Volunteers prepare to wrap gifts last year at Women’s Empowerment’s annual Holiday Craft Party. The nonprofit organization is seeking donations and volunteers for this year’s event. Photo courtesy of Women’s Empowerment

SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - This holiday season, residents can show their support for Sacramento women and children who have experienced homelessness by donating warm winter items for women and children in the program and volunteering for the nonprofit’s annual Holiday Craft Party.  

“This is a meaningful way to provide tangible support to local women and children who have experienced homelessness and show them they are surrounded by a community that cares deeply about them,” said Lisa Culp, Women’s Empowerment founding executive director. “The women and children in our program have already faced so many obstacles during this challenging year and we know the winter items and caring smiles of our volunteers will mean even more to them this year.”  

Women’s Empowerment is collecting needed winter items for infants, children, teens and women, including scarves, winter hats, warm socks, gloves, holiday candy and $25 gift cards to Walmart and similar stores. Each woman and child will receive a special wrapped gift package of these items at Women’s Empowerment’s upcoming Holiday Craft Party. Wrapping supplies also are needed. All donations should be delivered to Women’s Empowerment, 1590 A Street in Sacramento, by Dec. 11. For questions, contact Rachelle Fernandez at [email protected]. 

Women’s Empowerment also needs volunteers at its Holiday Craft Party from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Dec. 13 at the Capitol Plaza Building, 1025 9th St., number 201, Sacramento. The annual event honors the dignity of giving by creating a space for the program’s women and children to make handmade gifts for their loved ones, which they might not otherwise be able to give. Volunteers are needed to set up, host craft tables, help women and children make gifts, assist mothers in selecting toys donated from Sacramento Mayor McCarty’s Holiday Toy Drive, help wrap gifts and clean up after the event. For more information and to sign up, go online to signupgenius.com/go/10C0B48A5AF2EA5F8C43-59884202-hcpvolunteers#. 

Women’s Empowerment, which will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2026, offers the most comprehensive job-readiness program in the Sacramento area designed specifically to help women break the generational cycle of homelessness for themselves and their children. Each woman begins with an initial two-month program where she works one-on-one with a social worker, housing specialist and employment specialist. She attends classes and support groups and receives free transportation assistance, onsite childcare, meals and more. The nonprofit provides lifetime services for graduates, including counseling, job search and retention support, financial assistance, paid job training and its Trellis Gardens transitional workforce housing program.

In 2024, 155 graduates secured employment or enrolled in advanced training or school, and 89% of graduates maintained or improved their housing. Since 2001, 1,969 women (with a total of 4,000-plus children) have graduated from the program. Women’s Empowerment is funded through private donations from the community and grants. To make a donation, go online to www.womens-empowerment.org.