Dear Friends and Supporters of Saint John's:
Summer is in full swing here at Saint John's, and we're as busy as ever! We were one of four beneficiaries of the fabulously fun Scoop Scoot on Friday, with several more events to look forward to on the horizon including our August 1 Guest Chef Dinner featuring Milestone Restaurant and our 4th Annual Party for Change on November 2. We are also looking forward to the completion of our fundraising efforts in support of Phase I of our Building for the Future Project, which has allowed us to increase our capacity to serve from 180 to 270 women and children, each and every day. Read about these and more below! Stay cool!

Marc Cawdrey

Interim CEO, Saint John's Program for Real Change
Save the Date:   

Join us on Saturday, November 2, 2019, for this elegant, black tie event, now considered one of Sacramento's premier events-of-the-season! You'll enjoy a gourmet meal-with-a-meaning, delicious varietals, exhilarating entertainment, live music and dancing, all in support of one of our region's most vulnerable communities, formerly homeless families. Mark your calendars for this not-to-be-missed celebration!

Party starts at 6:00 p.m. at the Mather Jet Center. For sponsorship opportunities and tickets, please visit www.saintjohnsprogram.org/partyforchange or contact Sasha Wirth or Bethany Knudsen, (916) 453-1482.

Building for the Future - Help Us Grow! 
A new Point-in-time count by Sacramento Steps Forward, completed in June 2019, reported that homelessness in Sacramento County has increased by 19% over the 2017 count, with 1,905 more people living on the streets, raising the estimated number of homeless people countywide to 5,570. These numbers, however, don't account for women and children sleeping in cars and on friends and relatives' couches, many of whom become our clients. These homeless families are often referred to as the "hidden homeless." In other words, Sacramento's homeless problem is deeper and more serious than even the Point-in-time count implies. At Saint John's, we continue to look for ways to serve more women and children; while the homeless problem may not be eradicated anytime soon, we are working hard to break the cycle of poverty and dependence, one family at a time.

Phase I of our  Building for the Future Project included the 2017 purchase and renovation of an 11,000-square-foot building adjacent to our campus, allowing us to add 22 more bedrooms to serve 90 more women and children, bringing our current capacity up from serving 180 to 270 women and children per day.  We have currently raised 74% of the funds needed for Phase I, and with your support, we hope to complete this campaign by the end of the year.


August Guest Chef Dinner 

Please join us for our August Guest Chef Dinner  on Thursday, August 1 at Plates Cafe , featuring a delicious four-course menu from Milestone Restaurant of El Dorado Hills, wine varietals by Bogle Vineyards and music by Darbytown ! Milestone uses seasonal, farm-to-fork ingredients in a fun, creative, delicious presentation designed to "satiate our community with the artistry of food....to nourish minds, hearts and souls."


Tickets are $50 for dinner and wine tasting, or $700 for a Table Sponsor and/or to join the Guest Chef Dinner Club.
Robotics Revolution! 




Saint John's middle schoolers were treated to an exciting one-day robotics workshop on July 5, courtesy of students from Sacramento Unified School District's School of Engineering and Sciences , a public school for grades 7-12 focusing on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields. The workshop was one of 18 to be conducted this summer in collaboration with the Sacramento Public Library and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) .

"The objective of our workshops is to expose, inform and inspire students who otherwise may not have the opportunity to engage in nor have access to robotics technology," observed Workshop Director Manny Mendiola. "Our hands-on approach helps students to hone their critical thinking skills, while engaging them in one-on-one learning via our STEM student helpers."

The kids spent the day building robots, running/racing them on a track, designing images on the computer and watching them come to life on a 3D printer. Thank you to the School of Engineering and Sciences - we LOVE our community partners!

Volunteer Spotlight:
Jim Cassie 

A visit to Saint John's during the holidays in 2015 deeply moved Jim Cassie. He was particularly touched by the children's interactions with Santa; he observed children who were tentative and unsure, others who were mesmerized, and some who were spilling with joy; it was apparent to him that for many, this was their first experience interacting with the magic and the mystery of Santa Claus.

"I immediately wanted to help these children," he comments. "When I glanced outside and saw the empty planter boxes, I knew how I could make a difference in these children's lives."

A high-powered lobbyist for more than 40 years in Sacramento, Jim knew this was the perfect way to give back to his community as he entered his retirement years. He built wooden structures for the brick-planter boxes, which had been donated and built by Verizon, and created Saint John's Kid's Garden in the spring of 2016. Now lush with strawberries, tomatoes, lemon cucumbers, jalapeno and sweet Italian peppers, cilantro, thyme, parsley, rosemary, oregano, zinnias, dahlias, petunias and roses, the kids have a wonderful garden to call their own. And because there is no water leading out to the planters boxes, Jim comes three times per week during the growing season to hand-water the garden.

"I love watching the kids come out to pick strawberries," observes Jim. "And Chef Scott uses the fresh herbs and vegetables when he needs an ingredient for the meals he prepares for the families who live on campus. It makes me smile."
Be a Change Maker!

Join our monthly giving club, and make a difference in a family's life, each and every day! For as little as $25 per month, you can support Real Change in the lives of homeless women and children, and help break the cycle of poverty and dependence, one family at a time!
  • $25 provides 30 nutritious meals to children.
  • $75 provides 24 hours of shelter for one family.
  • $130 provide 24 hours of services for one family, including housing, mental health therapy, drug and alcohol counseling, life skills coaching, employment training, childcare and after-school enrichment
  • $300 provides one week of on-the-job employment training, including transportation and childcare for a mother and her children.
Scoop Scoot Sensation!

Hundreds of "scooters" showed their support for Saint John's, the Front Street Animal Shelter, the Sutter Children's Center and the UC Davis Children's Hospital last Friday night at the California Family Fitness Scoop Scoot event, where participants "scooted" (walked, jogged or ran) 1.5 miles from William Land Park to Vic's Ice Cream. While there, they enjoyed a scoop before scooting back to the park to the finish, where a Sierra Nevada craft beer garden awaited. Thanks so much to Allstate Agent Zack Wandell for organizing this fun event AGAIN!
To make a donation, or to find out more, please contact our VP and Chief Development Officer, Sasha Wirth at swirth@saintjohnsprogram.org or simply visit the  Saint John's Amazon Wish List to make your donation today.
 

Volunteer 

 

Join the Circle 

 

Donate Money or Goods 

 

Dine with us 
Today is the perfect day for a new beginning.  Together, we will give more women and children the opportunity to start a new life - a life filled with hope, joy and endless opportunities. With your  gift  today, you will provide a family at Saint John's not only a safe home, but also a hand up through an educational program that empowers mothers to provide for themselves and their families.

For more information, please contact  info@saintjohnsprogram.org

Saint John's Program for Real Change
Nonprofit, 501(c)(3)
Tax ID: 68-0132934

Connect with us: