Getting up early for the cause...

Today, Stephanie and Krystal arrived at the Convention Center downtown for the United Way kick-off breakfast - at 6am! The breakfast didn't start until 7, but we had to be there early to register and get the booth set up. Sorry, no pictures this time, but trust me it looked good :)

We were lucky enough to be interviewed by Access Television. Bob Wilson, our Executive Director, spoke with the Access TV Anchor for about 10 minutes about who we are and what we do - what an awesome way to get the word out for free!

Breakfast was pretty good, too! :)

United Way fair at the State Capitol

Today we participated in a fair on the West Steps of the Capitol Building for United Way. This was for the companies that donate through United Way to get a chance to meet us, and learn what our organization is all about. We met a lot of great people, and the event was definitely a success, in spite of it being over 100 degrees outside!

Here is a picture of our booth - we think it looked nice, and we were very grateful to have the shade canopy!

Speaking at Intel soon...

As i have written about in the past, SCA is partnered with United Way to raise awareness and funds for our organization. Each company that participates in the United Way's giving program has a kickoff-type event, where a nonprofit comes and makes a presentation about who they are and what they do. Obviously, when you are the speaker at an event like this, there is a good chance that your nonprofit will receive most of the money. The only problem is, the companies decide who gets to come, so it can be difficult to get a spot with a large company.

INTEL chose SCA!

We are so excited to go talk to them about who we are and what we do in the community. We are not sure of the exact date yet, but we can't wait!

School Supplies for Children

Here at SCA, our main goal is to make sure that children are placed in an appropriate, safe home, and that they can live happy and healthy lives. However, we do try to help out our clients in any way possible.

One way that you can help us help the kids, in addition to your financial donation, is to donate school supplies to SCA. Many foster kids do not have all of the supplies that they need to succeed in school, and your donation of crayons, paper, pens, glue, or any other school supplies can make a difference.

The best part is, it barely costs anything! Many stores have "1-cent" sales going on right now - next time you're out, spend that 10 cents to get 10 pencils or notebooks, and make a difference in the life of a child.

United Way

Katie, Stephanie, and Krystal just returned from a presentation class at United Way. They were so helpful in giving us tips on how to speak to the various agencies that support us through United Way, and to tell us more about their "Live United" campaign.

We are so excited to be a part of United Way, and can't wait to speak at the upcoming agency fairs!

Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

I don't know about you, but all of here are SCA are planning a great 3-day weekend - it's always so nice to have a little extra time with the family!

There are many good fireworks shows in the area, so get out there, watch some fireworks, and meet your neighbors!

Remember, it's not worth it to use illegal fireworks - SacPD is stepping up firework enforcement this year, and you will get caught! When you use illegal fireworks, you risk huge fines and possible jail time, so don't risk it...

Also, take a minute to think about how lucky we are to live in America. The 4th of the July is our nations birthday, and we are so luckly to live in a place where we have the freedom to speak up and voice our opinions. We see other countries where women are oppressed, children are enslaved, and the people have no say in their government or in the way that their lives are run. We are truly blessed to live in the United States, and to enjoy the freedoms that many of take for granted every day.

SCA Launches Car Donation Program

This summer we are excited to announce the launch of our new nation-wide vehicle donation program! Working with America’s Car Donation Center, SCA supporters can now donate unwanted vehicles and vessels, including, but not limited to, cars, trucks, trailers, boats and RVs, with 70% of proceeds benefiting SCA. The process is very simple, much easier than selling a car or arranging to dispose of it. You, the interested donor, fill out the Vehicle Donation Form (located on our website at http://www.sacchildadv.org/car.pdf), fax the form to the Car Donation Center at 916-631-1328 and within 4 days the company will contact you to arrange a towing time. At no cost to you, the company takes care of all fees and paperwork, giving you a receipt at the time of towing. And it gets better: your donated vehicle is tax deductible, benefitting both you and SCA. Through this rewarding experience, the donor is given an opportunity to provide resources to a worthwhile organization. Because SCA receives only 55% of its budget from state funding, the remaining 45% must come from outside donations. In difficult economic times, many non-profit organizations are struggling, but, through the car donation program, SCA hopes to reach its fund-raising goals. Please consider donating your unwanted vehicle to benefit SCA and urge your friends and relatives, wherever they may live in the good old USA, to do the same!
Some Frequently Asked Questions about Vehicle Donation

Q: My car hasn’t run in years, can I still donate it?

A: Yes, we are able to accept most vehicles, running or not (exceptions include some older
vehicles whose value would not offset the cost of towing). To find out if we can accept your vehicle please complete and submit our donation form, found online at http://www.sacchildadv.org/car.pdf.

Q: What do I need in order to donate my vehicle?

A: We would like the title of the vehicle, but if you do not have it please call us anyway. It is possible that other arrangements can be made. Please call America’s Car Donation Center toll-free at 1-800-237-5714.

Q: Can you pick up vehicles in all 50 states?

A: Yes, we are able to pick up accepted vehicles in the continental US and Hawaii.

Q: How will my car be picked up?

A: We will arrange for a towing company to contact you via telephone within 48 hours. If you need your car picked up sooner, other accommodations can be arranged.

Q: Is my donation tax deductible?

A: Yes, vehicle and vessel donations made to bona fide charitable organizations (including SCA!) are tax deductible to the full extent of the law. However, individual tax situations vary so please check with a tax professional to determine what tax benefit you may receive from a tax deductible donation.

For answers to more FAQs, please visit http://www.donateacar.com/faqs.php#what

Sleep Train Donates Beds for Children in Foster Care

Today, Sleep Train dropped off 22 mattresses for SCA to give to our clients in need. Many of the families we serve are just barely getting by, and a new bed can go a long way toward making a comfortable home for a child. We are so thankful to Sleep Train for this gift to us, and we look forward to working with them in the future! Here are some pictures of the big morning...due to confidentiality reasons, we cannot show pictues of our clients, so you'll just have to settle for pictures of our staff, and the County Workers who were picking up and delivering.

Ever hear the police chopper in Sacramento?

Well, I live in Oak Park and I know that I do! And, if you're anything like me, then you're curious about whats going on! (But, not curious enough to go outside when you hear "we're going to release the dogs!)

Now, your curiosity can be satisfied in a safe way - the Sacramento Police Department is going to start posting helicopter assignments on their website! So, when you hear the chopper, you will be able to go online and figure out what is going on - what a great idea!

And just remember, while that helicopter may be annoying at midnight when you have to work the next day, it's for a good cause - I know that if you had been robbed or wronged in some way, you would want the brave men and women of SacPD doing everything they could to make it right!

Safetyville Health and Family Expo

This Saturday, June 13th, is Safetyville's annual Health and Family Expo. Many different community organizations (including SCA) will be there. This is a really good time for you to learn about the different businesses and organizations in your community - even McDonalds will be there!

Bob Wilson, our Executive Director, will be at the booth - stop by and meet him, enjoy the beautiful weather, and learn a thing or two about this city in which you live!

P.S. - we have a new SCA brochure thanks to one of our interns - check back soon, I'll be posting it shortly!

Shop for SCA!

Do you ever feel guilty about spending all that money shopping online? If so, here's a way to ease your conscience without cutting your habit - join OneCause!

By registering with and shopping through OneCause, SCA gets a percentage of everything you buy online at selected merchants - from 1% all the way to 10%! It doesn't cost you anything, but can mean the world to SCA and the kids that we help every day.

So please, take a minute to visit www.OneCause.com, and help us out!

May 16th Fundraiser

Well, better late than never, right?

Our fundraiser on May 16th was a great hit! We met lots of new friends, had a great time drinking and eating with old friends, and raised some money for SCA in the process.

The food was amazing, the wine was spectacular; I just don't have enough good things to say about this wonderful night - it would have been perfect if not for the Sacramento heat! Well, I guess there are some things even I can't control!

It was perfect; thanks to everyone who worked so hard to make this event happen, and a very special thank-you to Robert Buccola for hosting this fundraiser.

We will be having another small, exclusive fundraiser in July, so check back for updates!

Amazing wine and delicious food - this Saturday!

In just a few short days, our May fundraiser will be here. One of our Board Members, Robert Buccola, is hosting a Benefit for SCA. There will be amazing wine from Silver Oak, great food from Edible Events, and a chocolate fountain - what's not to love?

Naturally, this event is sold out - it will be a wonderful time for all of our guests. If you missed out this time, don't despair - we will be having another limited-attendance Benefit this summer, hosted by Board Member Dave Smith.

Meet the development staff

Since we will mainly be talking about the development staff, I thought we should give you some pictures, so that you know who we're talking about

Katie Walker, our Advancement Director, is on your right,
and Krystal Baker, our Administrative Assistant, is on your left.

Check back for pictures of Bob Wilson, our executive director, and Carrie Hiatt, our Admin Secretary!

Welcome to our blog!

SCA is working to embrace technology in many ways, one of which is by starting a blog to let you know what's going on with fundraising, trainings, events, and any other exciting information we may have.

If you have any questions about SCA, feel free to ask. We will be updating this blog frequently, so bookmark the page, and come look around once in a while!

-Your friendly SCA blogger