Team Hope will be back in session on Wednesday September 17th.

Team Hope is the Hands4Hope afterschool program for the students in elementary school.  Team Hope meets once per month to discuss upcoming events and volunteer opportunities.  The meetings are fun and allow for members to explore ways to give back to the community, plan group outreach projects and volunteer in the community.

Team Hope's first informational meeting will be held on Wednesday September 17, 2014 from 3:30pm - 4:30pm at the Hands4Hope Youth Center, located at 877 Embaradero Dr., El Dorado Hills (next to the El Dorado Saloon).

For more information about Hands4Hope, visit www.hands4hopeyouth.org or call 916-294-7426.

For information about Team Dream and Team Inspire, our school club programs for middle school students and high school students, visit www.hands4hopeyouth.org, click on Get Involved, School Clubs.

Highlights from our annual Hands4Hope Youth Leadership Camp

Seventeen high school Hands4Hope Club leaders participated in the 4th Annual Hands4Hope Youth Leadership Camp, spending 2 nights and 3 days at the Coloma Outdoor Discovery School (CODS) in Coloma. This camp provided an opportunity for all of the Hands4Hope (H4H) High School Club leaders to come together from six local high schools including: Union Mine, El Dorado, Ponderosa, Oak Ridge, Folsom, and Mira Loma. 

Hands4Hope High School Club Leaders participated in both the low and high ropes courses at CODS. In addition, the H4H Leaders participated in a series of workshops focused on strength-based leadership development, meeting and project development skills, and site-based teambuilding. We were also fortunate to have El Dorado County Sherriff D’Agostini as our camp closing speaker. 

These teambuilding and leadership development opportunities provide an excellent opportunity for Hands4Hope youth leaders to build foundational skills essential for running a successful service learning club in the 2014-2015 school year. Hands4Hope staff will continue to support and offer additional progressive leadership skill building opportunities for our young leaders throughout the year. 

Haley Lehtola, this year’s Youth Board President, had this to say about Hands4Hope’s Leadership Camp, “I have gone to camp for the past two year and can honestly say that I use the skills from camp everyday. With Hands4Hope, I am pushed past my comfort zone and grow as a leader. I also love getting the opportunity to bond with my fellow leaders so we can work together throughout the year.”

Our high school H4H Club leaders are excited to kick off the 2014 - 2015 school club year; many have meetings scheduled for as early as mid-September.

Our 1st Annual School Supply Drive was a success!!

This summer we held our 1st Annual School Supply Drive to benefit children in need in El Dorado County. In the weeks leading up to the start of the 2014-2015 school year, Hands4Hope youth and adult volunteers, led by college intern Riley Peick, collaborated with multiple local businesses, organizations and residents to collect backpacks and school supplies. Supplies were then distributed to over 400 students during two events, one for students in grades K-8^th and one for students in grades 9^th-12^th.

Led by a committee of five young volunteers committed to this cause, another 111 volunteers were put into action, handling the marketing of the drive, and collection and distribution of the supplies. In all, youth and adult volunteers worked over 130 hours to plan and implement the school supply drive.

We are proud to report that over 400 students were provided with new backpacks filled with necessary school supplies. With generous donations from businesses and community members alike, Hands4Hope received an estimated total of $29,517 worth of school supplies, including over 500 backpacks! In addition, Hands4Hope received a total of $1,557 in cash and gift card donations.

Hands4Hope Youth Development Coordinator NicoleCraine expressed her gratitude for the generosity shown by the community, “We are grateful for the incredible support from local businesses and residents. Together we have most certainly made a contribution to the well-being of the children who have benefited.”

Hands4Hope would like to acknowledge the local businesses and agencies that supported the school supply drive: Blue Shield of CA, California Welcome Center, Community Service District, DST, El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department, El Dorado Disposal, El Dorado Hills Fire Department (All locations), El Dorado Hills Library, Hangtown Skate Shop, Holy Trinity Parish, Lakehills Church, Office Max (Placerville), Rock’n Frogs, Rolling Hills Church, Round Table Pizza (El Dorado Hills Town Center) Royal Tattoo VI, Sam’s Club (Folsom), St. Stephens Church, Starbucks (Francisco), Starbucks (El Dorado Hills Town Center), The Gift of Kids, US Bank (White Rock Road),  Ethos Soccer Club and Zia’s.

Also, a huge thank you goes to the Placerville Union School District and the El Dorado County Office of Education (EDCOE) for allowing Hands4Hope to utilize space at Schnell School and EDCOE to distribute the donated school supplies to students in need. Without the support of local residents, and these business and agencies, 400 El Dorado County students would not have been well prepared for their first day of school.   

We are already making plans for its 2nd Annual School Supply Drive. If you are interested in participating in this resource collection and distribution effort, please contact Nicole Craine,  nicole@hands4hopeyouth.org.

Volunteer Spotlight: Riley Peick

Riley is one of our college-aged interns, assisting Hands4Hope this summer.  Riley Peick currently lives in El Dorado Hills for the summer and will be returning to Saint Louis University (St. Louis, Missouri) in the fall to continue his studies in Business.  

Riley moved to California the middle of his sophomore year of high school and attended Sacramento-based Jesuit High School until graduating. Wanting to continue his Jesuit education, Riley decided to attend Saint Louis University. This is where his passion for service really kicked off!  Joining a learning community called Micah, he was able to find a permanent service site and a lot of other fun and rewarding service events, much like Hands4Hope has.

"I got to go on a service learning trip to Honduras in January that was focused on microfinance and poverty alleviation for those living in extreme poverty. Already wanting to become an economics professor one day, this trip added to my desire to learn more about economic development and use my business degree for something beneficial to help the world's 3 billion people who live on less than two dollars a day!" exclaims Riley.

As Riley returned home to El Dorado Hills, he wanted to continue his service work and asked to intern with Hands4Hope for the summer​.  "I chose to volunteer at Hands4Hope because it reminded me a lot of what I had done in college. I love to help plan service experiences and Hands4Hope was a perfect fit for me," says Riley.

Riley ​is in the process of leading Hands4Hope's first School Supply Drive and has done a phenomonal job!  "Riley has taken his summer internship with Hands4Hope to another level! His commitment to service and the youth involved with Hands4Hope is evident through his continued and tireless efforts.  Riley has been an instrumental leader in the 1^st annual Hands4Hope School Supply Drive. As a result of his commitment, coordination and planning we are confident that many students in El Dorado County will be prepared and ready for the 2014-2015 school year!" explains Nicole Craine, our Youth Development Coordinator. 

Mikan, our Outreach Coorindator, further adds "Riley’s enthusiasm and willingness to not just help, but to take on the responsibility of handling details, has made our summer events much more successful.  We’ll miss him when he returns to school!"

Thank you Riley for all your hard work and commitment to Hands4Hope!

Hands4Hope's 1st Annual School Drive

(Looking for distribution events?  Scroll to bottom)

The Details:

The 1st annual Hands4Hope School Supply Drive will benefit children in need in El Dorado County. Hands4Hope youth leaders & volunteers will work with local business, agencies  and community members to collect items such as: backpacks, notebooks, pencils, pens, scissors, glue sticks, binder paper, construction paper, Kleenex and other school supply items.

Our Goal:

The goal for this event is to provide a backpack filled with necessary school supplies to each child in need before school begins in early August 2014.  To match previous collection efforts made by The Placerville Union School District the drive will need to collect enough school supplies and backpacks to serve 240 students (K-8^th grades). However, the El Dorado Union High School District has expressed great interest in Hands4Hope expanding the drive to also provide school supplies to students in grades 9-12^th.

List of Greatest Needs:

• Backpacks
• Composition books
• Pens
• Pencils
• Red Pens
• Folders
• Enclosed pencil sharpeners
• Glue sticks
• Construction paper
• Kleenex
• Binder paper
• Dry erase markers
• Highlighters

Events & Actions:

Community Donation Bins:

Hands4Hope donation bins for community donations of school supplies will be available July 14-August 3, 2014 at the following business and/or agencies:

•    Starbucks (2215 Francisco Dr, EDH)
•    Starbucks (4311 Town Center Blvd, EDH)
•    El Dorado Hills Fire Station #84 (Francisco Drive, EDH)
•    El Dorado Hills Fire Station #85 (Wilson Dr, EDH)
•    El Dorado Hills Fire Station #86 (Bass Lake Drive, EDH)
•    El Dorado Hills Fire Station #87 (Golden Foothill Pkway, EDH)
•    St. Stephens Church (Olsen Ln, EDH)
•    Lakehills Church (Rossmore Ln, EDH)
•    EDH Library (Silva Valley Pkwy, EDH)
•    California Welcome Center (Town Center, EDH)
•    Round Table (Town Center (Town Center, EDH)
•    Zia’s (Town Center, EDH)
•    Community Service District (El Dorado Hills Blvd, EDH)
•    Rock’n Frogs (2201 Francisco Dr, EDH)
•    US Bank (1020 White Rock Road) 
•    El Dorado County Sheriff’s Department (300 Fair lane road Placerville)

Neighborhood School Supply Blitz:

On July 19^th (9:00am-12:00pm) Hands4Hope youth volunteers will lead a Neighborhood School Supply Blitz by Distributing 1,200 Hands4Hope School Supply Fliers along with donation bags to residents in three local communities (Blackstone, Promontory, and Four Seasons). Volunteers will return to those neighborhoods on July 29^th (9:00am-12:00pm) to collect donation bags. 

Tabling Events:

Office Max-On July 27th and August 3^rd (12:00-2:00pm) youth volunteers in partnership with Office Max will set up a donation table in front of the Office Max located at 3041 Forni Rd Placerville. Patrons will be able to purchase prepackaged supply kits ready for donation.Sam’s Club- On July 27^th (12:00-2:00pm) youth volunteers will set up a donation table in front of the Sam’s Club located at 2495 Iron Point Rd, Folsom. Patrons will be able to purchase requested school supplies and donate as they leave the store.

How you can help:

     1. Purchase the items in greatest need
 

     2. Drop off at any of the Community Donation Bins.If you live in the El Dorado Hills' communities for the Neighborhood School Supply Blitz, leave the items on your doorstep during the collection time.Or visit us at any of the Table Events.

Distribution Events:

To register for either event, click here.

Youth Board Spaghetti Feed Fundraiser Raises $3,000

This year the Hands4Hope Youth Board hosted the second annual Spaghetti Feed fundraiser to benefit Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) and Hands4Hope charities.  The evening was a major success, raising nearly $3,000.   There were 175 people in attendance to enjoy a delicious spaghetti dinner served by the Hands4Hope Youth Board. 

“The Youth Board did an amazing job getting food donations, a raffle, and a fun dessert auction that profited a great cause,” said Emily Abraham, Youth Board President for the Spaghetti Feed.  “BBBS does so much to help change the lives of at-risk youth, and they really appreciate the support of the community.”

Members of the Hands4Hope Youth Board spoke as well as the Executive Director or BBBS, Judy Knapp. A BBBS “Big and Little” shared their testimony, which was truly touching.  A little boy explained how he spends every birthday with his Big Brother, and they have even been to Disneyland together.

Hands4Hope would like to thank the following sponsors for their contribution to the Spaghetti Feed fundraiser: Western Sign Company; Wells Fargo Financial Services; Bel Air Camaeron Park; Macaroni Grill; and Clarity Audio and Visual. 

“Our Youth Board did an incredible job planning and executing the success of this event,” said Jennifer Basset, CEO of Hands4Hope.  “The venue was beautiful, check-in ran smoothly, the food was delicious, and the program was wonderful.  In addition to putting on a great event, they made almost $3,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters and Hands4Hope projects.”

An ORHS student singer amazed us all for the entertainment!

The dessert auction was a huge success!

2 of our fabulous adult volunteers, Inga and Mary Ann

Our hard working Youth Board!!

H4H Winter Boutique warms bodies and hearts

This year is our 3rd annual Winter Boutique.

Our youth volunteers have worked hard through their Warm & Fuzzy drives to collect warm clothing and accessories to distribute to families in need this winter.

Our Winter Boutique was open for two days for the first time this year.  It was a very special experience for our volunteers as well as for those benefitting from our Boutique.

Please see the responses from our volunteers and from a man who was in need.

From someone benefitting from the Boutique:
"Thank you so much for putting together this wonderful clothing boutique, yesterday! It was so impressive to see how beautifully the racks and shelves were arranged; and to observe the tremendous help of the Hands for Hope volunteers. I'm also so thankful for the clothes, themselves. The timing of this event couldn't have been better; as many of my outfits and work pieces were showing signs of extensive wear and I didn't know how I was going to replace them, just yet. I hope you know that you really make a difference . . . and that you really matter.
With many, many thanks!"

_______________________________________________________________________

From two of our volunteers:

"There were many stories over the weekend - one family lost everything after her husband returned home from the Military. Her teenage daughter was too embarrassed to come but our teens helped her mom pick out some really cool stuff and she left very grateful. When we gave her the Payless gift card she cried. Another lady said we made her Christmas, she wasn't sure how she would be able to get anything at all and was thrilled with what she found at the boutique. And, many people just gave a heartfelt thanks when they left. I was so impressed with our amazing Hands 4 Hope volunteers. They truly made the shopping experience easier and enjoyable for our guests. They were so helpful finding sizes and giving suggestions. They were always polite, smiling and friendly. A huge thanks to all of them!"

"Mine was two middle school girls. One found a pair of boots she loved. She was beaming ear to ear. They were both so excited they were almost jumping. It made me rethink what to buy my boys, nieces and nephews for Christmas. It also made me clean my closet even more, lately I keep thinking clothes will go back in fashion :) and hang on to them. Now having seen who is on the other end it makes it more real to me than giving it to Salvation Army. These clothes will not be wasted."

Thank you to our supportive communities that donated for this event.

We hope you have a beautiful holiday season.

Our Winter Boutique will be open again January 4th and 5th.

My Experience At NTLP

NTLP (National Teen Leadership Program) is a motivating, inspiring and fun three-day camp at Sacramento State University.  We've been sending youth for years and we always enjoy sharing their great experiences.

NTLP was without a doubt the highlight of my summer.  The life lessons are definitely going to stick with me throughout my life.

I came into NTLP expecting it to be another boring camp where the speakers are all the same and speak on the same thing, but I was definitely surprised with how good of speakers NTLP provided, especially Calvin Terell. 

Listening to Calvin speak was pretty much a life changing experience, he's such a powerful speaker who really made me think and evaluate myself... my parents even said I came back home more mature, just after those three days. 

It was also really exciting getting to be a college student for a little bit.  We stayed in dorms and all had roommates and we all had to make it to the different seminars or events on time. We also did a lot of team building activities, pretty much always done in silence, which really strengthened our communication skills and brought us all closer together.  

I loved NTLP and I can't wait for the next one and to be reunited with the friends I met there and to also make new ones. I really enjoyed how everybody was themselves and I got to truly express myself.  I don't think I've ever danced like that at my own school's dance before, I really felt comfortable and at home at NTLP and can't wait for the next one!

-Writted By: Kellien

Spring '12 Food Blitz was a Success!

On April 22nd, our volunteers (mostly youth) set out on a mission to educate our community about hunger and fill the shelves of two local food banks.

In just 8 hours, they collected:

$7854.74 in cash and gift cards 

4,786 pounds of food

All of the food will go to the El Dorado County Food Bank or Twin Lakes Food Bank (based on which county the food was collected in) and cash and gift cards will be divided between the food banks, Hands4Hope, and other Hands4Hope partner agencies.  

Wow!  We are so impressed.  Thank you to our volunteers & community members who helped support their cause.

We're making a difference.

The Experience of Planning Our Fundraiser

My experience planning the Wind Spaghetti Dinner Benefit was really a success and has left me with many lessons. 

 The initial start of the planning of this event began about a year ago, and the idea to keep it going began to fade away until a few of us recently got motivated again. I think our whole team saw the value of communication, and that without it the planning of the event could become very strenuous. However, I think the speaker at our event said it best, "People are like flowers in a garden and it takes longer for some to blossom".  

It is a leader's responsibility to help others grow to their fullest potential. I hope that this event was a great experience for our whole youth board to grow and learn from. And this event really showed me what youth are capable of. 

 Our astounding success really touched me and is yet another driving force for my desire to volunteer. The participation of the community and getting to interact with Wind really shows what this organization is about. 

 I learned about coordinating events, but also about working with people. The planning of this event was an act of determination for everyone involved. It ran so smoothly, our end goal was doubled, and we successfully accomplished our first fundraiser for a truly great cause, I could not have asked for more. 

Written By: Emily

 Emily with WIND Director Mike Brim

 Co-Coordinators Emily & Kirsti

 The decor looked great!

 Signing in our guests.

 Inspiring guest speaker Tony Asaro from the Sacramento River Cats.

The WIND Youth Band!  They were great!

A Unique Youth Partnership

On a chilly December afternoon, local youth from the Hands4Hope youth outreach organization congregated in front of the WIND shelter in Sacramento. Equipped with layers of fleece, the youth entered the shelter, eyeing the place with admiration.

There were teenagers everywhere, playing their instruments, talking amongst themselves, and ultimately having a good time. The walls were decorated with art and inspirational quotes made in graffiti lettering.

The Hands4Hope youth started making blankets for the youth at the WIND shelter, and the WIND kids began to help. Although awkward at first, soon the youth from both organizations worked together and started enjoying themselves, engaging in small talk and starting to form acquaintances.

Events like these benefit the youth at WIND many of whom were and some that still are subjected to life on the streets. Hands4Hope helps the organization frequently, making blankets and providing meals for the WIND youth. On Friday, March 2, 2012, you can help too.

Hands4Hope youth will be holding Spaghetti Feed Fundraiser at Lakehills Church in El Dorado Hills to benefit the underprivileged teens at the WIND shelter in Sacramento. The event will be from 5:30 to 8:30pm and will cater to kids and adults alike. Tickets $12 per adult and children 6 and under are Free. Spaghetti will be served along with salad, garlic bread and lemonade. There will be a dessert auction and raffle and two youth bands will provide entertainment, one from Oak Ridge High School and one from Wind Youth Center. Seventy percent of the proceeds will benefit youth at the WIND shelter in Sacramento. Thirty percent will benefit Hands4Hope’s Team Inspire (high school group) and their local outreach projects.

Attending the event is a great way to learn more about and help Wind Youth Center, www.windyouth.org. Wind is an organization that houses and serves homeless teens. According to the organization’s website, their mission “is to engage youth experiencing homelessness who need safety from the streets and access to resources to help them move from crisis to healthy functioning and independence.” In the past year at WIND, over 100 youth were provided a safe place to sleep, 19,754 meals have were served, 237 youth were engaged in life skills classes, and 179 youth have received advocacy services. The center in Sacramento has classrooms, computers, a music room, showers, and a kitchen to house the WIND kids and ensure a successful life for them. Each youth who stays at the shelter even gets a youth advocate to help them get plan goals and provide assistance. The proceeds from the spaghetti feed event will help sustain the organization and cater to their needs.

-Written By: Samita

Twin Lakes Food Bank Visit

Last Tuesday we went to visit the Twin Lakes Food Bank in Folsom and were welcomed by the director, Tammy.  She informed us about the program she is running.  Everyday, Twin Lake's trucks pick up the extra food from Raleys, Whole Foods, and Savemart and then re-use it for the needy families in Folsom and our surrounding areas.  The people in need are welcomed any day of the week from 9-12:30 and Tuesday nights from 4-7.  Those families are provided with a months worth of groceries, clothes, purses, and anything from diapers to shaving cream.  Twin Lakes usually gets around 70-80 people per day.  This program holds a huge event on Good Friday every year where they give over 600 families an Easter dinner bag and Easter baskets for the kids.  Thanks to the community, Twin Lakes is able to provide such a great service for the families.  Anybody is able to donate their goods, so don't forget to drop off your used clothing or extra groceries at anytime!

While we were there, it was surprising to learn how many people use this food bank in our area.  Families are dependant upon this bank for their groceries. We have never had to worry about running out of food for the month. Many hours of hard work are put in for these people to have fresh milk, produce, and eggs everyday.  The organization is run by dedicated volunteers that inspired us.  Twin Lakes Food Bank opened our eyes to poverty going on around the corner and how easily it is to jump in and help.

During our visit, we were able to capture a few shots of this outstanding organization. 

-Lindsay Lee and Audrey Hayden

Oak Ridge High School Seniors