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Out and about with Volunteers of America
News and views of recent Volunteers of America events and fund-raisers.
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Donors, volunteers, media turn out for Operation Backpack kick-off
Top: Fox40-KTXL reporter Joe Orlando interviews Volunteers of America Chief Development and Communications Officer Christie Holderegger about Operation Backpack at July 10’s kick-off event. Above (left): Volunteers of America Community Relations Manager Kim Castaneda (right) speaks to a donor;
Macy’s Tim Collins shows off a publicity poster as
he picks up his store’s collection materials.
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Triple-digit heat couldn’t keep them away – neither could smoky air. For however hazy the skies were, the mission of these donors, volunteers and media supporters was clear: kids are in need, and we want to help.
Dozens of community members ignored the elements to show up for the July 10 kick-off to Operation Backpack, Volunteers of America’s annual community drive for new backpacks and school supplies.
To homeless and disadvantaged children, new backpacks are more than back-to-school fashion accessories, they’re tools that can help break the cycle of poverty, as well as essential elements for life-affirming self-esteem.
Many representatives of those companies and agencies that are generously hosting public drop-off sites for the two-week (July 11-25) campaign made the trek to the Orangevale Save Mart to pick up their collection boxes and publicity materials from Operation Backpack staff led by Volunteers of America Vice President and Chief Development and Communications Officer Christie Holderegger and Community Relations Manager Kim Castaneda.
Also braving soaring temperatures were backpack donors, as well as volunteers who assisted with readying the boxes for distribution.
Helping to spread the word was Fox40-KTXL’s Joe Orlando, who interviewed Holderegger for a segment that would air that evening on Fox40 News.
KGBY-My925 on-air personality Heather Lee and the marketing team from Fox40-KTXL, Operation Backpack’s media sponsor, helped create some buzz at the shopping center during the 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. event. Both media groups hosted booths alongside Volunteers of America, helping draw curious passersby with music and giveaways.
Take me to the Operation Backpack home page   
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Volunteers deliver Christmas baskets to Greenbriar residents
The residents of Greenbriar Apartments, Volunteers
of America’s affordable-housing complex for
low-income families, enjoyed a merrier Christmas thanks to the efforts of Tom Lee and Sacramento
Asian American Ministries members.
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Volunteers of America board member Tom Lee led more than 40 members of the Sacramento Asian American Ministries, their friends and family in putting together almost 150 Christmas baskets for the residents of Greenbriar Apartments.
The Dec. 22 packing event, now a tradition for the church’s congregation, saw an assembly line of caring and concerned men and women, boys and girls, prepare and hand out bountiful baskets of yuletide food staples and treats, as well as gifts, for the families of the affordable-housing complex.
The day before the baskets were packed and handed out to the largely Russian population that lives at Greenbriar, turkeys collected during the annual Volunteers of America Turkey Drive were distributed.
When asked what motivated him to lead the activity year after year, Lee replied: “I do this every year to remind myself and the church of all that we should feel grateful for. A resident’s smile is all I need to remember ‘why’ (I do it).”
   
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Village RV hosts holiday party for Quarry Oaks seniors
Quarry Oaks seniors gathered for a holiday party Dec. 17 complete with turkey dinner
and gifts courtesy of Village RV.
 | Village RV, a longtime supporter of Volunteers of America, followed up its extraordinary, employee-driven Adopt-a-Family donations at Options for Recovery Transitional Housing Program, with a Dec. 17 Christmas party at Volunteers of America's Quarry Oaks apartment complex.Village RV bookkeeper Valerie Kinyan coordinated the event at the Rocklin senior complex, from distributing the residents' wish lists to her fellow employees, to organizing a Girl Scouts troop to help serve the turkey and cranberry sauce. Manning the steam trays was Volunteers of America CFO Joe St. Angelo, who played host along with human resources director Bruce Quick.
Winter Shelter opens early to meet demands of homeless
Donations of comforters needed
Volunteers of America President and CEO Leo McFarland greets Winter Shelter clients at its re-opening Nov. 9, 2007.
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The Volunteers of America Greater Sacramento & Northern Nevada, in partnership with Sacramento County, re-opened its Winter Shelter program at Cal Expo Nov. 9 – 10 days ahead of scheduled – in response to the additional need for beds on behalf of homeless men, women and children. It will remain open through March 2008.
Volunteers of America President and CEO Leo McFarland was among the Greater Sacramento & Northern Nevada staff on hand to greet the 45 men and 15 women who found hot meals and warm beds at the Winter Shelter on its first night back in operation.Volunteers of America is asking the community to assist in its mission by donating 50 comforters (twin size) for the women and children's beds at the shelter.
Donations can be dropped off at the Volunteers of America administration office at 1900 Point West Way, Suite 270, Sacramento. Office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, call 916.442.3691 or e-mail info@voa-sac.org.
See links to related media reports and articles on the re-opening of the Winter Shelter and homelessness in Sacramento:
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A record 1,500 backpacks donated!
Dinger, the Sacramento River Cats' furry feline mascot, helped deliver backpacks to children in Volunteers of America's Family Housing program
as part of Operation Backpack.
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Volunteers of America’s 2007 Operation Backpack campaign ended on a high note, with 1,500 school supply-filled backpacks going to children in need just in time for the start of the new school year.
Children of clients in Volunteers of America's Transitional Housing for Families and Family Housing programs were the first recipients of the donated backpacks and supplies. On Aug. 13, Dinger – the feline mascot of
the Sacramento River Cats (an Operation Backpack sponsor) – helped make those deliveries.
“A lot of the parents couldn’t afford to pay for everything that are in
the backpacks,” said Ursula McCombs, program assistant for Volunteers
of America’s Family Housing Program. “It’s a financial relief for the
parents who sometimes have as many as five children. And the kids
really look forward to getting them as a new start to a new school
year. It means a lot to these kids that they can start school with a
new backpack. The backpacks are so appreciated – they’re a big
blessing.” Volunteers of America also supported the efforts of 21 other Sacramento-area social service agencies and school districts to ensure as many homeless and disadvantaged children in as possible started the new school year with a full backpack. These included the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services and Loaves & Fishes' Mustard Seed School. "We’re very appreciative," said Jeremiah Rhine, programs director of Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services. "This is a good example of how different nonprofits can work together with the help of the community and make a difference in youth’s lives and we look forward to continuing it."
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River Cats host Operation Backpack donation event at Raley Field
Sacramento minor league baseball fans are used to having a variety of coupons and fliers thrust into their hands as they enter Raley Field. What came as a surprise to the 11,306 in attendance July 21, was that among those passing out circulars were five young men who wore the white, black, cardinal and gold of the Sacramento River Cats.
Second baseman Kevin Melillo, center fielder Danny Putnam (pictured right), pitcher Brad Ziegler (bottom right), left fielder Brian Stavisky (bottom center) and hitting coach Brian McArn (bottom left) joined more than a half-dozen Volunteers of America staff and River Cats boosters at the gates to hand out Operation Backpack fliers and accept donations of new backpacks prior to the start of the River Cats’ game against the Salt Lake Bees.
Recruited on behalf of the organization’s “Christmas in July” celebration in support of local nonprofit agencies, the athletes – all wearing backpacks – chatted up interested fans and pointed the way to the Volunteers of America Operation Backpack information table and collection box.
Several backpacks filled with school supplies were dropped in the box during the game (which the River Cats won 3-2).
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Sessions honored at Volunteers of America conference
 Volunteers of America recently honored Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL) and his wife, Mary, with its Ballington and Maud Booth Award for their personal commitment to serving others, especially those affected by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
National Public Radio was also honored with the Empathy Award for outstanding community service and excellence in reporting on social issues.
The Booth and Empathy awards were presented at an awards dinner during Volunteers of America's national conference held June 23 to 26 in Cincinnati, Ohio.
The conference, titled "Spark a Change!," focused on how innovation, engagement and impact can affect social change and make a long-term difference for individuals and communities.
The conference closed with a motivational speech from Jim Ellis, whose personal story of his experience as a swim coach and youth mentor in the 1970s is featured in the film "Pride."
Among those attending the conference from Volunteers of America Greater Sacramento & Northern Nevada were president and CEO Leo McFarland, vice president and COO Amani Sawires, vice president and CFO Joe St. Angelo, vice president of marketing and development Christie Holderegger and vice president of human resources Bruce Quick.
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River Cats play ball with Volunteers of America kids
Kevin Melillo (left) was among the Sacramento River Cats players who joined Volunteers of America children for an afternoon Wiffle Ball game June 19.
 | Several children of Volunteers of America clients caught pennant fever June 19 when the Sacramento River Cats invited the boys and girls for a Wiffle Ball game at Raley Field.
Hitting Coach Brian McArn, pitcher Leonard Landeros and infielder Kevin Melillo split up and coached their respective teams to extra innings of smiles and laughter during the afternoon event. To see more photos, click here.
The informal challenge was videotaped as part of an Operation Backpack promotional spot to be shown between innings during home games in July.
The Sacramento River Cats, along with Paramount Equity Mortgage and Sacramento Credit Union, is a sponsor of the annual back-to-school campaign, which officially kicks off July 13 and continues through July 30.
On July 21, the Sacramento River Cats hosted an Operation Backpack event at Raley Field, with players collecting donations of new backpacks and school supplies, as well as cash donations, before their game against the Salt Lake Bees. Volunteers continued accepting donations throughout the Saturday night game.
In 2006, thanks to the support of corporate partners and caring individuals in the Sacramento area, we were able to provide more than 700 backpacks full of school supplies for homeless and low-income children.
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Starbucks openings benefit Volunteers of America
A big thank you to Tina Black, Erin O'Neill and their crew at
Starbucks
for generously designating Volunteers of America as the nonprofit beneficiary at a pair of recent store opening preview parties
May 3 and June 13.
The new stores, located in South Sacramento at 7800 Stockton Blvd. (at Mack Road East) and 8231 Timberlake Way (off of Bruceville), are perfectly situated for Highway 99 commuters, as well as students and staff at nearby
Cosumnes River College.
Good crowds turned out for both parties, which included food and
beverage sampling.
Many patrons made their way to the Volunteers of America table at both stores, where Development
Officer Shauna Ross
(pictured) and Public Relations Associate Barry Wisdom shared information about the organization and happily accepted donations. Our thanks again to Starbucks for
their continued support!
KSSJ 94.7 FM
presented Volunteers of America Greater Sacramento & Northern Nevada board chairman Lee Grutchfield with a
check for $43,606 prior to the jazz station's March 29 JazzMasters concert
at
Sacramento's Radisson Hotel Ballroom.
For the last five years, the "Smooth Jazz" station has named local nonprofits as beneficiaries of its annual jazz
sampler CD. In 2006, Volunteers of America was designated to receive proceeds from the CD, which features such
artists as Grover Washington Jr., Anita Baker, Paul Hardcastle and Richard Elliot. The CD is sold at area
Borders locations.
KSSJ has announced that its next sampler CD, due in October 2007, will also benefit Volunteers of America —
which is extremely grateful for the continuing support of its jazziest community partner!
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Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.
Buddha
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