September 2018

While we most often think of Spring as the time for renewal and growth, the Autumn Harvest also brings a time for opportunity and positive change. As Summers heat passes, our communities youth return to places of learning and new experiences. Our tree lined streets become vibrant with color and usher in the holidays, a time for friends, family and community. With that we bring you a number of highlights on important family and community based programs. In addition, starting with this quarterly newsletter we will be adding a new focus on community events. From all of us at 2-1-1 Sacramento, we hope you, your loved and all our community enjoy a happy and safe Autumn season. 


Very Respectfully,

Gabriel Kendall
Director of Community Relations & Program Development, 2-1-1 Sacramento
Face2Face Youth Group
Connecting to the Youth

Face2Face Youth Group, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Elk Grove, California. Our mission is to improve the social and emotional well-being of youth. To do this, Face2Face encourages youth to spend less time on electronic devices, like smartphones, and more time participating in “offline” activities and events, such as sports and indoor activities, such as classes, game nights, and group talks, with other kids their age.

Face2Face Youth Group was founded by parents and former guardians of pre-teens, who witnessed first-hand the skyrocketing use of smartphones among youth and the accompanying issues they faced. After attending a Youth Mental Health First Aid class, these parents recognized the need for more widespread support for youth, including more “offline” activities.

The organization aims to equip children to cope effectively with life, create satisfying relationships, and develop a sense of connection, belonging, and a well-developed support system.

“For the first time in generations, our kids aren’t learning how to socialize in person,” said Mark Arsenault, co-founder of Face2Face Youth Group. “These days, too many young people are staring at a screen on their smartphone, tablet computer or another electronic device. As a result, rates of depression and self-harm among teens are surging upward.”
Face2Face Youth Group, Inc. was recently recognized for its commitment to transparency with a 2018 Platinum Seal from GuideStar, and it recently announced a partnership with the Teen Center USA, Elk Grove, to offer after-school activities for preteens and teens, as well as a program to provide free prescription glasses to needy children.
As the nonprofit grows, it plans to add more programs to support underserved youth, as well as a new youth center to serve the Laguna and South Sacramento area.
For more information about the organization, upcoming events and to sign up on their mailing list, visit their website at http://Face2FaceYouthGroup.com .

Article contributed by Mark Arsenault, Co-Founder of Face2Face Youth Group


Images   COURTESY OF Face2Face Youth Group
Sacramento County






3-1-1 or 916-875-4311
www.saccounty.net
The Importance of Immunizations
Sacramento County Public Health is proud to recognize the essential role of immunizations in protecting the public’s health and urges everyone to make sure they have the shots they need. Child care facilities, schools and colleges can be susceptible to disease outbreaks because of large number of individuals interacting in close quarters. Children in these settings can easily spread illnesses if they do not practice good hand hygiene or do not cover their coughs and sneezes.

One of the most important things parents can do to protect the health of their child is to make sure their child is vaccinated according to the  Center for Disease Control​  recommended immunization schedule. 

“Vaccines are very important for all of us. They protect the entire community - particularly those who cannot receive vaccinations, such as newborns or those with weakened immune systems,” said Dr. Olivia Kasirye, Sacramento County Public Health Officer. “Public Health is encouraging everyone to stay up to ​date on vaccinations.”

For children starting kindergarten, the required and recommended vaccines are:
  •  IPV (Polio)
  •  DTaP/DTP/DT (Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis - also known as Whooping Cough) 
  •  MMR (Measles, Mumps, and Rubella)
  •  Hepatitis B
  •  Varicella (Chickenpox)
  •  Hepatitis A: recommended 
  •  Influenza: recommended yearly vaccine

For children going into seventh grade, the required and recommended vaccines are:
  • Tdap booster (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis – also known as Whooping Cough) 
  • HPV (Human Papillomavirus): recommended
  • MCV4 Meningococcal Conjugate (Meningitis): recommended
  • Influenza: recommended yearly vaccine

The need for vaccination does not end in childhood. Vaccines are recommended throughout our lives based on age, lifestyle, occupation, travel locations, medical conditions and previous vaccination history. Some recommended adult vaccines include annual flu vaccine, tetanus and diphtheria booster (Td) every 10 years, and human papillomaviruses (HPV) for adults up to age 26. 

Image   COURTESY OF Sacramento County
Halloween 2018

Looking for a fun and safe way to celebrate Halloween this season? Check out these family and kid friendly events around the Sacramento area:









Fairytale Town Safe and Super Halloween 2018
When:  Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 19, 20, 21, and Sunday, Oct. 28; 5 – 9 pm
Where:  Fairytale Town, 3901 Land Park Drive, Sacramento CA 95822
Cost:  Advance tickets are $7-$10 per person
Beginning October 19, tickets are $12.00


Dinosaurs will take over Fairytale Town for four nights of trick-or-treating and family fun! Enjoy 15 treat stations, take photos with dinosaurs, dig for fossils, walk in the costume parade, and more . Tickets go on sale September 1 . Advance tickets are $7-$10 per person . Beginning October 19 , tickets are $12 per person . Dinosaur Encounter show tickets are $1 for members and $2 for nonmembers.
For more information, visit www.fairytaletown.org or call (916) 808-7462. Sponsored by Smile Business Products and Quick Quack Car Wash.
Elk Grove Giant Pumpkin Festival

When: Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 6 and 7; 10 am – 5 pm
Where:  Elk Grove Park, 9950 Elk Grove Florin Rd., Sacramento CA 95624
Cost: Free Admission
Parking inside of park - $10
 
Since its inception in 1994, the Giant Pumpkin Festival has grown to be the largest family festival in Elk Grove and attracts more than 50,000 guests annually. Festival activities include the giant pumpkin and produce weigh off, pumpkin regatta and pumpkin carver, a pumpkin food court, and Kids Zone, including children’s arts and crafts.

For more information, visit https://www.yourcsd.com/392/Elk-Grove-Giant-Pumpkin-Festival or call (916) 405-5600.

Images   COURTESY OF Fairytale Town and Consumnes CSD
Crocker Art Museum






(916) 808-7000
Pay What You Wish
Through engaging, innovative, and life-changing interactions with art, the Crocker provides meaningful opportunities for people of divergent backgrounds to find common ground. Founded as a public/private partnership in 1885, the Crocker features the world’s foremost display of California art and is renowned for its holdings of master drawings and international ceramics, as well as European, Asian, African, and Oceanic art. The Crocker serves as the primary regional resource for the study and appreciation of fine art and offers a diverse spectrum of exhibitions, events, and programs to deepen visitor’s understanding art, including films, concerts, studio classes, lectures, and an array of activities for families and children.

In an effort to make the arts accessible to everyone, the Crocker has partnered with Western Health Advantage, to offer Pay What You Wish Sundays. Every 3 rd Sunday of the month, admission to the museum is free, and visitors can choose to make a donation. The program is true to its name, making it a wonderful opportunity for the community to connect to not only the museum’s offerings, but each other.

The Crocker Art Museum is located at 216 O Street, in Downtown Sacramento, and is open to the public Tuesdays through Sundays 10 AM – 5 PM and Thursdays 10 AM – 9 PM. The Museum is closed Mondays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. 

Article contributed by Christine Calvin – Director of Marketing – Crocker Art Museum 



Image   COURTESY OF Crocker Art Museum
As a member of our community please take a few minutes beginning September 1, 2018 to participate in answering an Age Friendly Community Survey. AARP and The Agency on Aging \ Area 4 want to know: Do you want to age in place? Do you want to stay active and engaged in every way at every age? Do you live in an Age-friendly Community? To find the survey on line please visit http://agencyonaging4.org/age-friendly-survey/ or watch for the What Makes a Community Great? Insert in your local news publication in mid-September.
Spread the word – Take the survey

Your responses are anonymous and will be used only to promote age-friendly communities for people of all ages
GoodRx.com
Back in August, a team member in our Resource Department, was in search of a resolution for her dog who suffers from seizures. He has been on one medication for three years and the seizures continued, so you can imagine her anguish at learning that he may need another medication, and the cost for that medication, which was $800.00!

She remembered GoodRx.com from the 2-1-1 database, and decided to join and request a free card, in hopes it would help out with a discount on the medication she needed for her dog.

And it did!

With the Good Rx discount, her dog's medication cost $77.00! A savings of over $700.00 from the original price quoted.

If you know anyone having trouble paying for medication, possibly a family member, a friend, or a neighbor, please tell them about Good Rx. Even if you have health insurance, the discount price may be lower than your health insurance co-pay. And they even can help with the cost of pet medication. Because pets are family too!
2-1-1 Would Like to Thank the following:
Kaiser
2-1-1 SACRAMENTO
8001 Folsom Boulevard Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95826

(916) 447-7063 Phone
(916) 779-3335 Fax

www.211sacramento.org
directory@211sacramento.org
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