Announcing: The Italian Affaire 2009!

Wonderful Italian food, local opera singers, live and silent auctions, good wine, the company of your friends and neighbors, and an opportunity to help support MCR's programs for the San Lorenzo Valley and Scotts Valley commnities... For several years running, MCR's Italian Affaire has been our major public fundraising event, and this year's event promises to be one of our best ever!

The Whole Affaire:
Friday, September 11, 2009 - 5:30-9:30 PM
Join us for dinner, wine, live music, and live and silent auctions benefiting Mountain Community Resources. $75/person. This event has sold out several years, so please order your tickets early if you are planning to attend!
Order tickets online, or send check to the address below.

A Sip of the Affaire:
Wednesday, September 9, 2009 - 4:00-7:00 PM
New this year! A special auction preview, wine, and appetizers, benefiting MCR. You will have the first opportunity to review the items for our Italian Affaire silent and live auctions and put in your bids early. $25/person.
Order tickets online, or send check to the address below.

NOTE: Each event requires a separate ticket!

To purchase tickets, click the links, above for online credit card orders, or mail your check to:

Mountain Community Resources
PO Box 105
Ben Lomond, CA, 95005

For more information, please call 831-335-6600

Welcome to Jennifer and Anna!

It's an exciting time at Mountain Community Resources!

After a long search that included reviewing the resumes and qualifications of over 100 applicants, and a hiring committee that included Board members, staff, program participants, and community volunteers, MCR has hired our new permanent Executive Director, Jennifer Anderson-Bähr.

Jennifer started as ED on Monday, July 6, and is already hard at work reviewing programs and budgets and meeting everybody she needs to meet. Jennifer comes to MCR from the Firelight Foundation, where she worked to fund projects for families and children throughout Africa. She's looking forward to concentrating her work on improving her own community here in Santa Cruz County and getting to know all of MCR's loyal supporters and friends.

On Monday, we also welcomed our new Volunteer Coordinator, Anna Sullivan. Anna is a recent UCSC graduate who comes to us through the AmeriCorps VIP program. She will be getting our volunteer program up and running again and helping with community outreach.

The expansion of AmeriCorps is part of the President's efforts to increase volunteerism nationwide and is paid for through the federal stimulus package. VIPs commit to one year of service in their local communities and we're pleased to have been chosen to host Anna through our partnership with the Volunteer Centers of Santa Cruz County.

Please join us in welcoming Jennifer and Anna and starting a great new period for MCR!

Jennifer can be reached at 831-335-6601 or jennifer@mountaincommunityresources.org - Anna can be reached at 831-335-6609 or anna@mountaincommunityresources.org

GoodSearch & GoodShop for MCR

Yet another way you can help MCR is by using GoodSearch for your Internet search engine. Simply select us as your designated agency and we'll earn small donations for each search you make as you surf the web!

GoodSearch also includes the GoodShop service. When you purchase items through GoodShop you link through to such online retailers as Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, eBay, Lands End, and many more, and a small percentage of your purchase will come back to support MCR!

Click the logo above or below to get started. And thank you!

Help MCR Recruit an AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinator

We at MCR are very pleased to have been given the opportunity to work with an AmeriCorps VIP Volunteer Coordinator in this upcoming fiscal year. Please help us to fill this position by passing this wonderful opportunity on to a bright, energetic and compassionate individual who is committed to working with individuals and families in need. Interviews are right around the corner (June 8-19) with a start date of July 1, 2009.

The Volunteer Coordinator is provided to MCR at no cost to us, but this is a paid position! AmeriCorps Members receive a modest living allowance stipend during their year of service. They also receive valuable community training through the Volunteer Center of Santa Cruz County and MCR. (The AmeriCorps program is through the Volunteer Center, who then places the Volunteer Coordinators at agencies, such as MCR).

AmeriCorps Frequently Asked Questions

AmeriCorps Benefits

On-line Application - Santa Cruz County AmeriCorps Volunteer Coordinator Position

AmeriCorps Member Job Description:
* The AmeriCorps member will serve youth and families struggling economically and will help develop a volunteer program infrastructure at Mountain Community Resources.
* They will play an integral role in successfully generating, placing and supporting volunteers.
* The position provides an excellent opportunity to build capacity for an agency through hands-on engagement and management of volunteers.

Duties may include:
1. Collaborating with agency staff to identify volunteer needs and develop key volunteer job descriptions
2. Utilizing community resources and marketing tools for quick and easy recruitment.
3. Interviewing and recruiting potential volunteers
4. Developing a volunteer orientation plan for the agency, a volunteer welcome binder, and an on-going volunteer training plan for the agency
5. Creating a volunteer recognition opportunities guide for the agency and developing a plan for easy dissemination of the information.
6. Outreach to potential volunteers at community events.

Thank you for your support and for passing this message along to potential AmeriCorps VIP Members!

APPLY ONLINE FOR THE AMERICORPS OPPORTUNITY @ MCR

Felton Remembers Photos

We all had a great time this morning at the Felton Remembers Parade and Festival today at the Covered Bridge Park! Several of MCR's staff and Board members took turns at our table, passing out information about low-cost health care, parenting classes, and all our other programs, and enjoying all the other booths, the live music, and the great food.

In this photo, MCR founder, Mary Hammer, talks with Santa Cruz County's 5th District Supervisor, Mark Stone, and California Assemblyman for the 27th District, Bill Monning - two great supporters of MCR over the years.

To see more pictures, please click this link.

More Teens Helping Out

Yesterday, two young men from Scotts Valley High School came by the MCR office with a donation of $225!

Stuart Wilson created several pottery plates, a Saki set, and a casserole and then auctioned them off to raise the money. He's pictured here (on the right) with his friend, Jonathan Jih ("Seniors" shirt), delivering the check.

We're pleased to thank Stuart for using his creative talents to raise money for community programs that will help other teens who are less fortunate.

Felton Remembers - This Saturday

We at MCR are looking forward to seeing all community members at the Felton Remembers Parade and Festival, this Saturday, May 23, at Covered Bridge Park.

We'll be at table number nine with information about all our programs, including low-cost and no-cost health care coverage that your family may be eligible for.

At the next table over, number eight, will be the CERT Program. Be sure to get information there about Emergency Response Training, and find out how you can become certified.

Come on by and say hello!