The El Dorado Hills Endowment Cabinet celebrated inspiration at its annual grant giving gala last week, handing out $25,000 to local, nonprofit organizations.
Before checks were presented the dozens gathered at the Holiday Inn Express in El Dorado Hills heard inspiring messages from two past grant recipients, both teachers who saw first-hand how a little help goes a long way.
Tiffany LaVoie with 3Strands Global shared an especially personal story. Not only was she a teacher for many years and saw children who struggled in poverty, she is also a human trafficking survivor.
“But it wasn’t talked about in the ’70s,” LaVoie said. “I was screaming warning signs.”
LaVoie has made it her mission within the organization to educate not only students but also teachers about how to identify a potential human trafficking victim “so they know what to do and how to help.” Had a program like this been in place when she was in school, LaVoie said, “It would have changed my life, literally.”
Susan Tyler with the Assistance League of Sierra Foothills also talked about changing lives. She spoke of two Assistance League programs that help boost underprivileged children’s confidence and give them a sense of belonging. She read a letter from a young beneficiary who received new clothes for school and was able to participate in sports thanks to Assistance League programs.
The Operation School Bell and Sports Locker programs “changed my life,” he wrote. “I was given the chance to feel accepted and enjoy going to school.”
This endowment exemplifies “the culture of a caring community,” said Georgi Knight, the endowment’s founding chair and an El Dorado Community Foundation board member. Thanks to the community’s generosity the board is able to “say yes to fulfill the needs of our community,” she added.
The cabinet said yes to:
- 3Strands Global — $3,000 for the PROTECT human trafficking education program that educates both students and teachers about human trafficking.
- American River Conservancy — $3,000 to improve the Salmon Falls Ranch recreational trail, including creating a parking lot and removal of invasive plants.
- Assistance League of Sierra Foothills — $5,000 for two ALSF programs. OPeration School Bell ($2,000) provides new school clothes and necessities to underprivileged children. Sports Locker ($3,000) provides scholarships and sports equipment to children who would otherwise not be able to participate in sports programs.
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of El Dorado County — $2,000 for the High School BIG Mentoring Program. Three Oak Ridge High School students will be paired with Littles, offering them guidance, support and friendship.
- Canine Companions for Independence — $3,000 for a service dog to meet the needs of an El Dorado Hills resident currently on the waiting list.
- CASA El Dorado — $3,000 to recruit, train and support two Court Appointed Special Advocates who will serve two El Dorado County foster youth.
- El Dorado Hills Community Services District Foundation — $3,000 for the Community Assisting with Recreational Experiences program, which offsets CSD fees so families can participate in programs.
- Hands4Hope – Youth Making Difference — $3,000 for the Campus Capacity Building Project that aims to increase H4H membership at Rolling Hills Middle School and Silva Valley Elementary School.
Funding for the endowment comes from private donations and the Buy A Day golf tournament held every fall.
At the close of the evening El Dorado Community Foundation Executive Director Bill Roby encouraged attendees to spread the word about the work the El Dorado Hills Endowment Cabinet does. “We’re only scratching the surface here,” Roby said.
