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Women Transforming Sonoma County Through Collective Philanthropy - Oct/Nov 2017
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SPECIAL EDITION: CELEBRATING OUR
10 COMMUNITY GRANT WINNERS
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The Living Room's Executive Director, Cheryl Parkinson, with Liz Uribe and Shirley Ward
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Artstart's Program Coordinator, Susan Saucy,
with Nominator Liz Uribe and Helen Berg
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Hello Impact 100 RC Members!
This issue of the Redwood Circle Communique celebrates our 10 Community Grant Winners!
Congratulations to the 2017 Community Grants Committee, who handed out checks to our five newest grantees last week. We will hear from each of these amazing organizations at our
October 25 membership meeting.
In addition, our 2016 Community Grant winners have provided compelling updates on how our support has made a positive difference in their work. I hope you'll feel the same great pride that I do as you read their stories and think, "My participation in Impact 100 RC makes this happen!"
Finally, one piece of feedback that came from our July strategic planning meeting was that Impact 100 RC members want more educational opportunities. To that end, we are fortunate to partner with the Volunteer Center of Sonoma County to offer a new workshop.
Some of our members gave the feedback that they needed help with ideas for how to nominate a nonprofit. This workshop will give you those tools, as well as teach you so much more about our nonprofit community.
As always, thank you for joining me on this amazing journey!
Melissa
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 The Volunteer Center of Sonoma County Presents:
Understanding the nonprofit landscape of Sonoma County
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With over 1,500 nonprofits in Sonoma County, the opportunity to make a true impact is available to us all:
Offered on two dates: Sat, Nov. 4 and Thurs, Nov. 9, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon.
Workshop fee: $35 for Impact 100 RC members.
Note: The same material will be presented at both workshops.
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Cocktails & Conversation
Wednesday, October 12
5:00-7:00 p.m.
Graffiti's in Petaluma
(101 2nd Street, #190)
General Membership Meeting
Wednesday, October 25
5:00-7:00 p.m.
Scottish Rite Center
600 Acacia, SR
Nonprofit Education Workshops
Saturday, Nov. 4 &
Thursday, Nov. 9
9 a.m. - 12:00 noon
The Volunteer Center
100 Stony Point Circle
Santa Rosa
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Welcome to the newest members of our circle!
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Maggie Fleming
Barbara Grasseschi
Barbara Tomin
Marty Wait
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Our 2017 Community Grant Winners!
The Community Grants committee is pleased to announce that these five organizations each received a $5,000 grant in support of the outstanding programs they provide to our community:
ARTSTART
will offer art classes as a shared experience for foster children and their Court Appointed Special Advocates (
artstart.us
).
CERES COMMUNITY PROJECT
will complete the installation of a 1/3 acre vegetable garden at the SAY Dream Center in Santa Rosa (
ceresproject.org
).
CLEAN RIVER ALLIANCE
will expand its program to teach homeless people clean camping skills and trash removal, while keeping the Russian River clean (
cleanriveralliance.org
).
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Clean River Alliance's Chris Brokate, Founder & Executive Director, with Jeanette Herring and Nominator, Marion Dutra
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Viveka Rydell-Anderson,
PDI Surgery Center's Chief Executive Officer, gives Impact 100 members a tour
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THE LIVING ROOM
will provide 600 food-to-go meals, and simple cooking classes, to homeless women and children in Sonoma County (
thelivingroomsc.org
).
PDI SURGERY CENTER
will distribute 3,460 oral health kits, and essential information about dental care and services, to low-income families in Sonoma County (
www.pdisurgerycenter.org
).
Be sure to attend our Oct. 25th general membership meeting, where Impact 100 RC members will hear from each of the grant winners! Special thanks to the 2017 Community Grants Committee members:
Helen Berg, Chair, Maureen Buehler, Ina Chun, Jennifer Connell, Lynn Davis, Marion Dutra, Judy Farrell, Anne Fitzgerald, Jeanette Herring, Stephanie Larson, Debra Marzak, Suzy Marzalek , Marianne Messer, Louise Packard, Lynnie Rabinowitsh, Mary Radu, Pam Reeves, Sharon Robison, Liz Uribe and Shirley Ward.
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Making an Impact
Updates from our 2016 Community Grant Winners
Free Bookmobile Program on Track for a Record Year!
The Free Bookmobile is entering the home stretch for our 2017 program year which was funded in part by a 2016 Community Grant from Impact 100 RC. This support made a big
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Volunteer Tony Pisacane reads to a captivated young audience
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difference in our ability to put the bookmobile on the road more often to reach those who are most challenged for access to high quality books. Not only have we continued to grow the range of hi
gh-leverage locations that we visit but we are on track to set a new record for number of children, families and seniors reached.
Our goal was to serve an additional 1,500 people throughout 2017, for a total of 21,778 readers taking home wonderful books-of-choice. If the current pace holds, over 25,000 will benefit from our colorful library on wheels! And the quality of our selection just gets better and better as we expand our book donation partners and enlist additional resourceful volunteers. Feel free to check the schedule on our website and visit us anytime.
Making a Meaningful Difference in Ten Young Lives
Sanctuary House, Community Support Network's home for TAY (transitional age youth), has provided ten adolescents with a safe and supportive place to call home during this past year. While ten may seem like a small number, these young people have dealt with significant trauma histories, dangerous addictions, cycles of unhealthy relationships, mental health symptoms and homelessness. To them, finding shelter is enough to make it until the next day, but to find a home -- a place to call their own, and a place to feel safe enough to move past the crisis and toward a hopeful life -- is a story changer.
Each youth served has either stayed stably housed at Sanctuary House or has moved into an independent place to live. Four have lived at Sanctuary House for a year or more, truly benefiting from the permanent, supportive housing structure for TAY that sets this program apart. Every single youth has made gains in employment, education, non-cash income and/or volunteering this year!
Special PALS for Special Needs
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Cody and "Siri" at Cody's graduation. Cody is attending his first semester at SRJC!
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In August 2016, Paws As Loving Support (PALS) Assistance Dogs launched a pilot program for at-risk youth at Journey High School in Sebastopol. Students, PALS mentors and dogs met on the campus for 1 1/2 hours, 3-4 days a week. The students taught the service dogs-in-training some of their special commands and designed an exercise course for them. Students also learned how to make healthy dog treats, which they enjoyed taste testing before sharing them with the dogs! Under the guidance of one of PALS amazing volunteers, the students also worked on writing children's books. They were spectacular! Volunteers, students and dogs all had a great experience, which enriched them educationally, emotionally and socially.
PALS has expanded its interaction with at-risk youth by visiting incarcerated youth at Juvenile Hall. Currently, nine social therapy dog teams visit these youth once a week or every other week. In October, PALS will begin visiting other youth housed at the Sonoma County Juvenile Probation Camp. Volunteers will bring several 4-month old puppies, along with our social therapy dog teams, to visit the boys on a weekly basis. The goal is to develop a service dog training curriculum so that the boys can earn a certification in service dog training!
A Coordinated Effort to Reduce Food Waste
Using funds from our Impact 100 RC Community Grant, UC Cooperative Extension and its partners on the Sonoma Food Recovery Coalition have launched a coordinated effort to reduce food waste. The platform for an online resource directory of organizations that distribute food to underserved people has been developed and is currently being populated on the website
CropMobster.
Food Waste Expert and Author Jonathan Bloom (American Wasteland) writes, "CropMobster engages and builds community while making the agricultural economy more robust and keeping food out of landfills. Meanwhile, CropMobster's use of alerts and social media make it an admirably efficient operation. What's not to love?"
In addition to the directory, a public awareness campaign on the issue of food waste and recovery is underway; MadeLocal Magazine featured an article in its Sept/Oct issue, the Press Democrat covered the Coalition's work, and a panel discussion and movie will be at SHED in Healdsburg this month. Detailed information is available here.
Helping HEP Students Meet Their Educational Goals
Forty-two SRJC students in HEP (High School Equivalency Program) received book vouchers and parking passes during spring, summer and fall of 2017, provided by the Impact 100 RC Community Grant funds. Thirty-two of these students have continued coursework at SRJC after obtaining their High School Equivalency Certificate. This is a 76% persistence rate! Most of these students are enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) courses. HEP continues to reach out to students who have recently graduated. The support from Impact 100 has also helped these students remain motivated and on track to meet their educational goals. Thank you, Impact 100 Redwood Circle!
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VOICES
Help Needed for the Holidays
The holidays are difficult for transition age youth in foster care. VOICES Youth Center is planning a
Thanksgiving feast to provide a sense of community that these young people can share and experience. Impact 100 RC members can help by providing a side dish or dessert for 10, OR Tupperware type containers (new or recycled) so that food can be stored after the event. The date is
Tuesday, Nov. 21st; please contact Laura Robertson at:
[email protected]
to sign up.
Share a "Family Dinner"
VOICES plans to restart a program called "Family Dinners." The purpose is to encourage young people to share in a meal and conversation that typically happens during family dinners. So many foster youth lack in this rich experience. This presents an opportunity for the VOICES staff and participants to get to know our Impact 100 community and build relationships. If you would like information about this opportunity please contact Laura Robertson (
[email protected]
).
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Several members of Impact 100 RC attended FFT's annual fundraising event "Haberdash". See pictures of the event on the Press Democrat's
website.
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Cathy Wieschendorff, Maria Nersesian and Sharon Robison
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In Other News......
A Memorable Summer Social!
Impact 100 RC extends a BIG thank you to Ron and Maria Nersesian for opening their warm and welcoming home for our August 10 summer social. As always, the E&E Committee did a fantastic job of organizing this get together!
Join the Impact 100 RC Hikers
When: Sat., October 29 at 9:30 a.m.
Where: Taylor Mountain
How Long: 1.5 miles with some gentle hills; best to
wear hiking boots and bring water.
Meet-Up Address:
Kawana Springs entrance to Taylor Mountain
Phone 650 759 7386
Community Foundation Features Impact 100 RC
The Community Foundation's 2016 annual report -- Spark Generosity -- points out how "your spark can become a
flame and change
everything." Impact 100 RC is cited as an example of
a local giving circle that has "sparked" generosity here in Sonoma County. Read the article (page 7) at:
Spamalot at Spreckels
Looking for a fun evening out with your fellow Impact 100 RC members? Join us on Saturday,
October 21 at 8 p.m. for Monty Python's "Spamalot" at Spreckels Performing Arts Center. I will pre-order tickets, since seats are assigned. Please email
[email protected] by
Sunday, October 8 at if you'd like to attend. Tickets are $33.50 including online processing fees.
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Contact our Newsletter Editor:
If you have questions or suggestions for The Impact 100 Redwood Circle Communique, please contact Editor, Jan Houts at [email protected]
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