Four community leaders have been elected to United Way California Capital Region’s board of directors for the first time, and five current directors were reelected. New directors include Nancy Bui-Thompson, SMUD 2012 board president, Brad Liggett, vice president for the Pacific Coast region of Allied Insurance, Natasha Mata, Four River Market president for Wells Fargo Bank, and Yvonne Walker, president of SEIU Local 1000. Re-elected to the board were Dan Drummond, West Sacramento police chief, Dr. Robert Harris, community volunteer, Genevieve Shiroma, chair of the Agricultural Labor Relations Board, Allen Taylor, business consultant, and Dave Wilson, partner with Grant Bennett Public Acco

UCP of Sacramento and Northern California has received a $1,500 CVS Caremark Community Grant. The Community Grants Program was created by CVS Caremark as part of its commitment to putting people on the path to better health by creating greater access to health care services and providing support for the uninsured and underinsured. Support from CVS Caremark will help UCP Saddle Pals, which provides adaptive horsemanship opportunities to children and adults with disabilities. “Saddle Pals is one of our most popular programs but also one of our most expensive, due to the high cost of care for horses,” said Doug Bergman, UCP president and CEO. “CVS Caremark’s grant will enable children and ad

Pacific Coast Building Products Foundation and Pacific Coast Companies of Rancho Cordova recently awarded UCP of Sacramento and Northern California a grant of $7,500 to fund UCP Saddle Pals Heroes Astride, which provides adaptive horsemanship opportunities to disabled servicemen and women at no cost so they can recover from physical and emotional trauma. “Our nation’s heroes serve their country around the world, but when they are injured, often have trouble finding the care they need close to home, “ said Doug Bergman, president and CEO, UCP of Sacramento and Northern California. “We are very thankful to Pacific Coast for its generous donation that will empower wounded veterans, serviceme

Local residents can celebrate the roaring 1920s at United Way Emerging Leaders’ 2nd Annual Cocktails & Ballet from 7-9 p.m. on Jan. 31 at the Elks Tower Ballroom in Sacramento. In celebration of United Way California Capital Region’s 90th anniversary of its founding in 1923, guests are encouraged to dress in 1920s-themed attire and will enjoy a costume contest, gourmet hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, photo booth, dancing, networking and more. The Sacramento Ballet will present a dance from its upcoming show, “The Great Gatsby.” The ballet is based on the novel of the same name that was published one year before the local United Way was founded. Cost is $20 and guests must be age 21 or older. F

A hundred low-income Sacramento children at Capitol Heights Academy in Oak Park carried home bags of fresh produce for the holidays, thanks to California Food Literacy Center’s Holiday Fruits and Veggies Drive. Local residents along with Soil Born Farms and Feeding Crane Farms, donated around 3,000 pieces of fresh fruits and vegetables in the one-day drive held outside Nugget Market in West Sacramento, giving the children in the program the chance to meet their five-a-day nutrition goal for six days. With 85 percent of the students on free or reduced price lunches at school, compared to 70 percent across the nation, most of these students do not have access to fresh fruits and vegetables o