What do play groups, book and wine clubs, neighborhood associations, real estate agencies, local businesses, health care providers and a random collection of families and friends have in common?

They each pooled resources to adopt families served by the Yolo Crisis Nursery, ensuring 25 such families wouldn’t go without over the holidays.

Once again, I’m proud to report our community came through by answering the call to assist some of our most vulnerable citizens. Basic needs like cooking, bedding and bathroom supplies were provided, and little ones received the magic of opening personally wrapped gifts — items selected from their wish lists — like clothing, books, stuffed animals, balls and games.

Our Adopt-a-Family program not only makes the season bright, it also ushers in a promising new year for those who receive (and especially those who give).

It is my distinct honor to thank the following leaders of our adopting groups: Sherry Richter, Becky Heard, Marilyn Mansfield, Shari Eckert, Suzanne Miller, Patti Khoschcar, Lynn Evert, Linda Dullum, Liz Malinoff, Lisa Sawyer, Ginger Simon, Judy Fleenor, Kathy Gleed, Mary Delaney, Gayle Speer Wilson, Mercedes Chatfield-Taylor, Heidy Kellison, Lynette Temple, Gordon Richardson, Rhonda Reynolds, Kim Eichorn, Linda Delbar, Ginger Simon, Jane Eadie, Thea Curiel, Robert Edwards. Businesses and professional organizations represented by some of our leaders include UC Davis, PG&E, Lyon Real Estate, Target-Woodland, Sutter Davis E.R., Van Beurden Insurance Services and Woodland Healthcare.

We’re especially thankful to Fleet Feet which, in collaboration with New Balance, provided a new pair of shoes to each and every family member, once again.

And what would we do without our fearless organizer, Sherry Richter, a woman whose heart is as big as her capacity to deliver a successful program, year after year?

While families are adopted in November, often before most folks have finalized their Thanksgiving menus, this year brought a special surprise, as giving continued throughout December.

The staff at EMQ FamiliesFirst described how many of you stopped by our administrative offices on Fifth Street to make cash and in-kind donations. These gifts allowed us to fund some of our essential needs at the nursery.

Operating on less than a shoestring budget and funded entirely by private support, I can’t convey how relieving this unexpected influx was to those who work year round in support of the nursery. As we’re now fully engaged in the new year, I invite everyone to include the Yolo Crisis Nursery in your charitable planning.

Looking ahead, don’t miss our largest yearly fundraiser — the sixth annual Capital City Caper — a limousine scavenger hunt scheduled for Sunday, April 21. Visit www.capcitycaper.org for more details.

And finally, if your New Year’s resolution included giving back, The Friends of the Yolo Crisis Nursery is always open to new members. Call 530-386-2647 or email [email protected] to learn more.

— Becky Heard is President of Friends of the Yolo Crisis Nursery. Her column is published monthly.

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