Three Sacramento nonprofits recently received grants from Umpqua Bank through its Joy of Giving campaign on Facebook. Mutual Housing California was awarded $5,000. Women’s Empowerment was granted $2,000 and Roseville Home Start $1,000. On November 20, Umpqua Bank asked people to post comments about local nonprofits on its Facebook page. The campaign ran through December 16. Nominated nonprofits had to be located within Umpqua Bank’s four-state territory—Washington, Oregon, California and Nevada. Mutual Housing staff posted the campaign to its Facebook page on November 27. Executive Director Rachel Iskow sent out an email asking people to respond. The bank selected 25 nonprofits to sha

On Saturday afternoon, Sacramento Kings joined with Nokia Siemens Networks and Verizon Wireless to give away 200 holiday dinners for local families at Sleep Train Arena. Twenty-five Mutual Housing California families were among the recipients of the traditional turkey dinners that serve six to eight people. Mutual Housing community organizers worked with property management staff to identify the families who would need dinners the most this holiday season. Families had to be on available the day of the event and have transportation. Latrise James, a resident at River Garden Estates Mutual Housing Community, and her family were grateful recipients. “It was a blessing having help in my ti

Because she had been given so much over the years, Crystal Irwin, a Mutual Housing California resident who had been homeless herself, knew she wanted to help another family this year. “I felt we had to give back for all the blessings we received,” said the event and fundraising coordinator for Mutual Housing at the Highland’s resident association,. Before choosing the Operation Santa program from the U.S. Postal Service (USPS), Irwin surveyed residents at the Highlands to see what kind of project they would like. “In talking to the residents, I found a lot of the families had been adopted for the holidays through various organizations,” said Irwin whose own family had help buying basics

Farmers & Merchants Bank of Central California, also known as F&M Bank, has been nominated for the Sacramento Business Journal’s 2012 Partners in Philanthropy award. The December 7 awards luncheon honors nominees—the region’s most active and inspirational companies that make a difference in their communities through financial contributions and volunteer work. At the annual event, a drawing will be held for a $5,000 donation to the finalist’s nonprofit of choice. Other honorees include 3fold Communications, Bank of America, Five Star Bank, Flyers Energy LLC, Gilbert Associates Inc., Give Something Back Office Supplies, Intel Corp., Lionakis, Lucas Public Affairs, Mechanics Bank, MeringCar

Kristina Rhoades, the 2005 Ms. Wheelchair California, recently drove to Sacramento in the MV-1, the world’s first specially designed van, factory-built from wheelchair users feedback. A spokesperson for the manufacturer, Rhoades demonstrated the features of the MV-1 at Shriners Hospital for Children and was interviewed by the media. After suffering a spinal cord injury as an infant, Rhoades was a patient at Shriners Hospitals for Children from 1997 to 2004. She has used a wheelchair most of her life. Rhoades was joined by Richard Rosebush of Destinations Mobility, a division of Paratransit, Inc. Because of Paratransit’s national presence, its long history in the mobility industry and i