
Seeing The Possibilities
Sacramento’s Society for the Blind helps workers stay working beyond vision impairment
Since 1953, Sacramento’s Society for the Blind has been serving employees and employers who have been affected by vision impairment. As one of their services, the Society’s trainers will come to an office or workplace to assess how circumstances can best be adapted for a visually impaired employee.

Systems for Success
Nonprofits use measurable outcomes to demonstrate success and shore up support
Saint John’s Program for Real Change is part of a growing national movement of nonprofits designing programs that include new ways to monitor outcomes and quantify success for those they serve.

There is Power in Numbers
Gender Health provides mental health counseling to the transgender community
Since 2010, the Sacramento-based Gender Health Center has been providing a unique service sought by people in need from throughout more than 25 counties. “We are a community mental health organization,” explains executive director Ben Hudson, “and though we serve anyone seeking mental health services, we specialize in gender identity and assisting transgender individuals

Friends with Tents
Tent Pals lets buyers donate temporary housing to those in need
While studying abroad at the London School of Economics, UC Davis grad Alex Aguiar befriended a young homeless girl. He found her sleeping beneath an overpass, using folded cardboard to keep the cold concrete from chilling her body. Aguiar could not get the girl’s plight out of his mind. To understand his market, Aguiar spent the night with the homeless community, learning their stories and about what might help them. That’s when the idea for Tent Pals was born

Private Efforts for Public Good
Auburn citizens turn defunct prison into needed shelter
A wearisome, vicious cycle was emerging with Auburn’s homeless population: Greater numbers were congregating on the streets by day and filling the DeWitt minimum security prison by night. Neither the city nor the county had adequate housing or facilities to deal with the situation, so the problem persisted. Residents were frustrated, but nothing was done. A group of community members vowed to act and started a grassroots effort that has culminated in turning the partially vacated barracks at DeWitt into a fully-staffed, round-the-clock facility open to Auburn’s homeless.

Skate with Friends
Cool nonprofit ramps up support for Sacramento kids with special needs
SkateMD connects youth with special needs with volunteers to learn how to skateboard. The Sacramento-based nonprofit was created by Melanie Tillotson (the “M”) and Andrea “Drea” Bibelheimer (the “D”), who saw a need in the community for a cool program in a safe space that would spread kindness to children facing developmental, physical, emotional and family challenges.

From the Publisher: Ballet is Back
Snap Shots offers an intimate look at the art of dance
Yesterday afternoon I had the pleasure of being one of about 30 “thought leaders” invited to a private performance by the Sacramento Ballet as they proved that, indeed, ballet is back.

Lessons from a Community Kitchen
Sacramento Natural Foods Co-Op teaches healthy eating on a budget
When Leah Yadon saw a flier for the Sacramento Natural Food Co-Op Community Kitchen sessions at Wellspring Women’s Center in Sacramento, she signed up immediately. Food has always played a big part in her life, Yadon says, but no one ever taught her the basic building blocks of a healthy lifestyle.

5th Annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes
The 5th annual Walk a Mile in Her Shoes benefiting WEAVE was a record-breaking effort, exceeding the organization’s #1000MenStrong goal.

Turned Out
Who can meet the needs of our homeless LGBT youth?
Forty percent of homeless youth are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered, compared to just 10 percent for the larger population. Across the United States, there are somewhere around 320,000 to 400,000 homeless LGBT youth. There are roughly 4,000 shelter beds total. Enough to sleep just one percent.