Fall Volunteer Newsletter - A Season of Thanks & GIving

🍂 Fall Into Gratitude

Greetings!

The crisp days of fall bring a wonderful reminder of just how much we have to be grateful for—and our volunteers are at the top of that list!

As we head into one of our busiest and most meaningful times of the year, we're excited to celebrate YOU and the many ways you contribute to our community.

☕🍪 Please Save the Date & Join us for

Cookies & Cocoa on November 12!

This special volunteer appreciation event is our way of saying thank you for the countless ways you give of yourselves throughout the year. Come enjoy some cookies and cocoa, and celebrate the people who make Saranam stronger! Event details and a formal invitation to follow. Thursday, Nov. 12, 10 -12 at our west side ADC Family Campus.

Let us know if you plan on attending!

Yes, I can't wait for cookies & cocoa! ❤️

No, I will not be able to attend.🥹

Maybe, I am hoping to be there! 🍪

Housing & Administration 🏠

Our volunteers play an important role in keeping our campuses running smoothly and making sure our families feel supported and cared for.

Whether you have just an hour to give or want to stay involved weekly, we hope you will join us! 🧡

Volunteer Receptionist ☎️

Date: ongoing Mon-Thurs. 11:45-1:00 pm

Location: Westside

ADC Family Campus

4651 Montano Rd. NW - Office

Details: We’re seeking friendly volunteers to cover our front desk during required staff meetings and scheduled lunch breaks. Volunteers will greet visitors, direct families, and community members to the appropriate staff in our office, and receive packages.

Requirements: none

Donation Center Sorting & Organizing 📦

Date: ongoing Tuesdays and Thursdays

Time: 11:00-1:00 pm

Location: Westside

ADC Family Campus

4651 Montano Rd. NW- Donation Center

Details: Love organizing? We hold sorting and organizing sessions every week. Join us to help keep the space tidy and ready for whatever families need in their homes.

Requirements: none

Westside Monthly Supply Sorting

ADC Family Campus

Date:

October 14th and November 4th

Time: 9:30-11:30 am

Location: Westside

ADC Family Campus

4651 Montano Rd. NW-Donation Center

Details: Help us sort and fulfill each family's monthly supply orders. Families order from a list of available products and we gather and organize supplies for pick-up.

Requirements: none

Eastside Monthly Supply Sorting

FTA Campus

Date:

October 28th and November 18th

Time: 9:30-11:30 am

Location: Eastside

1100 Eubank Blvd. NE, Suite A

Classroom

Details: Help us sort and fulfill each family's monthly supply orders. Families order from a list of available products and we gather and organize supplies for pick-up.

Requirements: none

Westside Campus Cleanup

Date: November 19th

Time: 9:00 - 11:00 am

Location: Westside

ADC Family Campus

4651 Montano Rd. NW

Details: Join us for Campus Cleanup at our Westside Campus! We will undertake landscaping and repair tasks to ensure the campus is a welcoming place for our families to call home.

Requirements: none

Eastside Campus Cleanup

Date: October 15th

Time: 9:00 - 11:00 am

Location: Eastside

Weil Family Center

10400 San Jacinto Ave NE

Details: Join us for Campus Cleanup at our Eastside Campus! We will undertake landscaping and repair tasks to ensure the campus is a welcoming place for our families to call home.

Requirements: none

Leaf Wranglers! 🍂

Date: End of October/early November

Time: flexible

Location: Eastside

Weil Family Center

10400 San Jacinto Ave. NE

Details: Our two wonderful trees outside the Weil Family Center are about to drop their leaves. We can never predict the exact day, but reach out and we can work out a good day for fall cleanup!

Requirements: none

Education ✏️

School is in full swing and it is all about easy dinners! We would love easy meals or some warm casseroles for our family nights!

UPCOMING: Holiday Celebrations! The Holidays are right around the corner. Help make the holiday merry and bright for our families. Please reach out to Shannon Trujillo 505-377-5086 strujillo@saranamabq.org for ideas on how to help 🎄

Share a Meal for Family Night 🍽️

Eastside

Weil Family Center

10400 San Jacinto Ave. NE

November 4th and 18th
ready to serve at 5:00pm
no dessert or drinks needed
main dish, veggie, fruit

Westside

ADC Campus Classroom

4651 Montano Rd. NW

October 7 , Nov 4, Nov 18

Details: Food is the glue of community! We love to make a shared meal a part of our family nights. Volunteers will provide a meal for our Family Activity Nights. You are welcome to stick around and join our families for some good community conversation and fun!

Requirements: Working with Families Safely & Safe Sanctuaries training if staying for dinner.

Requirements: none, if just dropping off a meal

Contact Shannon Trujillo 505-377-5086 or strujillo@saranamabq.org

"Cooking from the Garden" class ~ NM foods 🌶️

Date: November 5th

8:00 - 11:30 am

Location: Westside

ADC Family Campus

4651 Montano Rd. NW - Classroom

Details: Are you a food lover, a confident home cook, or part of a group looking for a fun volunteer opportunity? We’re looking for an enthusiastic individual or group to lead a “Cooking from the Garden” session with our Growth & Gardening students!

This hands-on session gives students the opportunity to learn by doing. With guidance from our volunteers, students will help with the chopping, mixing, measuring, and cooking—and, of course, we’ll enjoy the finished meal together during the last part of class!

Past sessions have included fresh salsa, calabacitas and other New Mexican favorites. Bring your favorite recipe, share your cooking skills, and help our students connect what they grow in the garden with what they put on the table. New Mexican flavors and garden-fresh ingredients encouraged, but your ideas are welcome!

SIgnup directly in Volunteer Matrix, or contact Shannon Trujillo 505-377-5086 or strujillo@saranamabq.org

GROUP OPPORTUNITIES

Individual Family Meal Kits 🥘 10 at a time!

Date: Ongoing

Location: either campus

Details: Providing meal kits is a great way to share a budget-friendly, kid-approved meal that families can learn to make again and again. Meal kits come with a detailed recipe and the nonperishable ingredients needed to make the meal. We aim to get 10 identical meal kits at a time so we can deliver to a full cohort of 10 families.

Contact Shannon Trujillo with any questions, brainstorm recipes or to set up a plan for your group! 505-377-5086 or strujillo@saranamabq.org.

Coming up ~ Are you a MASTER GARDENER?

Once our garden beds are ready and growing, we will need you! Come teach a class on everything growing & gardens. From pest control, to watering, to fertilizing ... we welcome your expertise!

🌱🌱🌱🌱

Gardening Supplies 🌱

We are looking for donations for our Growth and Gardening class to put in at the new gardens at our ADC Family Campus . We will need:

Bags of potting soils
pots of various sizes for greenhouse

Contact Shannon Trujillo 505-377-5086 or strujillo@saranamabq.org

Visit our Garden Wishlist

Home for the Holidays!🎄

We’d love to make sure each of our current families has an apartment-sized Christmas tree and/or a festive wreath to help make their home feel extra special this holiday season.

If you’re able to donate some Holiday cheer, please check out our Walmart Wish List and help us make the season a little brighter for our Saranam families! 🧡

Visit our Holiday Decor Wishlist

Alumni Events

There is no better time to catch up with old friends than around the holidays. We have a couple of special events planned for our alumni to connect. If you have a weekend free to help make them special, we would appreciate your help!

First Ever Alumni Free Store Event

Help Us Create a Shopping Experience for Our Alumni Families 🛍️

Date: Saturday, October 17

Event time: 10:30 -12:30 pm

Location: Westside

ADC Family Campus

4651 Montano Rd. NW

Select overflow donations from the Donation Center will be pulled out and offered to Saranam Alumni for FREE. We’re looking for a few volunteers to help make the event a welcoming and organized experience!

Volunteers will help set up our free store, keep it stocked while families shop, and cleanup after the event. Set up will be 10:30 -11:00, shopping 11:15 - 12: 15.

We’d love to have you join us!

Requirements: none

Contact Shannon Trujillo 505-377-5086 strujillo@saranamabq.org if you have any questions.

Annual Alumni Thanksgiving Potluck 🦃

Bring Our Alumni Families Together This Holiday Season!

Date: Saturday, November 21

Event Time: 12:00 - 3:00

Location: Westside

ADC Family Campus

4651 Montano Rd. NW

Our alumni families love coming together around a shared meal, and we’re excited to create another opportunity to celebrate as a community!

We’re looking for a few volunteers:

provide a cooked turkey and stuffing
assist with setup
stay for the event & hel with the art activity

Families will bring their own traditional dishes to share, making this a wonderful celebration of family, food, and traditions.

Requirements: Working with Families Safely & Safe Sanctuaries training if planning to stay and enjoy the event!

Requirements: none, if dropping off food & not staying for the event

Contact Shannon Trujillo 505-377-5086 strujillo@saranamabq.org if you have any questions.

Special Announcements

Volunteer Training

Join us to learn more about Saranam's program, trauma-informed care, and child abuse prevention. This is a required training for anyone wanting to work directly and regularly with Saranam families. We have volunteer opportunites in our Family Activity Nights and individual tutoring once you are trained.