Hunger action day was held Wednesday May 22 at the state Capital. The day was a focused effort to promote and publicize bills AB 5, SB 283, AB 309, AB 191, and SB 134 at the legislature and with the public. Here is a quick summary of the bills. AB 5 – Homeless Person’s Bill of Rights SB 283 – Reentry and Job Support (for released prison inmates) AB 309 – CalFresh benefits for unaccompanied homeless youth AB 191 – Strengthening the connection between CalFresh and Medi-Cal SB 134 – No Hunger for Heroes Act James Kinchen and Tim Shadix, policy associate for the California Association of Food Banks. James related to me his story and how SB 283 would help inmates returning to society. In

If you’ve ever wanted to take a peek into the past, and witness a major world war without actually enlisting in the service, now may be your chance. No, we’re not talking about time-travel here, although the experience may cause you to feel like you’re in another decade. The WWII Boeing B-17, “Memphis Belle,” is coming to Sacramento for the Liberty Foundation’s 2013 Salute to Veterans tour, and the event is open to the public. People in attendance will be able to learn about WWII and the roles the various aircraft and veterans played during that time. “Memphis Belle” may look like it came straight out of a museum, but the aircraft is actually still completely functional. Local WWII B-17

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 ch

If it takes a village to raise a child, it’s not surprising that a host of dedicated volunteers, charitable organizations, tech-savvy individuals and the Internet was required to put The Soldiers Project/Sacramento on television and computer screens worldwide. The non-profit organization, which provides free, confidential mental health services to active-duty military and veterans of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan and their loved ones, recently released a series of three 30-second public service announcements. The video trio focuses on areas of chief importance to The Soldiers Project: Recruiting volunteer therapists to treat the thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who suf

The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is now accepting submissions for an essay contest designed to honor local military veterans. The winning high school student will receive a $500 college scholarship, courtesy of SAFE Credit Union. Every year, SCOE honors the many contributions of local veterans who left high school to serve in the U.S. military during World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War through the Operation Recognition program. Qualifying veterans who received an honorable discharge may contact SCOE to receive their high school diplomas. Diplomas are also presented to Japanese American citizens who were forced to leave high school due to WW II internment. The

The Veterans Hospital Voluntary Services Department put out a call for volunteers to deliver Christmas trees and accessories to 19 homes in Sacramento County. They were the homes of military veterans who had been homeless and recently placed in housing, thanks to the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing program, known as HUD-VASH. Figuring they needed a little help to get their homes in the holiday spirit, Maria Almes, chief of voluntary services of the VA Hospital, coordinated the effort and received volunteers from the American Red Cross Capital Chapter Region, the military, Elks Lodge 2484 and Almes' husband, Robert. Trees, ornaments,

Quick Quack Car Wash, a growing chain of exterior-only, express car washes, has announced that it will be offering a free car wash to all veterans and active military personnel on Veteran’s Day in conjunction with the nationwide “Grace for Vets” program. On November 12, veterans may visit any of Quick Quack’s car wash locations from 7am to 7pm on Monday, November 12, 2012 to receive a complimentary wash. Customers will only need to inform Quick Quack employees verbally that they are veterans in order to receive their free car wash. Quick Quack has seven locations in the Sacramento area including the newest location in Citrus Heights. Addresses and directions can be found at www.DontDriveD

Older adults who were unable to complete high school due to wartime circumstances are eligible to apply for diplomas through the special Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) program Operation Recognition. The program is for eligible U.S. veterans and Japanese American citizens. Operation Recognition was adopted in October 2001 by the Sacramento County Board of Education to honor the contributions and sacrifices of individuals who missed completing high school to serve in the U.S. military (specifically World War II or the Korean War) or relocate to a World War II internment camp for Japanese American citizens. In 2005, the County Board of Education expanded the program to include

In addition to its fascinating Gold Rush past, the Sacramento area is rich with an amazing array of state-of-the-art museums and historic sites that offer visitors the chance to explore California’s fine art, history, science, and wildlife treasures all year long.  In November, many of the 30 members of Sacramento Association of Museums (SAM) are honoring our veterans and historic past with special events and activities, including: Civil War Tour at the Historic City Cemetery - November 10 Find out why Sacramento’s Historic City Cemetery is truly home of the brave. Visitors to the “Country Divided, City United: Sacramento's Involvement in the Civil War” free tour will learn how Sacrament

Last month’s historic tour of Sylvan Cemetery was so popular that it is being offered again on Saturday, Oct. 27, during October Family History Month. History abounds at the cemetery, which is the burial site for over 1,300 veterans of the Civil War, Spanish-American War, World Wars I and II, the Korean War, the Vietnam conflict and the Gulf War. In addition, the cemetery is the final resting place of many early settlers and founding families of the region, including the Van Maren, Ose, Rusch and Volle families. Sylvan Cemetery recently commemorated its 150th anniversary, and is commissioning a bell tower to honor the 8,000 citizens interred at Sylvan. Weather permitting, anyone intere

The board for the Capital Film Arts Alliance (CFAA) -- a professional nonprofit dedicated to advancing the film and video production in the Sacramento Valley region -- voted to offer a one-year free membership to veterans and active military, including California National Guard members and Reservists, who have served in the military any time after 2000. The film-based nonprofit decided to provide this offer to assist the men and women who have given so much of their lives in service to our country during our nation's conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Returning to civilian life after serving our country in the military and finding non-military employment and a community outside the servi

AUBURN, Calif. — A home where veterans and their families are welcome back again and again, C & E Auburn V-Twin Inc. celebrates each of you by sponsoring a ride, run and barbecue recognizing your service to our country, Sunday, June 24, 2012. Registration begins at 9 a.m., and the ride starts at 10 a.m. Tons of festivities will take place at Western Gateway Park, Penn Valley, where the ride ends at noon. Many friends and fellow service members, as well as the community, will be there to shake your hand, say thanks and support all who have stood for the values and principles upon which this nation was built. “It is so important that we thank those who have given so much to this country,” s

From dusk till dawn, 200 individuals—including children, veterans, poets and teachers—will take to Fairytale Town’s outdoor Mother Goose Stage to present an all-night, nonstop reading of Homer’s great epic, “The Odyssey.” The park will open at 6:30 p.m., and the reading will start at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Jun. 22 and conclude around 7 a.m. on Saturday, Jun. 23. Participants will read aloud pre-assigned passages drawn from a translation by Robert Fagles. This reading is presented in partnership with the Readers of Homer, an organization-in-residence at Bard College in New York. The Readers of Homer is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit literary event company that produces all-day or all-night audience

Monday was full of activites across the city in observance of Memorial Day, and people young and old visited monuments and attended celebrations honoring the many men and women in the United States military who have served our country in the past and continue to do so today. Here are just a few images from the Vietnam War Veteran's Memorial and the World War II Memorial at Capitol Park on Memorial Day.  

The Sacramento County Office of Education (SCOE) is now accepting submissions for an essay contest designed to honor local military veterans. The winning high school student will receive a $500 college scholarship, courtesy of SAFE Credit Union. Every year, SCOE honors the many contributions of local veterans who left high school to serve in the U.S. military during World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War through the Operation Recognition program. Qualifying veterans, who received an honorable discharge, may contact SCOE to receive their high school diplomas. Diplomas are also presented to Japanese American citizens who were forced to leave high school due to WW II internment. Th

Most of us have at least one person in our family who has served in the military during wartime. These men and women live amongst us, some suffering more than others, some not suffering at all. As they age their sense of self worth comes into focus, and they struggle to explain themselves to younger family members. Talking about traumatic events experienced during war is stressful and exhausting. So the question is “Should we dredge up old painful memories? Are our grandfathers and fathers too old to heal?” Apparently Frazier Sheppard and Laverne Shimanek feel you are never too old to heal. Sheppard (US Army, Vietnam) and Shimanek (US Marine, Korea) are both veterans of war and now they r

Folsom residents saluted its 11th annual Folsom Veterans Day Parade this past Friday. Parade participants gathered at the Target parking lot on Blue Ravine Road and made their way towards City Lions Park. The theme for this year’s celebration was “Saluting our Newest Generation of Warriors: Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom.” Thousands watched the parade as representatives from the armed forces, the City of Folsom, scout groups, community organizations and residents participated in honoring those who have served our country. Over 2,000 participants were involved in the parade. Representatives from various JROTC, ROTC, beauty pageants, youth sports and high school

With Veterans Day landing on a Friday this year it was conducive for many events honoring those who have served. Somewhat under the radar, Old City Cemetery (OCC)  gave visitors a tour of a few of the grave sites of Military Medal recipients  fought in the Civil War, World War I, World War II and the Spanish-American War. Amongst them they were recognized with these medals:     •     2 - Medal of Honor     •     2 - Distinguished Flying Cross     •     6 - Silver Star     •    23 - Bronze Star     •     5 - Air Medal     •    44 - Purple Heart. Three volunteer tour guides took turns telling the stories of the circumstances surrounding the dead soldiers. . As we started walking we were to

There's a special way to honor veterans and Japanese American citizens who missed graduating from their home town high school due to wartime circumstances. Through its Operation Recognition program, the Sacramento County Board of Education will provide high school diplomas to qualifying veterans (proof of honorable discharge required) who left high school to serve in World War II, the Korean War or the Vietnam War. Also eligible for belated diplomas are those Japanese American citizens who were forced to leave their local high school due to incarceration in a WW II relocation center. Diplomas are awarded even if the honoree earned a G.E.D. or went on to college without having received h

The Quad at Sacramento City College was occupied Nov. 10 with approximately 350 students and faculty as guest speakers approach the stage to show their support and appreciation for the U.S military. U.S Army veteran Kim Mack, served 3 years as a military police officer. She addressed the crowd by telling a personal story of the importance of veteran’s day. “Service comes in all forms,” said Mack. “Service comes in many different ways. Today we honor our veterans and our people currently serving. Our young men and women who are putting their life on the line in Afghanistan and Iraq so you can go to school here, and get a job in a field that you want to work in.” According to Mack, for ov