Six Pathways to Meaningful Service
Each of our six core programs addresses a specific community need in the Greater Sacramento region. Every program includes structured orientation, ongoing training, liability coverage, and dedicated coordinator support so you can focus entirely on making an impact.
Disaster Response Corps
When wildfire, flooding, or severe weather strikes Northern California, our Disaster Response Corps mobilizes within 48 hours. Volunteers receive FEMA Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) certification through our partnership with Sacramento County Office of Emergency Services, enabling them to assist with evacuation support, emergency shelter operations, supply chain logistics, damage assessment documentation, and long-term community recovery planning.
Since our founding in 2009, the Corps has responded to 47 disaster activations across eight Northern California counties. Our trained responders have distributed over 120,000 emergency supply kits, staffed 340 shelter nights, and provided post-disaster case management support to more than 6,200 displaced families. The program operates in direct coordination with the American Red Cross Capital Region Chapter, CAL FIRE volunteer liaison division, and the Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District community resilience office.
Program Details
- Commitment: 8–20+ hours during activations; monthly 2-hour training drills
- Training: 24-hour CERT certification (provided free), first aid/CPR, ICS-100/700
- Requirements: Age 18+, background check, physical capability assessment
- Equipment: JHF-issued response vest, hard hat, radio, and go-bag
- Next Training: November 16, 2026, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Program Details
- Commitment: 4–8 hours/week during the academic year (Sep–Jun)
- Training: 8-hour tutor orientation, mandatory reporter training, cultural competency
- Requirements: Age 16+ (minors with guardian consent), DOJ/FBI LiveScan
- Locations: 14 partner schools and community centers countywide
- Next Orientation: November 9, 2026, 10:00 AM
Youth Tutoring & Mentorship
Our Youth Tutoring and Mentorship program pairs trained volunteer tutors with K-12 students from underserved Sacramento neighborhoods. Volunteers provide one-on-one and small-group academic support in reading comprehension, mathematics, STEM subjects, English language development, and college application preparation. Beyond academics, mentors serve as consistent positive role models who build trust over time, helping students develop study habits, self-advocacy skills, and confidence in their ability to succeed.
The program currently operates at 14 partner sites including Meadowview Community Center, Oak Park Neighborhood Library, Valley Hi Elementary, Luther Burbank High School, and the Samuel Pannell Community Center. Over the past six academic years, participating students have demonstrated an average 23% improvement in standardized reading scores and a 31% reduction in chronic absenteeism. Forty-seven percent of our first cohort of mentored high school seniors went on to enroll in community college or four-year university programs within 18 months of graduation.
Senior Companion Program
Social isolation among older adults is a public health crisis that accelerates cognitive decline, increases hospitalization rates, and diminishes quality of life. Our Senior Companion Program directly combats this by matching trained volunteers with homebound and assisted-living seniors for weekly visits that provide genuine human connection, intellectual stimulation, and practical support.
Companion volunteers engage seniors through shared meals, reading sessions, reminiscence conversations, technology tutorials on smartphones and tablets, light exercise walks, and accompaniment to medical appointments. Each volunteer-senior pairing is carefully matched based on personality compatibility, language preferences, geographic proximity, and shared interests. Program coordinators conduct quarterly wellness check-ins and provide ongoing support to ensure both volunteers and seniors feel safe, valued, and fulfilled. We currently serve 285 seniors across Sacramento, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, and Citrus Heights.
Program Details
- Commitment: 2–6 hours/week, year-round
- Training: 12-hour sensitivity & elder care orientation, ongoing monthly check-ins
- Requirements: Age 16+, DOJ/FBI LiveScan, valid driver’s license recommended
- Coverage Area: Sacramento, Elk Grove, Rancho Cordova, Citrus Heights
- Next Orientation: November 12, 2026, 1:00 PM
Program Details
- Commitment: 4–12 hours on project days, typically 2nd & 4th Saturdays
- Training: On-site tool safety, native plant identification, erosion control basics
- Requirements: Age 14+ (minors with guardian), closed-toe shoes, sun protection
- Provided: Tools, gloves, water, snacks, sunscreen, first aid support on-site
- Next Project Day: November 23, 2026, 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Habitat Restoration Crews
Our Habitat Restoration Crews engage in hands-on environmental stewardship throughout Sacramento County. Projects include native riparian plant restoration along the American River Parkway, invasive species removal at urban creek corridors, community garden construction and maintenance in food desert neighborhoods, urban tree canopy expansion in heat-vulnerable census tracts, and seasonal waterway cleanup events at Arcade Creek, Morrison Creek, and the Sacramento River shoreline.
Since 2012, restoration crews have planted over 18,400 native trees and shrubs, removed 62 tons of invasive plant material, established seven new community gardens producing fresh produce for 340 families annually, and diverted over 11 tons of trash and debris from local waterways. The program partners with the Sacramento Tree Foundation, American River Conservancy, UC Davis Center for Community and Citizen Science, and the Sacramento County Regional Parks Department.
Community Food Distribution
One in seven Sacramento County residents experiences food insecurity. Our Community Food Distribution Network operates in partnership with the Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services, local grocery rescue programs, and regional farm cooperatives to ensure nutritious meals and pantry staples reach families, seniors, and individuals who need them most. Volunteers serve in warehouse sorting and packing, mobile pantry setup and operation, home delivery for mobility-limited seniors, community garden harvesting, and nutrition education workshops at partner schools.
The network currently distributes food through 23 mobile pantry sites, three fixed distribution centers, and a fleet of eight refrigerated delivery vehicles reaching 190 homebound recipients weekly. In fiscal year 2025, our food program volunteers packed and distributed 1.4 million pounds of food, equivalent to approximately 1.17 million meals. Warehouse operations run Tuesday through Saturday, with mobile pantry deployments happening every Thursday and Saturday morning at rotating neighborhood locations throughout the county.
Program Details
- Commitment: 3–8 hours/week, flexible shift scheduling
- Training: Food handling safety, cold chain protocols, client confidentiality
- Requirements: Age 14+ (minors with guardian), closed-toe shoes
- Shifts: Warehouse (Tue–Sat), Mobile Pantry (Thu & Sat AM), Delivery (Wed & Fri)
- Next Orientation: November 5, 2026, 6:00 PM
Program Details
- Format: Half-day (4 hrs) or full-day (6–8 hrs) team events
- Group Size: 10–200 participants per event
- Lead Time: 4–6 weeks recommended for scheduling
- Includes: Project planning, supplies, JHF event coordinator, impact report
- Cost: Sliding scale sponsorship starting at $500 per event
Corporate & Group Service Days
Joining Hands Foundation designs and coordinates turnkey team-building volunteer experiences for businesses, faith communities, civic organizations, and campus groups throughout the Sacramento metropolitan area. Our Corporate Service Days combine meaningful community impact with genuine team engagement, replacing generic team-building exercises with projects that leave a lasting mark on the community.
Project options include park beautification and playground refurbishment, school supply drive assembly and delivery, Habitat for Humanity build days, senior center activity and technology tutorial sessions, community garden plantings, and holiday meal preparation and distribution events. Each event includes a dedicated JHF project coordinator, all necessary materials and tools, safety briefing, volunteer hour documentation for CSR reporting, and a post-event impact summary with photos. We have hosted 142 corporate service days since 2015, serving organizations including Sutter Health, Sacramento Kings, UC Davis Medical Center, CalPERS, and dozens of regional small businesses.
Not Sure Where You Fit?
Take our two-minute Volunteer Match Quiz to discover which programs align best with your interests, availability, and skills.
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