In 2020 more than ever, Auburn nonprofits counting on annual Big Day of Giving

This is the Auburn Senior Center's first go-round with the annual Big Day of Giving, and along with being one of 615 nonprofits in the greater Sacramento area trying to generate donations, it has a second agenda. "This is a huge part of getting our name out there to raise awareness that we're still here," Executive Director Denise DiMiceli said April 29. "For the senior center, one of the biggest points is people thought we went away after we left the DeWitt Center. We're still here five years later, still working very hard to raise awareness that we're an active solution for seniors and seniors in training." The Auburn Senior Center, celebrating 40 years in 2020, now resides at 550 High Street, promoting, as DiMiceli put it, "healthy, successful aging" to 900 members ages 50 and up by providing activities such as cards, exercise and education. It just so happens the senior center's first Big Day of Giving comes during the COVID-19 pandemic. The senior center receives no federal or government funding, DiMiceli said. "We're still here and serving a very valuable group, the aging population," she said. Here are some of the nonprofits from Auburn taking part in the Big Day of Giving on May 7: Auburn State Theatre: Since 1930, Auburn State Theatre has brought the community together to enjoy entertainment and educational events, including concerts, plays, musicals, youth programs, forums, festivals and films. Scheduling 140 events per year, AST staff and volunteers put a lot of thought and work into providing diverse programming that offers something for everyone. From school plays to world-class artists, AST's mission is to present quality programs that appeal to all ages and enrich our cultural landscape. AST works with groups such as United Auburn Indian Community, Auburn Concert Band, Auburn Symphony, Auburn Winds, Auburn Association of University Women, Rotary Club of Auburn, Soroptimist International of Auburn, Colla Voce, One Book One Community, Placer Community Theater, Protect American River Canyons and Take Note Troupe. Auburn State Theatre misses YOU! We wish you health and happiness, thank you for your support, and look forward to making future memories with you! Auburn Symphony: The symphony has been performing high-caliber, live orchestral music in our community for 32 years. We reach thousands of local students annually through our unique Educational Outreach programs with live performances in elementary and preschools in our region. Our vibrant Young Artists Competition and Recital showcases and promotes the talents of highly skilled local youth ages 8-18, spring-boarding their young careers into the professional arena. We are the only volunteer community orchestra in Placer County, and we receive the highest acclaim amongst our peer organizations, not only in Northern California but on a national level. We enjoy a dedicated and loyal patron base, and we always seek to invite in and engage new listeners of all ages and backgrounds. Please help support the arts in Placer County and the greater Sacramento region on the Big Day of Giving. Together, we will make beautiful music again! Colla Voce of the Sierra, Inc.: Colla Voce of the Sierra, "Creating Life-Changing Opportunities for Engagement in the Arts," supports four programs: 1. The Chamber Singers is an auditioned, volunteer adult choral ensemble based in Auburn, committed to the creation of participatory, collaborative and engaging concert experiences using a wide range of genres. They present two concert series a year, participate in Music for Humanity — benefiting the Auburn Food Closet —and perform at various local events throughout the year. 2. The Youth and Children's Chorus presents concerts throughout the year and participates in various festivals. CVYCC is devoted to cultivating transformative music experiences and education, instilling values of self-discipline and commitment while inspiring the artist within each child through the power of music. 3. The Graduating Senior Scholarship fund is being cultivated to support a young college-bound senior who is focused in music. 4. The Music Docent program provides curriculum, materials and trains volunteers to present engaging music appreciation lessons to kindergarten through fifth-grade classes in the Auburn area. The program is focused particularly on schools with no music education. Children learn the great composers and compositions of the past, music theory and appreciation, and are offered a unique exposure to the arts. While the kids see it as fun, they are actually building connections, with themselves and each other; connecting to history, other cultures and society as a whole. More information is available at collavoce.org. We appreciate your support for the Big Day of Giving, particularly during these strange and trying times. Crime Victims United: For 30 years, Crime Victims United has served California and the nation by advocating for the rights of victims and securing legislation to promote safety in our communities. CVU receives no national or state funding and relies entirely on the generosity of those who believe in defending victims and supporting crime-reduction measures. "The Big Day of Giving is truly a big day for nonprofit organizations like Crime Victims United, which survives solely on individual donations from the public," said Nina Salarno Besselman, president of CVU. "Your gift to CVU directly benefits victims and their families. "Each year, CVU conducts a teddy bear drive to stock district attorneys' and law enforcement offices with stuffed bears to comfort the youngest members of families forced against their will into our legal system. CVU also established the Catina Rose Memorial Scholarship to help underwrite higher education for teen victims. And this year, CVU initiated a new program through the Auburn Police Department where we provide survival bags to crime victims as they emerge from the justice system." During the COVID-19 pandemic, CVU shifted its victims' resources to a safer virtual format, providing information to those seeking assistance with legal services, addiction, domestic abuse, suicide, depression and a myriad of other social issues on their website at www.crimevictimsunited.com or by calling 530-885-9544. Funds received during the Big Day of Giving are used to supplement smaller fundraising events held each year, such as the Auburn All-American Cook-off, which benefits not only CVU but also other nonprofits, including Healing Pastures, Hip Hop Congress, Silver Paws and ARD Youth Assistance. On May 7 please help us to help others. Donate at bigdayofgiving.com or crimevictimsunited.com. Friends of Auburn Library: Friends of Auburn Library - https://www.bigdayofgiving.org/folauburn - provide essential funding for the Auburn Library for purchasing materials for circulation. FOL also provides educational and cultural enrichment programs to children and adults. FOL is an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff. The 24 FOL Board members and their committees volunteered more than 5,330 hours this year. Each month sees varying numbers of volunteers, averaging 53 per month. Reported mileage (not reimbursed) was 4,492 miles. In-kind donations by these volunteers was $1,558 last year. FOL volunteers work on fundraising for support of the Library and presenting community enrichment events, such as our very popular NOON Programs, a bi-monthly speaker series that draws from 10-40 attendees to each free event. We also sponsor Reading in the Classroom, where last year 44 volunteers from the community went to 48 classrooms to read stories to about 1,400 students. Gold Country Wildlife Rescue: A nonprofit organization dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation and release of injured and orphaned wildlife. We are permitted through the California Department of Fish & Wildlife, and the US Fish & Wildlife Service. We have been serving the local community since 1991, and do so at no charge. We take in 3,500 animals each year and are open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to receive animals in need. We receive no government funding, relying solely on private donations and grants to fund our operations. We currently lease Placer County's old animal shelter in the DeWitt Complex. Granite Wellness Centers: At the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic as a safety net service provider supporting individuals and families struggling with substance use disorder and related behavioral health issues. We provide supportive services to hundreds of women, men, adolescents and children and function as a safety net service to keep individuals out of the already overburdened primary care system. Please visit www.bigdayofgiving.org/GWCFoundation today and donate to Granite Wellness Centers Foundation's COVID-19 Family Relief Fund. Horses for Healing: A nonprofit, volunteer-run organization dedicated to improving the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of children and adults with special needs through their involvement with horses. The program has been providing therapeutic horseback riding in Placer County since 1997. A donation during the Big Day of Giving can have a big impact on this special organization. bigdayofgiving.org/horsesforhealing. Humane Society of the Sierra Foothills: Big Day of Giving is a heartwarming, incredible event that demonstrates the love, kindness and compassion at the heart of each of us. Your gift is more important than ever right now. Any amount large or small is appreciated. If you're as excited as we are about BDOG, you don't have to wait to make your donation. The Link for Scheduled Gifts is now open. (Your gift will be charged on May 7.) If you're so inclined, you can create a personal Peer-to-Peer Fundraising Campaign and engage your friends to donate to HSSF. Create your own campaign here by clicking FUNDRAISE. Then share it via social media and email. No matter how, where or when you give, (BDOG goes for 24 hours), we hope you send what you can to support your favorite cause. Latino Leadership Council: The only Latino-focused nonprofit, whose team of Promotores help the underserved populations receive access to health, education and youth leadership supports and services. We conduct home visits in the evenings and weekends to mitigate transportation and schedule barriers. Visit www.LatinoLeadershipCouncil.org. Literacy Support Council: Since 1991, Literacy Support Council of Placer County has assisted the Placer County Library Literacy Program, PALS (Placer Adult Literacy Service) by supplying curriculum, flash cards, computer programs and other materials that help adults lift their lives! Placer County Library offers free confidential tutoring, help with reading, writing, GED preparation, ESL, the Jail Inmate Tutoring Program and Family Literacy. Your donations to the Literacy Support Council help local people live better lives with improved skills. PFLAG Placer County: PFLAG is the United States' first and largest organization uniting parents, families and allies with people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer. We are the local chapter and we are asking for donations to help us continue working to keep families in loving relationships by helping them understand and affirm their gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer family members. We do this through monthly support groups and our outreach and education programs with local schools. Advocacy is a big part of who we are. We work to effect change so people who are LGBTQ+ are safe and equal in our community. www.pflagplacercounty.org bigdayofgiving.org/PFLAG Placer County Council of the Navy League: Three missions: to enhance the morale of active-duty personnel and their families, to inform Congress and the public on the importance of strong sea services, and to support youth through programs such as the Naval Sea Cadet Corps and Navy Junior ROTC that expose young people to the values of our sea services. We currently support two Sea Cadets units with 150 cadets. Each year, cadets have the opportunity to attend summer training, which many cannot afford. The Big Day of Giving raises money for our scholarship fund so we may provide training for any cadet who wishes to attend. Placer Land Trust: Members protect the natural open space and working agricultural lands that play a critical role in our health and well-being for us individually and for the broader community. During these difficult times, so many of us have turned to the outdoors for exercise, nourishment, healing and beauty – with a goal to improve our physical and mental health. So as you support the causes that are helping our citizens through today's crisis, we hope you'll also consider the long-term health of our region and protect the lands that will sustain us forever. Your investment in Placer Land Trust will be DOUBLED by a $50,000 matching fund (while funds last), meaning you can make a bigger impact this Big Day of Giving by giving here: www.bigdayofgiving.org/placerlandtrust. And THANK YOU to all who have already given – it means the world to us! Placer Nature Center: Located right here in Auburn, delivering community-based, volunteer supported environmental education programs to children, families, schools and community groups. When COVID-19 forced us to close our doors, we went virtual, posting programs, hiking videos, activities, experiments and lesson plans for teachers and parents on our website, www.placernaturecenter.org, and our Facebook page Placer Nature Center. Now we are offering private activities one household at a time at our center meeting, all COVID-19 safety requirements. To schedule a time for your household to escape isolation and explore nature with a one-on-one docent, call 530-520-2596. We hope you think of us on the Big Day of Giving since we are operating without any income during this time. Stay healthy and happy everyone. Placer People of Faith Together: Active in the Placer County community for 12-plus years. As a collection of Inter-Faith organizations, our goal is to positively change the landscape in Placer County. An individual on his/her own, without financial resources, would be unable to do this! Because of our faith and inter-connectedness, we work together to establish relationships with the people in our elected and administrative community to protect and support the voiceless- change the landscape in a positive way for the good of all! We appreciate and honor all and any contributions to improve the quality of life for ALL people in Placer County! Our most recent boast is the very soon-to-be implementation of 2-1-1 in Placer County – one of the last CA counties to provide contact to Social Services – a GREAT service in this pandemic time! Please be generous! And Thank You! Protect American River Canyons: PARC is an Auburn-based 501(c)(3) all-volunteer organization which began in 1972, with its primary mission of opposing construction of Auburn Dam and advocating for the long-term protection of the North and Middle Forks of the American River. Our tools are volunteers, community involvement and river education. The price of free-flowing rivers is constant vigilance. Every river needs organizations which serve as caretaker, advocate and watchdog. PARC is one such organization dedicated to the protection of the natural, recreational, cultural and historical resources of the North and Middle Forks of the American River for all to care for and enjoy. Volunteers can accomplish much, but there are always expenses. Your PARC membership and donations are essential to ensure we can continue to educate the community and work for permanent river protection. You can learn more about specific events and projects at PARC-Auburn.org. Thank you for considering PARC as an organization worthy of your support. Sierra Native Alliance: Located in Auburn, SNA provides family support services for Native American and other low-income families in Placer County. With a focus on Indian Child Welfare advocacy, SNA Family Wellness services include outpatient substance-use treatment, parent education and counseling. Youth development programs include cultural events, wellness education and peer support services. As part of Placer's COVID-19 community response efforts, SNA has been providing tele-health and support for families experiencing economic stress to access financial assistance resources, along with delivery of food, diapers and other essential needs. Contributions through the Big Day of Giving will focus on supporting health, safety and nutritional needs of our elders and families with school-age children. Sight Word Busters: With classrooms closed, Sight Word Busters' 350 trained volunteers are anxiously waiting their next opportunity to serve their local schools. They work daily in 110 kindergarten, first- and second-grade classrooms assisting teachers in the most fundamental challenge in education – teaching young students to read. And when the schools reopen, the Busters' services will be more important than ever. As veteran Rock Creek Elementary School second-grade teacher Lysa Sassman expresses, "Our kids are falling behind and we will need Sight Word Busters more than ever to put them back on track." Sight Word Busters operates in 21 elementary schools in Auburn, Meadow Vista, Colfax, Newcastle, Alta/Dutch Flat, Roseville, Lincoln, Rocklin and Sacramento. Every year, SWB receives requests to expand the program to new classrooms and new schools. But the SWB Board of Directors has determined the program cannot continue to expand and maintain its high standard of excellence in school support and volunteer oversight and support without additional financial support. For more information, go to www.sightwordbusters.org. Stand Up Placer: Saving lives by empowering survivors and educating communities to stand up to domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking. You can give a victim of domestic violence a path to safety and the courage to leave their abuser. The current pandemic has trapped some domestic violence victims at home with their abusers. We are still here for you and have found ways to provide vital support, counseling and services for victims during this time of crisis. You can change a life by making your gift on the Big Day of Giving, May 7. www.standupplacer.org. 24-Hour Crisis line: 1-800-575-5352 Stand Up Placer has been serving the community for 42 years. The Hillmen Foundation: Need for support of Placer High School students is greater than ever. Your gift will directly impact important academic, activity and athletic programs through grants administered by the Hillmen Foundation, an independent, all-volunteer nonprofit organization. Please visit our BDOG page until May 7 to help make a difference for Placer High students. What Would Jesus Do? WWJD? is a 100% volunteer, non-denominational, nonprofit organization assisting homeless and working poor in Placer County. If you desire to contribute to a worthy organization whose resources go directly to those in need … WWJD? is it! No one on the WWJD? staff receives financial compensation. Everyone on the WWJD? staff volunteers their time and resources and in return receives the assurance that we are spreading the love of Jesus. We have been in operation for more than 20 years, feeding an average of 30,000 people each year in South Placer County. Initially in Roseville, we have expanded and are providing the same service in the Sierra foothills communities of Auburn and Colfax. From a mobile van in each community at conveniently located sites, we serve our clients a warm breakfast and provide a bag full of food for their dinner. We provide clothing, blankets, tarps, sleeping bags, toiletries, laundry soap, pet food and other sundries. HOWEVER, JUST AS IMPORTANT WE TRY TO PROVIDE FRIENDSHIP AND A SENSE THAT THEY ARE WELCOMED AND LOVED! We believe the homeless and others in need deserve an opportunity to advance their way back into the mainstream of society. Even if some of the needy we serve fail to achieve this goal, we believe trying is important, and some minimum support should be extended to those unable to achieve self-support. We welcome you to become a part of WWJD? You may volunteer for our mission, join our Board of Directors or donate to help the homeless. Donations can be mailed to: WWJD? Inc. PO Box 66, Roseville, CA 95678-0066.s.