Letter From Jennifer

Dear Volunteers & Supporters,

June is here and with it brings the end of school, summer fun, vacations, hot temperatures, and more outreach opportunities (see below). As we wrap up this school year, I want to send a huge shout out to all of our amazing young volunteers who were part of our School Club Program that just wrapped up, for the incredible amount of work they did this past school year.

CHECK THIS OUT . . . Through the H4H Clubs and elementary school programs alone, our young philanthropists collected 5,000 pounds of food to donate to local food banks, over 5,000 pieces of winter and spring clothing to donate to local foster children and families in need, 550 items of men's clothing to donate to Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services, 1,200 pairs of socks for homeless and others, 1,200 pounds of toiletries that are being distributed to local agencies and directly to those in need on the streets, purchased and decorated 100 notebooks for clients of The Center to use as journals, created and implemented a reading program for the children of St. John's Shelter, and raised $5,625 for causes and agencies close to their heart (all but $800 of this was donated locally).

Herbert Green Middle School Club host a carnival for kids, benefiting local foster children.

Union Mine High School Club working as a team

ORHS H4H Club Women's Committee project benefitting clients at The Center for Violence-Free Relationships.

Marina Village Middle School Club raising funds for the Heifer Project.

Team Hope prepping for the Toiletries drive.

Jesuit High School Club donating to the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services

Can I get a WOOP WOOP?!  . . . because our youth sure deserve one!!

Congratulations on an incredible year and best wishes to our 2014 graduates!! We are sure going to miss you (but know you will come back to visit)!

Gratefully, 

Jennifer

Spring 2014 Food Blitz is a Success!!

On May 17th, we hosted our semi-annual “FOOD BLITZ FOR THE HUNGRY” to fill the shelves of the Food Bank of El Dorado County and Twin Lakes Food Bank of Folsom.  Youth and adult volunteers manned the tables in front of select grocery stores, from Folsom up to Placerville, including Sam’s Club Folsom, Walmart Folsom, and Safeway Cameron Park & Placerville. 


Volunteers collected donations of canned and nonperishable food, along with cash and gift cards.  In one day, members of this community donated a total of 1,655 pounds of food and $2,966.18 in monetary donations. 

Collected cash and gift cards are split 50/50 between the food banks and Hands4Hope. Cards and cash are used by the food banks to purchase perishable items and specialty items for those with dietary restrictions (such as senior citizens and diabetes patients) who may not be able to take advantage of standard food donations.  

Hands4Hope’s portion of the funds is used to purchase food and other needed supplies for the organization’s food-based outreach activities (lunches for the homeless, monthly dinner for low-income seniors, monthly dinner for women staying at Sister Nora’s home for mentally challenged homeless women, etc.).

May Volunteer Spotlight: Page Phelan

After reading about Hands4Hope in a local magazine, Page Phelan felt she had found the organization she had been looking for. She had been searching for years to find a place where her family could get involved and help others. "I envision a future for my kids that include serving others with the realization that they are part of a community bigger than their own immediate space. What better way of instilling that value than by working together as a family, helping others as part of our lifestyle," explains Page.

Page has volunteered with Hands4Hope for the past four years. She serves on the Parent Advisory Council, as the adult lead for the Marina Village H4H Club, and participates in several outreaches. She is the mother two sons, Sam (16) and Max (13), who are both active in their school H4H Clubs and outreaches. She says,"Hands4Hope is a place where my kids have thrived. There are so many different ways for them to participate that fits their personality. My older son enjoyed, leading the Cash for Cats drive when he was in middle school, interned with H4H in the summer and now participates in the H4H Club at Oakridge HS. My younger son has the opportunity to be the "older" kid at Green Valley Community Church Kid's Oasis, giving him the opportunity to develop his maturity as a mentor. He enjoys the camaraderie of the Marina H4H Club during Hot Chocolate Friday's, a Club fundraiser. It is so rewarding to watch their character grow stronger in these activities".

Page notes that her family have not only given of their time but have also gained a lot through their experiences with Hands4Hope. She encourages other adults and families to get involved in a variety of much needed roles within H4H. "I am blessed to have a long standing career in a large corporation. However, as an adult lead in H4H, I've been able to feel like I'm contributing to the greater good. Jennifer and the H4H staff are there to support you and show you what to do. These programs are well established so you can step into the role with literally a checklist in hand and a mentor next to you. Watching other kids find their confidence, or witness the sparkle of a child showing their parent the craft they created, is food for the soul," says Page. 

 

Page, thank you for your hard work with Hands4Hope!  

May Sponsor Highlight: The Gift of Kids

The Gift of Kids is a locally owned preschool daycare through private kindergarten that has been in El Dorado Hills since 2004.  The Gift of Kids offers monthly themes including Letters of the Week, Phonics, Math, and Science.  The typical day starts with circle time and ends with yoga, music, or Spanish.

The Gift of Kids is open Monday though Friday from 6:30am-6pm, excluding all major holidays. Parents are welcome to bring their children in for a free trial class by coming in and taking a tour of one of our warm, loving and educational facility.

Serving as a Platinum Sponsor for Hands4Hope, The Gift of Kids is excited to be supporting an organization that is youth-driven and provides charity for those in need in our community. 

For more information, please contact Jennifer Kelly at 916-521-1835. 

April Volunteer Spotlight: Nick and Annie

 

Nick and Annie are a brother and sister duo that are active members of Team Hope. They have been members of Team Hope for over a year and where they have made friends. They agree that they like helping others because it makes them feel happy.

 

Their favorite event has been the homeless outreach in Sacramento. "I was surprised by how many people came through the line, " said Nick.  "I enjoyed serving others by handing out toiletries". Nick and Annie have also made 'Hope Jars' to collect change to buy sporting equipment for kids at the Hope House.

 

Nick is a fourth grader at Jackson Elementary. He enjoys playing flag football and building just about anything with Lego's. He is also a member of the Leadership Team at his school.

 

Annie is a first grader at Jackson Elementary. Besides school and Team Hope, Annie likes to play basketball and soccer, and has recently started to learn how to play lacrosse. She also enjoys riding her bike and roller skating.

 

Nick and Annie's mom, Amy is thankful because, "Through the experiences Nick and Annie have had with Team Hope and other Hands4Hope events, they are learning that there are other kids who do not have a lot of the same things that they and their friends have. Hands4Hope has given me the opportunities to help me teach my kids about appreciation, empathy, helping others, and giving back to the community".

 

Nick and Annie, thank you for your hard work with Hands4Hope!

April Sponsor Spotlight: Wells Fargo

Well Fargo has a long and proud history in California. From its earliest days, it has been a place where community involvement mattered, and where employees gave generously. Today, these cherished traditions remain important to each of us.   We believe the best way to lend a helping hand to communities across our state and make a lasting impact on individual lives is by directing our gifts to nonprofit organizations that address specific community needs and issues. Wells Fargo enjoys supporting organizations like Hands4Hope, who offers a variety of opportunities for our youth to explore and support community needs through volunteering and leadership.   Wells Fargo and Hands4Hope have created an effective partnership between a corporation and a community organization, helping to build a safe and caring community for our children. Encouraging and supporting organizations that share our similar vision of coming through for our communities is a core value of Wells Fargo.   Over the past few years Wells Fargo has supported Hands4Hope with grants and volunteerism. These contributions will help them offer a world of possibilities to youth in the community and work towards the advancement of children.   Partnering with our communities is what we do best.  By working together and inspiring others to do the same, we can make a difference.    Hands4Hope is very grateful for the support from Wells Fargo as a Platinum Sponsor!

March Volunteer Spotlight: Jacob Bassett

Jacob Bassett has spent the last five years as a big helper in Hands4Hope.  Tagging along with his mom, Jennifer Basset (our Founder and Executive Director), Jacob has seen how everything works behind the scenes.  “Not many people get to see what I see,” he said.  “I see where things happen not just in H4H, but everywhere.” 

He’s definitely not complaining about his involvement.  “I am proud of this organization and very proud that my brother and I have helped build it and I feel a lot of pride in that,” said Jacob.  He has also gotten several of his friends involved.  “I had a friend come along with me to the Blitz for the first time and I helped him with being able to talk to adults and shoppers.”  He says the skill of being able to talk comfortably with others is one of the many he has learned in H4H.  “One year I wanted to speak at the Youth Recognition Dinner and I just decided to do it, and it went well,” he said.  He said this confidence has greatly improved his “people skills” over the years.

Jacob said his favorite outreach event is the Homeless Outreaches.  He’s done dozens of them and each time is a new experience.  “I remember on my 6^th Homeless Outreach I started recognizing the same woman and I couldn’t believe how grateful she was that we were there,” he said.  “I really enjoy helping others as much as I can, I love the warm feeling I have after I am done.”

Jacob is an 8^thgrader at Rolling Hills Middle School.  He is the President of the Hands4Hope Club.  He has two big passions, writing and art.  He is currently working on writing his second book, which is a sequel to his first fiction book.  His favorite class in school is art and he hopes to one day design his own book covers.