SPTF envisions a county without suicide and aims to accomplish this by implementing a full range of strategies, starting from prevention and early intervention. Your donations to the SPTF will help increase prevention and early intervention services, and help our community members better understand and recognize the signs and symptoms of suicide risk.
Donations to the Homeless Fund will help supply toiletries, clothing, identification card/application fees, furnishings, or cooking utensils/appliances, or may fund expenses like a utility bill or car repair for those experiencing, at risk for, or exiting homelessness.
For more than five decades the Lily Pond was a popular water feature in Mooney Grove Park. Due to the increasing cost of repair and maintenance over time, the Lily Pond is been non-functional for the past 15 years. To avoid demolition and to honor the history of the Lily Pond, the County is seeking donations from the community to help repair and restore the Lily Pond.
The Kings/Tulare Area Agency on Aging helps provide programs and activities for local senior citizens, from arts and crafts to Medicare counseling, line dancing to home-delivered meals. Your donations to the Area Agency on Aging will help us continue to provide a wide range of services and activities to encourage older Americans to remain healthy, active, and involved in the community.
Your donations to the Step Up program will be used for collateral items (i.e., T-shirts, backpacks, etc.), venue rental, event food, printing, speakers' fees, awards, materials, and other items associated with Step Up—a movement to encourage youth to participate in extracurricular activities, foster positive associations, and connect to constructive social networks.
Contributing toward the support of our local veterans through the VSO General Fund is a great opportunity for the members of the community to give back and thank veterans for their services.
The funds donated to the Human Services At-Risk Youth fund benefit youth who are participating in an employment program and working to make the transition to adulthood and self-sufficiency. This program helps youth in need of emergency monies for necessities such as transportation, work apparel, utilities, medical, dental, and prescription expenses.
On April 19, 2022, a Community Resource Fair Celebrating Earth Day at Ledbetter Park in Orosi was attended by more than 600 community members. The event was a huge success, made possible by numerous partners, including County departments, the Cutler-Orosi Joint Unified School District, Family Healthcare Network, CSET, and Starbucks. Additionally, more than 50 organizations had booths with information and resources.
"There were food, prizes, and entertainment, and at the end, everyone pitched in to clean up," said Brooke Sisk, General Services Agency Director. "It was such a joy to see the smiling faces of the children and families taking pride in their local park. We hope to provide more opportunities like this at parks throughout the county for folks to share information, gather, and enjoy the outdoors."
Supporting Friends of Tulare County, local Starbucks' employees from around the county participated in Earth Day by volunteering their time. Serving more than 300 cups of tea in the first hour alone, Starbucks tabled as well and shared what the company does for composting, using coffee grounds for gardens, and recycling paper products. Additionally, the employees supported the event by cleaning up afterward.
"It was amazing, with more than 37 partners, including many other County departments, including HHSA, Probation, Library, General Services, and Fire, whose directors are also on the Friends of Tulare County Board. More than 600 people attended," Sisk further stated.
Earlier in the month, the baristas supported the Tulare County Museum Fifth Annual Jamboree, a free family event for the community to connect, to learn about, and to celebrate the rich history of Tulare County. Setting up and breaking down tents, tables, chairs, the main stage, and the lunch area, the baristas also directed those attending to the various events and performances at Mooney Grove Park.
"The team had such a fun time at the events, and we all look forward to working with the County in the future," said Amber Morphis, Starbucks' Store Manager (Goshen/Akers in Visalia). "It was a great experience for the team who volunteered, and they had fun interacting with the public and learning about this amazing place we have in our county!"
