The El Dorado Community Foundation is proud to announce the newly established Fund for the Homeless, a field of interest fund. This fund has been created for the express purpose of supporting the programs, services and needs of El Dorado County’s homeless population.

Bill Roby, Acting Director of the Foundation has spent hours meeting with representatives of interested parties working together toward the establishment of a homeless shelter and services in El Dorado County. The Count Board of Supervisors, the Chief Administrative Office, El Dorado County Human Services and Mission Outreach have been communicating with each other for several years in an effort to identify the needs of the homeless and to formulate a workable plan to administer programs and services as well as garner funding for a shelter.

Bill received a call from the Shelbi, Lee and Alex Bennett family in El Dorado Hills. In his conversation with the Bennetts he learned that in 2003, they became aware of the growing need for funding of the Cal Expo homeless shelter. That shelter was only open during inclement weather. They researched to find what it would cost to keep the facility open for one more day and then they wrote a check to cover that cost. They had the idea that if they could do it, so might their friends and business associates and they began to make calls. They discovered that people would gladly donate for this effort. Shelbi Bennett said their next thought was, “what if 100 people bought a day?” and it was then that they sat down and started planning a golf tournament to raise funds for the shelter and they named it the Buy-A-Day Charity Golf Tournament. When girlfriends who didn’t golf wanted to contribute, the Buy-A-Day Boutique was created and held the night before the tournament, offering numerous gift-buying opportunities for them with proceeds going to the charity.

This year, Alex Bennett, 16 year old son of Shelbi and Lee who attends Oak Ridge High School said, “Why don’t we use the proceeds of the tournament for the homeless in our own back yard (El Dorado County)?” Alex has watched and assisted his parents with this event for six years, he knows it is hard work, but he feels he is up to the challenge and will be chairing the event this year. He researched to find an organization that might help him with his efforts and manage the distribution of the proceeds and found the El Dorado Community Foundation. He called the Foundation and made an appointment to come in to talk to them. Together, they soon agreed that the purpose of the Buy-A-Day Charity Golf Tournament and the purpose of the Fund for the Homeless would be a perfect match. This year’s tournament will be held at Empire Ranch Gold Club in Folsom on October 24, 2009 and all proceeds will go to the Fund for the Homeless at the El Dorado Community Foundation.

Mr. Roby believes that these events did not happen by chance and said, “When we are open minded and listening to the needs of the community, opportunities, partnerships and solutions come to surface – this is one of those moments when the pieces came together. We are humbled by the generosity of our donors and are looking forward to building and growing this very timely fund to benefit the homeless of El Dorado County.”

For more information about the tournament and the many opportunities for sponsorship, to RSVP for the boutique, to register to golf in the tournament, or to learn more about the El Dorado Community Foundation, contact us or call our office at (530) 622-5621.