El Dorado County Community Service & Support Digest

Tens of thousands of Ukrainian immigrants call California home, and many of them are still processing the shock they’ve felt at the Russian invasion into Ukraine. For those hoping to help, these groups are providing aid to affected Ukranians.

Child Advocates of El Dorado County’s board of directors has appointed Amy Pooley as executive director. Prior to joining CASA El Dorado, Pooley spent 15 years serving the community in a variety of roles.

The red, white and blue 1965 Chevy tow truck owned by New Beginnings Gold Country might no longer be able to help the nonprofit re-entry ministry do its good work. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help repair the truck, known as Towey.

The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office is recruiting volunteers for the Sheriff’s Team of Active Retirees. The spring STAR Academy will run from March 21-31.

Established in 1992, Child Advocates of El Dorado County has provided support, empowerment and a voice for at-risk youth for 30 years—and it can always use more volunteers.

Brian Conway, an experienced leader in public service, has accepted the position to head up Tahoe Youth & Family Services, a nonprofit that has been serving South Lake Tahoe and Douglas County since 1975.

On Jan. 7, the Boys and Girls Club of Lake Tahoe celebrated with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the Angel of Tahoe building, which will be the club’s new home base.

Ron Marlette is now on board as executive director of Upper Room Dining Hall. “After reviewing their mission and values I was ready for the challenge,” he said.

The Cameron Park Rotary Club has a special partnership with Folsom State Prison inmates: a bicycle refurbishment program. This year, 225 bikes were refurbished by inmates and redistributed to Cameron Park children and those needing them for transportation.

Each year, United Way helps families earning less than $60,000 per year file taxes for free. The group is looking for volunteers to help prep these tax forms.

The nonprofit Tahoe Fund has launched the Caldor Trails Restoration Fund to help restore popular trails and nature areas that were damaged by the Caldor Fire.

Clean Up the Lake has now scoured 44 miles of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline, meaning that the cleanup project is at 60 percent completion.

With an increase in city population but less funding than usual, the El Dorado Hills Library is looking for help from the community to keep things running.

A Veteran's Day event paid tribute to the brave local veterans of El Dorado County, including MSgt. Jennifer Newman, who was chosen to be Veteran of the Year.

The Community Action Council advises the El Dorado County Board of Supervisors and the El Dorado County Health and Human Services Agency about human service needs of low-income residents.

Folks have talked about building a community center in Grizzly Flat for years. In the wake of the Caldor Fire, which hit the area hard, a fundraising effort has begun to make the idea a reality.

Soroptimist of Cameron Park/El Dorado Hills is seeking grant applications from women who serve as their family’s primary earner and would benefit from financial assistance for education or training. The deadline is Nov. 15.

Though the El Dorado County Fair was canceled for two years—first due to COVID, then due to the Caldor Fire—a new person has been chosen to serve as the 2021 El Dorado Rose. Colleen Moore will represent El Dorado County at various county and community events.

Former homeless couple Becky and Ken Green are among the many who lost their homes when the Caldor Fire swept through Grizzly Flat. But that wasn’t the end of their troubles.

Big Brothers Big Sisters Northern Sierra and Sacramento agencies raised nearly $40,000 with a fundraiser that featured donors rappelling down the side of the Residence Inn by Marriott.

El Dorado County businesses in the evacuation zone kept their community in mind as they found ways to give back, even while impacted themselves by the Caldor Fire.

An idea created by local business owner Luca Genasci and other community leaders, the festival begins at noon on Sept. 19. Proceeds will go to the Barton Foundation Emergency Response Fund.

When a team of firefighters outstripped their supply lines while working the Caldor Fire, their spouses swung into action to get them food. Find out more about their work, and other groups helping fire victims.

Board of Equalization member Ted Gaines says families and businesses impacted by disaster need to understand “the available resources and relief so they can begin to rebuild their lives.”

Education leaders have launched CA Kids Fire Relief, a two-week, statewide effort encouraging students and school communities across California to provide financial and emotional support to students, families and schools impacted by catastrophic wildfires.

Music fans can help support the Caldor Fire Fund by attending Kilt & Cork’s Gold Hill Country Music Festival, set for Sept. 4 at Saureel Vineyards. The fund was set up by the El Dorado Community Foundation to benefit victims of the disaster.

Ponderosa High School senior Madisen Berry, who serves as the Hands4Hope Youth Board PR coordinator, reports that the organization pulled together COVID-safe, in-person leadership camps for both middle and high school youth.

The El Dorado County community has stepped up in a big way to help victims of the Caldor Fire, with local residents, businesses and organizations answering the call to help evacuees.

Due to the overwhelming response to the requests for the Caldor Fire Fund relief, the El Dorado Community Foundation updated the link for applications and the parameters for those needing assistance.

The Cameron Park Community Services District gym became an emergency shelter for Caldor Fire evacuees, and the community responded with so many donations, the shelter filled up with people and goods.

The Tahoe Women's Community Fund will hold the first Non-Profit Market Mixer on Aug. 26 between 4 and 8 p.m. on Ski Run Boulevard in South Lake Tahoe. Some 40 groups will share information about their work in the community.

The Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority, American Century Investments, and NBC Sports invite local nonprofit groups to share in funds raised by the American Century Championship celebrity golf tournament. A total of $85,000 will be donated, with a maximum award amount of $5,000. The deadline to apply is 4 p.m. on Sept. 7.