SACRAMENTO REGION, CA (MPG) – Women’s Empowerment recently received a $20,000 grant from Arata Brothers Trust to educate and empower women experiencing homelessness with the skills and confidence necessary to secure a job, create a healthy lifestyle, and regain a home for themselves and their children during the pandemic and housing crisis.

“Our partnership with Arata Brothers Trust over the last several years has helped hundreds of women and children break the cycle of homelessness amidst wildly changing circumstances here in Sacramento,” said Lisa Culp, executive director, Women’s Empowerment. “We are grateful for the steadfast funding we receive from Arata Brothers Trust as we face another tumultuous year ahead.”

The grant from Arata Brothers Trust will help Women’s Empowerment offer its nine-week program that targets the barriers women face while experiencing homelessness, as well as paid job training for women who have graduated from the program. Women’s Empowerment’s paid job training programs include its Get A Job Kit training program for graduates hardest to hire, as well as its paid training in property management, a career that usually includes housing on the managed property. Women’s Empowerment also offers paid training to become a security guard or bank teller, as well as training in green energy.

“For the trustees of the Arata Brothers Trust, 2020 and 2021 revealed the most nimble and effective nonprofits in the Sacramento region,” said Matson Sewell, co-trustee, Arata Brothers Trust. “Women’s Empowerment led the way in this landscape, continuing to deliver highly impactful programs to such an under-resourced population, adapting to public health requirements for both mothers and children, and moving forward despite the new challenges. These challenges are not behind us yet, and Women’s Empowerment has earned the support of anyone looking to make a huge difference in the lives of homeless women and children.”

The mission of Arata Brothers Trust is to enhance the quality of life in the Sacramento area by supporting systemic change through innovative and effective educational programs. For more information, visit ArataBrothersTrust.org.

Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Women’s Empowerment provides a full nine-week employment-readiness and empowerment program, paid job training, childcare and support services so all women and their children can break the cycle of homelessness. Women’s Empowerment offers the most comprehensive job-readiness program in the Sacramento area designed specifically for women experiencing homelessness, and their children. Eighty-two percent of graduates secure a job or enroll in school. Despite the housing crisis, 75 percent regain a safe home for themselves and their children. The award-winning organization has graduated 1,719 women and their 3,842 children. Women’s Empowerment is funded through private donations from the community and grants. To make a donation, visit Womens-Empowerment.org.

 

 

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - The staff and residents of Aegis Living Carmichael welcomed families and children to their first Howl-O-Ween Fall Festival Saturday, October 23^rd outside their front entrance parking lot on 4050 Walnut Avenue.

Families and young children who attended, didn’t mind braving overcast skies as they listened to DJ music, enjoyed great food, painted keepsake pumpkins, played games or dressed up in their best for a costume contest. There was also ample time for the children to enjoy pony rides in the parking lot and time to have their faces painted as well.

Proceeds from the special event which was for both the facility’s residents and surrounding Carmichael community, helped raise funds to benefit the Sacramento Children’s Receiving Home, said Steffany Jamison, Aegis Marketing Director.

“We’re looking to make this an annual event,” Jamison said. “We’re delighted to welcome everyone to this fun-filled celebration.”

Staff and residents joined in on the fun, dressing up as well. Melissa Bell, who coordinated the event looked especially stunning in her white dress portraying legendary actress Marilyn Monroe.

Aegis Living Carmichael is a privately-owned assisted living and memory care community with over 70 residents. In all there are 34 Aegis Living Communities, located in the states of California, Washington & Nevada and more in the process of being built. The facilities are known for their higher level and quality of care and longevity of staff, with many employees having been employed for more than 15 to 20 years.

A busy calendar of life enrichment programs such as the “Howl-O-Ween Fall Festival” for both the residents of Aegis Carmichael and the local community, provide memorable opportunities for residents to celebrate each and every day to the fullest, and have a lot of fun along the way.

For information about Aegis Living Carmichael and its assisted living and memory care programs, call 916-972-1313 or visit https://www.aegisliving.com/aegis-living-of-carmichael

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - Monthly jazz performances are returning to The Clubhouse Bar in Carmichael next month. After an 18-month hiatus, the Carmichael tradition will be revived on Tuesday, November 2.

Prior to pandemic closures, Ron Cunha Big Band musicians blew lips off faces on first Tuesdays for more than six years. “It’s been a long break,” laments Cunha. “But the community has greatly supported live jazz and we’re hoping to get that momentum back.”

The former Jesuit High music teacher has played trombone professionally since his teens. In 2014, he found a steady Carmichael venue for his big band. “The Clubhouse owner hired rock bands, so I persuaded him to give jazz a try. Somehow it worked.” Several Sacramento vocalists have joined the fray and Susan Skinner will contribute vocals on November 2. “We’re all friends who’ve played together for years,” explains the leader. “Playing at this level is not so much a gig as a sociable experience. We pass the hat so my guys have something to take home for their efforts.”

Fans can order appetizers, burgers or pizza but first Tuesday is all about the music. “The volume could fill Carnegie Hall,” concedes an audience faithful. “The musicians are relaxed and friendly; they hang with the fans. The place feels more like Greenwich Village than Fair Oaks Boulevard.”

The event is Tuesday, November 2, from 7pm. Masks and vaccinations are suggested. The Clubhouse Bar and Grill is at 5150 Fair Oaks Boulevard. For information, call (916) 979-1422.

 

 

CHP Graduates New Canine Teams

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - The California Highway Patrol (CHP) recently announced the graduation and deployment of its 10 newest canine teams. The ceremony at the CHP Academy in West Sacramento is the culmination of 400 to 600 hours of intense training for each officer and their canine partner.

“After weeks of rigorous training, these new teams are ready to assist in the CHP’s mission of protecting and serving the State of California,” said CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray. “Our canines are a tremendous asset to the Department, and the addition of these 10 teams to our existing resources will supplement the already highly effective canine program.”

The CHP uses its canines to perform a variety of functions, including detecting human scent, contraband, and explosives. A canine team can improve the safety and effectiveness of officers as well as saving time and money. The CHP canines are also used to assist allied agencies in apprehending criminals, detecting explosives or drugs, and in locating “at-risk” missing persons.

This is the only graduation in 2021 for CHP canine teams trained in handler protection and narcotics detection or handler protection and explosive detection. The canine teams completed between 11 and 15 weeks of intensive training at the CHP Academy, depending on their specialty.

All handlers are CHP officers with departmental experience ranging from 4 to 15 years. The graduating canine teams represent the following CHP Divisions: Valley, Golden Gate, Central, Southern, Border, and Inland. Following this graduation, the CHP now has 48 canine teams deployed throughout the state.

The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of Safety, Service, and Security.

CARMICHAEL, CA (MPG) - How many volunteers does it take a plant a tree?

More than 50 Kiwanians, SMUD employees, Carmichael Park District staff and other workers got National Clean Air Day off to a healthy start last week by planting saplings in La Sierra Community Center. The landscaping replaces Modesto ashes whose demise (through natural attrition) reduced shade for sports events and for the Californian Montessori Project School campus.

Donated by Sacramento Tree Foundation, 12 new trees included willow oaks, frontier elms and Zelkovas. All are varieties chosen to tolerate Sacramento drought and growing extremes of climate change. “SMUD recognizes we’re in a climate emergency” explained SMUD director Heidi Sanborn.  “We’re on a path to achieve zero carbon emissions from our power supply by the year 2030. As a utility company, we lead the nation in setting this goal. We support the Tree Foundation because plants take carbon from the atmosphere to the soil. We’re combatting urban heat islands by providing shade. These trees will grow big. They’ll partially cover hot asphalt and help keep the schoolyard cool.”

Sanborn is also a Carmichael Kiwanis member and joins Len Ohlendorf in chairing the club’s Giving Tree Project. This program aims to beautify, to improve air quality and to increase shade at local schools. “We’re planting trees to give back to the community and to help kids,” she told volunteers who showed up to aid the Clean Air Day effort. “We’re Kiwanians -- that’s what we do.”

Wielding a shovel, volunteer Rich Desmond said he knew many other hot spots in his district that would benefit from such efforts. “I’m proud to be a member of a club that’s doing something so great for our future,” said the County Supervisor.

Montessori Project’s 650 students gain a future hallway of shade. “We’re excited to watch our kids and these trees grow together,” said School Superintendent Brett Barley.

Heidi Sanborn sought funding for the dig-in from the California Coalition for Clean Air. The organization supplied $1000, enabling rental of equipment to dig holes in rock-hard playing field clay. Carmichael Park District staff dug trenches and installed irrigation. “This project is a great partnership between non-profits and community agencies,” approved Sanborn.  “We hope it’s the first of many tree plantings we’ll achieve in the area.”

Learn about Carmichael Kiwanis at www.kiwanisclubofCarmichael.com

Project sponsors also include California Coalition for Clean Air; Sacramento Tree Foundation; SMUD; CRPD.