relations professional in Sacramento, working on behalf of California Family Fitness.

#HereWeBuild is calling all professionals

2011-04-03T18:41:47Z

If you have been following the news, or driving along any freeway in Sacramento the last few days, you have likely seen the hash tag #HereWeBuild. If you don't know what it is all about, refer to my article from a few days back for the details.

For a grassroots movement that just started Tuesday, #HereWeBuild has raised more than $400,000 dollars. No money has been collected, but the committed individuals behind the movement are taking this Twitter campaign to the next level.

In a statement released by idea man Carmichael Dave on the #HereWeBuild website, a team is being formed to take this groundswell of Twitter pledges to a viable donation campaign. "Version 2.0" as Dave calls. #HereWeBuild is looking for a Financial Institution, Legal Team, Accounting Firm, Public Relations representative, Web Design team, Product Distributors and additional merchant services. All services come in the form of a donation to the cause. For a business, you really can't find a better way to align your product with positive vibes in this community.

For anyone who is capable, qualified and willing to donate their time and services to the #HereWeBuild movement, contact ~~HereWeBuild@hotmail.com.~~ Carmichaeldave@hotmail.com

From HereWeBuild.com:

"Win or lose, succeed or fail, I believe we are well on our way to showing not just our city leaders, but the entire nation that the people of the Sacramento region will not go out quietly, and will not roll over without a fight."

-Carmichael Dave

Sactown comes together #HereWeBuild

2011-03-31T03:10:17Z

After a night full of deep sighs and deep sadness at the reality of the Sacramento Kings taking their game south, imagine my surprise when I logged-on to my Twitter account and saw post after post with the hash tag #HereWeBuild. What? It was obvious to me that this was Kings related, because this season has been "Here We" {insert hopeful verb here}, but Here We Build was a new one to me. So I followed the trail. I had no idea that a movement had started in this city last night. A serious movement. A movement independent of the government, of the politicians and a movement that was as heartfelt as anything that has happened since the beginning of this whole mess.

The people of Sacramento are raising money to build an arena. On TWITTER!

Maybe not today or even this year, but $10 by $1000 donations, private citizens are donating money to a fund called #HereWeBuild.

The idea was inspired by local radio show host and lifetime Kings Fan, Carmichael Dave. Check out his Twitter page to see the donations pouring in from all over the city, even outside of the area. The idea exploded after an innocent series of tweets ;ast night.

CarmichaelDave
"Anaheim has voted 5-0 to issue bonds for Renovations to the Honda Center."

CarmichaelDave
"I personally have voted 1-0 to issue 100 dollars cash towards a new arena in Sacramento. Who's with me. Any and all amounts welcome"

What followed was something even a diehard Kings fan like Dave couldn't have imagined. Donation pledges came pouring through over Twitter. In just a few hours, thousands of dollars had been pledged and the hash tag #HereWeBuild was formed.

As it stands tonight, a little over 24 hours after this groundswell started, well over $100,000 has been pledged and the media is all over this. Not just the Sacramento media mind you. #HereWeBuild is the number one most used trend in Sacramento and has drawn notice of the New York Times. Carmichael Dave has had a busy, busy day and it has only just begun. He has interviews lined up all night tonight and all day tomorrow. The power of social networking has become a reality.

I spoke with Dave for a few minutes and he seemed grateful, if not amazed by the whirlwind of activity in such a short period of time.
"It is changing hour by hour with fireball speed as most Internet trends do, but what is different is that we have a committed group of people unwilling to let the bumbling city leaders of Sacramento have the last word on the Kings moving. We'll make sure the fans get that."

The power of the people is truly an amazing thing. Just when everyone (including me) thought it was too late, a groundswell of support rises up so big that no one will be able to ignore it. Maloofs, I hope you are listening.

New Sacramento Community Resource Directory.

2011-03-28T23:45:25Z

Each day there are hundreds of individuals and families living without basic human needs, such as food and shelter right in our own Sacramento County. Using Sacramento Community Family Resources website statics which received over 97,000 page views since January 1st 2011 there were over:

• 1,728 Unique page views from words such as “homeless shelters in Sacramento”.
• 2,945 Unique page views from words such as “food closet locations in Sacramento”.

The list can go on and on, but the most important thing to know is that each of these numbers is an individual or family that is in immediate need of food or shelter.
The question is “do we really need research and statistics to tell us that the economy is bad?” No we don’t. We can all see for ourselves when we drive to work or the store that families in our community are in distress. At that time, you will see someone pushing their over filled shopping cart, standing on the corner holding up a torn paper sign, or on raining days you can see people huddled with their belongings under a roof top. All of the people you see in this type of situation are important, many are moms and dads of children that look up to them.

Solutions are not always easy, even with knowing that over a thousand people looked for emergency shelter this year, then who will use this research or data to open a shelter? Probably no one. And the sad part is that they who need help the most are not always in the “statistics”. No matter what research or statics show, the bottom line is that solutions always take money and time – the two things we seem to have very little of.

So, this article hasn’t said anything you did not already seen for yourself…right. Now what do “I” do to help? Well, the first thing would be to volunteer. Even a little bit of your time makes a huge difference to someone even if it is to just let them know you care. A good place to start with volunteering is http://www.cityofsacramento.org/volunteers/.

The next thing to do is find out what help is available in our community. I would begin with Sacramento Community Family Resources at www.OneFathersLove.com. There I can find updated information from all of the emergency shelters and food closets where I can even download it all to print. Okay now let’s pass that information on to they who need help since it is now easy and free to help others. In fact, two years ago I wanted to help our community so much that I created and published Sacramento’s one and only Sacramento Community Resource Directory! Now Sacramento has a directory of thousands of community and faith-based services. So, we have now identified a huge underserved population in our community and came up with an effective solution to help the families! Yeaaa! “I” hope everyone else will do the same and by all means please post a reply if you have a "better idea", suggestion or even a valuable resource we should know about!

City Cemetery tour celebrates Black History Month

2011-02-24T06:43:06Z

In celebration of Black History Month, the Old City Cemetery Committee will be giving a free tour at 10 a.m. on Saturday detailing the fascinating history of African-Americans during the 1800s.

Bob LaPerriere will be the main tour guide Saturday along with other members of the committee.

“I was involved in starting the Old City Cemetery Committee,” LaPerriere said. “ Now I’m the tour coordinator for this particular tour”.

LaPerriere has been giving tours for 25 years. Every year he conducts a tour at the old cemetery, which covers the extensive history of physicians and medicine from the 1800s.

This tour celebrating Black History Month is not shown every year. It’s been at least eight years since the committee has been able to do this type of tour.

“It’s just a matter of volunteers,” LaPerriere explained. “If we get more volunteers, we can have these tours on a more regular basis. It takes an awful lot of work to put these tours together, a lot of research and a lot of work”.

Laperriere said the main purpose of this tour is, “ to make people more familiar with the history of African-Americans in the 1800s”.

Some of the key individuals being discussed include: Edwin Crocker (an abolitionist), Vaardmen Bullard (a former slave), Ernest Houston Johnston (an African-American graduate of Stanford University, first graduating class), Sarah Jones (a prominent African-American educator), and Henry Yantis (a church deacon and champion of education).

“It’s important that people realize the struggles that African-Americans went through in the 1800s for independence in the time of slavery, even though California was a non-slave state,” LaPerriere said.

“You have to research old burial records and old written records from the area, and sometimes it is very difficult to find any information on a particular person,” he said.

The Old City Cemetery is located at 1000 Broadway, between Muir Way and Riverside Boulevard. Parking is free and is located across the street from the cemetery.

Chic for Change – Becoming a Force in the Community

2011-02-01T07:32:58Z

I live in the ‘burbs and I can get to feeling pretty isolated from my neighbors. Okay, I have that feeling a lot of the time. It’s mostly my own fault – I don’t always make the effort because I’m kinda shy and different… I don’t always know where to start. Give me the right setting and a reason to chat, well that definitely helps. I’ve discovered one such setting and no, it’s not a support group (though I could probably use one of those). It’s a new shop near El Camino and Fulton called Chic for Change.

Teshala Paradiso, who everyone calls “Tesh,” is working to realize a vision that came to her during a year-long turn with a very serious illness. She described how on one particularly bad day, “I was laying in bed and thought, ‘If I ever get better, what would I do next?’ I knew I wanted to do something more." She continues explaining, "I liked to shop, loved thrift stores and had a great interest in building community, and this idea formed.” Tesh, who is married with two young children, realized her vision on January 3, 2011 by opening a unique high-end second hand store, which just so happens to be large enough to also serve as a community gathering place.

Chic for Change also benefits several local area nonprofits. 20% of every purchase goes directly to either Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children, Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center, or Wildlife Care Association. The customer gets to choose which one. It works like this: you purchase $40 worth of items; $10 of your purchase goes to one of the three nonprofits, providing each with a steady stream of financial support. But this is about more than just money.

Tesh explains that she wants Chic for Change, “…to be a place where people can come and get nice things they can afford and at the same time support their community - and also as a place where people can socialize, collaborate and build friendships.” The large store encourages this by having a homey area with a couch, chairs, coffee table, and pillows providing an area for customers to sit and chat, wait for a slower shopping partner, or enjoy a mocha from the coffee bar, which will soon offer a full menu of espresso drinks.

I went in for a visit myself last Saturday afternoon. I walked into a large store with high ceilings, still a bit sparse and still a work in progress but looking visually appealing. Toward the back of the store, local singer/songwriter Christian DeWild and percussionist Mike Pavisch played a two-hour set for customers while the store offered free refreshments, a 50% off clothes sale, and a big discount on the cost of a Disaster Survival Skills class.

While others shopped, I kicked back on the couch with my coffee, turkey sandwich roll and brownie and listened to Christian’s ear-pleasing, gravelly roots-rock sound. I did a little shopping too, picking up a nice Crate and Barrel tablecloth for $5, a set of three heavy duty stainless steel pots and pans for $20, a nice Fossil handbag for $10 and, of course, some clothes. A huge calendar behind the counter provided sale dates, classes and special events such as fundraisers, and said I wanted my donation to go to Wildlife Care Association (I do some volunteer fundraising for them, and this is how I found out about the store).

Chic for Change aims to be a higher end thrift store with reasonable prices. To accomplish this, Tesh has to be a little picky bit about the items sold in the store. Those that can’t be sold are donated back to the partnering nonprofits, especially the Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center who benefits from clothing, blankets, linens, furniture and kitchen items and more. As put so very well by Ms. Paradiso, “There is no reason for any of us to stand alone.”

About the nonprofits:

Sacramento Area Emergency Housing Center (SAEHC) - This program started as a family shelter back in 1972 and now serves over 500 homeless people. Their website explains, “SAEHC runs one of only two shelters in Sacramento that accepts two-parent households, single fathers, and sons over the age of 14.” They also recently received funding to start a program for homeless seniors. Their goal is to help these struggling families and individuals to learn the tools needed to become more self-reliant.

Wildlife Care Association (WCA) –For the past 29 years, WCA has been providing medical and rehabilitation services to over 6,000 injured, ill, orphaned, injured and displaced wild animals each year. Hundreds of baby birds fill the nursery every spring but critters are brought in year-around to the facility, which recently located to McClellan Park. Once the animals have recovered or have grown and learned to fend for themselves, they are released back into the wild, giving them a second chance at life.

Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA) – Since 1977, CASA has trained volunteers to advocate for foster children in the juvenile court system. These children only end up in court as a result of having been abused, neglected or abandoned and in the child welfare system. The volunteer gets to know the child and helps to avoid any additional trauma by ensuring that each child has a voice in the system. The CASA volunteer works closely with the child to understand, for example, does the child want to be reunited with his or her parents, or would she prefer to stay in foster care or to be adopted, and then speaks up for them in court, ensuring the child's needs and wishes are heard.

Sacramento's Alien Invader

2011-01-27T23:22:04Z

When visiting the downtown/midtown area of Sacramento, be on the lookout for Sacramento’s favorite alien, the Brutha From Another Planet (B.F.A.P.). He can be spotted performing his unique dance moves to his favorite music on his space age music box which includes 70’s and 80’s funk, disco, and dance music from all eras. The B.F.A.P. was named by a group of admirers who first witnessed his funky dance moves.

Meeting and greeting the B.F.A.P. is easy. He is very family friendly and is a great crowd pleaser. Youngsters of all ages are delighted and frightened by his robotic dance movements after seeing him frozen in place.

Ruben of South Sacramento, age 10, described the B.F.A.P. as “Really Good.” Angela, a 30-something woman visiting from the Bay Area stopped to have her photograph taken with the B.F.A.P. She stated that the B.F.A.P. was “Awesome.” When Jamy of Carmichael, age 6, stopped to contribute a dollar to the B.F.A.P. to help repair his crashed spaceship, she was startled, terrified, and thrilled by his excited reaction in gratitude. With the support of her parents, she eventually posed with the B.F.A.P. for a picture.

The B.F.A.P. relates that his body movements are robotic because the gravity here on earth is stronger than on his home planet. At different times of the month his skin color, music box, and clothing change from silver to gold due to mysterious forces from outer space. Because of his alien heritage the B.F.A.P. is unable to speak. Beings from his home planet communicate with sounds that human ears hear as a thin whistle. The B.F.A.P. understands and writes in English. The information for this article was obtained through written questions and answers via email at Bruthafromanotherplanet@yahoo.com. The B.F.A.P. welcomes comments and will respond to questions from anyone who wants to know more about him and his home planet.

The B.F.A.P. is no stranger to Sacramento. He visited the area from 2001-2004 until he was summoned back to his home planet. After a 6 year absence, he missed his friends in Sacramento so much he decided to make the return trip. His spaceship malfunctioned and crash landed in Cesar Chavez park in the spring of 2010. Unfortunately, the B.F.A.P. is stranded until his spaceship is repaired.

When the B.F.A.P. is not meeting old friends and making new ones on the streets of Sacramento, he is busy repairing his spaceship in a top-secret location. Generous supporters often make donations to help him to raise enough funds to repair his spaceship.

When you see the B.F.A.P. make sure to take a moment to enjoy his charming personality. He is sure to bring a smile to your face.

Sacramento's Charitable Side

2010-12-24T01:55:35Z

It’s that charitable time of year again. During the holidays, many feel compelled to share with those around them. In the spirit of the holiday, The Sacramento Press set out to find people who do give back and where they do it.

A few givers wished to remain anonymous. One man shared that his family adopts a couple of families for the holidays, buying gifts for them instead of each other. A woman said she donates to the local county animal shelter and the Best Friend Animal Society, a no-kill animal shelter. Another man said his family donates to an organization that provides animals to families in Africa. A couple said they donate to Sacramento Loaves & Fishes and the Salvation Army in downtown Sacramento.

Jeffery Cross works for the Board of Equalization as a space planner. He is pursuing a doctorate in health-care administration online at the University of Phoenix. He gives monthly to the Sacramento Food Bank.

Gail Betty works at the American Red Cross as a part-time instructor. She said she was being charitable toward herself this year. She said, “I’m working on forgiveness and letting go of expectations.”

Megan Emmerling works for the Downtown Sacramento Partnership. She helped clean a property at 11th and J streets this year for the DSP’s volunteer day.

Henry Harry, who ran for City Council, supports local Oak Park correctional officers. “I was there and knew some people, so I donated about 50 bucks. It’s because I knew they had made a big effort.” He also gave to the Black Parallel School Board.

Eric Love lives in Land Park and works as a structural engineer. “We mainly give through our church, Fremont Presbyterian,” he said. The church sponsors a team that goes to Ethiopia every year, and it also has missions to Jamaica and Haiti.

Roderick Campbell is a political consultant. He donates to the New Millennium Foster Family Agency in South Sacramento, the Sacramento Food Bank and local churches in the Oak Park Area.

James Hinsman is from Citrus Heights and has been in the Army for two years. He donates to the Wounded Warriors Project.

Art drive brings resources to Stanford Home for Children

2010-12-10T00:38:29Z

Rarely will you be solicited for a used toilet paper roll, but perhaps you’ll hand one over for the sake of art. What else are you going to do with it?

The third annual Crayons to Canvas Art Drive is accepting art supplies of all varieties this month as organizers work to supply the Stanford Home for Children’s new art therapy room.

Begun in 2008 by the sibling duo of Sacramento artist Raphael Delgado and publicist Veronica Delgado, the drive provides resources for an art-based therapy approach for at-risk youth.

Stanford Home Development and Marketing Manager Sarah Mentze said the art therapy room, which opened in June, works as a supplementary resource to therapy programs offered by Stanford Homes.

“Kids generally can’t express complex emotions,” Mentze said. “Art and play therapy is a natural way for kids to express themselves – it’s their native language.”

So when Veronica Delgado approached Stanford Homes three years ago with a desire to do a community project that involved the arts, Mentze was thrilled.

“It’s supplementing our ability to help kids and their families,” Mentze said.

Stanford Homes serves those 24 and under, though at least 50 percent of children are ages 12 - 17, who have suffered from abuse, trauma, neglect, or struggle with mental health issues, Mentze said.

“Children in our mental health programs tend to use the art therapy room the most,” she said.

To keep the art room supplied with necessary resources, which can be common household items like Popsicle sticks and used magazines, the Delgado team has recruited the help and talent of local artists, musicians and businesses.

The Urban Hive donated its venue for a Crayons to Canvas art show to be held from 5 - 9 p.m. on Saturday and will display work from artists Brett Freeman, Moses Park, Raphael Delgado and Daniel Mendoza, while Barbados-based singer and songwriter Clemon Charles and Profound Sound DJ Service set the musical mood.

“It’s about getting together art supplies, and about something bigger than the individual artist,” she said.

With that said, she confessed that it would be artist Brett Freeman stealing the show on Saturday night, displaying four generations of artwork from his grandmother’s oil paintings, his mother’s ink-on-paper piece and his son’s watercolors complementing his own abstract, energetic style.

“I’m just a human being oozing emotions,” Freeman said.

Having only been creating art since 2005, Freeman uses a lot of found items and recycles them, or “re-purposes them,” as he put it. He said he can’t afford to buy retail products to paint on, so he uses old signs, plywood and anything flat with clean edges as a canvas.

“Every trash heap I drive by, there’s a shelf or an old door that I can paint on,” he said.

As a father, Freeman said he realizes that it’s difficult for parents to figure out what direction to push their kids in terms of hobbies, since they all cost money, but that with art all it takes is creativity and will.

“I can use my strengths to put a spotlight on the local artist’s struggles and successes to help youth learn to express themselves,” he said.

Coinciding with the art drive this month are two art workshops, open to the public, offered at the Urban Hive Gallery. Saturday morning before the show (from 10 a.m. to noon), artist Raphael Delgado will share insight into his own approach to making art. Entrance to the workshop can either be $10, or free with art supplies donated toward the drive. The second workshop will take place Dec. 18 at the same time and place.

Deglado said the workshops are meant to provide the teaching artist an opportunity to show participants his or her personal style.

“It’s meant to create a community of having an artist being a teacher,” Delgado said.

In addition to providing art resources for Stanford Home’s art-therapy room, Delgado said they would like to provide all children in the program with art kits that they can take home. She said she believes that continuing to use art as a form of expression can help children remain stable after leaving Stanford’s programs.

“It’s a creative outlet for stress, and helps them develop self-awareness,” she said.

Primarily used with children who have suffered from trauma or abuse, Mentze said the art program gives therapists a way to draw kids out in a safe way.

If you would like to donate gently used or new art supplies to the drive, bring them to The Urban Hive, 1931 H St., which is accepting donations through Dec. 31, or contact Veronica Delgado at (916) 792-4947 for more information.

Photo 1: Artist Brett Freeman

Photo 2: Artist Raphael Delgado with Associate Executive Director, Development & Marketing for Stanford Home Karen Woodruff at the Art Therapy Room's ribbon cutting ceremony

Photo 3: Artists Daniel Mendoza

Photo 4: "Achtung" by Raphael Delgado

Photo 5: Crayons to Canvas logo

Everything is Awesome: Photographs by Keith Telfeyan

2010-12-07T02:04:02Z

Everything is Awesome, a solo exhibition of photographs by Keith Telfeyan, opens at Cuffs, 2523 J Street, Midtown Sacramento, on December 11, 2010 and will remain on view through January 7, 2011. Cuffs is open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm and Sun Noon-7pm.

The public is invited to a reception with the artist on December 11, from 6pm-10pm, as part of Sacramento’s 2nd Saturday Art Walk. Enjoy holiday snacks and drinks and Christmas tunes dj-ed by Shaun Slaughter while taking in the show. Cuffs is also sponsoring a toy drive to provide holiday gifts for children in need. Anyone who donates a toy will be entered in a drawing for a $50 certificate to the shop.

For his first solo show at Cuffs, Keith has created a series of digital C-prints from 35mm film entitled Everything is Awesome. Focusing on seemingly mundane, everyday sights, he executes the photographs in a way that causes the viewer to take a second glance—realizing the series title is, in fact, true.

With photography, Keith is able to capture scenes exactly how he perceives them, delivering his fresh take of the world to people who may otherwise be unswayed by a lamp post or a flock of birds. His work offers vision fields that give a lush and clean vicarious experience, bringing out transcendence through texture while alluding to the banal, ordinary moments of life being lived.

In Keith’s words: “Everything is everything. Sorrow and trees and architecture and love and chemistry and politics and the world. It’s awesome…to see a wave of oneness within each particular thing. Or perhaps the everyday itself is simply worth seeing in a new way.” Keith’s philosophy is tied in intrinsically to the photographs in this show. Attendees will leave with a novel view of the everyday and the knowledge that, yes, everything is awesome.

About the artist
Keith Telfeyan makes video art, short films, and photographs. He received his MFA from Parsons the New School for Design in 2009, and his Bachelor’s degree in Film from the University of California, Berkeley in 2003, where he also studied Philosophy and Rhetoric. His artwork has been exhibited throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia. He was born and raised in Sacramento, California and resides in Brooklyn, New York. He is left-handed and keeps an active dream journal.

For further information about Keith Telfeyan and to see more examples of his artwork visit his website.

______________________________________________________________

All images by Keith Telfeyan:
1. Electric Spirituality
2. Pixilated Abyss
3. Slow Motion Explosion

Disclaimer: Alison Kranz is Public Relations contact for Keith Telfeyan.

Emaciated dog rescued but veterinary bills very high

2010-12-02T13:47:56Z

On Thanksgiving morning, a woman out walking came upon an emaciated, starving and freezing little dog. He was lying on a thin sheet curled up in the tightest ball under a tree. She took him home and bundled him up and gave him food. It soon became clear he needed emergency vet care.

Mueller's Pet Medical Center initially thought he might have stomach cancer, but surgery revealed he had eaten a corn cob. Because he has been in starvation mode for so long, his recovery has been complicated. He weighed in at 22 pounds. He should weigh about 45 pounds. He has been receiving 24-hour care since Saturday, and his bills are about $1,200. He is a very sweet and loveable greyhound mix.

The new owner was laid off from her job in February and is currently still unemployed. Photos of Ollie can be seen at annethedogphotographer.com. If you know of anyone able to help with a financial donation to Ollie's vet bill, please have them call Mueller's at 916-428-9202.

Kings fill library shelves during NBA Cares Week of Service

2010-10-25T06:34:24Z

Books - the basic building block in the foundation of learning - were missing from a new high school in Natomas, and it sounded like a job for the community-minded Sacramento Kings.

As part of the 2010 NBA Cares Week of Service and to celebrate the five-year anniversary of NBA Cares, the Sacramento Kings landed the Kings Karavan bus along with several players on Saturday at Natomas Pacific Pathways Preparatory School (NP3) for a community book drive in an effort to fill those barren shelves in the school’s library.

The slight drizzle turned to rain as the temperature dropped and the waterproof ponchos were handed out.

That didn’t stop Darnell Jackson, Pooh Jeter, Jason Thompson and Donte Greene from coming out to gather books from the vehicles driving through various collection drop boxes steadied by Kings Breakers and Sacramento Kings Dance Team members, as well as students.

Since NP3 opened almost two years ago, the library has had computers but very few tangible reading sources. The shelves are almost completely empty, but after today’s campaign, the wooden racks will have many more reading options available to the students.

Principal Tom Rutten was more than pleased to have the Kings in attendance helping collect the reading material for the students that are eager to learn.

“It’s awesome,” Rutten said, smiling. “For them to be willing to take the time and their commitment to the community, it’s just fantastic. We haven’t set a total of how many books we wanted, we just want to get the books into the kids' hands so that they are reading.”

There were several students giving an assist to the Kings personnel on hand.

“We don’t really have much,” student Zohaiv Arshad. “Some of the things that are missing are the sports programs and our library. We are always in the library, but there were computers in there but no books. We thought it would help the future of the school if we got a library.”

Jeter, a Kings player in his first year with the team, always appreciates when an organization such as the Kings partners with the community.

“It’s great that the Sacramento Kings and the community have that kind of relationship,” Jeter said. “This is something that all the kids need. Read to achieve.”

Jackson, a forward acquired by the Kings in the trade that sent Jon Brockman away, agreed with Jeter, saying that when kids go off to college or to reach that next level, they need to know how to read.

The rain couldn’t keep the determined donors away as cars made their way through the maze of kids, dancers and, of course, Slamson.

Collin Pitts, a child who came through hoping to see a few Kings players, was even luckier than that, as Slamson climbed into the backseat of his mom’s car and almost hitched a ride home with the youngster.

Since the inception of the NBA Cares program, the league, its teams and its players have donated more than $145 million to charity, completed more than 1.4 million hours of community service and created more than 525 places where kids and families can live, learn or play.

If you would like to donate a book or two, please visit NP3 at 3700 Del Paso Rd. All donations are greatly needed and will go a long way in building their library collection.

Street Kings - A Closer Look at Kings Helping the Community

2010-09-23T21:04:50Z

A couple of Sacramento Kings players visited a West Sacramento youth gathering site the other day, and while it wasn’t a typical day at the office for Francisco Garcia and Beno Udrih, it was, in some respects, much more rewarding.

Garcia and Udrih were at the Collings West Sacramento Teen Center on Tuesday to announce a special gift to the kids at the center and youngsters like them across the area. Between the two of them, they have purchased 50 lower-level season tickets to give away to children considered at-risk in our community. For each of them, it was just another in a long line of gifts they’ve given the area that they hope will keep on giving.

The setting was perfect for the generous donation of time and tickets. Being held at the Collings Teen Center was just what the doctor ordered as, according to the center, more than a third of the city’s teenagers live in poverty. And, according to Don Bosley, the center’s executive director, teens are the perfect audience to appreciate such a donation.

“It is the at-risk population that comes here – these aren’t the kids that go to Kings games,” Bosley said. “These aren’t the kids that really have a hope or a dream of going to a Kings game.”

And then the other shoe dropped, but in a grand way. Garcia and Udrih also brought each child who was at the center a free voucher that, in turn, will get them into the home opener.

That, Bosley said, was a game-changer.

“To be able to see players in the flesh,” Bosley continued, “and to have those players invite them to become part of the home opener – it’s really hard to calculate the meaningfulness of that to these kids. You can see them. Their eyes are still going, ‘Wait, you mean we get to go to a game?’ It’s not the world in which they normally get to operate so it’s very, very exciting.”

And as for what it meant for ’Cisco, as Garcia is affectionately called, to be able to give back to the community with his “La Casa de Garcia” organization? Well, those thoughts were easy to coax from the 2009 Oscar Robertson Triple-Double Award winner – an award given out to the King whose charitable work is above and beyond.

“Just help(ing) kids, it’s all about the kids – most of all the kids that really need it,” Garcia said. “They just need help to stay off the streets. Nowadays, there are a lot of kids that are just hanging in the streets – they really don’t know their role. I’m just a guy that plays basketball and comes to talk to them because I thought it might help.”

Unlike a lot of professional athletes these days, Garcia said he has no problem carrying the role model label.

“I have a daughter myself, and she’s 3 right now,” Garcia said. “I try and conduct myself certain ways so she will always be proud of me as well as the kids in the streets.”

Udrih also has founded an organization that will just-as-assuredly change people’s lives. His is called the “One-B Club” and benefits individuals who have experienced tragedy in their lives.

“It supports kids that have (had) a tragedy in the family,” said the six-year veteran from Slovenia. “I’m just trying to donate and give back to the community so that some kids can go to the game and have fun.”

Udrih said he has enjoyed his time in Sacramento and feels that the fans have treated him well. Even though he’s a professional ball player, he still understands the reality of life for the average person these days.

“I don’t like some of what is going on in the world right now,” Udrih said. “With all the families having tragedies and the economy is really bad, I’m just trying to reach out and help.”

And help it does. The Kings players can always been seen around town doing their part. But Tuesday was about having fun – the kids weren’t the only ones having a great time.

A couple of members of the Kings popular break dancing team were also on-hand. There was a dance contest that featured not only a group of the kids on stage, but another of the kids’ mentors who brought the house down with laughter. Besides standing on the edge of the stage contributing to some of the comedy, both Kings in attendance also helped make the occasion festive by tossing out T-shirts, balls and posters, which they were happy to autograph as the event wound down.

The day was not lost on Steven Royster, who approached Garcia afterward and thanked him for coming. He couldn’t wipe the smile of off his face.

“I did it because not a lot of players do this,” Royster said. “I thought it would be a good thing to thank them because they are taking time out of their day to come see us and talk to us and sign stuff.”

It seems that the center, whose motto is “Embrace, Engage and Empower,” has had a positive effect on the youngsters.

Bosley said he didn’t let the moment at the Collings Teen Center get lost on him, and he was sure it wouldn’t be lost on the kids in attendance.

“Ultimately, we exist as a teen center to help kids feel valued and loved and embraced,” he said as the day concluded. “A move like this extends value to them. The Kings helped us take an ongoing step toward our goal today in valuing kids. I really appreciate it – it’s pretty personal to us.”

Notes: For more information on the Collings Teen Center, call 916-375-0681 or check it out online at collingsteencenter.org. For more on the Kings in the community, visit nba.com/kings.

Photos by Mark Needham

Julie Ann Twyman serves love, great food to community

2010-09-18T01:20:54Z

The spirit of giving lasts all year for Julie Ann Twyman, who spends her time coordinating a number of programs benefiting the homeless.

The mother of two runs a catering business, takes culinary courses at American River College and reaches out to the community for donations.

Eight years ago, after shedding the weight of a troublesome past, Twyman devoted herself to bringing improvements to the homeless and needy citizens of Sacramento. With sponsorship from the Sacramento First Church of the Nazarene, she began with a coat and backpack collection drive. When many other similar drives began around the community, Twyman refocused her programs on the needs of the homeless that other drives were overlooking.

Thanksgiving to the Streets was born. This event was a way to bring a full meal and donation baskets directly to needy families. Everything was donated – from the turkey dinners to the baskets set about town that collected donations. Some years she’s had between 80 and 100 volunteers helping her feed the community.

Next, Twyman began the Sacramento Blanket Drive. For this she asked the community to donate blankets and socks and other things to keep the homeless warm during the winter.

“Sponsorship from Starbucks,” Twyman said, “helped us collect almost 1,000 blankets one year from a single store.”

She soon began organizing another holiday event, Christmas Baskets to the Streets, which she coordinated with a donation program named Sacramento Poverty Reach Back. For this drive, Twyman asked for hygiene products like shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, razors and other such “staples of comfortable living.”

Most recently, Twyman began the One Can CAN Do drive, aimed at collecting canned foods to be distributed through the holiday baskets. The name of the program was meant to inspire everyone to donate something, no matter how small.

“One can goes a long way,” she said. “If everybody could contribute one can, we could feed a multitude of people.”

With all of these programs collecting donations year-round, Twyman has found it difficult to maintain them on her own. “Most people call to volunteer two weeks before Thanksgiving,” she said, “but we need people more than just once a year. The volunteering really starts in January.”

Twyman had been using donated space in a building to host these holiday events that consisted of a fresh home-cooked meal for the community, live music, raffles, crafts tables, donation distribution, prayer gatherings and information about where to get free medical examinations.

“It was really wonderful,” Twyman said. “We had stations for the food and for the donations. There was a stage for the band. We had prizes, too, for vacations that people could win. And places where people could gather and pray together.”

In 2008 the building owner lost the property, and Twyman had to make a few changes to her programs. She said she is still looking for a new building to keep her various community events going and would only require the space for about a week in order to set up decorations and bring in supplies.

“If anyone were able to donate their space,” she said, “they would greatly help serve the community.”

She continues to be a big part of the Sacramento First Church of the Nazarene homeless ministry, and is busy getting the word out about her donation programs.

Stacey Hernandez, an administrator from the Nazarene Church, said, “This is a passion for Julie. She gives up lots of her time to help others and does a wonderful job of knowing resources for people in need.”

Hernandez said the Thanksgiving to the Streets event on its own helps about 100 families, and with Twyman’s involvement and the various other programs she has created, the number of families aided year-round is likely closer to 400 or 500.

Twyman said she loves helping others and “seeing expressions on their faces of joy, transformation and happiness, knowing they were loved and that someone cared. People feel honored and valued for who they are.”

“It’s completely life-changing,” Twyman said, “for me and for those we help.”

Twyman explained how some of those she has served and helped over the years now come back to be on the other end – to help serve. The homeless are now working, in school, making life changes.

Hernandez commented that “Julie has been an enormous help for us. She is getting so busy with her other programs, but she still works with the food closet to help bring donations.”

Her community-oriented lifestyle is not without challenges, however.

Twyman said she suffers daily from fibromyalgia and spinal neuropathy. This includes swelling, spinal problems and pain in her hands and arms. Some days she has to use a walker to get around and really relies on her family and her employees to help her.

“I’m definitely in the wrong line of work,” she said with a laugh. “Sometimes after a catering job I’m down for three days.”

Her 15-year-old son, John, and 18-year-old daughter, Jessica, have been helping her for the past eight years by cooking, prepping and serving food as well as gathering donations from the community.

“I’d be lost without my children,” she said. “When I’m down and out, they’re my lifeline.”

Twyman was not born disabled. Her disabilities were the result of injuries from physical abuse in her past. Now she uses her disability as fuel to continue giving back to the community, to prove that “it doesn’t matter where you are in life, everyone has something to contribute.”

She spends a lot of her time working at Two Moms Catering, which is going on its third year of business and growing in popularity. She learned to cook at home and is currently taking classes in the culinary program at American River College. The profit from Two Moms helps fund her various community donation programs.

Two Moms Catering operates in kitchen space rented from Mass Appeal at 2135 Dale Ave.

To volunteer for or get more information about this year’s Thanksgiving to the Streets and Christmas Baskets to the Streets events, e-mail Twyman at thanksgiving.to.the.streets@gmail.com.

Photographs:

1. Mixed green salad with olives, baby corn, carrot, red onion and feta cheese.
2. Julie Ann Twyman.
3. Christina, Julie and Julie's son, John.
4. John helping in the kitchen.
5. The front entrance.
6. The side entrance to the kitchen.
7. Julie Poirier and her children, helping at last year’s event.
8. Julie Ann's daughter, Jessica, and friend Thomas Cosby.

“Hot Moms and Cool Kids” strut their stuff at fashion show

2010-08-02T05:12:45Z

Moms and children strode in fashionable attire on a pink and white striped runway last Friday to raise funds for the Sacramento Children’s Museum.

A couple hundred people gathered at 33rd St. Bistro in Midtown to support the fundraiser for the museum that begins demolition today. Ten dollar tickets benefited the museum directly.

Sponsors Koukla Kids Boutique, M.E. Boutique, Firefly Salon and Boutique and 33rd St. Bistro began planning the event only three weeks ago. Kathryn O’Connell, co-owner of Koukla Kids, said they saw a need for a fundraiser to benefit a place that could be fun, safe and educational for children of the Sacramento area.

“All the other major metropolitan cities have a children’s museum, and we don’t. That’s,” she said. “what drove us to do an event.”

O’Connell said the turnout for the fashion show was far beyond what they expected.

“We oversold the event,” she said. “People were eager to participate. I think they saw the need for something so valuable for Sacramento.”

Moms and kids modeled clothing from the boutiques, starting their runway walk in the M.E. Boutique located next door to 33rd St Bistro. After strutting outside on a multicolored chalk-drawn floral runway, they ended their loop inside the bistro.

Ten mom models and their children participated, all chosen by the sponsors. All clothing modeled was available for purchase, with 20 percent of the proceeds going to the museum.

Alan Godlove, president of the board of directors for the children’s museum, served as emcee for the event. He announced raffle ticket winners, which were available for purchase at $1 per ticket.

He said the museum, which is expected to open in March 2011, will focus on children from ages 0 to 8.

“There are a lot of many wonderful museums in Sacramento, but the focus on that age group hasn’t existed in awhile,” Godlove said. “It gives young children a way to learn in an environment that parents can feel comfortable in.”

Godlove, who has young children himself, said parents can feel safe letting their young kids roam around the museum.

Natalie Truman, who handles fundraising development for the museum, said the Sacramento community will have the option of becoming a founding family. The family’s name will be memorialized in a tribute displayed in the museum.

“The founding families campaign is $500 or more and donor recognition on the wall to the first 500 families, with all proceeds going directly to construction,” she said.

The idea for the museum began six years ago when two school teachers got together after visiting a children’s museum in another city. Founding partners, The city of Rancho Cordova, the Junior League of Sacramento and Roebbelen Contracting, Inc. helped bring the project to a reality.

For more information on the Sacramento Children’s Museum, visit sackids.org.

"The Purse and the Person" comes to Sacramento

2010-07-01T05:32:24Z

The California Museum will present "The Purse and the Person: A Century of Women's Purses," an exhibit dedicated to revealing the change of women's roles throughout history by the use and contents of purses.

Beginning Saturday and running through Sept. 26, "The Person and the Person" will be giving another look into the history of women.

“Purses provide a peek into history. This exhibit tells the story of what we took with us and why,” said Amanda Meeker, deputy director of The California Museum, located at 1020 O St.

This exhibit looks at purses from the contents inside to the outside design of the purses, connecting day-to-day life to the hidden artifacts women keep in their purses, according to the press release.

During the exhibit, the California Museum will also host a purse drive, the proceeds of which will be donated to St. John’s Shelter for Women & Children. Those who purchase a ticket and donate a new or slightly used purse will receive one free admission ticket. The "Bring a Purse, Bring a Friend" campaign runs through the month of July, according to the press release.

This exhibit is a part of a nine-city national tour over a three-year period, containing about 100 purses and hundreds of other artifacts and photographs, developed by Smith Kramer Fine Arts Services.

"The Purse and the Person" has been a part of many different museum's across the country for many years, including Texas' Women's Museum and South Carolina's State Museum.

The California Museum
1020 O St. in Sacramento
Open seven days a week: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday, noon - 5 p.m.
Tickets: $8.50 for adults, $7.00 for seniors and students with I.D., $6.00 for kids ages 6-13 and free for kids under 6.

Photo courtsey of "The Purse and the Person."

New Salvation Army Social Services facility

2010-05-18T23:12:08Z

“This absolutely blew me away.”

Tim Weisbeck said this after touring the new Salvation Army Family Services building in the Northern Sacramento area. He was one of nearly 100 in attendance who showed up for the grand opening of the social service facility on May 13.

“We are blessed to have this building,” said David Bentley, Salvation Army Sacramento County Coordinator. “The Salvation Army can now serve the families and individuals in a very professional and first- class manner.”

The new Family Services facility is a much needed upgrade because the old building in the downtown Sacramento locale was simply too small for the growing number of families and individuals seeking assistance. There has been an increase of 118% in some social service assistance over the past year, including the food box program.

The current building can easily accommodate case management, an intake area and a warehouse where donated food and clothes are stored. Families from Sacramento County can come to Family Services to seek assistance for food, rent, utilities and transportation.

“It was great to see what The Salvation Army is doing,” said Weisbeck. “There were some things I didn’t even know The Salvation Army does.”

Those in attendance for the grand opening were treated to a unique tour of the facility. The place was transformed into a Monopoly-esque game called “Movin-opoly”. The attendees used a game sheet to help navigate through the different services The Army provides.

“This was fun,” said attendee Barbara Little. “What a creative way to go through a tour. I learned so much about Salvation Army programs in Sacramento.”

Bosom Buddy Program Supports Women

2010-05-08T04:40:59Z

The Bosom Buddy Bra Recyclers are giving bras a second home.

Founded in October 2008, the organization collects used bras from women around the world to donate to homeless shelters and transition houses. If the bras can't be used, they're recycled and given a new life in a different form.

The idea for the project came when Elaine Birks-Mitchell was talking to a friend who worked at a shelter. As they talked about what the women needed, the subject of bras came up. "They never get enough," Birks-Mitchell said. "People don't think to donate bras."

Birks-Mitchell said the response to Bosom Buddy has been unbelievable. The project has received 20,000 bras in the first quarter of 2010 alone. Combined with last year's donations, the total is more than 40,000. While women are encouraged to mail in donations, there are 17 drop-off locations, most are in the organization's home state of Arizona, with one in Dallas, and another in Sacramento.

"For some reason, us women, we don't like to throw anything away," Birks-Mitchell joked. Many donors have found the recyclers on the Web, dug through their closets, and found one or two bras that just don't fit right. Some still have tags on them. And donations have come from as far away as Hong Kong.

Connis Kimball, co-owner of At Last Bra and Lingerie, the local drop-off location, said she decided to work with the program after hearing about it on television. "We had customers coming in that would purchase bras who didn't want their old ones," she said. "We wanted to find something that we could do with the bras other than throw them away." The shop, at 2639 Town and Country Place, has received well over 1,000 bras. "We enjoy working with Bosom Buddies; we all have the same goals," Kimball said.

The recycled bras used to be sent to shelters in a big box, but most shelters couldn't use all of them, and the boxes were taking up precious room. Now, Bosom Buddy will send each shelter a kit that includes a special measuring tape and instructions on how to use it. Each woman can measure herself to get the perfect fit. While all sizes are gratefully accepted, Birks-Mitchell said the biggest need is for sizes 38 and up.

Local shelters also are in need. "Rather than sending everything out of state when we have shelters here, we send some to local shelters," Kimball said. The shop works with St. John's shelter for women and children in Sacramento, and Heather House, a permanent homeless shelter in Fairfield.

Besides recycling lacy underthings, Birks-Mitchell is interested in increasing awareness of domestic violence. Many battered women flee their violent environment quickly, often forgetting to pack bras. Kimball has worked closely with the transitional houses that help them.

"It doesn't matter what your socioeconomic background is, it can happen to anyone," she said of domestic violence. "It's OK to talk about."

Bosom Buddy has done events with the Girl Scouts, and put on "The Bra-Vogue Contest and Fashion Show," in which contestants decorate a bra.

The bra recyclers teamed up recently with Operation Petticoat, a campaign to send bras to women and girls in Kenya. Birks-Mitchell said the lingerie we take for granted here is badly needed there. Most females in Kenya can't afford bras, and without them, it's difficult for girls to participate in activities such as sports.

Birks-Mitchell said she hopes to form a partnership with bra manufacturers. Most retailers and manufacturers throw away defective or unsold bras. Bosom Buddy wants to convince those companies that recycling is the way to go, she said. "It's a neat way for companies to do outreach and do something different."

Images:

1. Logo for the Bra Recyclers

2 & 3. Decorated bras from "The Bra-Vogue Contest and Fashion Show"

4. At Last Bra and Lingerie

Images 1, 2 & 3 courtesy of Elaine Birks-Mitchell

Image 4 courtesy of At Last Bra and Lingerie

The reality of the Christmas Assistance program

2009-12-23T15:40:33Z

Editorial Note: The Sacramento Press is in no way affiliated with any of the organizations mentioned in this article.

Most of us have heard about the Salvation Army’s toy drive for local needy families. Through the media we see a family that is very happy to receive several presents given to children that otherwise would go without. All of this generous charity work begins with expensive marketing, fundraising events, donations, and of course volunteers. The most important part of this charity process is the families with children in need.

When a family signs up for Christmas assistance from the Salvation Army they must provide certain documents, such as a proof of income, proof of residency, ID, etc. When a family signs up they must go to the Salvation Army sign-up location. The location for this year was on the far side of north Sacramento. Families had to spend the day on a bus in order to reach the sign-up location or, as with most families, have vehicle transportation. That means a family spent at least $6 for an all-day bus pass or they spent approximately $6 for gas depending upon how far they lived from the sign-up location.

Once the families have completed their sign-up they are very happy and excited in anticipation for what they believe will be a wonderful Christmas for their children. These children are so hopeful and happy that they will now have presents under their Christmas tree, if they even have a tree.

Now comes the big day that they are all looking forward to picking up their presents. Each of these families that signed up must have a vehicle to go out to Cal Expo and pick up their gifts. That means families who are disadvantaged to the point that they do not own a car will not likely receive any Christmas assistance. If they do not own a car then they may be able to give a friend some gas money for a ride out to Cal Expo to pick up their children’s presents. So far, signing up and picking up the gifts has cost the family approximately $15 – $20. But this process will give children a Christmas, so who cares about how much it will cost? Right?

When families arrive at Cal Expo to pick up their gifts, they hand their ticket to a volunteer who leaves and returns with a large white plastic bag with the Salvation Army logo on it. Inside of the bag is one new toy with an estimated price of $8 to $10. Also, two additional very small toys, one new and one used toy, estimated price of $5, are included in the bag for a total of three.

Needless to say, the excitement of a blessed Christmas has dissipated. These two or three unwrapped toys are what that child will receive for Christmas. It is to late for them to look elsewhere for Christmas assistance and what little money they had was probably spent on gas getting to and from Cal Expo.

I, Sacramento Cmmunity Family Resources know all of this because I helped a family go through the process. I concede that the Salvation Army’s Christmas assistance program is a good program, but I will now personally go out and buy the child some secret Santa toys who would otherwise have a very sad Christmas. I am not sure where the blessing is at when more money is spent getting to and from the Christmas assistance program than is spent on the donated gifts. Maybe some reader feedback can explain the math.

Rescued meal program faces diminished services and future costs

2009-12-04T03:32:29Z

"I see us potentially losing some of the volunteer base," said Supervisor Don Notolli at Tuesday's board meeting. "The human contact for the seniors is [currently] happening five times a week ... that day-to-day contact is important."

Despite concerns, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved changes Tuesday designed to save the popular Meals on Wheels program. In 2010, hundreds of seniors will no longer receive daily hot meal visits.

A plan drafted by the county's Department of Human Assistance will save the county $917,000. It will cut $680,000 from the program and shift $237,000 to the state's Medi-Cal program.

The changes will become effective Dec. 31.

The plan, however, will maintain meal service for all seniors. "We are pleased to announce that we will continue to provide meals to all of those within the program," said Bruce Wagstaff, director of the Department of Human Assistance.

Wagstaff announced that the program will save money by discontinuing delivery of daily hot meals for many seniors. "Many of the (1,400) seniors in the home-delivery program [will] receive a five-pack of frozen meals each week that they [will] reheat over the course of the week," he said.

But some seniors aren't able to heat the frozen meals. About 150 of those most vulnerable seniors will continue to receive daily hot meals, delivered by the program's network of volunteers.

Wagstaff pointed out that 9.2 county positions will be cut, too.

"This plan [to save Meals on Wheels] covers the current fiscal year, and includes the use of stimulus money that will not last forever," he said. "Intensive fund raising will continue to be a key part of our strategy."

To help finance the program beyond this fiscal year, the county plans to aggressively seek donations and community support through the Interfaith Service Bureau, Wagstaff said.

According to the county report on the program: "Donations during Fiscal Year 2008-09 totaled $85,000. Since calendar year 2000, [Meals on Wheels] has raised approximately $500,000 in donations."

Earlier this year, the county received $306,000 from the federal stimulus program to finance Meals on Wheels. These resources will be be depleted on Sept. 30, 2010.

At an Oct. 20 meeting, the Sacramento County Board of Supervisors delayed making budgetary changes to the Meals on Wheels program in hopes that county administrators could find a way to save it. Many were pleased that the program was saved from elimination, but worry about an uncertain future and the loss of human contact for many seniors.

To help offset these cuts, Notolli suggested that the county seek new volunteer assistance to maintain the program's daily contact with seniors.

"Nobody thinks that this is the best solution," said Geraldine Esposito, chairwoman of the Sacramento County Adult and Aging Commission. "But we can actually retain the program and that's what's critical right now."

For more information regarding Sacramento County programs, budget-related information or other related information, click on the Sacramento Press' Sacramento County tag.

“Hope” for the Holidays to Sacramento Families.

2009-12-03T12:54:58Z

Many of the Sacramento Food Bank locations and other food distribution sites throughout Sacramento are generously providing our American citizens a basic portion of food that will last them for about three days. These food distributions are the hope and excitement for many families that would otherwise go hungry this holiday season.

I recently made the time to personally observe the people who stand in the food distribution lines, sometimes for hours, just to get a single paper bag of groceries. It sadly seems that a majority of the people who are standing in these food giveaway lines are families in need with young children. It is a very depressing site to see children in these food lines, I almost have to look away from the sad scene because no child in our country should go to bed hungry. While sitting in my car, the food giveaway line moves slowly along with the children hanging onto their mothers’ leg waiting for their turn, hoping that some sort of treat will be given to them in “their bag”. Once the families receive their food they immediately begin looking through it and eating before they have even left the location.

So, hundreds of malnourished American children are fed from our food lockers and are dependant upon the empathetic contributions by businesses, workplaces and individuals. What is it like to get up in the morning and start our day off hungry? Wondering where our next meal is going to come from? For many, to many, of our Sacramento families that next meal comes from the Food Bank and other food distribution sites.

There is some help available to those who are in immediate need, but where do they find that help? I decided to do my part and create Sacramento Community Family Resources providing a food distribution list that places the food lockers with the least restrictions on top of the list. It makes no sense to me telling a hungry person that they must wait until a certain day to have food to eat. If someone is hungry, then feed them. I believe that a call to action is in order that we all step up and find something within our kitchen cabinets, our next trip to the store or just plain give something to these families that have nothing left but hope.

Let us take another look at the families after they receive help from food lockers. Myself and four volunteers for example, have taken food directly to a family for Thanksgiving, and WOW the excitement and thrill that they had when receiving the food. The two little children literally run to the refrigerator where they now have something in it to eat and drink. The food that these families receive means a lot to them, and I am sure that they are very grateful for what they are given. What may seem like a small contribution from us is to the families a healthy meal, a peace of mind and the presence of food in the home seems to give the kids more energy to run around in circles and play. Our contributions to the Sacramento Food Bank and other organizations are what help these families feel happiness during the holidays. There is nothing more rewarding than seeing a happy family with children laughing and playing because they do not worry about their next meal.

My “hope” is that everyone will find a way to contribute something to the happiness of the families in our community. What you can do starting today is post a comment about any helpful organization that you know of where people can go to for finding the help they need.

5TH Annual Holiday Toy Drive— Oak Park Neighborhood Association’s Gift Wrapping & Pot Luck

2009-12-02T21:22:39Z

In preparation for the Toy Give-Away by the Oak Park Neighborhood Association (OPNA), the community is invited to the Gift Wrapping and Pot Luck dinner on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009 from 5:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services at 3333 3rd Avenue.

All are invited to join the festivities, bring some food, maybe a gift and or wrapping and get into the season of sharing. Or just show up and eat some food, meet some new friends, and help with the wrapping.

OPNA is collecting and will distribute gifts to Oak Park children for the 5th year.

Each year, hundreds of children receive gifts and this year the number is likely to be even greater than previous years. The goal is to receive and distribute 1,200 gifts to grateful children.

DROP OFF TOYS FOR KID IN OAK PARK

Community groups, businesses, organizations and individuals are invited to drop off gifts at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services warehouse located at 3333 Third Ave, Sacramento 95817 (on the corner of 33rd Street and 3rd Avenue in Oak Park).

Gift donations of new toys are requested between Nov. 22 and Dec.18th
Drop off hours are 8 am – 4:30 pm, Monday – Friday, and until 7pm on Wednesdays
Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services — (916) 456-1980
If wrapped, please note if gift is for a boy/girl/either and age range
Gift distribution will take place Dec. 19th from 12 pm – 3 pm

Learn more about Oak Park Neighborhood Association -- www.oakparkna.org

Email us at opna@InMyCommunity.com

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, a local non-profit organization serving families and individuals in need since 1976, offers nine diverse programs at two facilities in Sacramento. A staff of 35 employees and several thousand volunteers accomplish SFBFS’ mission of assisting those in need by alleviating their immediate pain and problems and by moving them toward self-sufficiency and financial independence. Additional SFBFS information is available online at www.sacramentofoodbank.org