SMUD EnergyHELP

My name is Deborah and I am the Sacramento Municipal Utility Department (SMUD) EnergyHELP Representative at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS).  I have held this position for a little over five years and have had the opportunity to help thousands of people.

SMUD and SFBFS have been partners in the SMUD EnergyHELP Program for over 13 years. This service helps people who are in jeopardy of having their energy disconnected. A one-time payment ranging from $100 - $200 is credited to the person who qualifies for the program.  The individuals selected for the program are chosen by SMUD through a random lottery selection when the disconnection notices are sent out.  From the date they are selected, the individual has five days to come to SFBFS for an appointment.  At the appointment, they must bring their SMUD bill and proof of income to qualify for this service. 

I look forward to the years to come in helping those less fortunate than myself. The people I help are all kinds of minorities and different ages, which make my job even more interesting. I have heard their stories, cried with them and laughed with them. I am so proud of my job here at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services.

Photo by SMUD

Submitted by Deborah DeCuir, SMUD EnergyHELP Representative at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. 

Kate's Korner - March 2014

Hello all! I’m Kate Wilkins, the new AmeriCorps VISTA and your all-around garden aide!  I’m very excited to be part of Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services' team and watch the Demonstration Garden bloom and bear fruit this upcoming year. My primary goal is to share all my knowledge of gardening and healthy cooking with the community and to have fun!

I want Kate’s Korner to be an exploration and celebration of all things related to food and the environment. These concepts are connected: without a healthy environment there would be no food and without food a living organism could not survive in an environment. The Demonstration Garden is ripe with examples of the relationship between these two things and perhaps the best example would be – the soil!

I know what you’re thinking – what’s so great about dirt? I first need to tell you that there is a difference between dirt and soil. I once had a friend who became incredibly angry when anyone referred to the ground as “dirt”.  He would cry, “but it’s so much more than that!” and it’s true, “soil” is the combination of the air, minerals, water and living organisms that accumulate into layers and are squeezed over time by various occurrences (like us walking!). When you dig up the soil, you produce a pile of dirt – it is no longer soil because it has lost its history. Now it is just an unidentifiable pile with no home. All of the soil’s relationships with water, minerals and air have been changed or removed.  Here’s another way to think about it, soil is what you find under your feet and dirt is what you find under your fingers.

So is soil really alive? How alive? The answer is yes, the soil is very alive! Most people have grabbed a handful of soil and seen lots of tiny bugs and mysterious strands and that’s just the stuff you can see! There are billions of bacteria, fungi and microscopic insects. A teaspoon of soil alone has anywhere from 100 million to one billion bacteria in it. How many teaspoons of soil do you think are in an empty field?

A lot of these bacteria and tiny bugs are helpful to plants. They move nutrients and minerals to the roots and help the plant survive and be healthy. When bigger bugs like worms wriggle through the soil they create channels that allow air to flow down to plant roots. You always want worms in your garden – that means your soil is healthy! You can make your soil a nicer home for worms by adding compost, which is basically supercharged nutrients that attracts lots of bugs and lots of water.

Next time you’re outside look down at the soil, maybe grab a handful and see what interesting bugs and particles you can find. Just remember when you throw your handful down, you just made dirt!

There Are Angels Among Us

I have the honor and privilege to work for Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) as the Parent Education Program Manager at our main campus in Oak Park. Eight years ago, I came to our organization looking to improve my life by learning English in the Adult Education program, not imagining that my life would change so much. Now, thanks to the opportunity of being able to work for our organization, I am able to help other families who are struggling like mine was.

Through the assistance of our dedicated and compassionate volunteers, who I call our “Angels”, we are able to provide services free of cost to expectant families, parents and guardians of children 0-5 years of age in need in the Sacramento area.

Our volunteers help us by offering support to mothers, fathers and guardians who are raising children to the best of their ability. Volunteers assist with setting up for classes, teaching courses/classes, working on special projects, receiving and sorting donations, helping clients shop, bagging baby supplies, stocking the Children’s Boutique, taking care of children in our PlayCare area and other client support functions.

I could continue sharing all of the great things our volunteers do in our program, but there are not enough words to describe how amazed and grateful I am for the dedication, compassion and generosity of the great team of volunteers we have. My life has forever been changed because of the time I have spent with them and all of the great advice they have given me to do my job better. I will never be able to fully express my gratitude to them.

Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart to our “Angels” who help us every day making a difference in the lives of so many families.

If you are interested in volunteering your time for one of SFBFS’ programs, please contact our Volunteer Services Manager at volunteer@sacramentofoodbank.org.

Submitted by Lorena Carranza, Parent Education Program Manager at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. 

Gearing Up for Changes in the GED in 2014

One year ago, the General Education Development (GED) testing service announced a new GED test format beginning January 1, 2014. The test that was being given launched in 2002, had five subject matter tests, and could be taken on paper, or on a computer. The new test would be more difficult for students due to critical thinking skills, analytical writing and changes in the reading test. Plus, the test would only be available on a computer. Students who had passed some portions of the GED had until December 31, 2013 to complete all five tests or they would lose their scores and have to start from the beginning.

This new test format caused GED programs and students all over the country, including SFBFS’ program and students, to make a major push to complete their GED in 2013. The results were staggering as test sites began to no longer have space available for test takers during the month of December. SFBFS referred twenty-two students to take the GED in October, November and December, which is about 15% of our GED clientele. The challenge will be to continue this pace in 2014 as we implement changes in our curriculum to prepare students for the new GED.

One change that is taking place is the dedication of eight computers in the technology center for GED use.  Students will be able to improve their typing skills, take a tutorial on the computer skills necessary for the GED test, receive subject matter instruction, take practice GED tests and schedule their GED tests. Other changes include revision of the reading and writing curriculum to prepare students for the revised reading, social science and science tests and the elimination of the writing test as a standalone test. Analytical writing, both long and short responses, will be included in each of the tests except math. The writing prompts will include two 900 word essays and the student will have to base their response on those readings, testing both their reading and critical thinking skills.

Preparing students for these critical skills and the technology skills will be a challenge for the Adult Education Program as well as for the students. However, the effort will be worthwhile since success on the 2014 test will signal to employers and colleges that the student is indeed ready to enter the work force or handle college level work.

Submitted by Dan Allen, Adult Education Program Manager at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services

Taylor's Tip for January

With winter on its way out, it is time to start thinking about summer gardens. If you haven’t already, draw a map of your garden space. Remember to take into account the 5 S’s and W (sun, shade, structure, space, soil and water). Once you've labeled all of these on your garden map, let the fun of deciding what to plant begin!

One easy vegetable to grow is zucchini. It grows vigorously and produces high vegetable yields. Keep in mind that each zucchini vine can grow as long as 5-6 feet. If you have a small space, you may want to consider trellising the vines to grow upward. 

Another great vegetable to grow in your summer garden is beans. They germinate quickly and they taste wonderful! Make sure to read your seed packet carefully to see if you have pole beans or bush beans. Pole beans require trellises to climb, while bush beans do not. Both offer great varieties and can accommodate a small space if you plan ahead.

Finally, you can’t have a summer garden without tomatoes! While they are fairly easy to grow it is important to take into account their size. Determinate tomato varieties will only grow until they are about 3-4 feet tall; while indeterminate varieties will grow continuously until killed by frost (around 6-12 feet tall). Make sure to read the seed packet labels to determine if you are buying determinate or indeterminate tomato seeds. If you need to trellis or use a tomato cage, put it around the plant while it is young. The longer you go without trellising, the more difficult it becomes.

All of these vegetables are great summer vegetables to grow, but ultimately when designing your own garden, always remember to plant what you like to eat. Why put the time and effort into growing something you really don’t like? That is why it so important to plan ahead. It not only allows you to properly space out your plants, but it gives you time to think about what has priority in your precious garden space.

As this month begins, it marks the end of my AmeriCorps VISTA service here at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services’ Demonstration Garden. For everyone I have met during my service, thank you. It has been a pleasure and joy spending the past year with you. I will miss you all. 

I wish you the best of luck in your gardening endeavors! 


Submitted by Taylor Kornman, AmeriCorps VISTA - Garden at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services 

Random Act of Kindness

Out one evening grabbing a quick bite to eat, the Fichtner family was inspired by a random act of kindness.

While sitting in the drive-thru of Taco Bell, the Fichtner family was getting ready to pull up to the window to pay for their meal when the cashier informed them that the customer ahead of them in line had paid for their order.

“My children, Nathan age 10 and Katie age 7, had never experienced this type of random kindness before and were very pleased. So I asked them what we should do to pay [the meal] in forward and they suggested donating the money to a food bank.” explained mother Eve Fichtner in a letter she wrote to Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS).

As fate would have it, the Fichtner family arrived home to find one of SFBFS’ newsletters in their mailbox which detailed the story of an individual named Jack who used SFBFS’ Food program in a time of need and Eve read Jack’s story out loud to the children.

With their minds made up, Nathan and Katie pooled together $25 from their own savings and enclosed the contribution in a donation envelope which accompanied SFBFS’ newsletter in an effort to keep the ‘cycle of kindness’ going strong.

The staff at SFBFS would like to thank youngsters Nathan and Katie for their donation. Every last little bit goes a long way.

Taylor's Tip for October

The month of October brings forth cooler weather, pumpkin carving, and costume parties. With so much anticipation for these exciting events, one may forget one of the most exciting of all; planting garlic!

Garlic is definitely one of the most asked about vegetables in the garden. Probably because just about everyone likes garlic and can find a reason to make space for it in their garden. Luckily garlic is easy to grow. However it can require some patience since it takes about eight months until harvest; though, it is well worth it in the end!

To get those big beautiful bulbs of garlic, one must first plant a single clove. This is actually nice for the gardener since one clove will produce one full bulb of garlic. So if you begin with a full bulb and individually plant all of the cloves, you’ll end up with more garlic than you’ll know what to do with! When planting the clove the most important thing to remember is which way is up. Plant the clove vertically with the flat base on the bottom and the tip pointing towards the top (just remember, the pointy end points towards the sky). The spacing of your cloves should be 2 inches deep and at least 4 inches apart. Give your garlic a boost by mixing in compost before planting; also, make sure to plant in full sun and in well-drained soil. Now you just have to wait.

When June finally does roll around, you will be happy that you took the time to plant garlic in October. Look for yellowing leaves ¾ the way down that are flopping over. Once you see them, stop watering for a week and prepare to harvest!

Growing garlic is very easy and well worth it. So make time in-between the candy apples and candy corn for some wonderful garlic!   

Taylor's Tip for August

Seedlings are truly wondrous. They start as tiny seed capsules waiting patiently for the right amount of warmth and moisture to break out of their shells and outstretch their brand new leaves. This magical process is unbelievable, heartwarming and downright stressful.

Those first two weeks where you are watering bare dirt can be torture. What is happening down there? Are the seeds even doing anything? It’s been 7 days already!

Whoa! Just stop, take a deep breath and remember these quick tips.

First, check the soil moisture every day. The easiest way is by touching the soil and assessing the moisture level. If it is soaking wet, hold off on watering. If it is bone dry, you should have watered yesterday; so definitely do it today! Also, they need water, but not with a fire hose. Be careful of water pressure. The wrong setting on a spray nozzle can annihilate an entire seed tray.

Second, the idea that sunlight is the same as warmth is false. The sun can be shining when it is 20°F, but it sure isn’t warm out. Temperatures also drop at night, so don’t leave your seedlings out in the cold come sundown.

While it may sound daunting, once you get into the rhythm it becomes second nature. Just keep visualizing the day you wake up to check on your dirt garden and instead find delicate leaves peaking through the soil. This moment makes it all worthwhile. When it finally arrives, heave a sigh of relief, pat yourself on the back, and then comes the frightening realization: how does this turn into a cabbage? Stop by class to find out!

Happy gardening!

Submitted by Taylor Kornman, AmeriCorps VISTA

A Letter from the Riley Family

Recently, Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services (SFBFS) received a donation from the Riley family, who have a few incredible children; Will, James and Grace. A few weekends ago, the trio of young philanthropists set up a coffee and lemonade stand in their neighborhood and chose to share their hard earned profits with SFBFS! What an inspiration to all of us!

When relying on the community for support, every little bit helps tremendously. Donors both big and small like Will, James and Grace make it possible for SFBFS to reach over 65,000 individuals each year with food, clothing, educational programming and other supportive services.

Many thanks to Will, James and Grace!

Submitted by Dana Shokes, Database Manager at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services

Vision Van Visits Oak Park

It was a great joy to participate as a translator in this year’s VSP Vision Care mobile eye exam clinic with Delta Lions Club on June 25, where qualifying participants were able to get a free eye exam and receive a free pair of glasses. This event was a tremendous opportunity for clients in many of our programs here at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services. The Vision Van was parked alongside SFBFS’ Arata Brothers building on our main campus in Oak Park, so shoppers from our Clothing program were able to drop by the event after picking out new outfits. In addition, the students currently enrolled in our Adult Education program and gardening classes were able cross the street for services so they     could get the glasses they needed to thrive in their studies.

VSP Vision Services and the Lions Club not only provided a much needed service for our clients, but also created a warm and welcoming environment, which was no easy feat given the misty, damp and drizzly weather that day! Lions Club volunteers chatted with each other and with clients, enjoying warm coffee and creating an upbeat atmosphere. Local residents enjoyed the opportunity to socialize while they waited for their appointments. The team of two optometrists saw 33 patients that day, and 123 additional clients were given gift certificates to receive the same services with vision care providers in the area.

VSP employees educated their patients and volunteers on health issues that can be detected during a vision screening, and discussed with them the basics of vision care. One VSP employee mentioned during the event that patients generally don’t even realize how badly they needed glasses until they put them on and notice the difference. We found this to be quite true when the recipients came in to the lobby to pick up their glasses a few weeks later. Please check out the happy faces in these photos, as clients show off their new look!

Submitted by Brenda Wherry, Receptionist at Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services