After moving to the United States from Zambia, Africa in 1999 to pursue a career in non-profit work, Elitas Schmidling was anxious to dive head-first into her community. As a Human Services major at the University of Phoenix and founder of the Mazzy Flow Foundation (which is still in its infancy), Elitas was hoping to gain insight into effectively operating and managing non-profit organizations. Seeking internship opportunities, Elitas discovered Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services’ (SFBFS) Parent Education program at the Saca Community Learning Center (Saca CLC). Learning more about SFBFS and the Parent Education program, Elitas was shocked when she discovered the sheer number of vol

From humble beginnings with only two Spanish speaking staff members working out of a rented garage over a decade ago, Language World Services (LWS) has grown into one of the most comprehensive interpretation companies based in the Sacramento region with services spanning to the Bay Area and as far south as Fresno. Now equipped with a staff of 160, 140 of which are interpreters, LWS provides on-site, over-the-phone and video-conference interpretation services for over 50 languages in an array of settings including government organizations, various private businesses and most notably, health care. Recently, LWS has also created a staffing service which is able to match businesses with avail

As a transplant to Sacramento, Matt Shields was looking for a way to build a relationship with his new community. A recent graduate with his Master’s Degree in Communication from Oregon State University, Matt held previous volunteer experience with radio stations and public events, but was looking for something more long-term. Perusing the programs on a Web site called Volunteer Connect, Matt found a listing asking for Adult Education tutors at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS). Unfamiliar with the organization, but eager to get involved, he decided to give it a try. A year later, Matt could be found working closely with adults studying to complete their GED at SFBFS. From w

Who doesn’t love a situation where everybody wins? Through a four-way team effort between the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), United Way and the Sheet Metal Workers Union: Local 104 (SMWIA), future AmeriCorps NCCC teams who serve at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) will have a warm house to call home, while members of the Sheet Metal Workers Union Apprenticeship Program will gain valuable labor skills. Greg Larkins, the Community Services Liasion with AFL-CIO/United Way along with Randy Young, Business Representative with SMWIA and Mark Paavola Apprenticeship Director of SMWIA, recruited members of SMWIA’s apprenticeship progr

Who: Sheet Metal Workers Union Apprentice Program, Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, AFL-CIO Community Services & the IRS’s VITA/EITC program. What: Installing a heating unit in a facility to house AmeriCorps volunteers Where: Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, 3333 Third Street, Sacramento, 95817 When: Thursday, January 3, 2013 9 a.m.   On Thursday, January 3rd the Sheet Metal Workers Union Apprenticeship program will be donating their time and expertice in an on-the-job training exercise, by installing a heating unit system donated by their contractors. They will be updating an aging Victorian home that Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services will use to house volunteers of

Typically it’s an apple that keeps the doctor away, but for the month of December, Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) is extending that saying to include all fruits and vegetables. And, more importantly, how to prepare them. Aprons in Action, The Home Depot Foundation’s monthly Facebook voting program, recently nominated SFBFS for December's competition. Only one of four selected charities, SFBFS has the opportunity to win a $25,000 gift card to Home Depot to finish the outdoor kitchen in the Demonstration Garden. SFBFS’ Demonstration Garden began growing fresh fruits and vegetables in February 2012 and continues to provide fresh produce year-round. Items grown in the garden

What has 54,000 legs, 27,000 smiles and a huge impact on our community? Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services’ annual Run to Feed the Hungry. This event, which raises support and awareness for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) is a Sacramento tradition. Local families turn out by tens of thousands to take part in one of the largest Thanksgiving Day race in the United States. Parents with strollers, professional runners, high school athletic teams and family members visiting from out-of-town can all be found sprinting, strolling and jogging their way through East Sacramento. This year’s 19th annual 5K and 10K fun run and walk is expected to draw 27,000 participants. The eve

The morning air is crisp and cool. The signs of fall are all around and one of the most exciting and busiest seasons is fast approaching for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. It all kicks off this Friday with a plethora of turkeys. KCRA and Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services are hosting the 5th annual Turkey Drive on November 16, 2012. Each year, the event has grown to meet the need of hungry families in our community. Thank you to our generos community members who make this holiday a little brighter for families experiencing hard times. This year's Turkey Drive will take place at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services' Oak Park facility (3333 Third Ave - near 34th & Broadway)

Robyn Slakey, a retired high school art teacher, has been walking and running in Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services’ (SFBFS) annual Run to Feed the Hungry for the past 15 years. Every year, Robyn and her family plan their Thanksgiving Day around Run to Feed the Hungry. “It is a fun, family event that supports Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services and the community,” Robyn said, “I really think it’s amazing how well SFBFS is the custodian of their money. They’re very good about what they do. Like what Blake Young [SFBFS President] says, ‘Give me $1 and I’ll turn it into $10.” Robyn remembers when she and her family first participated in Run to Feed the Hungry and there were just 3,00

I always look forward to Thanksgiving morning, but not for the usual reasons, like the smell of turkey roasting in the oven or parades on TV. I look forward to rising early, driving down J Street in the dark and seeing road closure signs and flares, indicating a special event is about to take place. I look forward to being one of the first cars parked at Newman Center near Carlson Drive and J Street. I look forward to being bundled up in the cold weather and setting up the volunteer check-in station for the annual Run to Feed the Hungry, benefiting Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS). Excitement is in the air as the sun slowly rises, and over 350 volunteers gather in their place

Today, Choice Hotels and Rebuilding Together are working to build a new outdoor kitchen for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services’ Demonstration Garden. Volunteers will be on site (3333 Third Ave, Sacramento, CA 95817) from 9am-4pm today painting, installing and prepping the area where nutrition education will soon take place. Last month, Choice Hotels partnered with Rebuilding Together to host a competition between four charities accross the nation. Supporters cast their vote and Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services won! Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services' Demonstration Garden broke ground earlier this year to help families understand that they can take an active role in improvin

Each holiday season, hundreds of local companies host a canned food donation drive to support Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS). In an effort to provide more nutritious foods, SFBFS is hosting a new donation drive concept: the virtual food drive. Instead of individuals cleaning out their cupboard to donate near-expired products, families can make a financial donation, which will be used to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables for families in need. The virtual drive offers individuals and companies the opportunity to sign up for their own online fundraising page, set a goal and ask friends, family and co-workers to support SFBFS. Over the past 18 years, SFBFS’ holiday donation

Will you make two clicks to help families become more self-sufficient? Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) opened the Education & Technology Center in February 2012. The new facility can now accommodate more families by offering parenting classes, technology workshops and courses that greatly improve a client’s ability to secure employment. Adjacent to the new Education & Technology Center is the 7,600 square foot Demonstration Garden, which produces fresh produce year-round. Items grown in the garden supplement weekly food distributions in the community as well as teach children and adults where food comes from. The Demonstration Garden was built to help families understand t

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services is excited to share the exiting news that we received 100,000 Huggies diapers through a partnership with the National Diaper Bank Network (NDBN) and Kids in Distressed Situations, Inc. (K.I.D.S). As part of a year-long initiative to get diapers to families in need, NDBN and K.I.D.S. have partnered together to donate 20 million diapers to regional and local diaper banks and local service providers throughout the United States, including SFBFS. With this donation, SFBFS will be able to provide approximately 500 Sacramento area families each month with diapers through SFBFS’ Parent Education program. The Parent Education program is designed to service

In Sacramento County, 80,860 individuals are food insecure, according to a 2012 report from the Sacramento Hunger Coalition. This means that 17. 7% of Sacramentans do not have access to fresh and healthy food. At Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services about 16,000 individuals receive emergency assistance through Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services’ (SFBFS) Food program every month. Through farmers’ market style food distributions, families take home a five day supply of groceries, including fresh produce. Items include lemon cucumbers, plums, zucchini, tomatoes, onions and apples, offering a wide seasonal variety to families at SFBFS’ food distributions. For SFBFS’ Food program, acce

The 4th Annual Race for the Ring brought friends, co-workers, mothers and sons, fathers and daughters, and other family teams together at Raley Field on Saturday. About 300 people participated in the annual race, which was sponsored by Bank of America and had teams of two vying to win the race by going from place to place gathering clues at different sites in Sacramento. The teams biked 12-15 miles during the course of the event. Using mobile phones and riding bicycles, each team received clues via text messages and moved to find the site in the clue. Teams raced to the spot and then picked up more text message clues. Points were awarded for reaching each destination and the time involv

The fourth annual Race for the Ring is coming to Sacramento on July 14, 2012. This text messaged based treasure hunt on bike through downtown Sacramento directly benefits programs at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS). Teams of two will pedal, scoot and wheel their way through downtown Sacramento guided by text message clues in search of more than $10,000 in prizes. Each week leading up to the event, we have interviewed someone who is involved in the race to find out why they are racing for a reason. Our final interview is with Renee Cisneros. The Sacramento Press: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Renee Cisneros: I am 29 years old and this is going to be my third year in

As a regular volunteer at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) every week since 2003, it was evident that Margot Abrott had a passion for helping those less fortunate. However, she did it in a quiet way, never boasting about her kind acts. Service was just a part of who she was. Margot passed away in March 2012 and is greatly missed by her fellow volunteers as well as SFBFS staff and clients. Margot could be found every Tuesday at the front desk of the Clothing program, greeting every single shopper that walked through the door and logging their information in the computer system. She came to know regular shoppers and worried about them when they weren’t seen for a few months. T

Grab your mobile phone, tune up your cruiser bike and get ready for an experience you’ll never forget. The 4th annual Race for the Ring, sponsored by Bank of America, will send out the first clue from Raley Field on July 14th at 10am. This exciting, text message based scavenger hunt will send hundreds of adventure seekers throughout downtown Sacramento looking for clues, solving riddles and mastering unique challenges. All participants are competing for amazing prizes provided by Roger’s Jewelry Company. In a new twist this year, Rogers Jewelry Company will provide nine unique rings, all valued around $5,000 each, for the winning team to choose from. Participants need not be hoping to bec

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) is hosting an electronic waste recycling event at their Oak Park facility on June 20. Proceeds from the event will benefit programs at SFBFS. Old computers and outdated printers readily come to mind when you think e-waste, but it turns out anything with a cord can be recycled. Have a broken hairdryer at home? An electric toothbrush that’s run its course? A lava lamp from your old dorm room? Christmas lights living past their prime? Please drop off your electronics on June 20 from 10am-2pm at SFBFS’ facility: 3333 Third Ave (between 34th & Broadway). Click here for a map. All items will be recycled by California Electronic Asset Recovery (CEAR