by Diana Pasquini, San Juan Ridge Family Resource Center

We have something very special to celebrate in this bright and shiny New Year! Thanks to Soroptimist International of the Sierra Foothills (SISF) and entrepreneur Cristina Ryan, San Juan Ridge Family Resource Center will be continuing to offer enriching activities to children on the San Juan Ridge. “A volunteer organization of spirited women united to promote the betterment of women and children in our community and throughout the world,” SISF has awarded a mini-grant of $1000 to aid the FRC in providing afterschool activities for our kids.

Grizzly Hill graduate Cristina Ryan, “is a social entrepreneur, founder and director of TRU Education developing an alternative value based business model and focusing on transformative adult education programs.” When asked why she took it upon herself to create a crowdfunding campaign to help the FRC fund children’s Arts programs, she replied, “I was inspired to create more community engagement when I heard that the arts programs which I benefitted from so much as a child were currently underfunded. Crowdfunding is a simple way to spread awareness and allow people an avenue to contribute for positive change. Most of the donors were students from TRU Education and Grizzly Hill Alumni who believe in the value of arts education.”

We are very grateful to Soroptimists of the Sierra Foothills and Cristina Ryan for their generous gifts to the children of our community. Their contributions will enable us to provide opportunities for our youth to enrich their lives and have fun here on the Oak Tree Campus. THANK YOU!