Dear Friends and Supporters of Saint John's:
When you don’t know the future, what is the next thing you do? It’s easy for me to get carried away worrying about the future, and yet, what I know is that Saint John’s is a remarkable team of committed people. I’ve observed calmness during the most stressful moments. I’ve witnessed kindness to those around us. I’ve observed respect amongst each other. So, it’s helped me answer this question with the following answer: We keep doing what we are doing. We are good together, and we will continue to be great together even though we don’t know the future – and that’s okay.
As we bid a bittersweet farewell to COO and Interim CEO Marc Cawdrey this month as he transitioned to a well-deserved retirement,
we welcome our new Chief Program Officer, Quinta Davenport
. Quinta has a rich history with Saint John’s as a therapist and clinician. Most recently, she served as the clinical supervisor for the Custody to Community Transitional Reentry Program (CCTRP) through the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. She has a BA in Psychology from Rutgers University and a Master of Science in counseling from CSUS. Quinta will join the leadership team managing the client vocational training experience through new and existing social enterprises.
The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly taken its toll on the whole world. It has changed all of us. Though we are not out of the woods - we cannot become complacent. We are fortunate and so very thankful to remain virus-free at
Saint John’s, and are doing everything in our power to keep our families and our staff members safe, and that is due to our diligence, and to having you all by our side. Thank you to those of you who have come to our aid, financially, with in-kind donations and through volunteerism. We so appreciate your support, especially during these uncertain and unpredictable times.
Thank you for all you do!
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Qunita Davenport
Chief Program Officer
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Thank you for Supporting the Red Door!
We are overwhelmed with gratitude for the more than 1000 donors who have stepped up to
Support the Red Door with nearly $400,000 raised to date! With just a few weeks left to reach our goal to raise $450,000, please consider joining our Support the Red Door campaign by donating before July 31st. Thank you!
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Our school-aged kids have been keeping busy at the YMCA day camp with various sports, swimming and lawn games, they enjoyed “Holidays in the Heat” celebrating a different holiday each day of the week (Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter and Cinco de Mayo), and they held a “Top Chef” competition, honing their teamwork and math skills as they worked together to measure ingredients and prepare delicious food to share. This included a field trip to Plates Café and Catering to visit their moms, who are working the grill at our curbside outdoor barbecue (indoor dining remains closed at this time). Our friends from
Project Birthday
also came by for a super hero-themed birthday celebration, with each child making their own masks and capes.
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Independence Day – It’s Every Day!
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July 4, 2020 looked very different for all of us this year. With much less fanfare and more time for reflection, what it means to be independent was top-of-mind.
At Saint John’s, we think of
every day
as Independence Day, as our women are working so very hard to change their lives, to leave poverty and dependence behind, and to achieve confidence and self-sustainability. Independence is a constant goal which for some, is a much steeper mountain to climb.
Thank you to our very own Chef Scott for the wonderful 4
th
of July barbecue he prepared for our families, to our childcare staff for helping the kids with a sparkly art project and to TNT Fireworks for treating our moms and kids to a private fireworks show!
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Thank you Sponsors! Polo for Change Set for October 11th!
SAVE THE DATE!
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We have made the very difficult decision to hold just one smaller event this year, Polo for Change, rescheduled for October 11, and to postpone our popular Party for Change event, moving the date from November 2020 to May, 2021. Polo for Change 2020 will be our first ever “hybrid event,” meaning you will be able to participate either live/in person or virtually!
While the exciting polo match, equine demonstrations, delicious food and drink, live music, auction, raffles, prizes and traditional Champagne Divot Stomp will provide the same excitement delivered to Polo for Change attendees in years past, this year, the way we view and enjoy the event will look a bit different in order to provide for the safety of all participants due to COVID-19 directives for gatherings. Attendance will be limited to just 450 (less than half of last year’s 1,000 attendees!), and tickets will only be sold by tables of 10, where guests will enjoy the event from their own private cabana, featuring its own private server/concierge, who will attend to your every need! Our silent auction, featuring more than 100 exciting excursions, experiences, services and consumer products, will be online only, with bidding starting a week prior to the event. Bidders need not be present to win!
There are just a few tables left to attend the live Polo for Change event on October 11, so if you’re interested, please contact Sasha Wirth or Bethany Knudsen for additional details and sponsorship opportunities available at
info@saintjohnsprogram.org
. For updated and more information, visit
saintjohnsprogram.org/poloforchange
.
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Coming Soon: ONE80 Magazine
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Special Giving Edition! Advertising Opportunities Available
The Summer 2020 edition of ONE80 Magazine is coming soon! This “Special Giving Edition” will feature our Annual Report and provides an opportunity to financially and philanthropically support Saint John’s at this critical time as we continue to cope with the financial implications of the pandemic.
Not only will your contribution underwrite the cost of the magazine, but your ad will reach a highly desired audience and allow your donation dollars to stretch even further.
To learn more about advertising opportunities in this issue, contact Bethany Knudsen at bknudsen@saintjohnsprogram.org.
ADVERTISING/DONOR LISTING DEADLINE: JULY 25th!
CAMERA-READY ART DEADLINE: August 7
th
*
*Need an ad? No worries! Our advertising partner, Misfit, has offered to create all ads for this publication free of charge!
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From Homelessness to an Essential Worker, Heather’s Story
It was time – this time, for sure. Heather B. finally made the decision to leave her bad choices, abusive relationships and addiction behind. In March of 2019, Heather changed the trajectory of her life by choosing sobriety, which ultimately led her to the red doors of Saint John’s. Heather is now one of 14 Saint John’s clients and alumnae who are working on the front lines during the pandemic as an essential worker at UC Davis Health.
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Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!
Sacramento just gained seven new workers!
Congratulations to
Renee H.
on her new job as a warehouse associate for Salon Guys, to
Casie J.
for being hired on as a sales associate at Dollar Tree, to
Tracy F.
and
Kirsten W.
on their new jobs as a donor outreach coordinators for Vitalant through Capital Staffing, to
Jessica A
. on her new job as a cashier at New Mandarins Bingo Center, and to
Janelle T.
and
Sabrina B.
on their new positions working in the kitchen at Corti Bros! We are so proud of all you have accomplished!
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DONATION REQUESTS
We REALLY need NEW vacuum cleaners. Please check the link below!
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Today is a Perfect Day for a New Beginning
Together, we will give more women and children the opportunity to start a new life - a life filled with hope, joy and endless opportunities. With your gift today, you will provide a family at Saint John's not only a safe home, but also a hand up through an educational program that empowers mothers to provide for themselves and their families.
For more information, please contact info@saintjohnsprogram.org
Saint John's Program for Real Change
Nonprofit, 501(c)(3)
Tax ID: 68-0132934
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HERE
.
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