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DECEMBER 2025

• December 4-13: Winter Boutique Distribution
• December 13, 20, & 21: Carriage Rides Youth Board Fundraiser
• January 24, 2026: Middle and High School Leaders Mid Year Retreat
• February 15, 2026: Empty Bowls Dinner
• February 27, 2026: Nashville Songwriters Live Benefit Concert

• December 1-13: Winter Boutique Set up, Distribution, and Clean Up (multiple days and times)
• Dec 7: Hangtown Christmas Parade - All Hands4Hope youth are invited to participate to join the Hands4Hope float
• Dec 8: Twin Lakes Food Bank Food Distribution
• Dec 13: GVCC Common Ground Breakfast & Essentials Distribution
• Dec 13: Carriage Rides Ticket Booth
• Dec 17: Mercy Creekview Manor Senior Dinner & Entertainment
• Dec 20: Carriage Rides Ticket Booth
• Dec 21: Carriage Rides Ticket Booth
• Dec 26: Sister Nora's Place Dinner
• Dec 27: GVCC Common Ground Breakfast & Essentials Distribution
• Dec 27: Upper Room Dining Hall Dinner

Ongoing:

• Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays: MAPS Peer Mentoring (no sessions on Christmas Eve or Christmas)

Donations and Drop-Off Dates:

• Dec 2: At-Home Blanket Making Projects due
• Dec 2: Powerhouse Ministries Christmas Build-A-Bag for Seniors due
• Dec 16: Mercy Creekview dinner/dessert donations due

New opportunities may be added throughout the month, so be sure to check the calendar often!

Cassie Conner, a senior at Oak Ridge High School, has already contributed more than 180 service hours through projects like Ryan Christopher Hersh Scholarship Committee, Winter Boutique, Empty Bowls, and multiple outreach opportunities and events. In just over a year, she has grown from a first-time volunteer to a dedicated leader, serving in key roles across several after-school committees and in her on-campus Hands4Hope Club. Her journey is a powerful example of how Hands4Hope helps youth build confidence, find their voice, and make a difference in their own way.

The 2025 Winter Boutique youth committee is in the final stages of preparing to open the doors to Winter Boutique so that 400+ people can receive new warm clothing and blankets. Youth and adult volunteers have sorted and counted thousands of donated items, and will finish shopping to fill remaining needs using funds from those who have chosen to provide financial support. Youth will be decorating the space with this year's festive "gingerbread" theme, welcoming guests starting this Thursday and continuing through next weekend.

Some days and shifts still need more volunteers to run the distribution effort and to clean up; please consider signing up for a shift.

The Hands4Hope Empty Bowls Committee is proud to present the Empty Bowls Dinner in Placerville on Sunday, February 15. Empty Bowls Dinner is a chance to gather, enjoy a delicious bowl of soup in a handmade bowl, and raise funds to fight hunger in our local community and beyond.

This year's beneficiaries have been selected:

• Upper Room Dining Hall (Placerville)
• El Dorado High School's Natural Resources Program - Garden Senior Project (Placerville)
• Hands4Hope Emergency Food Pantry (Placerville)
• Earth's Angels (Ghana, Africa)

This family-friendly event features live music, vendor booths, and opportunities to purchase delicious desserts, along with local beer and wine. Tickets ($25 general admission presale, $15 youth, free for 4 & under), and sponsorships, which start at only $150, are available now.

Enjoy the beautifully twinkling El Dorado Hills Town Center holiday atmosphere while you listen to the nostalgic clip clop of a horse drawn carriage. You and up to 5 friends or family can cozy up to this festive tradition of celebrating the season while benefiting Hands4Hope!

Carriage Rides are a fundraiser for the Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference Youth Board to benefit the Hands4Hope Education Program. Hands4Hope Youth will be running 15-minute rides on December 14, 21, and 22 from 4:00 to 7:45 pm. 

Book your carriage ride ahead of time online! Act fast, spots may sell out! Rides will also be able to be booked in person, if available.

Hands4Hope – Youth Making A Difference is hiring a Donor Relations Coordinator, and we’d love your help spreading the word. We’re looking for someone who is organized, collaborative, and energized by connecting people to a cause. This role supports fundraising communications, campaigns, and events; manages donor data and engagement strategies; and builds relationships with youth participants, donors, volunteers, sponsors, and partners. If you know someone who would be a great fit, please share this info with them!

Tickets to Nashville Songwriters Live will make the perfect holiday gift for anyone you want to impress! We expect tickets to be available within the next week or two... so keep this in mind for a special gift list or wish list item!

Time is running out to become a Nashville Songwriters Live sponsor! Be sure to reach out this week if you want to make sure you're included among the sponsors of this special event.

We are still accepting applications from youth with a passion for music and proven talent who would be interested in the extraordinary chance to potentially perform alongside these incredible artists. Learn more at the link below.

Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference

is a youth-driven non-profit charitable 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to inspire and empower youth in leadership and service. 

Our vision is to develop a community of civic-minded and socially responsible citizens for generations to come.

THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY!