Meet Maria Garcia, SFBFS’ Summer Communications Intern

Hello, my name is Maria Fernanda Garcia. I am a Sophomore at Cristo Rey High School Sacramento. I try each day to live my life by example for those around me, but most importantly for my siblings. My parents are the best because they are always there for me to support the crazy ideas that I might have. I took the role of an older sister very calmly when it was only me and my sister, but when my two brothers came, I took it very seriously. I made sure that my brothers and sister were safe, but challenging them to their best and exposing them to as many educational situations as possible. I am very thankful for the opportunity to serve as the Communications intern at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Service (SFBFS) this summer.

           

My childhood is still building up but so far it is great. Raised by my mother and father who work really hard to get us the things that we need, I spend my free time helping my siblings with their homework or studying for tests. I have also been volunteering as a teacher at my local parish. My siblings have benefited from the Youth Education program at SFBFS during difficult periods in our lives. I am thrilled to see programs take shape at SFBFS and that I get to help make it happen.

I would like to pay a tribute to all of the parents in our community. All of these parents work really hard to raise children like me and my siblings. Working father, dedicated grandparents and selfless foster parents who put their children first and give us love.

 I remember how hard it was when my parents had a new baby. The sleepless nights they endured. Wondering what they got themselves into. SFBFS’ Parent Education program provides parents in our community with network of support, guidance and an opportunity to learn from others, wonderful tools for any new parent. Volunteers and staff in the Parent Education program lead courses on positive parenting and require an investment on the part of the parents to earn baby supplies. I want to thank SFBFS for all the support that they give the parents and children of the community. I know that SFBFS is here to serve families in our community during their most challenging moments. Please join me in making sure support will be there for them well into the future, just by giving some of your time to volunteer in the different programs they have.

Submitted by Maria Garcia, volunteer communications intern. Maria will be contributing weekly posts to SFBFS' blog.

Race for the Ring is Just Around the Corner

Grab you mobile phone, tune up your cruiser bike and get ready for an experience you’ll never forget. The 4^th  annual Race for the Ring, sponsored by Bank of America, will send out the first clue from Raley Field on July 14^th at 10am. This exciting, text message based scavenger hunt will send hundreds of adventure seekers throughout downtown Sacramento looking for clues, solving riddles and mastering unique challenges. All participants are competing for amazing prizes provided by Rogers Jewelry Company.

In a new twist this year, Rogers Jewelry Company will provide nine unique rings, all valued around $5,000 each, for the winning team to choose from. 

Participants need not be hoping to become engaged to play. This competition is for everyone ages 18 and up. Other prizes for top finishers include gift certificates to local restaurants and other cool surprises.

Worried you won’t place in the top spots? No worries, there are still chances to win incredible prizes for best team name and best accessorized team! Not to mention you’ll walk away with a cool shirt, goody bag, full stomach and hysterical memories. Check out the excitement in last year’s video.

Registration is $50 per team of two and includes:

• Two t-shirts
• Entry into the after party with beer garden and live band
• Lunch for two
• Goody bags
• Chance to win amazing prizes

All proceeds from the day benefit Sacramento Food Bank &Family Services, a local charity serving thousands of families in need with food, clothing and education every month.

Click here for more information and to sign-up. Just a few weeks left to register!

Not a fan of biking? Going to be out of town that weekend? Not a big texter? You can still support Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services by being a virtual participant. Register for the event and you’ll receive your shirts and goody bags after the event.

See you on July 14!

Anything with a Cord

Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) is hosting an electronic waste recycling event at their Oak Park facility on June 20. Proceeds from the event will benefit programs at SFBFS.

Computer hard drives waiting to be recycled.

Old computers and outdated printers readily come to mind when you think e-waste, but it turns out anything with a cord can be recycled. Have a broken hairdryer at home?

An electric toothbrush that’s run its course? A lava lamp from your old dorm room? Christmas lights living past their prime? Please drop off your electronics on June 20 from 10am-2pm at SFBFS’ facility: 3333 Third Ave (between 34th & Broadway). Click here for a map. All items will be recycled by California Electronic Asset Recovery (CEAR). Items will be broken down and melted into new plastics or smelted to form new metal.

A front end loader dumps items into the Big Green Machine.

Two SFBFS staff members recently toured CEAR’s facility at McClellan and were blown away by the size of their operation. Everything from old ceiling fans to broken radios and even outdated informational CDs filled bins throughout the warehouse. Front end loaders scooped huge collections of vacuum cleaners and curling irons and dumped them into the Big Green Machine which uses centripetal force to break down items and produce small particles of plastic and metal.

Items waiting to be recycled.

Almost anything can be recycled. Click here for a list of acceptable and not acceptable items (no washing machines and tires, for example). Please share this flyer with neighbors who need to clean out their garage or pass along to the person who oversees your department - perhaps they have an industrial shredder, company coffee maker of fax machine that has seen better days.

The end product - tiny pieces of metal and plastic.

Thank you for doing your part of keeping items out of our local landfills. We look forward to seeing you on June 20.