Outreach Highlights: Winter Boutique

December 10, 2017 - Hands4Hope recently completed its 6th Annual Winter Boutique at Town Center, providing 315 individuals in need with warm winter clothing. The boutique, held the first two weekends in December, was organized and hosted by a committee of 13 youth and 7 adult volunteers who coordinated every aspect of the event from clothing collection and set up, to decor and music.

To spread the word about this event, the Winter Boutique Committee, led by Marketing Youth Lead Aine Colgan, reached out to 59 local schools, churches, social service agencies, and nonprofits. The committee’s goal was to have these organizations share information about the Boutique with the families and individuals who would benefit most from this event and encourage them to attend.

Over the course of the two weekends, the Winter Boutique was manned by 50 youth and adult volunteers who greeted attendees, helped find clothing in particular sizes, organized and cleaned the boutique space, and entertained children while their parents shopped. The volunteers also raffled off three Christmas trees that families could take home with them for added holiday cheer.

“It was such a fun experience to see all of the people get warm clothes for the winter,” Winter Boutique Volunteer Coordinator and youth leader Megan Smith concluded. “It just put a smile on my face.”

A big thank you to everyone who contributed to the 2017 Winter Boutique, including: El Dorado Hills Town Center; National Charity League, Rita Ferrero; AllyKat; Lyon Real Estate; Ladies Heritage Group; Silva Valley Elementary; Jackson Elementary; William Brooks Elementary; Lakeview Elementary; and all of the wonderful volunteers who prepared for and ran the event.

Adult Lead Spotlight: Amy Brasil

How long have you been participating with Hands4Hope?

I have been volunteering for about 2 years now.

Why did you join Hands4Hope?

I was actually seeking out a part-time job in March of 2016, and a friend referred me to Jennifer Bassett.   The job that was available at the time didn’t end up working out for me, but during the interview process I had the opportunity to interact with some of the youth leaders in H4H and I was so impressed with their dedication and motivation to serve their community.  I came away from the experience wanting to do more volunteer activities with H4H and get my children involved as well.

What outreaches do you usually volunteer with?

I usually volunteer at the Hope House and at the Senior Center, and I like helping out with food donations for the Senior Dinner.

Which do you enjoy the most?

I enjoy helping out at the Senior Center. The seniors always seem to appreciate seeing the youth visit, and if you’re willing to sit down and visit with them, they have some very interesting stories to tell.

What is your impression/experience with Hands4Hope youth?

I am very impressed with Hands4Hope youth. They’re so motivated, organized, and creative, and they genuinely want to serve their community and make it a better place.

Overall, what has your experience been like since joining?

My experience has been amazing. There are a variety of ways to serve our community and H4H has a lot of outreach projects for volunteers. It feels great to give back to our community.

Thank You to Doug Busch: Executive Board Member from 2008 to 2017

With the beginning of a new year, Hands4Hope says goodbye to one of its most valued resources - Doug Busch, Executive Board Chair and avid Hands4Hope supporter.  Doug retired from the Hands4Hope Executive Board on December 31.  Hands4Hope has been truly fortunate to have had someone like Doug on the Board.  

Doug has been with Hands4Hope since the very beginning, and has been intricately involved in almost every aspect of the formation and success of this organization, guiding its development and growth for many years. Doug’s leadership over the past 10 years helped Executive Director Jennifer Bassett take the steps necessary to get Hands4Hope off to a great start. His risk management oversight ensured that the Hands4Hope youth, Board, and staff were safe and supported as needed, and his business guidance helped create a plan that has made Hands4Hope relevant and financially sound.

Doug helped to create the haunted house, one of Hands4Hope’s most creative and successful annual fundraisers that helped fund programming for many years. Through his ideas, vision, tools, and many volunteer hours, Doug masterminded a lasting project that allowed Hands4Hope youth to learn planning, communication, and leadership skills. He shared his experiences and wisdom and mentored our youth every step of the way, teaching them what a good work ethic looks like, as well as the tools necessary for great project management.

In the last two and a half years, Doug has been the Board Chair and led the Hands4Hope Board with commitment, passion, and vision. He has worked with the Board and staff to implement needed policies and procedures to make the organization compliant with nonprofit best practices, and helped to generate a sustainable framework from which Hands4Hope can maintain.

Doug also handcrafted the beautiful Tree of Hope that is displayed at the Hands4Hope Youth Center and showcases our individual donors. His generosity of time and talent is beyond measure.

Hands4Hope is so grateful for Doug’s leadership, coaching, and guidance; we have benefited greatly from all of Doug’s support!

Outreach Highlights: The Homeless Outreach

Hands4Hope hosted its quarterly Homeless Outreach at Sacramento Loaves & Fishes on Friday, November 10th. Lead by several Homeless Committee members, the youth and adult volunteers assembled over 400 sack lunches at the Hands4Hope Youth Center, from making ham and cheese sandwiches to bagging homemade brownies and cookies.

Once at Loaves & Fishes, the volunteers set up tables outside with the lunches, condiments, fresh fruit, and toiletries for attendees to choose from. The event ran from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm, roughly, and while there was a downpour of rain, the volunteers held strong and served all who visited Loaves & Fishes during that time, knowing they would soon get to go home and change while the homeless would be stuck in cold and wet. The Homeless Outreaches are held every three months, and are open to all ages. For more information, please contact Yoko Kono at yoko@hands4hopeyouth.org.

Teacher Spotlight: Geoff Skjelbred

Hands4Hope would like to recognize all of the teachers who support our Club Programs, and act as mediums between our staff and the school administration. This month’s Teacher Advisor Spotlight focuses on Geoff Skjelbred at Herbert Green Middle School. He has been a great support to the Hands4Hope 5/6 Grade Club!

1. What school do you teach at and which club do you advise?

I teach fifth grade at Herbert C. Green School in Placerville.  I allow the fifth/sixth grade Hands4Hope group to use my room as a meeting place.

2. What is your impression/experience with Hands4Hope youth?

I am impressed at how well trained the leaders are and how independent they are when running the meetings.  Equally impressive is how well the other students respond to the leaders.  There is always a high participation rate at the meetings.

3. Is there anything that you've enjoyed most/been most surprised by in interacting with the club?

I now have a higher awareness of Hands4Hope and quickly tune in when I hear about it while in the community.  The other day I was in a line and I overheard one woman telling another that her daughter was accepted into her first choice college.  This was because of a solid resume that included Hands4Hope.  The mother had nothing but praise for Hands4Hope.  I was surprised at the positive reputation that Hands4Hope has in the greater community.  At the fifth grade level, Hands4Hope is still an entry-level program.  After overhearing that conversation, I understand how it provides the foundation for students who continue in the program through high school. 

Winter Boutique 2017

The clothing is washed, sorted, and folded; the storefront is decorated as a Candy Cane Forest; and the flyers are distributed to local nonprofits and schools - the Winter Boutique is open for shoppers!

Hands4Hope’s annual Winter Boutique is set to open December 1st and run the first and second weekends of the month. Geared towards individuals and families in need, this outreach event offers attendees the opportunity to “shop” for new and gently-used winter clothing without having to pay for anything!

The planning for this event began at the end of October, and is led by the Winter Boutique Committee, a group of committed youth and adult volunteers who collect and solicit donations, decide on and create a holiday theme for the boutique space, design and distribute flyers to organizations from Placerville to Folsom, and host the actual event. Hands4Hope Outreach Coordinator, Yoko Kono, also planned and lead the Warm & Fuzzy Drives and Blanket Making Party to collect more donations from the community.

With the Winter Boutique ready to open, and all of the preparations finished, Oak Ridge Sophomore and Winter Boutique Committee Member, Kealani Kuykendall describes her thoughts on the outreach: “I feel like the event will be a success [...] we put in a lot of hard work, and the decorations look really festive! I hope the event is as well attended as last year!”

"I think that the marketing and preparation for the Winter Boutique went very well. The meetings we had leading up to the Boutique really helped us see what we needed to get done, and we did get them done. It was a fun preparation time, and I am glad with how it turned out," Saint Francis Sophomore and Winter Boutique Committee Member, Aine Colgan furthered. "This is the first time I have heard of the Winter Boutique, and when I heard what it was for, I immediately wanted to help. It is so great what the boutique does for these families who aren’t able to buy winter clothes for them or their children. It amazes me what kind hearts people have when it comes to helping others."

Kenzie Misso, Oak Ridge Junior and committee member then concluded “I’m really excited for the Winter Boutique! The committee worked hard to put this on, and I’m so excited for the families to come and get the clothes they need. Personally, I’m really looking forward to just seeing people getting to pick out warm winter clothes because I know what a big difference this makes.”

For more information on this great event, please contact Yoko Kono at yoko@hands4hopeyouth.org or visit our website at hands4hopeyouth.org.