During the 2025 holiday season, the community’s generosity helped 2,487 children, teens and adults in need across the County. Through the support of volunteers and donors, thousands of meaningful gifts were delivered to individuals served by Sacramento County’s Department of Child, Family and Adult Services (DCFAS). Volunteers wrapped and distributed more than 7,400 gifts.

The effort was powered by the dedication of 85 volunteers, who collectively contributed 1,684 hours organizing donations, preparing gifts and helping ensure everything reached the people who needed it most.

Since its launch in 1988, the Gifts from the Heart program has touched the lives of thousands of Sacramento County residents. Each year, community members, local organizations and County staff come together to make the holidays brighter for individuals who may otherwise go without.

The program reflects the spirit of generosity in Sacramento County — neighbors helping neighbors and ensuring that everyone feels remembered during the holidays. But giving now extends past the holiday season, you can still help a foster youth, older, or disabled adult year-round by donating to Gifts from the Heart. Reach out to GFTH@saccounty.gov to find out how you can make a difference.

County employees and volunteers work with community partners and private sponsors to purchase, wrap and deliver gifts to recipients during November and December of every year

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Want to help Sacramento better understand and address homelessness? You’re invited to volunteer for the 2026 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count. This community effort will not only help to determine the number of people experiencing homelessness in the Sacramento region, but will also help us to:

• Understand why people in our community become homeless.
• Create better policies, programs and services.
• Track progress in reducing homelessness.
• Secure federal funding which supports local shelters and services.

The PIT count will be held 5–11 p.m. on Jan. 26 and 27. Registration is required by Jan. 15

“While it captures only a snapshot in time, the PIT Count offers valuable, community-wide participation and insight. It helps us better understand homelessness in our region and ensures our community can continue accessing funding that directly supports our neighbors who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness,” said Dr. Trenton Simmons, Chief Program Officer of Sacramento Steps Forward.  

No experience is required for volunteers, with mini training video segments and other materials provided ahead of the nights of the count to help volunteers know what to expect. Volunteers will meet at one central location before heading out to predetermined routes across the County.

Volunteers will use a mobile phone app to record the number of people they encounter who said they would be sleeping outdoors or in vehicles. They also will conduct a brief survey with those willing to participate to better understand who is experiencing homelessness in Sacramento, for how long and what kinds of services could best assist them.

While volunteers focus on people living unsheltered outdoors, the overall PIT Count includes those staying in respite centers and shelters.

To canvass, a volunteer must be at least 18 years old, be willing to travel by foot and car to predetermined locations, and be willing to use their personal smartphone and flashlight.

Ready to be part of resolving homelessness in our community? Register now

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Mather Community Campus (MCC) is home to hundreds of adults, families and transitional aged youth in shelter and transitional housing who are experiencing homelessness. With a variety of programs and services designed to address barriers to exiting homelessness, the participants living at MCC are offered the resources they need to knock down each and every barrier they face. One of those barriers is employment.

Job readiness is more than just finding employment opportunities and submitting applications. Job readiness means looking good, feeling confident and understanding how to navigate the complicated nature of resumes, interviews and call-backs. Job readiness means being document ready, finding transportation and setting up an email address.

Look good, feel good. Haircuts, business attire, shoes that fit, and clothes that are clean. Taking a shower, brushing teeth and hair. These are tangibles that housed people, even those who are job hunting, take for granted.

Do you remember applying for your first job? You had no work history, no experience except maybe those neighbor kids you babysat that summer when you were 15, you weren’t sure who was hiring teenagers, you didn’t have a car – it made it a little bit more difficult, didn’t it?

Now imagine being an adult – perhaps in your 40’s or 50’s, without a permanent address, living out of a backpack, you have no consistent access to a shower, to regular grooming opportunities, you have a massive gap in your work history, no reliable transportation, no access to a computer to build a resume or search for work… feels impossible. Frankly, how can you worry about finding a job when you don’t even know if you’ll be safe while sleeping that night?

The stability and safety of living in a shelter affords residents the breathing space they need to thrive. Access to a bathroom and shower, three meals a day, laundry service, a door that locks. Only after folks’ basic needs are met can they truly focus on the next step – building income.

“People feel unprepared to re-enter the workforce after they’ve been out for years. They aren’t confident in their skills or presentation,” said Shelby Greenhill, Employment Developer for Next Move. “Once here, once they are secure and safe in shelter, we can work with them to get ready, to feel confident. This helps takes the pressure off them doing it all by themselves.”

What Mather Community Campus and its operator Next Move provides to its clients is truly intangible. Help. Access. Accountability. Resources. The Campus not only houses the Employment Program, but the Job Readiness Fair pulls together a variety of resources and Community Based Organizations (CBOs) to equip job seekers with everything they need to start their job hunt.

• Document readiness: you cannot get a job without an ID, a social security card and address. Next Move helps clients get critical documents like birth certificates, I.D.s and social security cards and open bank accounts.
• Building a resume: Beyond access to the computer lab on campus, staff provide guidance and suggestions on how to build a resume and how to leverage past work history to build out the skills and experience needed for job applications.
• Job Search: having access to a computer allows job applicants to easily search for open positions, apply and set up email addresses to maintain consistent communication channels with hiring agencies.
• Job Training: For many, access to job training is cost prohibitive. But through partnerships with CBOs and local businesses, MCC residents can get the critical training they need to get job ready.
• Mock Interviews: How nervous were you before you went into your first job interview? Job readiness puts potential applicants through mock interviews – not only helping to calm their nerves but equipping them with the responses and confidence needed to impress potential employers.
• Relationships with Employers: The stigma of being homeless is one of the highest barriers to people finding employment. Not having reliable transportation or the funds to bring or buy lunch, being self-conscience because your clothes don’t fit or might not be newly laundered. But having connections to unhoused-friendly employers helps to ease the transition back into the workforce.
• Clothing closet: The clothing closet is one of the most used resources of the job readiness fair – providing professional clothing, shoes, coats, belts and more.

Noel and Natalie have been sheltered at MCC for four months. Before they came to Mather, they were living in their car for nearly three years. They both have extensive work experience, but due to their housing instability, they were both out of work. Natalie is a housekeeper by trade – having worked at several large hotel chains. Noel is a seasoned dock foreman and tile installer. Both now feel far more confident about applying for jobs after the help Next Move staff have provided them.

Charolette has lived at MCC for seven months. She’s been in Sacramento for more than 40 years, homeless for the last three years. She’d had a spot at a congregate shelter but felt unsafe and chose to remain unsheltered until she got into Mather. “There are so many resources here,” Charolette said. “They’re helping me repair my credit. I realized I got too comfortable, but I am ready to improve my life. I have a background in healthcare. They helped me build a resume and apply for jobs at Board and Care homes.”

The first Job Readiness Fair Next Move hosted at MCC included vendors from the Sacramento County Personnel Department, Sacramento Libraries, Goodwill Industries, Francis House Center, CA Health Collaborative, Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA), Folsom Cordova Adult School, Credit Help and more. Besides the clothing closet, Next Move offered toiletry kits, lunch coolers and interview kits to go.

Charolette wraps up with, “Having a job isn’t just about income. It is about confidence and a sense of self-worth. It is about contributing to the community and building a future you can be proud of. This job readiness fair is a godsend.”

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The City of Sacramento is recruiting “community ambassadors” to build and maintain relationships with community partners and residents who represent culturally and linguistically diverse populations and historically underrepresented communities.

Led by City’s Neighborhood Development Action Team (NDAT), the program provides a stipend to 18 active community members to assist in promoting City services and communications by sharing information with their networks and respective communities.

“This program is all about bridging gaps and ensuring that all Sacramento residents, regardless of background or language, have the opportunity to access vital information and resources,” said Lynette Hall, the City’s Community Engagement Manager. “Through this initiative, we’re fostering deeper connections, empowering ambassadors with the training and support they need, and creating a sustainable platform for ongoing dialogue and community growth.”

Community ambassadors, who will receive $6,000 a year as part of their stipend, are expected to serve as a liaison between the City and community and are required to attend monthly meetings to discuss upcoming community engagement activities, events, and efforts of the City and share community events, needs and concerns.

Community ambassadors are also able to receive compensation for translation and interpretation support, as well as funding to put toward special projects. Past special projects have included an acting competition and poetry event where participants share resources from the communication toolkit, a workshop explaining the City’s 311 service and a community dinner at a local restaurant where employment resources and business grants were shared.

The community ambassadors will serve a 12-month term from January 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026.

Those interested can apply online by 11:59 p.m. on October 31, 2025. Learn more about the community ambassador program on the City’s website.

About NDAT

The Neighborhood Development Action Team is a collaboration between City departments and partner agencies, led by the Office of Innovation and Economic Development and the Planning Division.

NDAT works to revitalize commercial corridors and transit areas in partnership with the community in neighborhoods outside of the central city that have been historically disinvested.

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In most cases, lost dogs can wander very far from home and can become frightened or stressed, making it more difficult for them to find their way back.

In Sacramento, one out of three dogs will go missing during their lifetime. With that statistic in mind, Front Street Animal Shelter is emphasizing the important role finders can play in reuniting lost pets with their families while easing the strain on shelters.

The Front Street Animal Shelter asks finders to try to locate the owner before bringing the dog to the shelter.

“Our city shelter is full, and new stray animals arrive daily,” said Shelter Operations Manager Staycee Dains. “Kennel space is extremely limited, so when community members can help lost pets get back home without entering the shelter system, it makes an enormous difference for the animals already in our care.”

Here’s what to do as soon as you find a dog.

Step 1
Check if the dog’s owner has reported them missing at 24Petconnect. If you see a possible match, note the Animal ID and call 311 (24/7) or 916-808-7387.

Step 2
Text STRAY to 833-511-0426 to receive proven tips to help you find the owner as well as a link to fill out a found dog report.

Step 3

Post photos and location of the found dog online and in the surrounding neighborhood with contact information to help spread the information to reach the owner. Here are some helpful tips and links:

• Make it easy for someone who lost a dog to find you by filling out a found dog report  on Petco Love Lost’s website.
• Make a found dog ad on Craigslist (with a photo) and post to the Nextdoor  neighborhood where the dog was found.
• There are many Facebook groups for lost and found pets  for different areas in and around Sacramento. Post a picture and description of the dog in the Facebook groups near where the dog was found.
• Make found dog posters like in this  video . Hang them at the six busiest intersections near where you found the dog.
• Report the found dog to other local animal shelters .
• Continue to update and re-post your online found dog posts every couple of days

Step 4

Take the dog to a shelter or veterinarian to scan for a microchip. Ask for the microchip number and search the number on the microchip look-up website . If the found dog is wearing a tag with a phone number, call and send a text. People tend to be more responsive to texts than phone calls from unknown callers.

“The best way our community can help is by trying these steps first, and by making sure their own pets are microchipped, licensed with the City of Sacramento, and wearing visible ID tags,” Dains said. “Those small actions can prevent pets from entering the shelter altogether and get them back home faster.”

In an effort to reduce the strain on our already full shelter, the shelter asks finders to try all steps listed above to reunite pets with their families before bringing them in.

If you’ve exhausted all options, you can bring a stray dog or a sick or injured cat or kitten to the shelter’s intake building daily from noon to 5 p.m.

More information about lost and found animals can be found on the shelter’s website.

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916 Day is Sacramento’s way of showing up for each other, for our neighborhoods and for City parks. This month, the Department of Youth, Parks, & Community Enrichment (YPCE) invites residents to sign up as YPCE VIP volunteers and roll up their sleeves to give some much-deserved care to the community spaces that bring us together.

Participants can choose from three volunteer events across the city – or attend them all. From mulching and painting to trail cleanups and beautification, these efforts help keep parks safe and clean.

“No experience is needed – just bring your energy, gloves and Sacramento pride,” said YPCE spokesperson Gabby Miller. “916 Day is about celebrating our city by caring for the spaces that connect us. Whether you have 30 minutes or a few hours, your time makes a difference.”

• Granite Regional Park | Saturday, Sept. 6: Spread mulch along trails, sidewalks and the skate park to improve safety and prevent erosion.
• Del Paso Regional Park | Saturday, Sept. 13: Help spread playground mulch, add mulch around trees and the lot, and paint benches.
• Miller Regional Park | Saturday, Sept. 20: Repaint parking lines, clean up the park and support safety improvements.

The Volunteer In Parks program – YPCE’s VIPs – play a vital role in keeping parks safe, clean and welcoming. Whether you’re looking for a short-term or one-time project, or are interested in a longer-term commitment, there’s a way to get involved. For one-day events, simply register for the project you want to support and plan to attend.

Volunteer registration is open now. Sign up to join the celebration and help keep Sacramento’s parks thriving.

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Sacramento County’s Senior and Adult Services division recently received a heartwarming and generous donation of care totes from the Geriatric Resource Nurse Committee at UC Davis. The dozens of totes are packed with essential hygiene items and activity books that will help vulnerable older adults in Sacramento County. The Geriatric Resource Nurse Committee at UC Davis has donated totes to the County for several years.

The totes include toothbrushes, toothpaste, toiletries, activity books and other helpful items designed to bring comfort and support to those in need. The totes were delivered to Sacramento County’s Adult Protective Services (APS), where staff members will distribute them to clients.

“When APS rings the doorbell, it is nice to come with a bag of goodies. The client is more likely to let us in and talk with us.  It goes a long way to say we are worried about you, and I brought you a few things that might be helpful to you,” said Sacramento County Human Services Program Manager Martha Haas.

This meaningful partnership between UC Davis and Sacramento County reflects a shared commitment to supporting the dignity, health and well-being of older adults in the community. Donations like these go a long way in promoting connection, comfort and care for those who need it most.

To learn more about how you can help older adults in Sacramento County, visit the Department of Child, Family and Adult Services website. 

The primary goals of the UC Davis Geriatric Education Resource Center (GERC) isto support curriculum coordination in medical school and continuing professional and community education. The GERC support curriculum coordination and development to provide opportunities for health science students to be exposed to geriatric content that provides the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to effectively care for or interact with their elderly patients/clients. The GERC supports continuing professional and community education assuring that clinicians, allied health professionals and faculty members receive training/retraining in gerontology and geriatrics. This includes augmenting post graduate medical education and training in geriatric topics for interns, residents and faculty at departmental grand rounds.

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Until 11:59 p.m. tonight, rally to support local nonprofits. Find organizations serving El Dorado, Placer, Sacramento, and Yolo counties that matter to you, then make donations to support their work. 

Boost Your Impact

Your donations can go even further today thanks to prize boosts and match funds — and it’s easy to give with Apple Pay, Venmo, PayPal, Google Pay, and more.

Support What Matters

Good causes need us! Join thousands of your neighbors to champion the nonprofits that make a difference. When you make gifts in honor of loved ones, we’ll let them know!

By Community, For Community

Big Day of Giving is all about uplifting our region. It’s hosted by a local nonprofit for local nonprofits and local people who care — including you. 

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Upcoming Earth Day events

Join us at the upcoming Earth Day events to learn, engage, and take action for a more sustainable Sacramento! OCAS will host a booth at each event with sustainability-themed trivia, giveaways, and tips on how to live more sustainably in our city.

Monthly CityConnect Mixer  (hosted by City’s Community Engagement Team)

• Date: Thursday, April 17th
• Time: 5:30 – 8:30 p.m.
• Location: Device Brewery (7485 Rush River Drive, Suite 650)

Sac State Earth Day Celebration

• Date: Tuesday, April 22th
• Time: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Location: Library Quad, Sacramento State Campus (6000 J Street)

ECOS Earth Day Celebration 

• Date: Sunday, April 27th
• Time: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Location: Southside Park (700 T Street)

Recap: April 5 Earth Day clean-ups

Thank you to everyone who came out to support the City of Sacramento’s Earth Day clean-up and beautification events on April 5th! 

Across our nine locations, 320 volunteers collectively:

• Removed more than 11,000 lbs of trash and green waste
• Spread 80 cubic yards of mulch
• Planted 220 native and drought-tolerant plants

Clean-up and beautification events were held at:

• California Lilac Park
• Arcade Creek in Del Paso Regional Park
• Red-Tail Hawk Park
• Sacramento Marina
• Miller Park
• Del Rio Trail
• Artivio Guerrero Park
• Freeport Park
• Drainage Basin by Delta Shores shopping complex

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Learn more

• Learn more about how the City works to protect the earth year-round 
• Find other opportunities to get involved in the City’s community engagement activities .

Check out Local Events , City Resources Map , Sacramento County Social Media Directory and Volunteering Opportunities.

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​​Tucked away in Sacramento County, there’s a warehouse bustling with activity this holiday season. But no, these aren’t exactly Santa’s elves. Instead, they’re volunteers wrapping, distributing and delivering gifts as part of Sacramento County’s Gifts from the Heart program. This beloved initiative provides presents to foster children, teens, disabled adults and older adults, spreading holiday cheer to those who need it most.

“The people are great and there’s something for everyone really, you can deliver gifts and you can see people’s faces when they get the gifts you can wrap,” said longtime volunteer, Barbara. 

Barbara said she’s been helping out with Gifts from the Heart for so long she isn’t exactly sure when she began volunteering but guesses it was more than two decades ago. 

“I started because a friend of mine wanted me to make Barbie clothes for her daughter,” she explained. “Then I started putting boxes together but didn’t have a place to give them. My sister, who was with Child Protective Services, told me about Gifts from the Heart.”

Gifts from the Heart began 36 years ago, and Barbara’s contributions have been a cherished part of the program’s history. Each year, she lovingly boxes up 200 to 300 dolls, complete with games and activities.

“When I do it, I think about the kids who are opening the gifts,” she said.

​​By the end of the season, nearly every box finds a home.

This year, the program delivered presents to over 1,700 children and adults in Sacramento County, an effort made possible by the Department of Child, Family and Adult Services (DCFAS), volunteers and donors. 

“A lot of retirees volunteer here. It’s a great thing to do if you have time on your hands,” said Barbara. 

As Sacramento County grows, so does the need for support. Teens, in particular, are often overlooked when it comes to gift donations. If you’re thinking about donating or volunteering, the Gifts from the Heart Warehouse is now open year-round. 

Barbara said every volunteer works toward putting a smile on the face of a child, teen or adult. 

“For all the gifts, they send out blank thank you notes. So, the people can thank us and some of them are very touching. There were a couple last year where the kids said this was the first time they had ever gotten a Christmas gift. It was a little sad but it kind of spurs you on to do more,” Barbara said. 

And “do more” Barbara will. At 74 years old, she has no plans of slowing down. 

“I’ll keep coming back. I love it. It really is a lot of fun,” she said. 

Gifts from the Heart is expanding to accept donations and volunteer applications throughout the year. If you’re interested in volunteering or learning more, email GFTH@saccounty.gov​. For information about donating, check out the Gifts from the Heart Brochure. Donated items must be new. All toys, clothes and other items that are donated go directly toward helping Sacramento County’s DCFAS clients – which include foster children, teens in foster care and older and disabled adults. 

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