I have been coming to Woodland Strides as an undergraduate volunteer and working with Amy Oettle…read more Amy is absolutely amazing with kids, parents, volunteers, students, horses, you name it! I have worked with Amy with multiple different clients and have seen so much progress and growth in all of them. I think that Amy does a great job connecting with parents and providing parent education before, during, and after sessions so parents are aware of how OT and hippotherapy are helping their child, and I've heard many grateful and positive feedback from parents and caregivers. Amy also makes OT fun for the clients! Clients enjoy playing games, making crafts, and learning horseback riding all while improving gross and visuomotor skills, fine motor skills, core strength, emotion regulation, body awareness, and executive functioning. Amy takes the time to make sure that I am learning constantly and getting the most out of my volunteer experience and really solidified my knowledge and passion in the field of occupational therapy. I enjoy coming back every week to connect with the kids and watch them grow. Two of my favorite moments were listening to a client excitedly tell Amy and me about all the progress he had made over the past week in between sessions and how he had applied his skills at school. Another moment was really heartwarming when we saw a client go out of his comfort zone and try a new food. Emily is amazing as well, and is a key part of the hippotherapy sessions. I really enjoy working with her and she is excellent in handling the horses, keeping the clients safe while riding, and emphasizing the importance of communicating respectfully before, during, and after riding.

I'm a volunteer at Woodland Strides. Volunteering here brings me extreme joy. It is so fulfilling…read moreto come here every week to sidewalk with Amy, Susie, and the kids. I have firsthand been able to be a part of a child's physical and mental development. Amy is an amazing occupational therapist and it is obvious the dedication she has in her field by the thought she puts into each child's session. I will continue to come be a volunteer for as long as I am able to. I feel extremely lucky to be a part of an amazing organization.

I've volunteered as a group three times here at the Yolo Food Bank warehouse and operations…read morefacility in Woodland: first with Novozymes in November 2015, again with Bayer in January 2019, and most recently representing Nuseed in July 2023. Not only is it a great community service, but also a great teambuilding activity. The opportunity we had was specifically for packing fresh produce boxes along a conveyor belt to be delivered for free to hundreds of Eat Home Yolo senior, low-income, mobility-restricted, homebound households via home delivery or community distributions. YFB serves not only just major areas like Woodland, West Sacramento, Clarksburg, Winters, Davis, UC Davis, North Yolo, and Capay Valley but also more rural locations such as Esparto, Knights Landing, or Dunnigan. Volunteer Coordinator Natalie provided all guidance. Sign the waiver, get a nametag, close-toed shoes, gloves, hang up personal items, and grab a bottle of water! Bathrooms available, large industrial fan to stay cool inside the warehouse, could take breaks as needed. We were tasked with assembling and packing boxes, each containing one cauliflower, 10-12 potatoes, apples, onions, and apricots. These would be distributed along with canned/dried goods such as rice, beans, protein powder, etc. In an assembly-line fashion, we had 4 people folding boxes, 1 person on the cauliflower station, 2 on potatoes, 2 on apples, 1 on onions, 1 on apricots, 1 closing and stacking boxes, 1 on replenishing the tables, 1 photographer/floater. Initially, I was helping with replenishment but got reassigned to potatoes. No joke, the bags/boxes of produce we're dealing with prior to packing are anywhere from 24-50 pounds each! When we were finished we also sprayed down the tables, tore down the source cardboard boxes, and swept the floor. Up to 96 boxes per pallet (4x3x8) --15 pounds each -- our team of 14 people completed packing 239 boxes in under an hour! For this type of volunteering, you must be age 12+ (minors must attend with an adult chaperone), close-toed shoes required, not outdoors, not wheelchair-accessible, requires you to stand/walk on concrete, recommended to dress in layers, and must be able to lift 2-15 pounds repeatedly, and life 30-50 pounds occasionally. Other types of opportunities include Planting & Harvest at River Garden Farms, Produce Packing, Drive-Thru Distributions, Dry Product Packing, Kid's Farmers Market, or being a volunteer driver for home deliveries. What's neat is that this follows the crop cycle from harvesting to packing and then distributing! They also accept food and monetary donations if you can't devote your time onsite.

This organization does so much for this community and I am so grateful for all they do. They have a…read moreheart to feed people and help organizations make their dollars stretch more to make a bigger impact. If your looking for an organization to donate too this is a great place where your dollars can go to make an immediate impact.

I've been to this Goodwill donation Express a few times and whenever the blonde lady is there she's…read moreso friendly and nice and efficient.

So easy to drop off here! Service was professional and pleasant. Nothing else to say.read more

It wasn't until I took a tour of the Make-A-Wish Foundation's "Wishing Place" that I realized the…read moretruly incredible work this nonprofit organization does. Make-A-Wish is something we've all heard about through those "feel good" news stories, but it was a firsthand visit and a real understanding of the efforts that go on behind the scenes to make these children's dreams possible that finally opened my eyes. One of only five in the world, the "Wishing Place" is unique in that it creates a physical space for children to experience the Make-A-Wish mission of helping make their dreams a reality. Right when you walk in there is a Galaxy of Stars representing so many of the thousands of wishes they have helped come true. From there we proceeded into a wishing room. I went through the process that every child does when they are deciding what to wish for. It started with watching an informative and entertaining short video on how to wisely wish, then I went around the room and filled in my wishes, just as the children do, in the different categories - wishes to "go", to "have", to "see", and to "do." Make A Wish's incredibly dedicated volunteers then go to incredible lengths to make the child's favorite wish happen, whether it be a trip somewhere in the world, meeting someone they admire or having something they always wanted. I was surprised to find out that it's actually a common misconception that Make-A-Wish grants wishes only to terminally ill children. That was the case in the very beginning, but after finding out what a positive effect these wishes can have on a child's mental outlook and recovery, Make-A-Wish discovered so many children who were getting better despite their diagnosis. There is much more to the process, but it all amounts to one incredible mission: giving hope and support to children whom, through no fault of their own, face illness. It's a task that is handled with grace and positivity by their limited staff and team of tireless volunteers. I am making it a personal mission to support and praise this organization.

Love Love Love Make A Wish Foundation!…read more This is one of the three locations in the United States and families travel here! It's a wonderful program to help make kids (with a life threatening illness) wishes come true! The volunteers and staff are super nice.

"Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord and He will reward them for what they have done,"…read moreProverbs 19:17 More than 100 food donors contributed to the first donation in Davis, back in June 2015. Today, there are so many more angels contributing to the Short Term Emergency Action Committee (STEAC). STEAC has been collecting non perishable food in their themed green eco bag and making them available at the pantry, every two months. This August, thoughtful contributors donated 6,174 pounds of food and the next pick up is October 9th. If you miss this time around, the next scheduled collection is December 11, 2021. There are a few ways that you can help: 1. Be a neighborhood coordinator 2. Be a food donor 3. Join the support team Their website indicates that 25% of households with children are likely to experience hunger or food insecurity. It also states that 1 in 8 people in your neighborhood struggle with hunger. It doesn't take much to make a difference. Contact them to obtain a STEAC green bag and start collecting non perishable food. Let's pay it forward :)

Rude, ineffective, and unhelpful. If you're a daycare, I highly recommend not taking their service…read moreunless you're looking to be paid almost two months late. Most daycares require upfront payments to secure your spot, Children's Home Society requires that you wait until the month is completed to receive payment and then wait another month to do revisions and correct THEIR mistakes. This makes it almost 2 months from when payment is typically received for daycare. Any questions, concerns, or comments are not well received by these very rude workers. There is not a single worker in the payment department that I have interacted with that has been helpful nor kind!

From the owner: For over 129 years, Childrens Home Society of California (CHS) has adapted to the changing needs of…read morechildren and families. Since 1891, CHS has worked diligently to protect our communitys children and strengthen their families through diverse programs and services. At CHS, we view a child not in isolation, but in the context of each familys health, stability, and resources. We believe that families are fundamentally strong and resilient. That is why CHS offers programs and services to build upon a familys inherent strengths so they can move toward self-sufficiency. Childrens Home Society of California is a nonprofit organization that is governed by a Board of Directors, made up of dedicated volunteers from throughout California. The President of CHS leads the agency and conserves our most significant asset, the CHS Endowment. The President oversees program services, agency operations, and program development efforts, as well as program enhancement departments including Community Outreach, Quality Assurance, and Best Practices & Outcomes. This is accomplished with the vital assistance and support of key staff and the work of highly-trained program staff. Our Corporate Headquarters is located in Los Angeles, California, with additional offices in Long Beach, Oakland, Orange, San Diego, Ventura, Woodland, and Yuba City.

It's not news that many people have been hit hard by the economic downturn this year and many…read morefoodbanks and donation services have also taken a hit. My graduate student group opted to donate the proceeds of our winter food drive to STEAC. They were very appreciative of our contributions and it was great to work with a local agency that does a lot to help people in need in this very small community. STEAC is one of the oldest nonprofits in Yolo County and has been providing assistance to residents since 1967.

Hearts for Paws aka Dani, Brandi are going above and beyond to help us find a dog that is meant for…read moreour family. This rescue is known to rescue dogs on the verge of being euthanized, paying exorbitant vet fees to care for the animals and pouring through dozens of applications to find a perfect forever home for each and every dog. As a non profit organization this is no easy task. When the time comes, we look forward to meeting our newest family member. Thank you for all you do.

This review is not about the animals: The dog we had was a sweetheart, but we weren't the right fit…read morefor her. She's going to find a great home, but Hearts for Paws makes that MUCH harder. I cannot recommend staying away from Hearts for Paws enough. I'm not someone to leave negative reviews EVER. But our experience with Hearts for Paws was so awful that I feel compelled to warn others away. We were very interested in doing a trial adoption (and hopefully adopting) a dog from them. We brought her home for what was stipulated to as a 5-7 day trial. When we picked her up, the foster noted some concerns they had--namely that the dog wouldn't do well in a small apartment like ours, as she was currently running on a 5 acre property. They were also concerned that she wouldn't do well with our cat, as she has a high prey drive (though we'd been told by the rescue that she was good with cats). Knowing this, we still decided to give it a try. The poor dog whined every day and night. She'd settle for a short period before beginning to whine and pace again. It was very obvious that she was upset and needed more space. We took her for 3 hour long walks each day, but even that wasn't enough. Further, the whining and pacing intensified, and she started jumping at closed doors, including the door to the room our cat was in. Our cat was petrified. Heartbroken but knowing this wasn't going to work, we reached out to the foster and the rescue. The foster was a sweetheart, and was ready to meet us to take the dog back. The rescue was another story. She rapidly started lobbing attacks at us when we explained we wanted to return her as soon as possible. She said horrifying things, and even told us we should hold onto her longer because "no one had died" so all must be well. She told us that if she had to take the dog back sooner (mind you we were trying to return the dog to the foster, not her), it would risk this dog's and other's lives. She sent us a photograph of a dead dog's brain splattered on the road, telling us this was the kind of thing that happened because of people like us. I won't share the screenshots of her messages or the photo, as it doesn't need to be done here. But needless to say, this is not a rescue worth dealing with, nor is it one who seems to really take seriously what's best for pets. I would not ever go near this team.

Hebrews 13:16 instructs us, "Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such…read moresacrifices are pleasing to God." Pretty sure that was meaningful for Yolo Wayfarer Center Christian Mission, now known as Fourth & Hope. More than 35 years ago, this group wanted to care for the homeless population in Yolo County. Today, this nonprofit organization conducts programs and services to community members who need food and shelter. They have a 65-bed emergency shelter with a commercial kitchen. They also have a 44-bed residential program to help those with substance treatment. By the grace of God and generous support from donors, this group is expanding with another shelter being built at the edge of town. As a result of this pandemic, many of the regular volunteers are naturally skeptical about being in person. Thus, there's a slight decline in donations and assistance. Of particular need, the shelter requests travel sized toiletries such as soap, shampoo, deodorant, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc. Especially during the winter, this shelter will gladly accept gently used bedding and blankets. For those of you that shop regularly on Amazon, giving is easy, you don't have to leave your home, you just designate Fourth & Hope when you shop using AmazonSmile and eligible purchases will gain 0.5% donation. A little bit goes a long way so pay it forward :) For all our fellow Yelpers that go out to eat, please note the list of restaurants on their website who generously sponsor and donate. From www.fourthandhope.org, select "Events" then "Empty Bowl." #ThankYou for reading this review.

I feel a mixed review. I was a patient here that was discharged early. (Discharged for valid…read morereasons), My experience here was both pleasant and unpleasant. The Managment of this place is completely lacking- what I mean by that is the communication between the counselors, the maintenance, the technician staff, and the supervisors, seems to be broken in many factors. It makes for a complete uncertain level of consistency for patients (clients). The program curriculum itself, is pretty effective touching mostly on CBT, DBT, and trauma responses. The counselors that were there (December 2022) Have a great sense of state laws as well as high level of professionalism, who seem to absolutely be in the correct mindset to want to help change people's lives for the better. However, the lack of consistency makes it extremely difficult to navigate- each staff having their own set of rules and not communicating to one another or sharing the same values/ ideals when it comes to how to communicate to the clients and coworkers around them.

If you're thinking about booking a trail ride with Boarding on the Lake, do it--you won't regret…read moreit! My granddaughter and I chose the two-hour trail ride around Folsom Lake, and it exceeded every expectation. I've owned horses and have ridden extensively, so we came with experience and simply wanted to enjoy a beautiful morning ride together. Our guide, Will, was outstanding. He was knowledgeable, personable, safety-conscious, and made the entire experience relaxing and enjoyable. You could tell he genuinely loves what he does and cares about both the horses and his guests. The horses were well-mannered, the scenery around Folsom Lake was breathtaking, and the pace was perfect for taking it all in. The best part? The smile never left my granddaughter's face all day. Those are the kinds of memories that last a lifetime. Thank you, Will, for making our ride so special. We highly recommend Boarding on the Lake and can't wait to come back!

I was visiting my girlfriend in NorCal and asked her if we could go for a horseback ride. She…read morebooked the ride at Boarding on the Lake in Granite Bay. When the day came and we arrived we were greeted by Marina and other staff members. They were all so nice. Marina asked each one of us that was going on the trail ride what our experience on a horse was. She paired us up with the best horse for our experience. We had an awesome ride by the lake with beautiful scenery and Marina even took pictures of us along the way and shared them with us after. She was such a great guide and I hope to go back there again when I return in September. Thank you Marina and Boarding by the lake!!