The NonProfit Podcast Network

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The Sacramento Region Community Foundation’s Philanthropy Summit returns September 15, 2026, bringing together nonprofit professionals, board members, donors, and community leaders for a full day of learning, connection, and celebration at Cal Expo.

In this NewsPod, I talk with Kelly Siefkin, Chief Philanthropy Officer at the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, about what attendees can expect from the third annual Summit and why the event continues to grow.

Approximately 500 attendees are expected this year, with expanded capacity at the Cal Expo Expo Center after previous Summits reached capacity. The day will feature educational breakout sessions, opportunities to connect with organizations and supporters from across the region, lunch, plenary sessions, and the Foundation’s longstanding Celebration of Generosity to close out the day.

Among this year’s highlights is a session on Leading Through Change, along with keynote speaker Cherian Koshy, author of Neurogiving, who will explore the psychology of philanthropy; why people give, what motivates generosity, and how nonprofits can build more meaningful relationships with donors.

2026 Philanthropy Summit
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
9:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m.
Cal Expo
Sacramento, California

Free parking is available.

Ticket availability is limited and the event will sell out. Act NOW!  Registration is in this LINK.

Whether you lead a nonprofit, serve on a board, support causes in the community, or simply want to better understand philanthropy, the Summit offers an opportunity to learn, network, and celebrate the generosity shaping the Sacramento region.

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story!  We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/  And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing. 

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I’ve known Derrell Roberts for over 25 years, and somehow it has taken over a year to get him into the studio. I’m glad we finally made it happen.

Derrell and his wife, Tina, founded Roberts Family Development Center 25 years ago with a philosophy shaped by their own lives: children have a much better opportunity to succeed when they are surrounded by caring families, mentors and community support.

That belief continues to guide an organization now serving young people and families across seven sites in North Sacramento, Del Paso Heights and Natomas.

Derrell is joined by Bryant Wyatt, who works with the organization’s family support services and also lives in the Del Paso Heights community he serves.

We discuss Roberts Family Development Center’s year-round after-school programming, its highly sought-after Freedom School, monthly parent engagement, youth mentorship, mental health resources, housing assistance and homelessness prevention.

Bryant explains why the organization uses young people as the entry point for serving the entire family. Derrell shares why education remains the foundation of the work and why exposure to colleges, professionals, elected leaders and mentors can change what a child believes is possible.

We also explore the business behind the mission. Roberts Family Development Center employs more than 40 full-time team members and another 50 to 60 part-time college students. Its annual budget is approaching $7 million, and its partnerships with school districts, financial institutions, foundations and fellow nonprofits have helped the organization grow while remaining rooted in the neighborhoods it serves.

Looking ahead, Derrell shares the vision for an 11,000- to 12,000-square-foot technology center that would give young people practical experience with technology and prepare them for the future of work.

This is also an honest conversation about leadership succession. After 25 years, Derrell and Tina are preparing the next generation to carry the mission forward—and several of those future leaders first came to Roberts Family Development Center as children.

At the center of it all is one simple message: somebody cares.

Learn more: https://www.robertsfdc.org

Support the organization: https://www.robertsfdc.org/donate

Episode Chapters

00:00 — Celebrating 25 years of Roberts Family Development Center
02:00 — How family inspired the organization’s founding
06:00 — Education as the foundation of the work
10:30 — After-school programs and Freedom School
16:30 — Housing assistance, mentorship and growing family needs
20:00 — Partnerships, staffing and sustainable funding
25:00 — Community trust and generational impact
29:00 — Adapting through challenges and change
33:30 — The vision for a North Sacramento technology center
46:30 — Beyond the Mission and how to support the organization

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story!  We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/  And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

California CareForce does not wait for patients to find their way to a traditional clinic. It loads nearly $1 million in dental, vision and medical equipment into trucks and brings an entire temporary healthcare operation directly into communities across California.

In this episode, I sit down with Executive Director Cyndi Ankiewicz to learn how California CareForce transforms fairgrounds and other large venues into no-cost clinics with 70+ dental chairs, vision exam lanes, onsite eyeglass production, X-ray equipment and basic medical services.

We talk about the two-day setup required before a major clinic can even open its doors, the licensed professionals who volunteer away from their own practices and the local host committees responsible for helping bring each clinic to their community.

Cyndi also shares several remarkable patient stories, including a veteran who received dentures and glasses before marrying his fiancée and a formerly unhoused patient who credited his new glasses with helping him complete a job application and secure employment.

California CareForce has served more than 55,000 patients, engaged nearly 24,000 volunteers and delivered more than $21 million in donated healthcare services. Its clinics are open to people regardless of income, insurance, employment or immigration status.

The greatest obstacle is not a lack of need. It is having the funding, providers and infrastructure required to reach more California communities.

Learn more and support California CareForce:

Website: https://www.californiacareforce.org/
Upcoming clinics: https://www.californiacareforce.org/Clinics/Upcoming-Clinics
Volunteer opportunities: https://www.californiacareforce.org/Volunteer/Volunteer-Opportunities
Donate: https://www.californiacareforce.org/Donate

Chapter Timestamps

00:00 – The origins of California CareForce
02:00 – A healthcare roadshow with $1 million in equipment
04:00 – Building and operating a large pop-up clinic
07:00 – Referrals, continuing care and community partners
10:00 – Choosing communities and funding each clinic
14:00 – Dentures, eyeglasses and life-changing patient stories
17:00 – Volunteer providers and statewide impact
24:00 – The greatest need and what additional funding could unlock
30:00 – Beyond the Mission with Cyndi Ankiewicz
33:00 – How donors, volunteers and nonprofits can help

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story!  We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/  And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

Human trafficking and sexual exploitation are realities that many people would rather not discuss. For the women and young people experiencing them, however, finding a safe and nonjudgmental place can be the beginning of an entirely different future.

In this episode, I sit down with Sawan Vaden, Executive Director of Community Against Sexual Harm, better known as CASH.

Sawan first came to CASH as a client in 2014. She later returned as a substance abuse counselor and anti-trafficking case manager before eventually becoming the organization’s executive director.

Her personal journey is extraordinary, but it also reflects what makes CASH so effective. Approximately 80 percent of its staff members bring lived experience or a direct connection to the organization’s services. That creates a level of trust, credibility, and hope that cannot be taught in a training manual.

Sawan explains how CASH grew from a small evening drop-in center into a comprehensive survivor-support organization offering hot meals, clothing, intensive case management, employment assistance, therapy, youth programming, peer mentorship, community education, medical care, and court diversion services.

We also discuss why the idea of “choice” is often misunderstood when talking about sexual exploitation. Many survivors are choosing between dangerous options while responding to abuse, poverty, homelessness, addiction, coercion, or the basic need to survive.

Demand for CASH’s services has grown dramatically. The organization now serves approximately 40 to 50 people each day and is preparing to move from a crowded 3,200-square-foot facility into a donated 8,550-square-foot permanent center.

The new building will allow CASH to expand its youth programming, medical clinic, kitchen, therapy rooms, showers, children’s space, and other trauma-informed services. Its capital campaign will help transform the building into a welcoming home for healing and possibility.

This episode discusses human trafficking, sexual exploitation, childhood abuse, addiction, and homelessness.

Learn more: Visit the Community Against Sexual Harm website and explore the organization’s building campaign. https://cashsacramento.org/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cash_sacramento/

CHAPTERS

00:00 — Sawan Vaden’s journey from survivor to leader
02:07 — Introducing Community Against Sexual Harm
04:19 — How CASH began in Sacramento
05:49 — Drop-in services and long-term survivor support
09:04 — Therapy, youth programs, and community education
10:04 — Case management and the power of lived experience
14:25 — Giving women visible proof that change is possible
16:23 — Community partnerships and collaborative funding
18:50 — Working with law enforcement to address demand
20:09 — Understanding choice, coercion, and survival
22:15 — Grants, individual giving, and CASH fundraising
28:10 — A vision for housing and generational stability
30:28 — The urgent need for a larger permanent center
36:00 — CASH’s capital campaign and community opportunities
38:43 — Measuring success beyond traditional outcomes
42:50 — Why demand for CASH has grown dramatically
45:00 — Beyond the Mission with Sawan Vaden

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story!  We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/  And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

Junior Achievement of Sacramento is giving local high school students an opportunity to explore entrepreneurship, develop practical business skills and discover what it takes to turn an idea into something real.

In this NewsPod, I speak with Junior Achievement Sacramento President and CEO Chris Marshall about the inaugural Ideas to Income Startup Lab, taking place July 27–28 at Golden 1 Center.

During the two-day interactive experience, students will learn creative problem-solving, design thinking, market research, marketing, pricing, revenue development and lean business planning. They will also hear directly from entrepreneurs and professionals who can share their experiences, challenges and lessons learned.

The program is designed to give students the tools and confidence to identify a problem, develop a possible solution and begin shaping a viable business concept. It also provides a foundation for Junior Achievement’s Entrepreneurship Summit and Social Innovation Challenge.

Ideas to Income is open to rising ninth- through 12th-grade students and runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. both days. Participation is free using the registration code SCHOLARSHIP.

Learn more and register through the Events section at https://sacramento.ja.org/events/index.

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story!  We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/  And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

Most of us remember our first job—not because it launched our career, but because it taught us how to show up, work with others, take direction, solve problems, and begin taking responsibility for our own future. For many young people facing economic hardship, foster care involvement, housing instability, interrupted education, trauma, or long-term unemployment, getting that first opportunity can be incredibly difficult.

In this episode, I sit down with Stephen Norris, Sacramento Director of Development for Juma Ventures, an employment social enterprise helping young people ages 16 to 24 move toward financial independence. Through its Earn, Learn, Connect model, JUMA provides real paid employment, financial literacy, career coaching, education support, workplace training, and connections to future jobs.

Stephen explains how Juma partners with organizations including Golden 1 Center, Sacramento Republic FC, Empress Tavern, Alchemist CDC, SMUD, local colleges, and community-based nonprofits to create a network of opportunity around each young person. We also discuss why employers benefit from the model, how Juma measures success, and the powerful transformation that can happen when a young person is given the right support and the chance to prove what they can do.

As JUMA celebrates 10 years in Sacramento, this conversation is a reminder that a first job can be much more than a paycheck. It can be the beginning of confidence, stability, independence, and an entirely different future.

Learn more and get involved:

Visit https://juma.org/ to learn more about Juma Ventures, explore volunteer opportunities, support its youth employment programs, or connect with the Sacramento team.

Community members can also help by participating in mock interviews, résumé preparation, professional networking events, and other activities that introduce young people to new career possibilities.

Chapters:

00:00 – Welcome and What “JUMA” Means
01:32 – JUMA’s Origin as an Employment Social Enterprise
04:05 – Breaking the Cycle of Poverty Through Work
05:12 – Who JUMA Serves and the Barriers Youth Face
06:35 – How Young People Find and Join JUMA
09:20 – Why the First Job Matters
11:43 – Earn, Learn, Connect: JUMA's Three Pillars
18:15 – Collaboration With Sacramento Nonprofits and Employers
23:35 – The Empress Tavern and Alchemist CDC Partnership
26:45 – How JUMA’s Social Enterprise Model Is Funded
31:20 – Measuring Success and Stories of Youth Transformation
37:25 – JUMA’s Future: Entrepreneurship, New Careers and AI
43:10 – The Greatest Needs Facing Young People Today
45:05 – Beyond the Mission With Stephen Norris
49:20 – How to Volunteer, Donate and Support JUMA Ventures

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story!  We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/  And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

GIVE NOW! If you like what you're hearing, click here to support this organization.  

Getting housing is a major milestone for a young person transitioning out of foster care, homelessness, or the juvenile justice system. But what happens when they walk into that apartment and there’s nothing inside?

No bed. No table. No dishes. No towels. No basic furniture.

In this episode, I speak with Jan Judson, founder and board president of Make It Happen for Yolo County, and executive director Cathi Schmidt to talk about the often-overlooked issue of furniture poverty and the impact it can have on dignity, stability, mental health, and independence.

Make It Happen for Yolo County serves transition-age youth between 16 and 24 who are connected to Yolo County. Through referrals from partner organizations, the team provides the furniture, household goods, small appliances, bicycles, and everyday essentials needed to turn an empty apartment into a functional home.

What began informally in a garage has grown into an organization that served 12 youth in its first year and is working toward serving 72 this year. Along the way, Make It Happen for Yolo County has built partnerships with social workers, CASA programs, schools, nonprofit organizations, community groups, volunteers, and donors.

Jan and Cathi also share some of the stories that make this work so powerful: young adults using cardboard boxes as desks and dining tables, a young man sleeping on the floor with his backpack as a pillow, and former foster youth who have gone on to graduate school, meaningful careers, and lives of service to others.

We talk about the organization’s growing pains, the need for sustainable funding, the importance of volunteers, and a vision that is both ambitious and remarkably tangible: making sure every eligible under-resourced transition-age youth in Yolo County who needs this support can receive it.

It’s a conversation about much more than furniture. It’s about dignity, choice, belonging, and what it really takes to help a young person build a stable life.

Learn more, volunteer, donate furniture, or support the organization at https://www.mihyolo.org/

Chapters:

00:00 – Meet Make It Happen for Yolo County
 03:00 – How the Organization Began
 04:30 – Who Make It Happen for Yolo County Serves
 07:00 – The Hidden Problem of Furniture Poverty
 11:00 – What It Takes to Furnish a Home
 14:00 – Awareness, Referrals and Community Collaboration
 21:00 – Why a Functional Home Matters for Mental Health
 24:00 – How Make It Happen for Yolo County Is Funded
 27:00 – The Vision for Growth and Greater Impact
 34:00 – The Organization’s Biggest Needs
 38:00 – Success Stories From the Young Adults Served
 45:00 – How to Donate, Volunteer and Get Involved

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story!  We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/  And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

The July 31 deadline for the 2026 SMUD Shine Awards is approaching, and this final NewsPod in our three-part series has one simple message for Sacramento-area nonprofits: If you have a potential project, now is the time to get started.

I’m joined once again by Kevin Burdick, Sustainable Community Partnership Specialist at SMUD, to talk about why organizations should not count themselves out before exploring the opportunity.

Even if you are not certain your project is a perfect fit, Kevin encourages nonprofits to begin the application process, participate in one of SMUD’s technical assistance webinars or in-person sessions, and take advantage of the support available from the SMUD team.

As he explains, an application can be more than a request for funding. It can be the beginning of a relationship.

We discuss how Shine projects can lead to long-term partnerships, additional opportunities and meaningful operational savings for nonprofits. Kevin shares the example of CCHAT, whose relationship with SMUD grew from facility energy-efficiency improvements into a solar and battery storage pilot project that is now significantly reducing the organization’s monthly utility costs.

We also talk about why nonprofits should not wait until the final days of July to begin. SMUD staff can help organizations better understand application questions, technical requirements, project budgets and whether a proposed project may be a fit for the program.

The message is simple: Don’t eliminate your organization from consideration before having the conversation.

Applications for the 2026 SMUD Shine Awards close July 31 at 5:00 p.m.

Learn more, review program requirements and apply:
https://www.smud.org/Corporate/Landing/Sustainable-Communities/Shine-awards

Previous episodes in our 2026 SMUD Shine Awards NewsPod series:

May: SMUD Shine Awards — What They Are, Why Apply and Pre-Application Support

June: SMUD Shine Awards 2026 — Application Window Now Open for Sacramento Nonprofits

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story!  We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/  And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

Childcare is one of the most urgent issues facing working families, employers, communities and children across California — and in more rural regions like El Dorado and Alpine Counties, the challenge becomes even more complex.

This episode I'm speaking with two Heathers: Heather Slimp and Heather Della Ripa of Catalyst Community about the organization’s work supporting families, childcare providers and children through childcare vouchers, resource and referral services, provider training, diapers, school supplies, car seats, basic needs support and community events.

Catalyst Community serves families across a wide geography, from South Lake Tahoe to Cameron Park to Alpine County. The conversation explores the hidden need behind communities often perceived as affluent, especially in the Tahoe region, where many working families are part of the service economy and need childcare during evenings, weekends and non-traditional work hours.

The Heathers combine to explain how Catalyst Community helps families find safe, quality childcare through curated referrals; how subsidized childcare vouchers help parents continue working or going to school; and how the organization supports childcare providers with licensing guidance, CPR and health and safety training, professional development and business support.

The episode also highlights the growing demand Catalyst Community is seeing: more than 500 families currently supported through subsidy programs, nearly 300 children waiting for childcare assistance, increased need for diapers and essential supplies, and a major provider shortage — including Alpine County, which has only one licensed childcare provider.

This conversation is a powerful reminder that childcare is not simply a family issue. It is workforce infrastructure, economic stability, early childhood development and community resilience all in one.

To learn more, visit their website: https://www.catalystcomm.org/

The physical addresses in the event you wish to drop items off are:

Cameron Park: 3161 Cameron Park Drive, Suite 101
Cameron Park, CA 95682

South Lake Tahoe: 870 Emerald Bay Rd. Ste. 400/401
South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150

Markleeville: 100 Foothill Rd, Bldg B
Markleeville, CA 96120

SHORT CHAPTERIZATION

00:00 – Cold open: rising childcare demand
02:00 – Introducing Catalyst Community
04:30 – Serving El Dorado and Alpine Counties
05:00 – Vouchers, referrals, diapers and family support
06:10 – Subsidized childcare and eligibility
07:30 – Helping families find safe, quality childcare
09:20 – The hidden childcare need in Tahoe
12:40 – Demand for vouchers and the waiting list
14:15 – Diaper bank and basic needs support
17:30 – Funding, contracts and community support
19:40 – Kids Expo in Placerville and Tahoe
23:20 – More demand for flexible, non-traditional childcare
28:20 – The big vision: more providers, more training, more support
30:20 – Home CEO and supporting childcare businesses
32:25 – Alpine County as a childcare desert
34:00 – Income thresholds and family progress
37:15 – A powerful success story from one parent
45:00 – How to support Catalyst Community

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story!  We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/  And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing. 

I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Please send me a text...

When Salwa Kasabian transferred her children to a school many families were actively trying to avoid, she discovered something that would change the course of her life—and the lives of countless students across Folsom.

What started as volunteering in her children's classrooms revealed a hidden reality: many students lacked the support, structure, mentorship, and safe spaces they needed outside of school. Rather than turning away, Salwa stepped forward.

Eighteen years later, Folsom's Hope has grown from a simple Lunch Buddy mentoring program into a comprehensive nonprofit serving elementary, middle school, and high school students through after-school programs, academic support, mentorship, meals, social-emotional learning, and internships. Along the way, the organization has built powerful partnerships with schools, churches, local government, businesses, colleges, and community organizations—all focused on helping young people succeed. 

In this episode, Salwa shares:

•  How a denied school transfer changed her life 
•  The surprising needs hidden within an affluent community 
•  Why after-school hours are critical for student success 
•  The origins of the Lunch Buddy mentoring program 
•  How Folsom's Hope grew from a handful of students to a $700,000+ operation 
•  The importance of community partnerships and collaboration 
•  Challenges faced by schools that don't qualify for Title I funding 
•  Success stories of students who have returned to serve the organization 
•  New efforts to close academic gaps through summer intervention programs 
•  What the future holds for Folsom's Hope and the students it serves 

This conversation is a powerful reminder that lasting change often begins when one person chooses to respond to a need they can no longer ignore.

Learn More About Folsom's Hope

🌐 Website: https://www.folsomshope.org/
📱 Follow Folsom's Hope on Facebook FolsomsHope and on Instagram @folsomshope

 🤝 Volunteer, donate, or learn more through their website

Thank you so much for listening to this nonprofit story!  We appreciate you. Please visit the website to sign up for our email updates and newsletter. https://www.nonprofpod.com/  And if you like, leave me a voicemail to comment on the program, leave a question for us to ask in the future or a message for me, Jeff Holden. I may even use your voice mail message in a future episode of one of our incredible local nonprofit organizations. https://www.nonprofpod.com/voicemail. Thanks again for your support in listening, commenting and sharing the great work our local nonprofits are accomplishing.