Blog

JOIN US AT THE 2018 BE THE DIFFERENCE AWARDS LUNCH GALA If you haven’t had the chance to buy your tickets yet, we encourage you to do so right away. Tickets are going fast and the deadline to purchase is this Friday, October 12th. Join the Volunteer Center and our sponsors at the 12th Annual […] Read More

For many individuals walking through the neighborhood, taking out the garbage, or driving to the grocery store are simple and unremarkable tasks. But, for some in the community, these activities are overwhelming due to the rigors of aging, declining health, and limited mobility. Due to the fear of falling many local seniors find themselves struggling […] Read More

Nominations have begun to roll in for the 2018 Be the Difference Awards and we are awaiting yours. If you are reading this then we know, you get it – our community thrives because volunteers are willing to share their time, talent, and dedication to make Santa Cruz County a better place to live. Every […] Read More

Last week we closed out Mental Health Awareness Month in partnership with our program Community Connection. Over the month we emphasized sharing our stories, breaking stigma, and celebrating what works. So often the media narrative about mental health is focused on what is broken. We are here to tell a different story– about potential. Every […] Read More

We are so excited to celebrate with you this Saturday May 12th at the 38th Annual Human Race Walkathon and Fun Run. Our team and sponsors have lined up an incredible day of fun for all participants and we hope to see you there! Race Day includes pre-race yoga and breakfast, a 5-mile course, live […] Read More

out·stand·ing ˌ(outˈstandiNG) – Exceptionally good. Synonyms – excellent, marvelous, magnificent, superb, fine, wonderful, superlative, exceptional, first-class, first-rate; great, terrific, tremendous, super, amazing, fantastic, sensational, fabulous, ace, neat, awesome, bang-up, out of this world, smashing, brilliant “Our team of volunteers, staff, Board Members, Business and Community Partners are outstanding!” –I have said that exact sentence a […] Read More

This week I made my latest donation to Moms Demand Action and yesterday, I once again put on my shirt that states, “Be nice to each other, it’s really all that matters.” This quote comes Sandy Hook Elementary School Principal Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung. Dawn was among the 20 children and six adults gunned down inside […] Read More

What does it feel like to be part of the largest single day of direct action for community change in US History? Media coverage of the Women’s March focused on the power of acting together, the hope for change, the resolve to make a difference in the political life of our country. As you can […] Read More

Are you looking for ways to connect with our community in the New Year?  Martin Luther King Jr Day provides the perfect opportunity with options throughout the holiday weekend.  Check out the list of events from education and marching to community action, there is something for everyone. We hope you will  join us.   MLK […] Read More

As we close out the year it is the perfect time for us to reflect on how far you’ve helped us come as an organization. This month we will bring our 50th year of action to a close! Since opening our doors in 1967 nearly 200,000 neighbors have walked through with a desire to connect […] Read More

Since the beginning of the school year I have been volunteering to teach a weekly garden program in my son’s 2nd grade class. Last week marked our final class for the fall.  As a closing activity, I took a few moments to share with the class what I do for work at the Volunteer Center […] Read More

The headlines are unsettling- Walls, Bans, Deportations. Is this who we really are? The America that I love chose “E Pluribus Unum” (Out of Many, One) as our National Motto in 1776 because our founders realized that, as a nation of and for immigrants, our strength comes from our diversity. Unless you are a member of […] Read More

We want to invite you to participate in Make a Difference Day 2017 with projects available throughout Santa Cruz County on Saturday October 28th. Each year, millions of busy Americans take time out of their day to volunteer for their community, making Make a Difference Day one of the largest days of service in the […] Read More

We have received a number of inquiries from community members about how they can help respond to the Bear Fire. We appreciate your willingness to step up for your neighbors. Emergency crews are working around the clock to contain the fire. Volunteers are not needed at this moment. Please do not go to evacuation centers, […] Read More

I recently spent time in the home of a senior in Santa Cruz who reached out to Helping Hands for help with identifying hazard areas in and around her home that could cause her to fall. Mary explained to me that she had stopped visiting friends and going on walks because she was afraid of […] Read More

“A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.” – Confucius, Chinese philosopher This is a perfect description of Genie Dee, our Literacy Program Director at the Volunteer Center. Genie was driven, focused, committed, and lit up from the inside — unable to be deterred or distracted by the ravages of […] Read More