Acres of Hope celebrated its 3rd Anniversary this month with an open house and festivities at its facility in Applegate, CA. Over 200 visitors from the community attended to congratulate Acres of Hope for the work it is doing for homeless women with children. “We are very excited to have reached this 3 year milestone”, said Acres of Hope Executive Director Regina Sarmento, "The economy has made things very challenging but the community has been so supportive”. A recent article in the Auburn Journal shared some of Acres of Hope’s financial challenges. The day the article was published, a local resident showed up with a $3000 check while the moms were opening the day with prayer. “There wasn’t a dry eye in the room as she handed the check right to our moms”, said Sarmento. “This generous gift was just the beginning of other donations that got us through a very tough time. We’ve scaled down our staff to meet the current challenges but still need the on-going community support as it does take a lot of resources to make the difference we’ve seen in our families.” Thanks to sponsors, the Anniversary Celebration was free to the public and featured lunch hosted by Raley’s Stores and Sierra Market of Colfax. Bayside Church of Auburn hosted a children’s fun area and Erik Carlson donated his time with a fun magic show.

The celebration didn’t end there. A graduation ceremony for Acres of Hope resident Sara Deras immediately followed the festivities. Sara has recently been working for the Lincoln School District and was ready to begin life on her own with her two daughters. “We are so proud of Sara”, commented Acres of Hope Program Director Christine Ourada. “She has worked so hard, not only completing our classes here at Acres of Hope, but creating a new life for herself and her girls.”

Challenges still lay ahead for most non-profit organizations like Acres of Hope. To learn more or to partner with them, visit www.acresofhopeonline.org to donate or get involved.