Hope House Re-Opens!

 Hope House, which has been on hiatus since July, is excited to announce that they are now up and running at full capacity and are ready for Hands4Hope volunteers again.

Hope House is a transitional housing program designed to affect life change through empowerment, encouragement and love, carried out through structure and accountability while allowing residents the freedom to heal and grow.

 Hands4Hope volunteers work closely with the staff and residents of Hope House, and most importantly the children. Our volunteers are an integral part of the recovery process by nurturing, caring for and building positive relationships with the children through play and crafts in a safe environment.

If you are interested in volunteering at Hope House, or learning more about this worthwhile outreach, we will be having an informational meeting on Monday, March 9th from 3:30-4:30 at the Hands4Hope Youth Center. We hope you can attend!

If you are interested in learning more about Hope House, but you are unable to attend the informational meeting, please contact Laura Buehler at laura@hands4hopeyouth.org.

Happy Birthday Hands4Hope!

Dear Hands4Hope Volunteers & Supporters,

It is with great pride, joy, and gratefulness that I write to you this month. These feelings are based on a culmination of things. Hands4Hope is SEVEN years old this month! I am in awe when I think about where we started, where we are today, and all that our youth and adults have accomplished.

WE HAVE THE MOST AMAZING YOUTH! Have you seen what they’ve accomplished in the last year, much less, what they've accomplished over the last seven years? It is only March and their list for 2015 is already impressive. They cannot wait to do projects to help others. Their eagerness and excitement to take on outreach projects is uncanny. They have seen success in what they have done, felt the joy of helping others, and want more! It is so exciting to see!! Visit: SUCCESSES.

WE HAVE THE MOST AMAZING COMMUNITY! The businesses and individuals who have stepped forward with their time and money to support this organization and its goals over the last seven years is incredible to me. This community has wrapped its arms around Hands4Hope and our mission, and has shown our youth that the community believes in their power to make a positive difference. They have put faith in me, our staff, and our Board to create programs that have meaningful and life-altering outcomes.

WE HAVE THE MOST AMAZING ADULTS! Our board and adult volunteers have changed over the years, but each person has left a mark on this organization with their care and dedication to its continuing success. The time our adults dedicate to making sure our youth are safe, are heard, and get the best possible experience while working with Hands4Hope, is remarkable. The time our Board members and other agency execs have put into guiding me, and building and strengthening the infrastructure of this organization, is well beyond expectation.

Thank you all for a wonderful seven years! I can't wait to see where the next seven take us.

Happy Birthday Hands4Hope!!

Jennifer

Jennifer Bassett

Founder/Executive Director

916.919.5695

Volunteer Spotlight: Team Hope Leaders

We are excited to spotlight Simran Dhami, Marin Cross, and Destry Fitzpatrick, the teen leaders who lead the elementary service learning program - Team Hope. These dynamic youth leaders are fabulous role models for the Team Hope participants. We are grateful to have them as the leaders and mentors of this fun and interactive service learning program!

Simran attends Folsom High School and first learned about Hands4Hope through friends who were already leaders at their school club. Through them, she found that Hands4Hope was something she would like to be a part of and became an officer. “One of my favorite things about H4H is that when they say ‘youth driven’, they mean it.” She appreciates that adult leads are there to guide the way, but still let the youth run the show. Her involvement with Hands4Hope has taught her to become more aware of the needs of others everywhere, even in local communities. Volunteering for Simran means to be active in the community and helping improve it in any way she can. She just recently found us, but in the future she hopes to be more heavily involved, especially in event planning. 

Marin also attends Folsom High School and is currently serving as the  Vice President for the Folsom H4H Club. Marin originally started with Hands4Hope just looking for community service to put on college applications, but found that she stuck with the organization because she genuinely enjoyed spending her time with us. Her favorite part is the independence it allows while still having support from Hands4Hope. “Jennifer and Nicole in particular have really done a great job helping me become a better leader and have given me the resources to create successful projects and be involved in our community, but they have allowed me to lead and act on my own ideas.” Through Hands4Hope, Marin has gained confidence and the skills to work with her peers. She has learned the importance of helping others in the community, and doing it with a positive attitude. Marin says, “Even the smallest things that might not seem like a big deal can really have an impact on someone else. Being able to meet and learn about others in need has also made me more grateful for what I have.”

Destry attends Oak Ridge High School and has been involved with Hands4Hope for three years. He is a dedicated and caring mentor, spending the majority of his time with H4H involved in mentoring projects at; Hope House, The Kids Oasis at GVCC and as a Team Hope Teen Leader. Destry has also been an integral part of the the annual H4H Haunted House. He is quite caring and compassionate, that said any one of the kids he works with will tell you he’s FUN! Liv, a Team Hope member had this to say about Destry “ he’s fun and silly, but still get’s us to listen and do our projects. I always look forward to seeing him at our meetings.” 

Will there be a 2015 Haunted House?

Hands4Hope Families, Friends, and Ambassadors,

Hands4Hope is in the process of determining whether to move forward with a 2015 Haunted House and the results of this survey will help us in determining this.

If there is enough interest by both adults and youth, we will hold a meeting to discuss the below items in more detail, as well as time commitment. We will then solidify a team of leads to get this project started.

The Haunted House is a ton of fun, but it is also a lot of work and takes a lot of resources, primarily volunteers. At our wrap-up meeting this past year, it was decided that to move forward for 2015, we need more adult and youth involvement . . . the same adults (and many of the same youth) have been doing the H4H Haunted House for the past five years are feeling tapped out.

This fundraiser is a youth/adult collaborative, but to get started We Need Adults who are willing to take the lead, serve as advisors, or assist in the areas noted in the survey. We need people with experience and also people willing to jump in and help where needed, willing to take direction and learn along the way.

We Need Youth who are wanting and willing to help with the build, marketing, and implementation of the Haunted House. We need youth who are willing to be characters and adults who are willing to oversee them during the running of the Haunted House. We need youth who are willing to help at the ticket booths and adults willing to work with them.

We need people willing to step up as leads and we also need worker bees.

Please follow this link and let us know in what way you are willing to help:

2015 Haunted House Survey

Also, check out our pictures from year's past...

2010 - Our very first Haunted House!

2010

2012

2014

2014

Thank you,

Jennifer

Jennifer Bassett
Founder & Executive Director
916.919.5695

Our Annual Winter Boutique was a Success! Thank you to all who donated, volunteered and assisted with this great outreach!

This past October, El Dorado County elementary schools including Silva Valley, William Brooks, Lakeview, Oak Meadow, Green Valley, and Phoenix Private School in Folsom participated in the Hands4Hope Warm & Fuzzy Drive, encouraging students to donate warm necessities like clothing, shoes, socks, pajamas, coats, scarves and hats.  Combined, this community contributed over 4,000 pieces of warm clothing and other items. 

Upon completion of the Drive, students at Oak Ridge High School washed and sorted the clothes.  These donations stocked the 5^th Annual Hands4Hope Winter Boutique for foster and low income families held at donated space near the H4H Youth Center in El Dorado Hills. Individuals were invited to “shop” for necessary warm clothing and accessories,. 

The Winter Boutique project was led by a committee of youth, 6^th to 12^th grades, and adult advisors, who together decided on a theme and hours for the Boutique, and decorated and organized it for a positive and festive shopping experience. They also organized a marketing campaign to get the word out to local schools and agencies.

The boutique was open for two weekends in December, where youth volunteers were responsible for greeting shoppers as well as helping them find needed items, and "check out".  The youth volunteers ranged in grades from 2nd-12^th and came from schools throughout El Dorado and Sacramento Counties.

Tenth Grader and Hands4Hope youth volunteer Devin Garber explained it best, “Many people tell me that by volunteering for those in need, I am helping change lives for the better. Little do they know, though I am helping people, it is they who are really helping me.  I have taken notice of so such in my life: my blessings, all I have to be thankful for, and I have become aware of difficulties within this community and surrounding communities. My time at the winter boutique was an amazing experience!  I met great people who had the brightest smiles on their face even through their times of difficulty. These smiling, thankful, and simply wonderful people are the reason I so thoroughly enjoy volunteering with Hands4Hope!”

Devin’s brother, Greyson (grade 7) adds, “The shoppers were very friendly people who were always smiling, laughing, and saying "thank you".  They were very grateful.”

The 2014 Winter Boutique almost doubled its numbers from last year in regards to assisting individuals in the community.  This year, a total of 87 families were served, representing 374 individuals, and 2,000 items were distributed. Agencies who partnered with Hands4Hope to get the word out were: Cameron Park Community Center, Mercy Housing, New Morning Youth & Family Services, Women’s Center, El Dorado County, Sierra Child and Family Services, El Dorado Mental Health, WIC, El Dorado Caring Hearts, Twin Lakes Food Bank, Lilliput, Wake Program, Early Head Start, El Dorado County Help For Christmas Facebook Campaign, and Foster Family Services. 

Hands4Hope volunteers also distributed 450 pieces of clothing and blankets at their annual Powerhouse Ministries Thanksgiving Dinner distribution, and 1,200 pieces of clothing, shoes and other accessories to some of their partner agencies including to Green Valley Community Church, Twin Lakes Food Bank, and New Morning Shelter, as well as directly to homeless on the street.   Without the community’s support, this could not have happened. Hands4Hope extends a huge Thank You to all who were a part of this effort.

Sponsor Spotlight: Town Center

Town Center celebrates its 12th anniversary this year. Developed by the Mansour Company, Town Center was designed to give El Dorado Hills a downtown. It was intended as a community destination - a place for residents to gather, shop, dine, and attend family/community events. Merchants range from larger stores such as Target to smaller boutique shops such as Lazio. Town Center has over 25 restaurants that offer a large variety of dining experiences. Its water features and lovely walking trails make Town Center a beautiful, unique downtown experience.

The Mansour/Nagel partnership, which owns and manages a large portion of Town Center, is proud to be a Hands4Hope sponsor. According to El Dorado Hills Town Center’s Marketing Director, Natalie Buerki,  “Hands4Hope has been a wonderful non-profit to work with because they focus on youth. Hands4Hope’s programs have done an excellent job of raising awareness among our young people and getting them involved. Once they get involved and realize they can make a difference, they want to do it again and it gives them a sense of community and pride. Jennifer Bassett and Hands4Hope have done an excellent job of giving our youth an opportunity to learn, give and grow. Town Center wants to be involved and support their efforts, because today’s young people are tomorrow’s leaders.

Happy New Year's from all of us at Hands4Hope!