SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--This week’s Foster Santa event provided a chance to recognize Sleep Train www.sleeptrain.com and the Sacramento Police Department www.sacpd.org for their hard work in helping Sacramento-area children and families in need. On behalf of Sacramento County and EMQ FamiliesFirst, Supervisor Don Nottoli announced resolutions honoring each organization with a “2013 Above and Beyond Award” for their exemplary efforts to improve the lives of Sacramento County’s children and families. Darrell Evora, president and CEO of EMQ FamiliesFirst, presented the award plaques. EMQ FamiliesFirst http://www.emqff.org/ is California’s largest children’s services agency.
The annual Foster Santa event is a party that EMQ FamiliesFirst has held for nearly 40 years where gifts of new bicycles, helmets and locks are given to children who would otherwise go without this holiday season. Foster Santa is funded solely by private donations. This year, 175 children attended, and that same number of bikes, helmets and locks were handed out after the CapCity Stunt Team www.capcitystunts.com entertained the crowd showing their tricks on BMX bikes. Randy and Cindy Gustavus represented Santa and Mrs. Claus and surprised the children, creating much excitement and cheers before the new bikes were revealed.
“It was an honor to personally recognize and thank Sleep Train and our Sacramento Police Department for their significant impact on this city’s youth,” said Nottoli. “This recognition is well deserved.”
In addition to the recognized honorees, Sleep Train and the Sacramento Police Department, the event’s lead sponsor, Union Pacific Railroad www.unionpacificrailroad.com and other local businesses and community members were thanked for their support, including California Automobile Museum www.calautomuseum.org, Dynacraft www.dynacraftbike.com/, Sacramento Wheelman’s Club www.sacwheelmen.org, Congregation Cycle Club http://congregationcyclingclub.com/, Ink Monkey Graphics http://inkmonkeygraphics.com/, Kohl's Cares www.kohlscorporation.com, UC Davis Children’s Hospital www.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu/children/, and JEi Corporate Services www.jei-cs.com/. This holiday celebration creates positive memories for deserving children in the community such as foster children and children in need.
About EMQ FamiliesFirst
EMQ FamiliesFirst takes a state-of-the-art approach to children and youth with complex behavioral health challenges: the agency combines research-based behavioral health services (including evidence-based therapies and psychiatric services) with a family-centered effort to identify and address the social and other needs of the family.
