INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Summer at Saint John's| Saint John's Square | September's Guest Chef Dinner | Party for Change | Red Door Reflections |
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Thanks to our generous community of partners and supporters, the women and children at Saint John’s are having a fantastic summer and look forward to starting school on September 2nd!
Also, thanks to the YMCA, our kids were able to enjoy swimming, games and summer fun! SETA provided opportunities for field trips including a trip to Old Sacramento, the Railroad Museum, Raging Waters and Roller-skating fun.
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Family Fun Day
Once a month, we sponsor a Family Fun Day for our women and children. This is an extension of the parenting class taught on campus and funded by the Miller Family Foundation #2. The July Family Fun Day found our women and children enjoying a tie-dye party together, including a make-your-own-sundae feast! A good time was had by all!
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Saint John’s Graduation, June 17
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We were thrilled to recognize the hard work and dedication of six incredible women at our summer graduation. One graduate, Arefa, noted, “My experience here has been life changing. I was just getting out of jail and realized I didn’t have a home to come back to. I was out on the streets again. However, this time was different because I had my daughter with me so I called Saint John’s Program. This program empowered me to become an independent, strong, confident woman and, most importantly, to be the best mother I can be.”
Congratulations, Arefa, Phoebe, Patricia, Haleigh, Elizabeth and Danielle! We love you and are so proud of all you’ve accomplished. Your future is bright and we’re here to cheer you on!
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Congratulations to Cheri and Vanessa, our two newest high school graduates through our partner, Highlands Community Charter and Technical Schools. We're so proud of your dedication, tenacity, and perseverance! Completing high school is no easy feat, especially while taking the time to address the root causes as well as the symptoms of homelessness: mental health therapy, drug and alcohol counseling, life skills classes, but these women prevailed. The sky's the limit!
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Saint John’s Square Grand Opening, July 15 |
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Michael Wagener (Board Chair HomeAid Sacramento), Councilmember Eric Guerra, Ken Wenham (CEO, Roebbelen Contracting, Inc.), Kizzie Anderson (Recent Saint John’s Graduate), and Julie Hirota (CEO, Saint John’s Program for Real Change) |
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Saint John’s Square is officially open! We came together as a community on July 15 to celebrate the grand opening of our brand new affordable modular housing community, Saint John’s Square.
Saint John’s Square, located on our campus, is comprised of 11 modular homes and will house up to 55 women and children. Each two-bedroom, one-bath, 850 sq. ft. unit will be used as interim shared living for individuals, smaller families, or as a single-family home for larger families. Women and children residing at Saint John’s Square will live in a safe, supportive, nurturing transitional housing community and continue their path to independence.
During the ceremony, Kizzie, a mother of five and a Saint John’s alumnae spoke about her experience at Saint John’s and how the program turned her life around. “Saint John’s put hope back into my life that I wasn’t sure I was ever going to get again,” said Kizzie. “Even when I graduated from the program, they still continued to support me.” This brand new housing community allows us to bring Real Change to even more lives.
A very special thanks to the City of Sacramento, HomeAid Sacramento, Project Home Key and Roebbelen Contracting, Inc. for making this significant endeavor possible.
Did you know that you can sponsor your own home at Saint John’s Square for $25,000? For additional naming opportunities, please visit our website.
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September 2 - Guest Chef Dinner
Featuring Chef Christophe
from Dining Escapades
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Join us Thursday, September 2, 2021 for a truly unique dining experience as we partner with Chef Christophe from Dining Escapades. Chef Christophe has 25 years of culinary experience and is equally passionate about your experience as he is passionate about the food he prepares. Together with Plates Café and Catering, Chef Christophe will host an unforgettable late summer evening meal with friends, supporters, live music, complimentary wine tasting by Steiner Family Vineyards and a raffle.
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Christophe Cornet, Chef, has over 25 years of culinary experience.
At the age of 16, Chef Cornet started his career at the Restaurant le St. James in Bordeaux, a 1-star Michelin accredited restaurant where he stayed for close to a decade. He then went to Paris and worked at Maison Rostang, a 2-star Michelin Restaurant. He was then recruited to bring his French culinary expertise to the United States in Las Vegas at the Bellagio’s Le Cirque Restaurant for their opening. When the Maloof family acquired the Sacramento Kings NBA team, they brought over Chef Cornet to be their private Chef.
Dining Escapades started with a simple idea that you can have a one-of-a-kind dining adventure and Michelin star-worthy service outside of a restaurant.
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Party for Change is our only major fundraising event this year and is not-to-be-missed! This elegant black tie soiree will feature fabulous cuisine and wine, music by Las Vegas DJ E-Noc, dance and aerialist performances by the Sacramento Contemporary Dance Theatre, a fantastic live auction and more! For sponsorship opportunities, reach out to Sasha Wirth and Bethany Knudsen at info@saintjohnsprogram.org.
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Today is the perfect day to support Real Change.
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As you can see, it’s been busy and exciting around Saint John’s this summer with new projects and the return of favorite traditions. We opened 11 modular homes, Guest Chef Dinners returned, our kids enjoyed YMCA summer fun, and the Saint John’s Circle members met in person!
One of my favorite moments of the summer was the August Guest Chef Dinner, as we honored Desiree, a current resident in the program. Desiree has an amazing life story that I’ve been able to learn more and more about as each day passes. Like all of our residents, she has great courage and perseverance. When she entered Saint John’s with one of her four children, she regained parental rights of her three others through determination and commitment. And today, she is eligible to enter full-time employment! Her hard work shows and I’m inspired by her discipline.
As we close out the summer and head into the new school year, I am grateful for the rays of summer sunshine you continue to cast on the women and children at Saint John’s Program for Real Change.
In gratitude,
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For more information, please contact info@saintjohnsprogram.org.
Saint John's Program for Real Change
Nonprofit, 501(c)(3)
Tax ID: 68-0132934
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