Sierra Service Project

Come out this Saturday, June 20! Join our partners Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, Neighborhood Wellness Foundation, California Climate Action Corps, and North Sacramento HART as we celebrate Juneteenth through service, community, and the opening of a new community garden 🌱

Come help us honor the legacy of Juneteenth through collective action and community building.

📍Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church at 3407 Altos Ave, Sacramento, CA
🗓️ June 20

Sign up: bit.ly/SSP-June-20

🎉 SSP's 2026 summer program staff training has officially begun! 🎉

Over the last few days, staff have been arriving in Sacramento for training: Site Directors, then songleaders, and now staff teams! Yesterday, we spent the afternoon getting to know one another with 🏃‍♂️‍➡️very active🏃‍♂️ icebreaker games, songtime, and introductions.

The next week and a half will include many hours of training together:

🤝 Full group time on leadership and creating safe community
🔧 Job-specific time learning construction, food, and spiritual program best practices
🧩 Building strong team dynamics
❔ Learning alongside new and experienced SSP community members
🥳 And of course, having fun!

Stay tuned for more training updates as these inspiring staff get ready to invest their whole summer to build SSP community!

We are excited to announce our 2026 summer program theme: 💖 Wonderfully Made & Wildly Connected! 🍃

During each summer week, Spiritual Life Coordinators will lead participants through an exploration of what makes each of us uniquely wonderful, and how those gifts shine in community. Every day's activities will be rooted in the message that you are loved and worthy as you are. As we ride the waves of change together, we honor those unique identities and build one another up, becoming our most free and wild selves.

Of course, with every summer theme also comes an exciting new shirt design! This year's design was collaboratively developed to evoke a sense of wildness and beauty, with contributions from YAC member Miriam Spencer and staff alumni Everest Harvey and Olivia Sheaffer. All participants registered for an SSP summer week will receive a T-shirt on site.

If you want your own unique style or color of shirt (including long sleeves, sweatshirts, hoodies, tanks, and even tie-dye), we've got options for you via our Bonfire store!

Shirts purchased on Bonfire are made to order and shipped directly to you: Bonfire.com/SSP-2026

A few weeks ago, Site Director Renee and Construction Coordinator Derrika made a trip to visit the Teec Nos Pos Chapter of the Navajo Nation! We are excited to return to this chapter this summer for the first time since 2011.

🌞 Teec Nos Pos, AZ is located near the Four Corners and sits at an elevation of about 5,300'. Be prepared for a dry climate with minimal shade, and summer temperatures often reaching 100°F. The schedule will likely shift one hour earlier than our standard daily outline to account for this.

📍 We'll be hosted at the Chapter House in the center of the community. There is a large space for most participants to sleep, with several indoor bathrooms and an industrial kitchen. Meals will be shared at picnic tables outside, and adventurous volunteers are welcome to sleep under the stars. Two nearby churches have also opened their doors for larger weeks to host a few groups overnight.

🚿 The site will feature a brand new shower trailer, built by long-time SSP volunteers from Asbury UMC - thank you! It offers six private showers with attached changing rooms.

🏠 High-priority home repair projects will focus on accessibility ramps, stairs, porches, and roof repairs for elders. Many homes do not have running water or electricity.

🤝 On Monday evenings, community members will share about their culture. We are lucky to be close to the San Juan River, where we will gather for Water Day later in the week!

We can't wait for the summer! There is still room to sign up for a week of service: SierraServiceProject.org/Navajo-Nation

Congratulations to the Sacramento Sustainability Academy Urban Agriculture cohort, who celebrated graduation last month!

As part of the festivities, Program Manager Atlas Jackmon led a tour through the garden that this cohort helped develop at Mt. Calvary Missionary Baptist Church. The tour was followed by reflections from each SSA fellow, then brunch and games.

Applications for the next SSA cohorts are now open! Apply at SierraServiceProject.org/Sac-Academy

Summer program staff training starts two weeks from today in Sacramento! We're excited for 10 days of learning, bonding, and preparing for an unforgettable summer.

Our summer staff's pay, benefits, and professional development are underwritten by grants and sponsorships! You or your church/business can sponsor a day of training, travel fund, or end-of-summer staff gift. Sponsor levels start at $500!

Learn more about sponsor levels, or become a sponsor: SierraServiceProject.org/Sponsorship

📣 End of month update! 📣

THANK YOU to our generous donors for a big day full of impact and generosity for the May 7th Big Day of Giving!

Between early giving in April, $15k in matching funds, and many gifts throughout the day, 174 supporters came together to invest $62,016 in SSP's work, building vital skills for youth and young adults.

Didn't get a chance to donate? The fundraiser is open through the end of June! It's never too late: GiveButter.com/BDOG2026

SSP has always invested in developing young adult leaders. Our passionate 2026 Summer Program staff will be working hard to create unforgettable service-learning experiences for youth, while building vital skills in the process.

We’re 62% of the way to our $60,000 goal, thanks to the support of 109 Big Day of Giving donors. To help finish the day strong, a pool of major donors is matching $5,000 until midnight, dollar-for-dollar! ⏰

Double your dollar today: GiveButter.com/bdog2026