Sacramento Leadership Class Renovates School For Homeless Kids

Every year a different group of people come together as part of the Sac Metro Chamber of Commerce Leadership Sacramento program. Each year's class tries to do something it believes will improve the city. This year's project was designed to help homeless children.

This year's project? Turn a run-down Mustard Seed School storage shed at Loaves and Fishes into something that could be used by students and staff.  Justin Wandro with Loaves and Fishes says the new ceiling, walls, bench seating and floor are great, but his favorite part is the box of twelve cubbies next to the door. Each cubbie holds what is called a "dream box." 

"Each box has an occupation in it. So, it's designed for the kids so they can play with the stuff in the box and learn about being an architect," says Wandro. "So, there's Lego's and coloring and different things about being an architect or about being a firefighter. The idea is we're planting a seed in these kids lives and letting them know they can be anything they want to be in the future and to hold on to their dreams."

Lita Kerwin is 13 and homeless. She has been at the school for about two weeks. She says the dream boxes are great because they remind kids what's possible.

"This whole project is just amazing. When I came in here I was so surprised. It looks great by the way. It's awesome."

Brian Crilly is an architect and is one of about three dozen people in this year's Leadership Sacramento class.

"Seeing these kids today really put the nail in it for us. This was absolutely the right project for the right people and for the right community."

Fifteen people and businesses volunteered time, money, and materials to help make the building renovation and the dream boxes a reality.