Hands4Hope Sponsor Spotlight :: The Busch Family

Doug Busch has been involved with Hands4Hope since the beginning in one form or another.  As a mentor to Jennifer (our Executive Director), as an adult lead for all of the Haunted House projects, as a board member and, more recently, as the Board Chairman.  This year, the Busch Family decided to be an official sponsor of Hands4Hope to financially help further the efforts of the organization.  We recently interviewed Doug about his involvement with Hands4Hope and the reasons why they financially invested in the organization, read what he had to say...

Tell us about The Busch Family and what is the reason(s) for sponsoring Hands4Hope?

We (Doug and Julie) live in Penryn, CA, about 30 minutes from the Youth Center. We have two adult sons and a daughter-in-law in the Bay Area. We are semi-retired (very active in a variety of things, but no longer tied down to a full time job).  We feel very strongly that we should try to make a positive impact on the community, and that helping to form a next generation that is committed to community service is a great way to do this. 

The money and time we commit to Hands4Hope has a great return to the immediate needs of people in the community, and to the future.

What has been your involvement with Hands4hope? 

I got involved in Hands4Hope near the time Jennifer founded the organization. Julie and I have been friends of the Bassetts for many years, and Jennifer asked for my help organizing the Board of Directors for H4H.

I’ve served on the Board since it was formed, and been heavily involved in the Haunted House fundraiser every year. I also help out with a variety of smaller projects, building things the organization needs.  I began a two year term as Chairperson of the H4H Board in late 2015.

What has been your experience with our organization?

Hands4Hope has a unique mission, and a unique method of engaging young people.  It engages students at a very personal level, giving them the opportunity to find their own way of contributing to the community.  For many, it is their first exposure to helping people outside their family. For all, it is an opportunity to learn how to work in a team to meet community needs. It’s been incredibly rewarding to see the growth in the students in the program, and to see the benefits they have created for others. Any donation of time and money to a philanthropic cause is worthwhile, but sponsorship of Hands4Hope has been exceptionally gratifying.

Anything else you would like to add.

As a Board member, I want to thank all the families who have contributed time and money to Hands4Hope, and ask for your continued support. I’d like to ask all of the families who have students in the program to consider supporting Hands4Hope with time as a volunteer adult, and with your financial support.

Hands4Hope Homeless Committee partners with Social Venture Partners (SVP) Kids of Sacramento

Social Venture Partners of Sacramento partnered with our Homeless Committee for the January Hands4Hope Homeless Outreach.  Together, the youth and adult volunteers from both organizations, made and passed out 500 sack lunches, along with toiletries, to the clients of Sacramento Loaves and Fishes.   Before the distribution, Sister Libby Fernandez took the youth on a tour of the L&F Dining Hall, which was an enlightening experience for all.  Both SVP and H4H members had a great experience working together to brighten the day of some of the homeless population in Sacramento.  

In a recent review of the outreach on their website, SVP says they "can’t wait to have the opportunity to work alongside Hands4Hope again in the future.  They truly are making a difference and teaching their youth that it is NEVER too soon to start a habit of giving back!"  (Read more at http://www.svpsacramento.org/svp-kids-volunteer-with-hands4hope/)

SVP Sacramento is a group of corporate executives, community leaders, volunteers, philanthropists, parents– a network of local partners connecting passion and purpose.  SVP Kids is a program for children of the partners. Since its inception in 2008, Social Venture Partners Sacramento has united the power of the business community with the passion of the nonprofit world. For more information on SVP Sacramento, visit:  http://www.svpsacramento.org/.