Community Outreach

Rock out for Big Brothers Big Sisters

2011-05-25T03:49:04Z

On Sunday, May 29, more than 6,000 community members will be walking and rocking out to KISS, all in the name of charity. The third annual Walk ‘N Rock, being held at Raley Field, will split all funds raised between their 2011 non-profit affiliates (see bottom).

Last year, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento participated in Walk ‘N Rock for the first time and raised $26,000 through the event. This year, they hope to top that and raise $40,000.

Founded in 1963, BBBS Sac currently has 282 active matches and operates on a staff of only 14. Matching Bigs and Littles and providing training to the mentors would not be possible without donations and successful fundraisers like Walk ‘N Rock.

The Sacramento Press talked to President and CEO Rhonda Staley-Brooks to find out why you should rock out on behalf of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento this weekend!

The Sacramento Press: Tell me a little bit about your background and how you got involved with BBBS.

Rhonda Staley-Brooks: I was attending school at CSU Sacramento and needed to find a job because my father would not support my social life. Found BBBS on the job line and applied. I started in 1993 as a Case Work Assistant and worked my way through all Program positions to the current position as CEO.

SP: If you had one minute to explain the organization and its mission, what would you say?

RS: Changing the way children grow up today by providing positive adult role models in their lives. These children are less likely to do drugs, drop out of high school or become a teen parent due to the influences we place in their lives.

SP: How did BBBS become involved with Hope Productions/Walk 'N Rock?

RS: We applied the second year of the organization and become one of the partner agencies.

SP: Are there any notable teams of BBBS staffers or volunteers participating in Walk 'N Rock?

RS: VSP was a huge supporter of Walk ‘N Rock last year. This year, “Walk N Rollers,” led by one of our board members, Lynn Matsuda, is making their way up the leader board.

SP: What are the biggest annual fundraisers for BBBS? How much money is raised, on average, during each?

RS: Bowl for Kids’ Sake raises over $55,000 each year and we are still calculating the books for this year and for sure will surpass that amount. Wine on the Waterfront raises an average of $20,000. Big Disco raises an average of $55,000

SP: Why is it so important to raise funds for BBBS?

RS: The funds are critical to our success. It ensures the safety of our children as we put trained professionals in positions to recruit, screen, match and support every child that enters our program.

SP: Why is it so important for Littles to have mentors in their lives?

RS: As mentioned earlier, they are less likely to do drugs, drop out of high school or become teen parents when they have positive mentors in their life. Currently, we have 139 boys and girls waiting for a BIG.

SP: What is something about the organization that the public might not realize but should?

RS: How many part-time employees (six full-time and eight part-time) are employed to keep this size agency functioning. Also, that we are not funded by the national organization. Each affiliate pays local dues to the national headquarters to receive support, marketing materials and other branded materials so that you don’t have to recreate the wheel.

SP: Besides donating, how can community members get involved?

RS: Volunteering in several capacities: Become a Big - 4-6 hours every week or every other week - matched to a child. Volunteer at a special event: As the need arises, we use a database of more than 300 to call upon when we need volunteers for our special events. Become a Board Member: The board is responsible for the oversight of the organization.

It’s not too late to sign up and start fundraising for your own team! Register here.

Read about Hope Productions here.

2011 Walk 'N Rock non-profit affiliates

* Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento, Inc.
* Cristo Rey High School
* Keaton Raphael Memorial
* Okizu
* People Reaching Out
* River Cats Foundation, Inc.
* Wind Youth Services

Today: Change a child's life for just $10

2010-12-28T19:03:37Z

Today, in the spirit of the holiday season, Deal Ticket and The Sacramento Press are excited to partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento to offer you a chance to change a local child’s life.

Big Brothers Big Sisters needs to raise significant funds to keep the program going and asks for your support with a tax-deductible gift.

See David and Chester’s inspiring story here

For today only, you can visit the Deal Ticket website and donate $10 or more directly to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento. Many children have already been matched to Bigs, yet there are still many others waiting to be matched.

One hundred percent of the donation will go directly to the program and your support may determine whether these children get the help they need and assist in matching Littles waiting for Bigs.

All donations are 100 percent tax-deductible, and all donors will be issued vouchers that serve as receipts and include tax ID numbers.

Today, your generous donation of $10 can provide one of the following things:

* Recruit more positive role models
* Assist with background screening checks
* Provide mentor training

At-risk kids with a Big Brother or Big Sister are more likely to:

* Show improvement in school performance
* Enjoy better relationships with family, adults and peers
* Gain a new and positive perspective on life

and are less likely to:

* Start drinking alcohol
* Start taking drugs
* Lie
* Use violence to resolve conflicts

If you are unfamiliar with Deal Ticket, here’s a quick rundown. Every day, we feature a fantastic deal from a local business. That deal is featured for one day only. You click to buy the deal and save money (51-90 percent to be exact) by doing so.

To receive deals directly in your e-mail inbox, all you have to do is sign up for the daily Deal Ticket e-mail so you don’t miss out on deals you’ll love. Just visit our Deal Ticket website to sign up.

All it takes is one click to help a child that will greatly benefit from mentoring in their life.

This special Deal Ticket only lasts one day and we’re asking for your help in making this donation drive a success. Spread the word to your friends, family, coworkers, everyone!

Read about Big Brothers Big Sisters on The Sacramento Press here

Photos courtesy of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Sacramento

Today: Change a life for just $13

2010-11-16T18:21:17Z

Since the launch of Deal Ticket in July, tons of great products and services from local businesses have been featured every day.

Today, Deal Ticket and The Sacramento Press are excited to partner with Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services to switch things up and offer a chance for you to donate just in time for the holiday season.

For today only, you can visit the Deal Ticket website and donate $13 or more directly to Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS). One hundred percent of the price will go directly to the Food Bank and assist those less fortunate in our community.

All donations are 100 percent tax-deductible, and all donors will be issued vouchers that serve as receipts and include tax ID numbers. To give you an idea of how far your donation will go, here are some of the ways individuals and families will benefit from just $13:

· $130 worth of goods and services for individuals and families in need.

· A three-day supply of quality, healthy groceries for four families of four (48 meals) (Food Assistance program).

· Three days’ worth of diapers, food, formula and educational workshops for a family in need with an infant (Mother-Baby program).

· Twenty-six articles of clothing (Clothing program).

· Three art education classes (ceramics, watercolor, poetry, etc.) for four students (Women’s Wisdom Art program).

· Two days of technology-based education for one child (Computer Clubhouse program).

To receive a deal directly in your e-mail inbox, all you have to do is sign up for the daily Deal Ticket e-mail so you don’t miss out on deals you’ll love. Just visit our Deal Ticket website to sign up.

All it takes is one click to help those less fortunate in our community. This special Deal Ticket only lasts one day and we’re asking for your help in making this donation drive a success.

Spread the word to your friends, family, coworkers, everyone! Help make a difference this holiday season.

Read about the history of SFBFS and the services they provide here.
Read about the Food Bank's expansion here.

Photos courtesy of Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services

Bruises and beat-downs for a good cause

2010-08-25T00:31:16Z

It’s not often that bruises and beat-downs have anything positive associated with them.

But that’s exactly what will take place Aug. 28 at the seventh annual “Battle of the Badges” charity boxing fundraiser.

Police officers, correctional officers, and firefighters from throughout Northern California will step into the ring at Memorial Auditorium to duke it out all in the name of a good cause.

The event was founded in 2003 by correctional officers Israel Montes Jr. and Yvonne Vasquez of California State Prison-Sacramento before a third officer, Pablo Vasquez, joined the team. Vasquez passed away in 2007.

The annual tradition began as a small-scale event held at the Boys & Girls Club in downtown Sacramento and has outgrown the various halls and auditoriums used since then.

Montes said the event was started to “build camaraderie, unity and competitive sportsmanship among peace officers and firefighters” in addition to raising money and supporting what he call “worthy” local charities.

“The benefiting charities are chosen through careful consideration and at the recommendation of fighters. I want them to feel they are competing for a worthy cause,” Montes said.

Specific charities include beneficiaries from last year (The Firefighters Burn Institute, The Sac Fallen Officers Resource Fund and The Sacramento Sheriff’s Toy Project) along with new additions California Association of Highway Patrolmen Widows & Orphans’ Trust Fund and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Jim Doucette, executive director for the burn institute, said, “The Firefighters Burn Institute is very happy to be one of the charities that will benefit from this year’s Battle of the Badges. All of these charities do wonderful work for our community.”

Last year’s event,“The Raley Field Rumble,” raised approximately $10,000 for the benefiting charities and this year’s event is expected to raise even more.

Around 2,500-3,000 peace officers, firefighters, and family and friends are expected to fill the auditorium Saturday night.

There are approximately 15 fights lined up with three, two-minute rounds during each when Montes says the fighters will “battle fiercely representing their respective agencies.”

“We hope that all of the boxers do well, but of course we will be cheering for our firefighters!” Doucette said.

Before the action begins, there will be a pre-fight ceremony honoring fallen officers, firefighters and soldiers. The ceremony will include performances by the Sacramento Firefighters Pipes & Drums and the California State Prison-Sacramento Honor Guard.

On Friday night before the fights, weigh-ins and a pre-fight party will be held at Blue Cue and is open to the public, which Montes credits the event’s success to.

“This event would not be possible without the support of participants, sponsors, volunteers and fans,” Montes said.

Ticket prices are $40 for assigned floor-level ringside seating, $30 for lower-balcony/general seating, and $25 for upper-balcony general seating. Tickets can be purchased at the Sacramento Convention Center Box Office at 1301 L St. with no surcharge or at Tickets.com.

The Memorial Auditorium is located at 1515 J St.

Blue Cue is located at 1004 28th St.

See the complete fight card here.

For more information, visit the official Battle of the Badges website or Facebook page.

Photos from last year's "Raley Field Rumble" by Bob Knapik, restorem@surewest.net

Camp Concord to bring young burn survivors together

2010-08-06T00:25:02Z

Sunday, around 51 young burn survivors will trade in doctors, hospital visits, and burn treatments for a week of fun in the mountains.

Campers will swim, boat, hike, fish, rock-climb, and raft during the day. During the evenings, they will participate in campfire skits and songs, dancing, and a be able to catch a wild animal show.

Aug. 8 kicks offs opening day of the Firefighters Burn Institute’s (FFBI) Firefighter Kids Camp at Camp Concord in South Lake Tahoe. Established in the early 1990s, this year marks the camp’s 17th year.

Newly appointed FFBI Executive Director, Jim Doucette, said the best thing about the camp is that it “allows children to be amongst their peers. Burn injuries can be very traumatic, and it helps them to be around other children who have gone through the same horrible ordeals.”

Doucette, who recently retired from his role as the Sacramento Fire Department’s public information officer, has been involved with FFBI for around 25 years and is looking forward to playing “PIO for a day” at the Kids Camp during visitors’ day when media is invited.

The camp does not turn any child away who wishes to attend and, due to generous donations to FFBI, is free of charge.

Donations to the institute come from a mixture of private donations, fundraisers held by FFBI or on behalf of FFBI and through payroll deductions (including firefighter payroll deduction), which is how FFBI first began.

While the majority of the children come from California, Nevada and Oregon, the camp has hosted children from as far away as China, Switzerland and Mexico.

Campers are between the ages of 7 and 17 and, as long as they have completed the first grade, can be accepted as young as 6 years old.

“All of these campers have had serious burn injuries, some worse than others,” Doucette said. “But I can honestly say that in my years of working with FFBI and meeting many ‘burn survivors,” they are truly the most remarkable people I have ever met.”

While some of the childrens’ injuries hinder their ability to participate in some camp activities, the volunteers (including firefighters and Shriners Hospital for Children staff) have set up camp to include them in as many activities as possible.

“A lot of these people have literally gone through hell and survived. They typically love life and want to make the most out of [it],” Doucette said.

The FFBI’s mission is to provide recovery programs to burn survivors of all ages, promote fire and burn prevention through public education, fund scholarships and support burn treatment and rehabilitation research.

Although the camp only lasts for a week, the memories and friendships often continue on.

“Many of the the kids do stay in touch. Some have been to numerous camps, and some event become camp counselors when they are old enough,” Doucette said.

He said the camp often leaves an impact on more than just the campers, however.

“You realize that what problems you thought you had, they aren’t really problems at all!”

To find out how to volunteer or donate to the camp, contact coordinator Catharine Shaw at 916-739-8525.

Learn more about the Firefighters Burn Institute, visit their website.

Photos: Campers from previous years, courtesy of Firefighters Kids Camp

Donate to the American Red Cross Here

2010-01-21T00:43:13Z

How donations are helping relief efforts:

Latest update from the American Red Cross Disaster Newsroom:

* This is already the largest single-country personnel deployment in global Red Cross history. The number of emergency response teams in or en route to Haiti equals those that responded to the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami – an emergency that spanned 14 countries.
* It is clear that what took minutes to destroy will take many years and the collective support from governments and relief agencies across the world to help mend. The American Red Cross is working in close coordination with other responding organizations and will undoubtedly collaborate on joint, long-term recovery projects.
* Terrible times like these bring out the best in people, and we are grateful for the support being given to the American Red Cross. This generosity will help thousands of survivors cope with and recover from their losses.

HELP THE AMERICAN RED CROSS HELP HAITI RELIEF EFFORTS: DONATE HERE

Sacramento helping Haiti

2010-01-20T07:08:31Z

In response to the recent 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Haiti, the United States has reacted quickly to raise funds and send assistance. There are organizations across the country providing assistance and Sacramentans are also responding quickly to the devastated country's call for help.

On Friday, Jan. 15 Sutter Health Systems announced that it will be donating $1.25 million to Haiti relief. The majority ($1 million) of the donation will go towards Doctors Without Borders and the rest will be used to fund medical supplies and fill cargo boxes with supplies.

Another large company, has made it easy for customers to donate by setting up collection boxes at check stands throughout the company's 134 stores in the region. Shoppers can donate directly to the American Red Cross at any Raley's, Bel Air, Nob Hill or Food Source location until Feb. 13.

Since Jan. 14, the Kings have been doing their part to spread the word during games by airing two Public Service Announcements encouraging the audience to visit UNICEF's website.

One features the voice of Spencer Hawes and the other, from the NBA, features the voice of Haiti native Samuel Dalembert of the Philadelphia 76ers. They've also used their website, Twitter, and Facebook to encourage followers and friends to visit the site and learn how to help. The Sacramento Sierra American Red Cross Chapter has plans to set up donation stations at upcoming home games, with dates still being finalized.

Yesterday, KCRA's "Call 3" team and the Sacramento Sierra American Red Cross Chapter joined forces and raised $150,000 in donations with a telethon. Beginning at 4:30 a.m. volunteers gathered to take donations by phone throughout the day. One of the major donors was Jackson Rancheria Casino, who pledged $10,000 during the event.

"Devastation swept an entire country..." said Dawn Lindblom, CEO of the Sierra Sacramento Chapter. "When we see scenes like this, it's easy to be overwhelmed."

Bayside Church has partnered with two major organizations to donate both money and shoes (a necessity many Haitians are in need of right now),. The church has agreed to donate 20 percent of funds raised through their current "Radical Generosity" program to World Vision, which can be done in envelopes or cards during services.

The church held a successful shoe drive in partnership with Roseville's Sports Chalet over the weekend that brought in 2,034 pairs of donated shoes. To donate or learn more visit Bayside's website. Additional shoe donations can be brought to these locations:

-Bayside Church weekend services at the Fill the Trucks drop-off Saturdays 3:30 until 7:30 pm and Sundays 7:30 am until 1:30 pm Sundays from 7:30 am to 1:30 pm at 8211 Sierra College Boulevard Roseville, CA 95661
-Sports Chalet 10349 Fairway Drive Roseville, CA 95678

Inspired by a national effort to raise money through vegan bake sales, local vegan cooks Toni Okamoto and Amy Galvan organized their own bake sale, held at R5 Records on Saturday. They raised $686 in sales and received an additional pledge for $500, which will all be donated to the American Red Cross. The women will be selling their vegan goods again later this month (see event list below).

"I think bake sales are a great way to raise money. Many of our friends are on a tight budgets for whatever reason. We might spend three dollars to make a plate of cookies and end up selling them for $30," said Galvan, "[One woman who donated muffins] couldn't afford to buy anything or donate money directly, but she did have the ingredients in her pantry to bake for the bake sale."

Also standing by to help is the region's Urban Search and Rescue Team, California Task Force 7. The 72-person rescue team, made up of Firefighters from Sacramento's Fire Agencies and civilians, received orders to deploy on the evening of Jan. 13 from the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance. After waiting for a flight to Haiti from Travis Air Force Base, the team returned home Monday morning after being delayed for several days due to damage to both Haiti's air and sea ports. They will remain on standby to relieve any USAR team currently in Haiti if needed. See original posting by Sacramento Fire Department's Jim Doucette here.

The magnitude of the damage in Haiti is still unknown but the need for assistance is dire and it is just the beginning of the recovery from the damage done. Below is a list of upcoming events that will raise funds for the major organizations providing relief:

Bypassing Oblivion: On Friday, Jan. 22 a five-band benefit show, hosted by Bypassing Oblivion, will be held at Vega's in Old Sacramento. 100 percent of the $5 cover will be donated. Vega's is located at 910 Front Street.

Sugar Plum Vegan Cafe: On Saturday, Jan. 23, Okamoto and Galvan will be participating in another vegan bake sale from 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. All sales will be donated to Life Global, an organization that will be delivering vegan meals to Haiti. Sugar Plum is located at 2315 K Street.

Capitol Roots Dance Studio: On Saturday, Jan. 23, the studio will be hosting "Hip Hop 4 Haiti" fundraiser featuring Live Manikins, Task1ne, JGood (The Usual Suspects), Verbal Taktiks along with DJ Rated R and DJ Jetski. A Bboy/girl Battle is planned along with a graffiti station. For more information visit Yele.org or CapitolRoots.com.

Punchline Comedy Club: On Tuesday, Feb. 2, Punchline Comedy Club is holding a benefit show and will donate 100 percent of door ticket sales. Comedians Ngaio Bealum, Dennis Gaxiola, and Marcella Arguello will be performing and Keith Lowell Jensen will be hosting. More comedians will be added as the date gets closer. Punchline is located at 2100 Arden Way Suite 225 in Howe 'bout Arden shopping center. For more information visit Punchline's website.

Marilyn's: On Sunday, Feb. 7, local artists will unite for "Helping Hands for Haiti," a benefit concert featuring Ryan Hernandez, Hans Eberbach, Shadia Powell, Gado Gado and Retrograde Revolution. Marilyn's is located at 908 K Street. Visit www.soulsandsounds.com for more information.

Peppers.TV: The local media production team is planning a February fundraiser. As details are finalized, they will post information on their website: www.peppershosting.com/

If there are upcoming events that have been left out or any other businesses or organizations assisting with relief, please email casey@sacramentopress.com so they can be included.

Photo credit: American Red Cross 2010 earthquake in Haiti

Oak Park wraps up holiday cheer

2009-12-05T03:37:21Z

About 60 community members gathered at the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services last night to make the holidays a little bit brighter for Oak Park's children.

The Oak Park Neighborhood Association has collected 300 toys for its Oak Park Toy Give-Away, which began Nov. 22 and will continue until Dec. 18.

"Imagine knowing that you may not receive a gift...Kids everywhere look forward to the thrill of opening gifts and we want to make sure that kids in Oak Park get to experience the excitement," said board member Michael Boyd, "Even more importantly, we want them to know they live in a community that cares about them; a community that values them, and a community that will help them."

Members of the association, Sacramento police officers, and various community members attended the potluck and toy gift-wrapping party. Attendees were encouraged to bring wrapping paper, gifts or food.

Association board members circulated throughout the three-hour event, passing out wrapping paper and Scotch tape as volunteers ate, mingled and wrapped.

The goal of the association is to distribute 1,200 toys Dec. 19 from noon to 3 p.m. The food bank is also the drop-off point, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.

If toys are wrapped, donors are asked to indicate whether they're for a boy or girl and the age range. On the day of the toy distribution, gifts will be divided into piles according to age group and given to children on a first-come first-serve basis.

"The [toy drive] is important because it's about residents in the community taking care of those that live in that community. It's not about toys, it's about coming together and supporting each other. That's what makes us strong and keeps us strong," said board member and community activist LaTisha Lawson.

In addition to their own efforts, the group has received some help gathering toys.

Sacramento's University of the Pacific McGeorge School of Law organized an Angel Drive that brought in 100 toys.

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services is at 3333 Third Ave. in Oak Park.

For more information about the Oak Park Neighborhood Association, visit its website or email opna@inmycommunity.com.

The Sacramento Press Sports Equipment Drive

2009-12-03T23:41:10Z

Please join The Sacramento Press on Saturday for a day of fun and helping the community. Bring new or used sports equipment and gain free admission to The Carnival at St. Rose plus a chance to win tickets to the December 6 Kings game.

WHAT: The Sacramento Press sponsors a drive to collect new or used sports equipment

WHO: Proceeds benefit Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services (www.sfbs.org)

WHERE: The Carnival at St. Rose, 7th and K Sts., Sacramento

WHEN: 10 a.m. – noon on Saturday, December 5

WHY: Underprivileged children gain equipment to play athletics

HOW: Donation of new or used sports equipment gains free admission to the carnival

MORE: Donation of new or used sports equipment also will gain each donor a ticket to a raffle drawing of three pairs of tickets to the Sacramento Kings NBA home game against the Miami Heat on Sunday, December 6.

The carnival features a 30-foot Ferris wheel, giant slide, classic carnival games and fun food vendors. The carnival arcade includes pinball, Skee ball, Centipede, Ms. Pacman, Frogger, Donkey Kong and more. Admission to the two-hour event -- including unlimited access to the carnival games, arcade and rides -- is $6 for children under 12 and seniors over 55, and $7 for adults.

For more information, please contact Sonny Mayugba at sonny@sacramentopress.com or at 916-443-1784

Annual turkey drive doubles goal

2009-11-24T06:25:35Z

With 6,592 turkeys collected, the Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services 2009 second-annual Turkey Drive will make Thanksgiving for many Sacramento families' a bit brighter.

Despite heavy rain and winds, volunteers collected turkeys and directed the lines of cars that pulled up to the food bank Friday.

As the rain fell continuously, donors stayed dry in the drive-through drop-off while volunteers retrieved turkeys.

"I knew I had to donate this year because there are so many people out of work and struggling just to pay their bills," said Roseville resident Karrin Segur. "Everyone deserves to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families, and shouldn’t have to worry about feeding their families on one of the most special days of the year."

Volunteers kept a turkey count from 4:30 a.m., when the drive began, to its end at 7 p.m. Last year, 2,766 turkeys were collected. This year's goal was 3,000.

The food bank helps families throughout the year, but the holidays are an especially important time. The food bank's mission is for every family to be able to spend Thanksgiving together and have a traditional meal. In addition to turkeys, the food bank also encouraged donations of other Thanksgiving food items.

Distribution of holiday boxes full of turkey and all the fixings began early Monday and will continue through Tuesday afternoon. Each box contains a turkey, fresh produce, dry mashed potatoes, canned foods and stuffing mix.

To show the impact a small donation to the food bank can make for a family this Thanksgiving, a volunteer wore a poster listing all of the items that can be purchased with a $7.23 donation to the food bank.

To receive a box, a member from each family lined up beginning at 7:30 a.m. and received a ticket for one box. All holiday boxes are the same size regardless of family size and will be distributed until the food bank runs out.

The food bank's annual Run to Feed the Hungry will take place on Thanksgiving to help even more families in need.

For more information about resources available, visit the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services website at www.sacramentofoodbank.org

All images courtesy of Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services

Changing bad habits one recipe at a time

2009-10-01T22:03:51Z

Joanne Neft is on a mission to change the poor eating habits common in many households today.

"We're eating really inappropriately," she explained to dinner guests at her home this past week.

She pinpoints Americans' "inappropriate" eating habits to the cause of many problems. "We eat subsidized food because it's cheap, forgetting the huge price we pay for the resulting obesity, diabetes, cancer, and coronary problems. Americans pay a high price for cheap food."

She is currently self-employed and owns a couple of commercial properties but these days she is putting most of her energy and passion into a crusade against poor eating habits found in the form of a cookbook.

Neft and her close friend (and chef) Laura Caballero are in the process of compiling around 300 recipes made up of locally-grown ingredients.

"I've always cooked from scratch. It's easy, it tastes better, and it's good for you. So here we are writing a cookbook -- the next logical step in a long love affair with food," Neft said.

The cookbook is based on a unique and interactive, original concept.

Every weekend, Neft and Caballero shop the Auburn farmers market and purchase ingredients that are abundant and in season. They constantly find new fruits and vegetables, such as the spiky jelly melons (pictured below) they found last week.

On Monday evenings, the meal they have designed is prepared for six guests at the home Neft shares with her husband. Their home sits high atop the Auburn hills and guests are treated to a spectacular view of the hills during dinner.

Neft thinks the most important part of their project is the interaction of the community. "To our knowledge, this is the first cookbook written over a 52-week period using all the food grown in a single area. This is the first time community members are actually participating in the process of writing a cookbook," she said.

The guest list changes every week and by the year's end, they will have hosted and cooked for around 300 guests. The guests are made up of both acquaintances and friends that responded to an invitation email Neft sent out in January.

The weekly tradition began in January and will continue until December for a total of 52 weeks. The recipes will be in chronological order, ensuring all of the ingredients are in season and can be found in local markets. Special meals for holidays, such as a grass-fed turkey for Christmas, will also be included.

Depending on the type of meat served, meals for eight end up costing anywhere from $65 to $120. Instead of paying for their meal, guests are asked to make a donation of $20 per person that will go towards the printing of the cookbook.

Spots at the Monday night dinners have been booked through the end of the year so it's rare that a guest cancels. However, in the case of an emergency, a neighbor or friend is more than happy to sit in.

"The food is already purchased and we expect to prepare eight dinners so we appreciate having eight people around the table," Neft said.

Neft believes that it is more powerful to have people taste nutritious food instead of telling them how great or beneficial it is. She stresses that, because they are cooking with the freshest food available, there is not a lot of preparation involved or ingredients that need to be added.

"When we see guests at the following farmers market, then it's obvious they liked what they tasted and are there to learn what else is available. Most of the guests are people we don't know, so the dinners are definitely making a difference," Neft said.

The dinners not only allow guests to taste great food but give Caballero and Neft a chance to try out their recipes. Some recipes become surprising favorites, like the lamb neck slices that were cooked in dark beer, coffee, paprika, and a mandarin grilling sauce. Others, like the mini grilled artichokes, won't make it into the cookbook. If they are unsure about a recipe, they might try it out beforehand but generally dinners are cooked for the first time the evening of the dinner.

"If you start out with fresh food picked that Friday, you'd have to try really hard to mess it up," Neft explained.

Her passion for food began when she was young. She spent many years on farm land that was homesteaded by her great-grandfather in Minnesota and grew up with the importance of healthy food instilled in her. Her father always maintained a vegetable garden and started a large community garden in Santa Barbara in the 1960s.

She says that as she grew older, she noticed more people becoming overweight and sick and began to question why obesity was such a problem.

"People don't realize that 90 percent of foods available in supermarkets are corn-based and/or pumped with too many sweets, oils or salt ... Americans are unwittingly poisoning themselves," she explained.

She credits activists like Barbara Kingsolver, Alice Waters, Michael Pollan, and Eric Schlosser with bringing light to the importance of good food but thinks there is still much room for improvement.

"Most people still aren't connecting the dots," she said. "It really boils down to a health issue ... we are what we eat and the majority of people are not paying attention and haven't taken the time to inform themselves."

Twenty years ago, Neft opened the first Foothills Farmers Market. The following three years, eight more markets popped up throughout Placer County.

Other highlights of her food activism include heading up the first Mountain Mandarin Festival in Newcastle, preserving farmland, and working open space and scenic vistas as a chairperson of Placer County's Citizens Advisory Committee. She also served five years as Director for the Placer County Agricultural Program. Most recently, Neft has been involved with Sacramento's Regional Food System Collaborative.

"Once I learned of the massive amounts of money the government spends on healthcare and the potential of enormous costs in the years to come, I decided to take some action. There are two generations of people who don't know how to cook a meal from scratch."

Neft is doing her part to change that, one meal at a time.

On Monday night, Neft cooked two angel food cakes using the exact same recipe with eggs from the farmers' market and eggs from the supermarket. She believes the difference in sizes speaks volumes. The scenery behind is the view from the Nefts' back porch.

Sample menu served on September 28

Appetizers:
Chilled cucumber soup
Fresh brick-oven bread

Dinner:
Tomato, jelly melon and arugula salad with a vinaigrette laced with fresh pesto sauce
Swiss chard sauteed and topped with bacon crumbles
Mashed German butterball potatoes
Lamb stew with okra and diced tomatoes

Dessert:
Angel food cake with strawberries and homemade bittersweet chocolate sauce
Homemade vanilla ice cream

Placer County Real Food will be completed by Mother's Day 2010 and will be available for purchase at the Auburn farmers market or pre-order by contacting Mercedes Sinclair at Mercedes@EastWindQuantumWellness.com or at 916-412-2622

To contact Laura Caballero about her professional chef services, email her at laurak928@hotmail.com

All photos taken by Jonathan Mendick

Food system advocates create action plan

2009-09-12T03:20:56Z

Members of the Regional Food System Collaborative (RFC) turned their attention again Thursday morning to improving the region's food system. The gathering, hosted by Valley Vision, couldn't have been held at a more fitting location. While colleagues gathered inside the Sacramento Food Bank, the hungry lined up outside to receive bags of free food.

Attendees came from local organizations that have a stake in our food system and share common goals: improving our eating habits and the way the local food system functions.

The discussion was facilitated by Valley Vision's Bill Mueller and the group of more than 50 broke into three subgroups to put their plans for change into action.

The collaborative project has undergone a "planning stage" and now is putting its plans into action.

Each work group had its own focus -- education, sustainable agriculture and food access. The goal was for each group to come up with three to five goal statements to put into action by 2011. Mueller asked groups to keep in mind the "S.M.A.R.T." philosophy and make goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Timely. In addition, he reminded participants to think of goals that would get the most return with the least amount of effort.

As a reminder of the heart of the project, a flow chart pointed out that healthy soil leads to healthy food, which leads to healthy people and a healthy economy.

Each group was allotted 45 minutes to share ideas and participants were encouraged not to reject concepts without hearing them in their entirety. A Valley Vision representative facilitated each group. Afterward, group facilitators presented short-term goals and ideas. They include:

Education
-Create a tool kit that will teach local youth how to cook with a focus on tasting healthy food
-Idea that tasting healthy food might change any negative stigma
-Create a program incorporating a tool kit that can be replicated
-Have ambassadors or representatives to help spread message
-Branding: Create a unified, ongoing message and transmit it through social networking
-Focus on policy-makers and educate them as well as business leaders

Sustainable Agriculture
-Policy regulation
-Educate and have Legislature sign on to educational platform
-Increase resources
-Increase integration of technical resources
-Williamson Act

Food Access
-Create 20 new access points for fresh, healthy food
-Indicate on the label where food is grown
-Increase access to low-income and underrepresented communities
-Achieve price equity so food is accessible
-Make all programs multilingual

Many involved in the work group discussion were especially passionate about starting with changing habits of youth, who are impressionable and might encourage their parents to make healthy choices as well. After the presentations, the audience participated in a discussion of groups' decisions and goals.

In keeping with their beliefs, attendees ate locally grown organic fruit from Soil Born farms, which had several representatives at the meeting. One audience member expressed disdain for the plastic water bottles at the meeting, saying they go against everything for which the collaborative stands.

While Valley Vision has played a guiding role since the collaborative formed, Mueller encouraged everyone to continue convening in their work groups outside of planned meetings. He stressed that while Valley Vision has helped to push the project along, it is up to the group to keep the effort going.

Three work group meetings for each subtopic discussed at the collaborative are planned for October 13, 14, and 15 at Valley Vision. Attendees also expressed a strong desire for another collaborative meeting before February, when Valley Vision's involvement is scheduled to end.

To learn about future collaborative meetings or activities, contact Robyn Krock at robyn.krock@valleyvision.org or visit www.valleyvision.org.

Food advocates come together for change

2009-07-25T05:05:58Z

Mark Winne, author of Closing the Food Gap: Resetting the Table in the Land of Plenty, opened Thursday morning’s Sacramento Region Food Collaborative (RFC) conference with a powerful message of hope.

“The loss of land, hunger, insecurity, obesity are real…but so is the opportunity for change," he said.

The guest list for the four-hour brainstorm session, coordinated by Valley Vision, included more than 70 movers and shakers in the food and urban agriculture industry plus representatives from congress and environmental agencies.

Held in TV station KVIE’s community room, Winne began the collaborative by asking the audience for general feedback, both positive and negative, on the state of Sacramento’s current food system (see below for highlights).

Winne, the headlining speaker for this month’s meeting, is a nationally recognized leader in food policy, local agriculture and hunger and food insecurity. He has co-founded a number of food and agriculture policy groups across the nation and is a recipient of the 2001 U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary’s Plow Honor Award.

Throughout his presentation, “Leadership for Healthy Communities: Advancing Policies to Support Healthy Eating and Active Living,” Winne discussed existing successful food policies, community projects and strategies that can be used as models for our region and solutions to putting talk into action.

Many attendees echoed a common frustration of the pace of action taking place in the region, with some having devoted almost their entire lives to food policy and providing healthy food choices to the community. One audience member aptly described it as “pushing a rock uphill.”

Winne acknowledged that change might occur slowly, but reassured the audience, saying, “I maintain that you have the expertise in this room to solve most of the food problems in the region.”

Two of the strongest themes that emerged from the convention were the need for greater education efforts and access for communities to various food programs throughout the region. Some of the solutions that Winne suggested that could build steps toward an improved food system included:

-Zoning laws, buffer zones around schools
-Not just providing healthy food choices but equipping children and adults with education to make them
-Example: Happy Kitchen adult cooking program
-Focus on change at a local level
-Community development as area for opportunity
-Example: Pennsylvania’s Fresh Food Financing, which added 2,500 new jobs
- Farm-to-school programs (currently 10 percent of nation’s schools involved)

During last month’s RFC, Valley Vision surveyed attendees to get an idea of their priorities and focus. A list of 15 priorities was formed, the number one priority being “taking action to overcome policy barriers to local food access” . Bill Mueller, this month’s RFC facilitator, accepted critique of the survey and, based on a majority of comments, fine-tuned the results to include that education and communication should always be a cornerstone of the project in addition to other priorities.

To close the meeting and prepare for September’s conference, facilitators asked that audience members review a spider chart of stakeholders in the RFC project, grouped into categories like community development, social economy, charity and policy advocacy. Attendees were asked to consider who has been left out and to leave suggestions of additional targets of the project.

As outlined in a one-year meeting plan timeline, RFC has developed an action plan and is currently in the "convening/agenda setting” stage. Beginning with September’s planning meeting, the collaborative will enter the "action” stage that will continue through a series of priority action meetings until February 2010.

Based on the discussion and exchange of ideas that took place Thursday morning, attendees are more than equipped with not only the passion but the tools, power and innovative thinking needed to improve Sacramento’s food system.

Valley Vision’s Bill Mueller closed the collaboration with a reminder that the power for change lies in the hands of the attendees.

“At the end of the day, this is your project, and we‘re the container," Mueller said.

RFC gatherings began in May and will continue on a monthly basis. For complete information about the project, visit valleyvision.org.

To learn about future collaborative meetings, contact Robyn Krock at robyn.krock@valleyvision.org

Current food system audience commentary highlights (positive)

-Sacramento is one of the best stone-fruit agriculture regions in the nation
-A vast number of farmers markets in area
-Many farmers markets and stands accept Electronic Benefit Transfer cards
-Programs like Meals on Wheels offer healthy food choices to seniors
-Many marketing opportunities available for food programs

Current food system audience commentary highlights (negative)

-Sacramento is a food “desert” (Read USDA’s study on this theory)
-Lack of education and access in certain communities (example Oak Park)
-Price per dollar of fruit and vegetables at markets is on the rise
-There is still a lot of room for improvement with marketing methods
-Only around 2 percent of area residents attend farmers markets
-Regulations sometimes make it difficult to run stands or markets
-More focus is needed on children making healthy choices
-Many neighborhoods are forced to choose supermarkets and fast food because of lack of options

Take Action, Get Inspired: Programs and Resources

Mark Winne: mark@foodsecurity.org

Community Food Security Coalition

Farm to School Network

Oakland's People's Grocery

Leadership for Healthy Communities

Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture

Cleveland's City Fresh program

Philadelphia's Food Trust

Food Policy Council

UDA Design Dialogue: Community garden challenges

2009-07-24T03:17:18Z

On Wednesday night around 40 urban agriculture advocates, gardeners and Sacramento residents gathered at the Sacramento chapter of the American Institute of Architects to discuss a subject that has been on many Sacramentans' minds lately.

This month's topic for the 4th Wednesday Urban Design Alliance (UDA) Design Dialogue was "Design Challenges in Urban Agriculture." Those who attended were divided into groups for an interactive workshop that involved designing a faux-garden despite a list of challenges given to them. While mulling over the different scenarios and solutions, participants snacked on fresh fruits provided by Soil Born farm, appropriate fare given the night's theme.

Bill Maynard, of the Sacramento Area Community Garden Coalition, opened the lecture with his own thoughts about urban agriculture and discussed several community gardens he believes are good models. He reminded the attendees that two goals of community gardens are edibility/sustainability and visual appeal. A facilitator sat in on each table to guide the 20 minutes they were given to discuss and sketch their designs.

The group that I sat in on was given the task of creating a vegetable garden in a 20-foot by 330-foot alley along a residential and commercial block. Some of the challenges they faced were the alley being paved with concrete, the need for automobile and garbage collection access throughout the alley and a possible need for topsoil in raised beds for sunlight. They were reminded to use sustainable gardening practices such as using rain runoff, selecting appropriate plants and food crops and pest management while also focusing on the visual aspects of the garden.

In response to the various challenges, the team came up with several ideas that would work in an actual community garden given the same scenario. Members decided to make the garden a communal one so that everyone could share in the vegetables. Containers would be placed along the edges at different points so that they would be raised enough to receive sunlight and would stay clear of any cars or service vehicles that might need access. Seasonal vegetables would be planted as well as trees to provide shade. Trellises would be positioned across the top for even more planting opportunities, and vacant lots along the edges of the alley would be used for tool storage and sitting areas. To ensure visual appeal, flowers would be included throughout the garden, and artwork would be placed at both ends. Lastly, water containers would catch rain runoff and double as both a water source and decorative art atop roofs.

After 20 minutes, variations of those solutions were reflected in the other groups' presentations. Other garden types that were designed during the workshop included a temporary community garden, a Fab-40s front yard garden, a vacant lot used by a chef, a lawn with a giant tree in the center, a school garden and rooftop garden. Solutions to design challenges included raised ponds for drainage, drought-tolerant herbs, turning a large industrial building wall into an art mural and installing water sources for easy relocation, among many others.

Maynard commended the groups, most of them made up of team members who have never been involved in community gardening and noted that many of the ideas the participants came up with are actually used in community gardens across the nation.

Before the gathering came to a close, the UDA leaders reviewed results of surveys that were handed out at the beginning of the meeting, which doubled as a lesson in California's urban agriculture. Survey takers were asked how many farms are in the state (75,000), if growing veggies in front yards is illegal (it's not) and if water use for gardening is regulated in Sacramento (only the hours are). In addition, they were asked to guess the second and third states in the United States that produce the most agriculture, with California being the first. Some were surprised to learn that Iowa came in third, after Texas.

In closing, Maynard encouraged the audience to think outside the box when it comes to designing urban agriculture spaces and pointed out that the Sacramento region requires considerations such as a lack of rain in the summer months.

Of special importance, he also reminded attendees that August is National Community Garden Awareness Month. To help out on several community garden projects Maynard has planned for the month, contact him at saccg@ulink.net.

For more information about community gardening, visit the Sacramento Area Community Garden Coalition

Slow Food educates, raises awareness on Urban Ag Day

2009-07-13T03:55:45Z

In a celebration of Urban Agriculture Day, Slow Food Sacramento hosted a series of workshops and tours throughout the day Saturday to benefit Sacramento Hunger Coalition and Sacramento Area Community Garden Coalition (SACGC).

For $25, ticket holders were able to choose from an itinerary of workshops, tours and movie screenings after either touring Soil Born Farm or cycling around town on the "What's 'Growing' On" Bike Tour.

The morning cycling tour led roughly 25 cyclists on a 10-mile guided trek around local community gardens, starting at Southside Community Garden and making stops at McClatchy Park Farm Stand, David Lubin School Garden and the Sacramento Food Bank's garden along with other residential and community gardens from Downtown to East Sac.

For those looking to get their hands dirty, Soil Born gave an exclusive peek into the inner workings of its 20-acre organic farm. Attendees were given a tour of the farm and had the opportunity to participate in harvesting and planting as well as snack on organic treats at its farm stand.

"I was so encouraged that there are people in and around Sacramento willing to learn and talk and share and work for the benefit of the local food system. Every day more Sacramentans learn about how the industrial food system is making us sick and how it is not serving our most marginalized residents," said John Schmidt, who attended the Soil Born tour and workshops.

Midtown's Fremont Community Garden hosted a Composting 101 class. Gardening guru Bill Maynard (of SACGC) taught both aspiring and seasoned gardeners how to turn kitchen waste into a valuable garden resource.

A couple blocks away, at Fremont Park, Pesticide Free Sacramento hosted Organic 101 and organic advocate Steve Zien discussed the benefits of organic fertilizer and pesticides over synthetics. Zien promised that organic gardens will lead to more nutritious and better-tasting food. The location for the workshop couldn't have been more fitting as the park has been pesticide-free since March 2009.

To help understand the daily battle that the hungry in Sacramento face, the Sacramento Food Bank put on an interactive workshop with speakers Nisha Kapadia of the Hunger Coalition and Dawn Dunlap from the Health Education Council.

The group of 10 were given characters to role-play with and information sheets with monthly expenses, income and calorie requirements for their individual characters and families. Tables were set up as a bank, grocery store, food stamp office, Woman Infant and Children office as well as a hot meal site and summer food program.

Participants were given the challenge of meeting calorie needs while struggling with a lack of income, being denied food stamps, inconvenient office and bank hours, and less-than-helpful workers at each station

After the role-play, participants discussed either how they met the calorie requirements they were given or why they fell short. Obstacles that arose during the exercise included rent and miscellaneous expenses, making too much money to qualify for food stamps or working hours that weren't conducive to waiting in lines to receive aid. These problems accurately echoed real-life challenges faced by the hungry.

Dunlap and Kapadia proposed not only feeding the hungry but encouraging nutritious food choices.

"At the end of the day, we're still up against people eating unhealthy," Dunlap said. To battle the problem, the council hands out lists of community gardens that accept Electronic Benefit Transfer cards (food stamps). Dunlap said that another part of the solution is encouraging families to garden, buy in bulk and cook at home to meet nutritional and caloric needs while still staying within financial means.

Organizations like Soil Born, Slow Food, the Sacramento Food Bank and the Health Education Council are all teaming up to battle the ongoing problem and educate local families.

Further down the road, two movies pertaining to the day's theme were screened as an ending to the days activities. At the Guild Theatre FRESH a documentary about the current state of our food system and what is being done to reinvent it, was shown and The Garden told the story of the effort to save Los Angeles' South Central Farm at Ooley Theatre.

For an additional $100 for non Slow Food members amd $75 for members, the evening continued with a three-course dinner catered by Magpie Catering, a local company that reflects Slow Food's beliefs of locally grown, nutritious food. Diners were served fresh and seasonal food at Fremont Community Garden while surrounded by the day's focus -- organic fruits and vegetables. The spotlight of the evening's dinner was speaker Brahm Ahmadi of Oakland's Peoples Grocery, who discussed solutions for providing food for low-income residents through the use of urban and community gardens.

Conveniently held on the Second Saturday Art Walk, many continued the celebration of Urban Agriculture Day in The Grid after dinner came to a close.

Get Involved:

Slow Food Sacramento

Soil Born Farm

Health Education Council

Pesticide Free Sacramento

Sacramento Hunger Coalition

Community Information Hotline: 2-1-1

Hope for the homeless on two wheels

2009-06-28T00:50:26Z

Hoards of people walked and pedaled up to North B Street Saturday morning. Volunteers were more than ready for them, tools in hand, prepared to repair their bikes as part of Cycle 4 Hope’s monthly “Homeless Outreach Day.”

Founded by Shawn Holiday in 2008, Cycles 4 Hope is a nonprofit organization that provides free bike repairs for the homeless. It operates entirely on donated bicycle materials and the help of volunteers.

“The number one thing that I have learned is that a bicycle helps a homeless person not feel homeless," Holiday said. "It gives them the opportunity to be at par with everyone else. It helps them forget the bad situation they are in.”

After Holiday spent a morning downtown this past July and saw the conditions the homeless live in, he began to wonder what it must be like to live in Sacramento in the middle of the summer heat and have no means of transportation to get to a shelter or somewhere cool.

He realized that something many people take for granted, a working bike, can make a huge difference in the homeless’ lives.

“A bike can get you to a place to cool off such as a community pool or the river. A bike can get you across town to a shelter for food, a bath and a clean bed. A bike can get you to a job that is helping you get back on your feet,” Holiday said.

Once a month, volunteers gather for “Wrench Days” to prepare and repair donated bikes. Outreach days are held the following day to provide free repairs to those who already have bikes as well as give away bikes that are donated to the organization.

On Saturday, 10 bicycles were given away to those who showed up early and entered a raffle.

While they waited in the blistering heat, many gathered in prayer circles, danced to the beat of live music and received free Bibles from members of Roseville’s Metro City Ministry, who attend the monthly gatherings to speak to the homeless.

“[Cycles 4 Hope] are meeting their physical needs, and we’re meeting their spiritual needs,” said Paul Fore, a leader from the ministry.

Earlier in the morning, the ministry gathered at Union Gospel Church and served breakfast to the homeless who are not able to make it as far as B Street. Afterward, they moved to the Cycles 4 Hope location to hand out free Bibles and preach a message of hope to the homeless.

The Outreach days are held once a month in Sacramento across from the Salvation Army, and Holiday said that as more people find out about their services, the numbers of those who show up in need of repairs grow every month.

Another one of Cycle 4 Hope’s targets is downtown Old Roseville, where the numbers of homeless are increasing. They have held several Outreach days there and will continue to do so as needed.

Holiday’s organization currently has 10 volunteers who volunteer on a monthly basis and around 30 who participate at least once a year. Last year, Cycles 4 Hope logged 400 volunteer hours, gave away 150 bikes and repaired more than 300 bikes in only six months.

Cycles 4 Hope is currently in the process of receiving its Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3) approval that will make it exempt from federal income taxes. With more volunteers and donations, Holiday hopes that their services can expand beyond just the Sacramento region.

For those who wish to volunteer but are not able to make the Wrench or Outreach days, Holiday offers an adopt-a-bike program where volunteers can repair bikes at their own homes and return them upon completion.

“Cycles 4 Hope's mission is to provide hope, one bicycle at a time," Holiday said. "Providing hope to someone in need is the best thing we can do.”

To volunteer or find out more information, visit Cycle 4 Hope’s website

All photos taken by Ed Fogle of Maverick Photography