VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA HOME START HOLDS RIBBON CUTTING FOR NEW COMMUNITY KITCHEN

VOA Partnered with Home Aid Sacramento, USA Properties Fund, and the City of Roseville

Roseville, CA – Today, the families at Volunteers of America’s Home Start have a reason to celebrate: a new community kitchen.

Many of these families have suffered from homelessness, domestic violence, and addiction, and are finding respite at Roseville Home Start in order to begin again. The emergency shelter units offer a studio apartment to stabilize the family as they begin to heal. Due to the limited size of the units, families relied on a microwave or crock pot to cook meals. Thanks to community partners like Home-Aid and USA Properties Fund, today these families will have access to a full kitchen to prepare healthy nutritious meals and have the space to enjoy them.

One child said to his mom, “Will you make lasagna and broccoli?” It had been about 18 months since they last were able to cook a full meal in an oven. Now, they are able to prepare a complete meal and eat together as a family.

These children will now have access to food education and families will have access to cooking classes, space for birthday parties and holiday meals. While it may seem small for some, for the mothers living at Home Start, it will be life-changing.

This project was initially funded by a CBG Grant from the City of Roseville and then leveraged to upgrade flooring, cabinets, appliances, and countertops. “The vision for the space continued to grow as more community partners offered materials to enhance the project. We are so grateful to Home-Aid Sacramento and USA Properties Fund for their dedication to providing dignified spaces for families to thrive,” says Christie Holderegger, VP, Chief Development Officer, VOA NCNN.