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MARCH 2025

• March 8: Empty Bowls Dinner
• March 15: Hands4Hope Youth Board Garage Sale Fundraiser
• May 1: Big Day of Giving

• March 8: GVCC Common Ground Breakfast & Essentials Distribution
• March 8: Empty Bowls Dinner
• March 10: Twin Lakes Food Bank Food Distribution
• March 19: Mercy Creekview Manor Senior Dinner & Entertainment
• March 22: GVCC Common Ground Breakfast & Essentials Distribution
• March 22: Upper Room Dining Hall Dinner
• March 28: Sister Nora's Place Dinner

Ongoing:

• Tuesdays, Wednesdays, & Thursdays: MAPS Peer Mentoring

Donations and Drop-Off Dates:

• March 18: Mercy Creekview dinner/dessert donations due

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

In three years of participation with Hands4Hope, Sudeep Mazumder has tallied 235 service hours through his involvement in on-campus Hands4Hope clubs at Rolling Hills Middle School and Oak Ridge High School, after-school committees including Fall Festival and Empty Bowls, and various Community Engagement opportunities. Sudeep is currently serving as Vice Chair of the Empty Bowls Committee, and Chair of the Empty Bowls Marketing sub-committee. In that role, he will be featured on Good Day Sacramento this morning, March 1, at 8 am! We are so excited for Sudeep and other participants to be featured in this way to promote Empty Bowls Dinner.

Read on to learn how Hands4Hope has helped Sudeep go from a self-described quiet introverted kid who would not do anything without a friend nearby, to having the self-confidence and preparation needed to speak on television!

The 25th Empty Bowls Dinner Placerville is taking place this Saturday, March 8, at the Forni Building at the El Dorado County Fairgrounds. Don't miss this 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 family-friendly event features live music, vendor booths, and opportunities to purchase delicious desserts, along with local beer and wine.

Presale tickets are available for online purchase through Thursday, March 6. In addition to a $5 discount on General Admission, presale tickets provide a "fast pass" to skip long lines at check-in. Tickets will also be available at the door for $25.

Volunteer spots for youth and adults are still available. Shifts take place throughout the day for just a few hours. It's great fun to be part of this team, and we appreciate every volunteer who participates!

Here are some dates to save as the Hands4Hope on-campus clubs bring their visions of projects to benefit their chosen areas of need to life! Some clubs are now accepting donations and ticket sales, and some clubs are still finalizing web pages, dates, and details.

March 11-25: El Dorado High School "Essential Express" toiletries drive to help maintain their school's resource closet

March 21: Marina Village Middle School

"Screen of Hope" Movie Night to benefit AAUW STEM summer camp scholarships

March 22: Oak Ridge High School - Inspire

"Clean 4 A Cause" car wash event to support active military, veterans, and first responders through Gilmore Hero Foundation

March 27 - April 10: Herbert Green Middle School

"Bucks4Bunnies" bunny bag sales & classroom competition to support Sierra Wildlife Rescue

March 29: Rolling Hills Middle School

"Hands 4 Homeless" car wash event to provide toiletries kits to individuals experiencing homelessness through Jake's Journey Home

March 29: Ponderosa High School

"Soap4Hope" car wash event to provide a dream bedroom for a child with serious illness through Sweet Dreams Foundation

March 31 - April 4: Pleasant Grove Middle School

"The Purr-fect Project" collection drive to benefit Fat Kitty City

April 4: Folsom High School

"The Little Project" carnival event to benefit pediatric heart patients through Angels for Hearts

April 11: Union Mine High School

"Cinema and Snacks" movie night event to support Wayfinder Family Services' Kinship Support Program

April 11: Vista Del Lago High School

"Playing for a Purpose" carnival event to benefit Firefighters Burn Institute

April 25: Camerado Springs Middle School

"WildGames4Wildlife" carnival event to benefit Sierra Wildlife Rescue

May 2: Sutter Middle School

"Carnival of HARTS" carnival event to benefit HART of Folsom

Date TBD: Folsom Middle School

"Helping Hands" snack sale to benefit HART of Folsom

Markham Middle School

The club organized "Yearbooks4Youth" classroom competition in February to benefit ASPIRE Kids' "Strive Scholarship" fund, and is still accepting donations toward their goal.

Oak Ridge High School - Empower

The club held a successful snack sale on February 22 to build a dream bedroom for a child with serious illness through Sweet Dreams Foundation, and is still accepting donations toward their goal.

Shop with a purpose at the Hands4Hope Youth Board fundraiser: "Treasures and Treats" garage sale, taking place Saturday, March 15 from 9 am to 3 pm, at the Hands4Hope Placerville Youth Center, 905 Spring Street in Placerville. Enjoy delicious snacks and baked treats provided by local businesses, and find bargains and treasures among the gently used and new items that have been curated from community donations with care. All proceeds will fund a new scholarship program for youth in need.

We’re thrilled to welcome Rhonda Meredith as Hands4Hope’s new Administrative Assistant! Rhonda will be the friendly and helpful voice answering your calls and the go-to person during office hours at the Hands4Hope El Dorado Hills Youth Center. A wiz at all things administrative, she’s already making a big impact in keeping our day-to-day operations running smoothly. And that’s not all—Rhonda has some hidden talents, too! Read on to get to know our newest team member.

As the director of the El Dorado Community Foundation, Bill Roby had a front row seat for nearly two decades of nonprofit, community-building, and philanthropic efforts taking place throughout the county and beyond. He became a personal supporter of Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference from the very beginning, and helped Hands4Hope learn and grow from the Community Foundation resources and expertise. When Bill retired from the Community Foundation, he created the Bill Roby Family Foundation, and the foundation became a sponsor of Hands4Hope. Read on to learn more about what drives Bill's commitment to philanthropy and building a stronger community.

Do you know someone who should be the Hands4Hope Special Event Program Coordinator? This position oversees seasonal youth-led after-school committees who plan, manage, and produce large seasonal events, like Empty Bowls, School Supply Drive & Distribution, Kids Zone, and Winter Boutique. Help us spread the word to applicants who love mentoring middle and high school youth, and are skilled at planning large community events!

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!