28 Sacramento Charities + Organizations to Support This Holiday Season | Lyon Gives Back to Local Communities

Beyond the tinsel and carols, the gingerbread cookies and the twinkling lights, the holiday season emits a spirit of giving and philanthropy. During a season of abundance and joy, this is a natural time to consider those in need within our community.

There are several charities and organizations in the Sacramento area making an incredible difference in the lives of individuals and their families. Explore the diverse missions of each organization to find something you are particularly passionate about — from cancer care to homeless shelters, and everything in between.

In fact, Lyon Real Estate is so passionate about these organizations and their missions that we supported them financially in 2018. Operated by Lyon Real Estate, the Lyon Cares Foundation offers time, talent and treasure to local nonprofits that make their communities a better place. Funds are raised through escrow and payroll contributions by Lyon agents and staff in addition to our annual golf tournament. The office listed below each organization on this list gave a $5,000 grant to that organization this year, encompassing a total of $150,000 in grants given through Lyon Cares.

Stand beside us as we support these amazing nonprofits working hard to impact our communities for the better!

Foresthill Pool

Lyon Office: Auburn

Foresthill Pool is a non-profit swimming pool in Foresthill that offers lessons and open swimming for all ages. This public pool is a popular spot for families during the summer! Foresthill Pool is extremely connected to the community in Foresthill and Auburn, and hosts a number of events and fundraisers throughout the year.

CASA of El Dorado County

Lyon Office: Cameron Park

The mission of CASA of El Dorado County is to recruit, train and support caring volunteer advocates for abused, neglected and at-risk children throughout El Dorado County. Each year, CASA serves over 300 abused and neglected children in El Dorado County.

“The funds received from Lyon will help us provide a caring and consistent CASA volunteer for a child in foster care for an entire year,” said John Adams, Executive Director. “Kids who have a CASA volunteer spend less time in foster care, do better in school, enjoy more stability in their placements and are half as likely to return to foster care.”

Empower Yolo

Lyon Office: Davis

Empower Yolo provides 24-hour crisis intervention, emergency shelter, confidential counseling, training, legal assistance, and other services for individuals and families affected by domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, and child abuse.

Foster Youth Education Fund

Lyon Office: Downtown

Foster Youth Education Fund is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness; generating funds and providing support to empower foster youth to achieve their higher education dreams.

“The Foster Youth Education Fund is currently helping to provide scholarships to 75 former foster youth in the Sacramento area who are attending local colleges,” said Larry Bolton, Executive Director. “Support provided by supporters such as Lyon is helping foster youth.”

Assistance League Sierra Foothills

Lyon Office: El Dorado Hills

Assistance League’s mission is to transform the lives of children and adults through community programs, including Operation School Bell®, Sports Locker, Books and Beyond, Bags for Belongings, S.M.I.L.E., and more.

“The funds will be used to help support our philanthropic programs including our signature program, Operation School Bell®,” said Lynn Mann, Historian. “Our goal during the next school year is to help clothe 1,200 disadvantaged elementary and middle school children in El Dorado County.”

Elk Grove H.A.R.T.

Lyon Office: Elk Grove

Elk Grove H.A.R.T. (Homeless Assistance Resource Team) is a non-profit organization assisting those experiencing homelessness in Elk Grove toward self-sufficient and greater independence.

“Elk Grove HART believes in caring, compassionate encouragement to help the homeless seek a better, more stable life,” said Debbie Schoeneshoefer, Director of Elk Grove H.A.R.T. “We appreciate Lyon Real Estate partnering with Elk Grove HART in helping those that are struggling.”

The Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento

Lyon Office: Fair Oaks

The Children’s Receiving Home of Sacramento is committed to positively impacting the lives of children, youth, and families affected by abuse, neglect, behavioral health issues, and trauma in California.

California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom

Lyon Office: Folsom

Photo Courtesy of California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom

The California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating youth throughout California about the importance of agriculture in their daily lives. They accomplish this through programs, partnerships, recognition in schools, and developing high-quality educational materials.

Leukemia & Lymphoma Society

Lyon Office: Land Park/Curtis Park

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. The organization’s mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. LLS also funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services.

The GreenHouse

Lyon Office: Natomas

The GreenHouse is a non-profit organization in the Gardenland Northgate neighborhood offering after-school tutoring, mentoring, spiritual development, and leadership development for under-resourced youth. They operate on an “Asset-Based Community Development” model, building on the inherent dignity, strengths, and leadership gifts of families and youth with hopes for community-wide transformation.

Only Kindness

Lyon Office: Placerville

This volunteer-run organization works to combat homelessness in El Dorado County. Only Kindness is a resource for those affected by homelessness to find safe shelter, get into housing, and address other needs. The organization has a special focus on serving the unique needs of veterans in the community.

Me-One Foundation

Lyon Office: Roseville

The volunteer-run Me-One Foundation provides adult cancer patients and their loved ones a no-cost weekend retreat at Mission Springs Camp and Conference Center in Scotts Valley, California. This carefree and cost-free getaway gives families the gift of time for quiet reflection, pampering, and fun — a much-needed vacation from the whirlwind of doctor appointments, paperwork and treatments.

“The Foundation is very grateful for the support of the Lyon Roseville office, and to our tireless volunteer and Lyon Realtor, Sharon Crowley, for her support in the community and at Camp Wieser,” said Christine Gearing, President of the Me-One Foundation. “We could not continue our mission to Keep Life’s Scoreboard at Cancer-Zero, Me-One without this support.”

Triumph Cancer Foundation

Lyon Office: Sierra Oaks

Photo Courtesy of Triumph Cancer Foundation

The mission of the Triumph Cancer Foundation is to empower cancer survivors to recapture their lives after treatment through exercise. Triumph Fitness, and other continuing programs, are offered to qualified adult cancer survivors at no cost.

“This year we have seen a large increase in the number of survivors seeking our help, so this award couldn’t have come at a better time,” said Pam Whitehead, Executive Director of Triumph Cancer Foundation. “We will be using the money to help fund an additional class of Triumph Fitness in September.”

RRUFF Healing Heroes

Lyon Office: West Roseville/Rocklin

The mission of RRUFF Healing Heroes is to fund service dog training classes for people with post-traumatic stress disorder and other invisible disabilities with an emphasis on serving disabled American veterans.

“This generous donation will be used to fund a service dog training class for disabled American veterans,” said Victoria Curtis, Founder of RRUFF Healing Heroes. “These funds will allow us to pay the cost of classes for at least 10 veterans and their service dogs in-training.”

Bradshaw Animal Shelter

Lyon Office: Agent Support Center

Bradshaw Animal Shelter’s mission is to provide public safety and protect the health and welfare of animals in our communities through education, responsibility, and compassion.

“We will be using the grant through Teaching Everyone Animals Matter (TEAM), our 501C3 non-profit affiliate to help the ill and injured animals that come to our shelter,” said Dave Dickinson, Director of Sacramento County Municipal Services. “This grant will help animals that need extra medical care before being deemed adoptable.”

Acres of Hope

Lyon Office: Auburn

Acres of Hope is a spiritually based renewal center providing a safe family environment and healthy living program for women with children. Through safe housing and structured programming, Acres of Hope sets the foundation of change and breaks the cycle of homelessness.

Lilliput Families

Lyon Office: Cameron Park + El Dorado Hills

Lilliput Families is a non-profit focused on assisting foster care children, with a mission of helping every child become a part of a safe, nurturing and life-long family. Since opening their doors in 1980, Lilliput Families has helped over 9,000 children in foster care find their forever families in the state of California.

Fourth and Hope

Lyon Office: Davis

Fourth and Hope is an organization in Woodland offering hope for a brighter future, exchanging homelessness or addiction for a full and productive life. In addition to its many services and programs, the shelter provides emergency shelter and services for the homeless, including a meal at 5 p.m. open to all.

Stanford Settlement

Lyon Office: Downtown

Stanford Settlement is a non-profit neighborhood center and social service organization serving the North Sacramento neighborhoods where opportunities are limited. Their mission is to help build healthy communities through individual, family, and neighborhood services.

“The grant will support Stanford Settlement’s Teen Center. It’s a safe place for teens to be when school is out. It offers small groups, where teens can talk about the challenges they face,” said Julie Rhoten, Assistant Director of Stanford Settlement. “We are grateful for the support of the Lyon Cares Foundation!”

4-H Youth Development Program

Lyon Office: Elk Grove

The 4-H Youth Development Program is designed to help young people discover and develop their potential and grow into competent, contributing, and caring citizens. The program offers various activities, youth-adult partnerships, and research-based educational programs designed to help young people enhance their leadership abilities and develop a wide range of other life skills.

Orangevale Food Bank

Lyon Office: Fair Oaks

Orangevale Food Bank strives to make a positive impact in the communities of Orangevale and Fair Oaks by providing food, resources and hope to families in need. They also help facilitate participation from people within the community to help improve the lives of families in need through community outreach events, volunteering, food drives, and connecting people through a common purpose.

Sacramento SPCA

Lyon Office: Folsom

The Sacramento SPCA is an open-admission animal shelter that accepts animals that are surrendered regardless of health, age, breed or behavior. The shelter is committed to saving animal lives and practices each step of the “no kill” equation, including providing medical care, facilitating adoptions, working on behavior and training, maintaining a strong foster program, operating an on-site low-cost spay/neuter and vaccine clinic, and more.

Joshua’s House

Lyon Office: Land Park/Curtis Park

Joshua’s House is a hospice house for terminally ill men and women that will be located in approximately 11,000 square feet of an existing building in Sacramento. Their mission is to improve communication around end-of-life issues and to reduce health disparities among underserved populations, including the homeless.

“Lyon’s generous donation will go towards bedding, towels, wash clothes, personal hygiene items, clothing, and supplies for the 20 residents of Joshua’s House, the first hospice house for the terminally ill homeless on the West Coast and the seventh in the nation,” said Marlene Fitzwater, Founder/Director of Joshua’s House. “This donation will touch so many and improve the lives of those experiencing homelessness at the end of life.”

Yolo County Children’s Alliance

Lyon Office: Natomas

The Yolo County Children’s Alliance is a non-profit organization and an inter-agency collaborative that coordinates needed family support services, convenes child and family advocates to solve community problems, and gathers and disseminates local information about the needs and the wellbeing of Yolo County families. They help families, particularly non-English-speaking families, access services, learn valuable parenting skills, and find additional support.

El Dorado County Search & Rescue Council

Lyon Office: Placerville

Photo Courtesy of El Dorado County

The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Unit provides a wide range of services for the county, including searching for citizens and visitors who are lost, stranded or injured, providing medical care during a rescue, and other emergency services. This group of highly trained volunteers is equipped with the knowledge and resources to keep the community safe.

Mercy Multiplied

Lyon Office: Roseville

Mercy Multiplied is a non-profit Christian organization dedicated to helping young women break free from life-controlling behaviors and situations, including eating disorders, self-harm, drug and alcohol addictions, unplanned pregnancy, sexual abuse and sex trafficking.

“The funds will go towards food, cooking supplies and toiletries for the girls,” said Kerri Phillips, Community Relations and Development Manager. “We are incredibly thankful for the Lyon Cares Foundation; you are helping in transforming lives and restoring hope for these young women.”

Albie Aware Breast Cancer Foundation

Lyon Office: Sierra Oaks

The mission of the Albie Aware Breast Cancer Foundation is to assist with life-saving diagnostic testing, patient advocacy, prevention education, and compassionate support to local individuals facing or fighting breast cancer.

“With this grant, Albie Aware can provide immediate support to anyone facing a breast cancer diagnosis. Specifically, these funds will be used to pay for screening and diagnostic tests, advocacy and medical co-pay assistance,” said Cindy Love, Executive Director of Albie Aware. “Albie Aware is honored to have been selected and supported by the Lyon’s Sierra Oaks Office and values this new community partnership.”

Sacramento Children’s Home

Lyon Office: Agent Support Center

The Sacramento Children’s Home offers a comprehensive spectrum of prevention, early intervention and mental health treatment programs to strengthen families and stop the generational cycle of child abuse and neglect. From educating parents of infants and toddlers to teaching independent living skills to young adults, the organization is able to help the widest range of clients and address the widest range of needs of any child and family service organization in the county.

“We are so appreciative of Lyon Real Estate and the generosity of their entire team serving the Sacramento region,” said Todd Koolakian, Director of Philanthropy for the Sacramento Children’s Home. “These funds will directly support the mission of our Crisis Nursery Program to prevent child abuse and neglect by providing support to families at times of crisis.”

What local organization are you passionate about?

There is no such thing as having too many charities worth supporting. Let us know your favorites in the comments below!