SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) – Stephanie McLemore Bray, president and CEO of United Way California Capital Region, will leave her position in mid-April as she transitions to her new role as chief engagement officer for Seattle Foundation in May. Amber Lovett, chief resource development and marketing officer at United Way California Capital Region, will transition to interim president and CEO on April 1 while the organization undergoes a nationwide search.

"It has been a privilege to lead United Way California Capital Region for the past seven years,” Bray said. “I am proud of our work to end poverty, starting at school, by removing barriers to student success for low-income children. Through our partnerships with nonprofits, government, school districts, donors and community members, we have helped many families move from crisis to thriving. Our local United Way is well-positioned for its next leader to continue that great work." 

Bray launched United Way’s Square One Project in 2015, which continues to show improved education outcomes for low-income children in the region. She also completed a successful merger with Woodland United Way and brought in more than $16 million since March 2020, including a $10 million gift from renowned philanthropist MacKenzie Scott.

As chief engagement officer for Seattle Foundation, the Seattle region’s community foundation, Bray will oversee engagements and relationships with the organization’s hundreds of philanthropists, investors and donors. With more than $1 billion in charitable assets and committed bequests, Seattle Foundation awards more than $100 million annually to nonprofit organizations working to make Greater Seattle a stronger, more vibrant community for all.

“Stephanie has been a tireless advocate for people who are marginalized in the greater Sacramento area, and Seattle is fortunate to have her join the community,” said Steve Lins of SMUD and chair of United Way’s board of directors. “We are grateful for all she has done for United Way, and we know she is leaving us in an outstanding position to continue accomplishing important change in our community under a new leader.”

For nearly 100 years, United Way California Capital Region has brought local people together to make community change happen. Today, the nonprofit is bringing people together across Amador, El Dorado, Sacramento, Placer and Yolo counties for its Square One Project, a 20-year promise to significantly increase the number of students in our region who graduate from high school ready for success in college and beyond. United Way believes ending poverty starts in school and is working to ensure kids meet important milestones and their families receive support and resources. To learn more and make a donation, visit YourLocalUnitedWay.org.

 

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - Animal shelters around the country are gearing up for what is known as “kitten season,” when cats begin to give birth to countless kitten litters. Typically beginning in late spring and continuing throughout summer, kitten season stretches the already-thin resources animal shelters and rescues have when the influx of unwanted kittens and cats crowd shelter and kennel space.

The Bradshaw Shelter’s Foster Care Program​ helps save lives and space during this hectic season. 

“Fostering animals provides a second chance at life for animals who are too young, sick or injured to be available for adoption,” said Dave Dickinson, Director, Sacramento County Bradshaw Animal Shelter. “Fosters provide a safe, loving, temporary place to live where the animals can thrive until they are ready to be adopted to their forever homes.”

Residents interested in becoming fosters should submit a foster application to FosterRescueProgram@saccounty.net. The shelter provides all food, bedding, supplies, toys and more at no cost to the foster. Fostering is a great way to help alleviate the impact of kitten season at your local shelter and can provide temporary companionship for those still working from home. 

However, working outside of the home doesn’t need to be an impediment to becoming a foster; most animals in foster care do not require constant monitoring. Typically, most animals who need fostering are kittens and puppies less than two months old.

As far as space for fostering, a bathroom, laundry room or spare bedroom is typically appropriate. The time commitment for fostering can be anywhere from one to six weeks, depending on their size at the time of fostering. Additional foster needs include caring for sick or injured animals, nursing mothers and litters, animals who need a break from the shelter, and more.

For more information about fostering, including fostering FAQs, visit the Sacramento County Bradshaw Animal Shelter website. To learn more about what to do if you find a kitten or litter of kittens, visit the feral cat information webpage.

Donations of essential kitten season supplies are also needed, including: Small litter pans; Heating pads; Small nursing bottles; Kitten formula and kitten food; Small pet carriers.

Donations are accepted at the Sacramento County Bradshaw Animal Shelter’s Animal Admissions Door at 3839 Bradshaw Road, Tuesday through Sunday, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. For a complete list of supplies needs, visit the shelter’s Amazon Wishlist or the donation website.

 

SACRAMENTO COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Sacramento County is helping celebrate this year’s Social Work Month with the theme “Social Workers are Essential” to highlight the priceless contributions social workers make in our community, especially during COVID-19.

The goal of Social Work Month is to inform the public, policymakers and legislators about the way the nation’s social workers each day meet people where they are and help them live to their fullest potential. Social work is one of the fastest-growing professions in the United States, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). 

There are currently about 700,000 professional social workers in our nation, but that number is expected to rise to more than 800,000 by 2029. Social work has been around for more than a century and has made significant contributions to our nation. For example, social workers such as social reformer Jane Addams, former Labor Secretary Frances Perkins, and civil rights leaders Dorothy Height, Whitney Young and Ida B. Wells have helped Americans secure voting rights, equal rights, Social Security, unemployment insurance and other programs. 

You will find social workers throughout society – protecting children and vulnerable adults from abuse and neglect and providing mental health and substance use disorder treatment. They can be found assisting active-duty military, veterans and their families; in schools; helping corporations better serve their communities; in community organizations; and in local and state government. 

Sacramento County Department of Child, Family and Adult Services (DCFAS) has 524 social workers across the department. They work across a number of areas, including child and elder abuse and neglect investigations and follow-up. They help keep children and families safely together and/or reunify them or help children find “forever families.” Some social workers assess the need for home care services that allow individuals to remain in their homes, rather than institutions. Others serve individuals that are gravely disabled and those who are living with severe mental illness, supporting them to live in the least restrictive settings within our community. 

DCFAS social workers link individuals and families to housing services and supports, benefits, employment and so many other resources that promote the safety, health and well-being of community members across the age span. During the COVID-19 pandemic, social workers have also been on the frontlines along with doctors, nurses, law enforcement, grocery store employees and other essential employees that provided critical services during this time. 

Sacramento County Department of Human Assistance (DHA) currently has a team of 45 Human Services Social Workers (HSSWs) assigned to various programs, including Employment Services, Homeless Services and CalWORKs. Since the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic, much of the customer contact associated with this work has shifted from in-person to virtual services.

HSSWs in DHA are busy helping customers receive necessary resource and case management services. Some focus on helping families who are experiencing homelessness, domestic violence, truancy or other family crisis. There are other HSSWs in DHA that help customers learn skills such as job searching, resume building and interviewing. The biggest division of HSSWs in DHA supports those who are homeless and assist with resources, crisis response and addressing barriers to housing. There is also a team of HSSWs that help customers navigate the challenging disability benefits process and a social worker who provides support at the General Assistance office to assess client needs and makes referrals to other social service agencies and community service agencies.

Despite the great value of social workers, the social work profession faces challenges. There is a shortage of social workers in schools where they are needed to help young people cope with complicated issues such as trauma, poverty, the opioid addiction crises and the need for more resources to help students learn during the pandemic. There is also a need for more social workers in the fields of child welfare and aging and adult services. 

“Social workers are unsung heroes that are essential to community well-being. They are driven by several core values, including service, social justice and the dignity and worth of human beings,” said Michelle Callejas, Director of Sacramento County, Child, Family and Adult Services. 

“During social work month, we hope you will reach out and say a kind word to the social workers in your lives, and, if you are so inclined, advocate for policies and legislation that benefit the profession and the populations they serve.”​