At just four months old, little Ivy has endured three surgeries to repair Gastroschisis, a congenital condition where there is incomplete formation of the abdominal wall so that the contents protrude outside the body.   This birth defect affects about 2 of 10,000 babies in the United States. Ivy’s family lives in Fairfield and even though this is the third time Ivy was scheduled for surgery at Sutter Memorial Hospital, her parents Jacqueline and James Wilkins never knew about the Sacramento Ronald McDonald House, until one day, when they were deciding who was going to stay with Ivy, their social worker mentioned the Ronald McDonald House. “It was such a sight of relief knowing that we cou

Critter Outfitter Needs More Helping Hands Have a few extra hours a week and want to help shelter animals in Sacramento? Then Critter Outfitter wants you! Retail pet supply and gift store Critter Outfitter is looking for volunteer sales clerks. Located inside the Sacramento County Animal Shelter, Critter Outfitter has an all-volunteer staff and is run by TEAM (Teaching Everyone Animals Matter). All proceeds raised go directly to benefit the Shelter's animals. Volunteer sales clerks assist customers, make sales, and help with all aspects of running a small pet supply store. Volunteers work with the public, many of whom have adopted shelter animals. Some hands-on contact with pets for fit

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

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

Every Wednesday night, a group of three dedicated women can be found teaching the During your Pregnancy course in the Parent Education program at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS). One of these amazing volunteers is Jane Eiferle, a retired, licensed vocational nurse with experience in obstetrics and gynecology. Jane’s easygoing and welcoming nature makes it easy for Parent Education clients to ask questions about their pregnancy and learn in a confidential and nonjudgmental atmosphere. After attending volunteer orientation in 2010, Jane volunteered at an event to help wrap holiday presents for families in need. She wanted to become more involved and that’s when she met Lorena

On the day of a home visit, mother-daughter duo Maggie and Ellie Keenan have brainstormed topics that Ada Cooper, 83, will find interesting to talk about. The topic for this particular visit was the Korean War. “Her husband served in the military, so she may have a lot of input on the recent events happening right now,” said Maggie, a kindergarten teacher at Barbara Comstock Morse Elementary. Maggie and Ellie Keenan are volunteers for one of the newest programs at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS), the Senior program. This program matches volunteer families and socially isolated seniors with the assistance of Eskaton’s Talking Listening Caring Telephone Reassurance Program (

Nonprofit provides about $176,100 in donations to the community The Volunteer Center of Sacramento (VCS) would like to thank its sponsors and volunteers for helping make its 2011 Adopt-A-Family a record success. Through the generosity of the Sacramento area, VCS was able to find adopters for 412 struggling families in our community, which includes a whopping 1,246 children. This amounted to about $176,100 in clothing, food and toy donations distributed throughout the Sacramento community. VCS more than exceeded its goal of helping 300 families, and almost doubled last year’s program, which adopted 222 families for a total of 567 children. “Words cannot convey how truly humbled we are b

Brian Geary's day usually begins at 4 or 5 AM. But despite his early wake up call, Geary was all smiles at the Oak Park Community Center food distribution on a chilly November evening. “Brian is smiling all the time,” said Food Program Director, Eric Kintzel, “His terrific attitude is absolutely infectious and makes for a delightful atmosphere.” Looking unfazed by the cold, Geary explains that his east coast roots have prepared him for much colder. “This cold is not bad,” Geary said smiling. Born and raised in Indiana, Geary said that he has always felt attracted to helping people and drawn to volunteering. “I feel compelled to give back because I‟ve been fortunate throughout life and

Pat Palley was recently recognized for her longtime commitment to Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS). Her history with SFBFS goes back over 14 years. In 1995, Pat applied to be the program manager for SFBFS’s Mother-Baby program, but declined the position due to foot surgery. Later, she volunteered working with clients in the Havens Transitional Living program. In 2001, she and her teenage daughter started volunteering in the Food program, which she continued to do until 2009. In 2005, after teaching Spanish at a Waldorf school in Placerville and having heard about SFBFS’ Adult Education program from a friend, she approached SFBFS and inquired about tutoring opportunities. She

It's that time again... we're nearing Thanksgiving, which means it's almost time for the 18th annual Run to Feed the Hungry! This event, taking place every Thanksgiving morning, is the largest fundraiser of the year for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS). The event launches in front of Sac State and winds through East Sacramento, with a 5K course and a 10K course. Over 28,000 people participated in last year's event, making it the largest Thanksgiving Day race in the country. One of the ways this event is made possible is through the support of over 500 volunteers on the morning of the event as well as the days leading up to Thanksgiving Day. Not much of a runner of a walker,

Volunteers often bring more than just their time to Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS). Many bring their talents, their professional training, their enthusiasm for serving others and their desire to make an impact in the community. T. Jackson is a volunteer at SFBFS who brings all of the above on a regular basis. She has been volunteering in the PlayCare and Youth Academy programs at SFBFS’ Saca Community Learning Center since April 2010. On Friday mornings, T. can be found surrounded by ten to twenty toddlers, sitting on the floor in PlayCare, playing guitar and singing. Her educational background in music therapy helps her to create a special bond with the children who are i

Julia Siegle came to California just 2 years ago and has already established herself as one of the most active volunteers in the Youth Academy program at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS). Born and raised in Seattle, Julia later moved to the East Coast where she lived in Boston, MA and Newport, RI, earning her Bachelor’s Degree in English from U Mass and spent time as a preschool teacher. Julia is an avid snow skier and loves the outdoor adventures and proximity to the mountains that Sacramento provides. However, when the snow melted in the spring months, Julia found herself with more free time on her hands. This allowed her to pursue volunteering and was intrigued by a posti

The City of Sacramento is pleased to announce the first edition of the new citywide eNewsletter: City Express. This quarterly newsletter will contain information that has relevant topics and in depth information from the City’s perspective that businesses or residents would find interesting and helpful. You can find this newsletter at: www.cityofsacramento.org/cityexpress. “We wanted a citywide newsletter that was useful, dynamic and another way for the City to stay connected with its residents, businesses and customers,” said Amy Williams, City Media and Communications Officer. “Communicating with the public is a top priority and City Express is another key tool in that effort.” The City

In the Adult Education program at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS), volunteers sit side by side with the clients they are assisting, often developing rapport and trust with one another. Volunteers are essential in creating a welcoming, nonjudgmental learning environment. Two of the friendly volunteers one may encounter in the Adult Education program at SFBFS’ main facility in Oak Park are Leslie Marria and George Langley. This dynamic duo has been carpooling from Folsom to Oak Park for the last two years to volunteer. But don’t call them tutors. “I don’t consider myself a tutor,” says Leslie. “We’re doing a lot of mentoring.” George agrees. “We don’t teach people, we help the

The Sacramento Historic Cemetery on Broadway hosted an informational flower tour on Saturday. The 10-person tour group, led by guide Sharon Patrician, made its way around the cemetery, enjoying the multitude of plant life that the site has to offer. Members of the tour group were free to ask Patrician questions, explore plots and take photos. Patrician pointed out noteworthy plants and flowers along the way. Tour favorites were the fragrant historic rose bushes, vibrant red poppies and the rice flower, named for its pearl-like formation. Patrician passed around a primrose flower from a plant that has been in the ground for 10 years, encouraging attendees to feel its “silken quality.”

Charlotte Hansen is one of those “can’t live without her” volunteers. She has been volunteering at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) in the Mother-Baby program for just over one year, and the program staff cannot imagine the program without her. “Her commitment to the Mother-Baby program is fantastic,” says Lorena Carranza, Mother-Baby program manger. “She does it all.” Indeed, Charlotte wears many hats in the Mother-Baby program. She can be found on Mondays and Thursdays in the Mother-Baby clothing area, sorting baby clothing, hanging items, talking to new mothers and babies, training volunteers, and more. You may also find her sitting down with a new parent in the mentoring

On May 21st at Sacramento City College, Sacramento Steps Forward will be hosting its 4th annual Sacramento Homeless Connect event. In addition to the over 800 homeless guests and 60 service providers in attendance, 500 community volunteers participate as well. Volunteers provide help at important stations like housing or health services, serving lunch to guests, guiding guests to services, checking guests in at the intake station or participating in the job readiness fair. There are many positions available, and folks can sign up to volunteer at Hands-On Sacramento. This is a very popular event, so sign up as soon as you can! Volunteer positions tend to go quickly. Community volunteers

During the Christmas season of 2009 a strong desire came over Becky Starr to help a family in need. She knew she wanted to give back somehow and immediately went on-line in search of volunteer opportunities. Having worked in the food industry for 30 years, Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) seemed like an obvious fit.   However, after attending SFBFS’ volunteer orientation, Becky realized she might fit better into the services offered in the Mother-Baby program. “I have a four year old granddaughter and a two year old grandson that live in Champaign, IL and I don’t get to see them much,” confesses Becky. “I liked the idea of working with women and children, so when the Volunte

Local business has been less than enthusiastic about supporting many events, both locally, and nationally, due in part, to the economy, and also, to the vast number of requests for all types of upspring opportunities. The sea is wide where sponsorship money is needed, and not many companies these days are casting a wide net of support. Important issues, community events, common and functional causes are where most money is going today, and that makes sense. Here in Sacramento, an event is happening this coming Sunday, March 27th, and it could still use some of that support. And, it fits well within the scope of the aforementioned importance scale. VolunteerFest 2011 is going to occur thi

VolunteerFest 2011 is coming to Raley Field March 27th and YOU should be there.   ALL DAY Prizes Delta King Zoo River Rafting Limo Rides Robinsons TKD Memberships Quick Quack BIG Car Wash packages California Family Fitness Memberships and PLENTY more... Live Auction Benefitting Participating Organizations Raiders/49'ers/Sharks Memorabilia Major Band Signed Guitar Signed Musical Artist Items Jewelry Trips And more Family Fitness Workout - Sponsored by CalFit 55+ Martial Arts and Fitness Demonstration - Robinsons Tae Kwon Do Cooking Demonstration by Chef Tyler Stone (also an Auction item) Live Comedy Performance by PROJECT (new local rap act) Evening performance by