Helping America's most vulnerable.

News Releases

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August 7, 2018
Sacramento Area Operation Backpack Pick-A-Pack Event

Volunteers of America Northern California & Northern Nevada’s Operation Backpack will be providing a new backpack filled with grade-appropriate school supplies to 300 children during this main pick-a-pack event.
July 24, 2018
PICK-A-PACK EVENT GIVES RENO AREA HOMELESS AND AT-RISK CHILDREN SCHOOL SUPPLIES

Volunteers of America Northern California & Northern Nevada’s Operation Backpack will be providing a new backpack filled with grade-appropriate school supplies to homeless and at-risk children during the Reno area Pick-a-Pack event Friday, July 27th. All of the families and children in Volunteers of America Reno area programs are provided a backpack and school supplies. Additionally, VOA is partnering with the Washoe County School District’s Children In Transition (CIT) program and Community Health Alliance (CHA) Nevada to have their qualifying students receive backpacks as well. CIT provides homeless children the opportunity to achieve the same high-quality academic standards by eliminating barriers to their education. Each school in the district has an advocate that works closely with each family and has identified over 3,000 students in need and Operation Backpack hopes to provide every child with the tools they need to succeed in school. At Friday’s Pick-a-Pack event children will have the opportunity to receive necessary school immunizations through CHA Nevada nurses on-site. Families may also enroll in CHA and receive additional information, resources, and referrals. The Reno region has made a huge difference by donating school supplies and backpacks to Volunteers of America’s Operation Backpack collection drive this year, with nearly 20 locations across the Reno area serving as “drop-off locations” in addition to the VOA main office at the Community Resource Center on Record Street. Partnering companies included Wells Fargo Advisors, Bizarre Guitar, Caliber Hair and Make-up, Dickson Realty, Geodis, Keller Williams, Legal Match, North American Title, Remax Professionals, and Great Basin Credit Union. Campaign partners included Reno Media Group, Reno Street Food, and Quick Space Storage
July 17, 2018
Operation Backpack Campaign in Reno Needs Additional Donations

OPERATION BACKPACK® Campaign NEEDS ADDITIONAL DONATIONS HELP REACH THE GOAL OF 3,000 FILLED BACKPACKS FOR RENO area homeless and at-risk STUDENTS Volunteers of America is still looking for donations to help provide a filled backpack and school supplies to at-risk students in the Washoe County School District. Thousands of children in the Reno area are homeless and return to school without the supplies they need.This impacts their education and their spirit. But YOU can make a difference. Join Volunteers of America’s Operation Backpack collection drive by dropping off supplies – Monday July 23, 2018 is the last day for supply donations at partnering drop-off locations, but you can still make a monetary gift online in any amount through July 30th on the event website www.OperationBackpackNCNN.org
July 10, 2018
Backpack Collection Drive July 13th at Reno's Food Truck Friday

Thousands of children in the Reno area are homeless and return to school without the supplies they need. This impacts their education and their spirit. But YOU can make a difference. Join Volunteers of America’s Operation Backpack collection drive on Friday, July 13th during the Food Truck Friday event at Idlewild Park. Donate cash, a backpack, or school supplies and make a difference in the life of a homeless child. Idlewild Park is just west of downtown Reno, between Idlewild Drive and the Truckee River.
July 4, 2018
STATEMENT REGARDING VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA SHELTER FOR PUBLIC INEBRIATES

Volunteers of America Northern California and Northern Nevada (VOA) operates a shelter at 700 North 5th Street for chronic homeless alcoholics with a goal to end the cycle of alcohol abuse and homelessness. The shelter provides up to 72 beds for chronically inebriated single men and up to 12 beds for chronically inebriated single women. VOA only intakes public inebriates from local law enforcement and navigators. The individual brought in on June 6, 2018, was in the custody of Parole Agents from the State of California, Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and remained in the Parole Agents’ custody until transferred to Sacramento Police Officers. The individual’s behavior presented with needs outside of VOA’s scope of services, therefore, he was not received into the shelter.
June 15, 2018
VOA PROUD TO HAVE PLANTED SEEDS OF HOPE IN AUBURN WITH THREE YEARS OF SERVICE AT HOMELESS SHELTER

Volunteers of America Northern California and Northern Nevada (VOA) has been honored to work with Placer County staff, the Placer County Board of Supervisors, and the Right Hand Auburn organization in launching Auburn’s first homeless shelter. VOA helped homeless men and women, and their pets, in the Auburn area overcome their barriers to housing and employment, and gain access to resources and training to live positive, healthy independent lives. As a result, over 225 individuals exited the shelter to move into a favorable housing situation. As of July 1, 2018, the Auburn Temporary Homeless Shelter will be operated by a new provider.
June 14, 2018
Homeless Shelter Playground Opening

On Friday, June 15th, 2018 Volunteers of America is holding an event to feature ribbon cutting and celebration of the new play area donated to the VOA Family Shelter by the Junior League of Reno.
December 7, 2017
Winter Triage Shelter Access

In partnership with Volunteers of America (VOA), the City of Sacramento is opening a 2017 Winter Triage Shelter to bring services and housing to those most in need. To access shelter services please call 311.
October 13, 2017
VOA DELIVERING SUPPLIES TO FIRE VICTIMS

Volunteers of America call to action brings donations within minutes and trucks are headed out to deliver needed supplies. The need continues to be critical and donations are still needed.
May 16, 2017
SACRAMENTO MAYOR DARRELL STEINBERG TO OPEN SHELTER FROM THE STORM 2017 BREAKFAST

WATCH Shelter from the Storm on FACEBOOK LIVE Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg to open event This breakfast event celebrates the men and women who ended homelessness through our employment and housing programs. You will hear their stories of change first hand. Other highlights include the invocation by Jim Holst, outreach pastor of Bayside Covenant Church; Leo McFarland, VOA-NCNN president and CEO will present the organizations vision; and the premier of a short documentary film on the impact our Mather Community Campus programs create.