SAY Director of Community Resource Development was interviewed last week on KSRO 1350AM radio.
The Sunflower Garden: SAY’s Newest Employment Opportunity for Youth
Posted on Jul 02, 2010 - 11:24 AM
In partnership with Catholic Charities and the City of Santa Rosa, Social Advocates for Youth recently took over the management and maintenance of the Sunflower Community Garden. When the City approached SAY about taking over the garden this year, our Youth Employment Center leapt at the opportunity to take on a project that could employ at-risk youth and help them learn valuable job skills.
With funding from the City of Santa Rosa, The Sunflower Garden now employs three youth and one supervisor to work in the garden four days a week. A first job for most of the youth, they are learning about more than just what it feels like to get that first paycheck; their work the garden is teaching them about sustainability, food production, and how good it feels to be able to provide for others—all of the food they grow is dropped off at the Catholic Charities homeless shelter across the street from the garden.
For now, the joint venture between the City of Santa Rosa and SAY is a pilot program, with funding secure until September, but all of us at SAY are hoping that the funding will come through for the upcoming winter produce season, and we’re looking forward to many bountiful harvests!
The Press Democrat featured the Sunflower Garden last week, you can read the story, and check out their photo gallery here.
Before the youth got started working on the project, we went out and took some before photos of the garden, check them out below:
The Sunflower Garden is located at 7th and A street in downtown Santa Rosa. SAY is currently seeking farmers and master gardeners interested in helping to mentor and educate our youth in sustainability and best practices. If you’re interested in getting involved, please contact Toni Abraham or Jennifer Green at 707-544-3299 x 227.
The SAY Connection - Winter 2009
Posted on Nov 24, 2009 - 10:55 AM
A Holiday Wish
Dear Supporter and Friend of SAY,
In this season of thanks and celebration, Social Advocates for Youth wishes you the best. From our family to yours, happy holidays.
Warmest regards,
Tom Bieri, Executive Director
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Sonoma City Council Passes SAY Sponsored Social Host Ordinance
The Sonoma City Council passed an ordinance to charge parents who knowingly allow drug use and teen drinking in their homes with a misdemeanor. Danielle Ronshausen, SAY’s Environmental Prevention Coordinator successfully lead the efforts of the Sonoma Valley Coalition to Prevent Teen Drinking in sponsoring the new ordinance.
The Sonoma Index Tribune covered the story in a front page article today and we encourage you to read the full story on their website.
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The BIG Thank You is a BIG Success
On November 9th, SAY hosted The BIG Thank You at the Fountaingrove Inn, an event honoring SAY’s donors and volunteers.
The BIG Thank You, generously sponsored by Fountaingrove Inn, honored supporters like Willie Tamayo, Bill Friedman, Barbara Konicek, and Marcus Benedetti. Volunteer of the Year, Board Member of the Year, and New Board Member of the Year were named!
Read More
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Judy James of Clover Stornetta Joins Board
The SAY Board of Directors was happy to welcome Judy James, Director of Community Relations for Clover Stornetta Farms this month.
Judy, former Executive Director of Sonoma County Farm Bureau and owner of James Family Cellars, will be an important board leader, supporting our relationship with Sonoma County’s agricultural and wine communities. In addition, Judy’s public relations experience greatly enhances SAY’s marketing capacity. Welcome aboard Judy!
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SAY’s New Website Launches 12/4
Social Advocates for Youth has partnered with Jamie Spooner and Planeteria to redesign our website. Our goal is to offer parents, youth, and community a resource that is engaging, informative, and easy to navigate. SAY is proud to announce that our new website will be English-Spanish bilingual and ADA compliant, making it accessible to much wider audience.
We’ve built our new website to be a bridge between the family in crisis, the youth in need, the community member seeking information, the donor who is looking to give back, and SAY.
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Jynessa Lazzaroni, Youth Board Member Extraordinaire
As part of our commitment to helping youth and families help themselves, we know it’s important to make sure that we are listening to all of the members of the SAY community, from clients and staff to donors and volunteers. That’s why we are so happy to welcome 19 year old Jynessa Lazzaroni to our Board of Directors!
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A Mixer with Meaning: SAY Tours
It will be the best lunch mixer you’ve been to in a LONG time!
Forty-five minutes is all it will take to to see how the Reverend James E Coffee House homeless and runaway teen shelter and the Mary and Jose Tamayo House transitional living housing change lives and our community each and every day.
Come meet SAY’s Youth Ambassadors! Mixers are monthly. December’s Mixers with Meaning are 12:00-1:15PM on the following dates:
Coffee House: Tuesday, 12/8
Get Directions
Tamayo House: Thursday, 12/10
Get Directions
RSVP: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
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Ask the Editor
What is Social Advocates for Youth?
How many youth does SAY serve?
How can I help or get more informed?
What do YOU want to know about SAY? Do you have a thought or opinion you’d like to share? Drop The SAY Connection editor a line! Your inquiries and feedback are important to Social Advocates for Youth!
Email the editor: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
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Donate Now!
It’s tax credit time. 98% of SAY’s services are free because of support from friends like you. In addition, please know that when you donate $1 to programs such as SAY’s Functional Family Therapy, you save Sonoma County $28! It’s a win-win-win.
Make a difference in a young life today, Donate Now!
