“EPHC Gives Back,” which began as an idea by a several EPHC employees to create a group that would give back to the community it serves, received a big boost when one EPHC Gives Back member attended an informal dinner this past October. Talk turned to Portola and the struggle many residents have to make ends meet and to provide their children what they need to be successful in school. One woman, who was retiring, said she wanted to do something to “help the children.” When asked how she would like to help, she said, “Would a check for $10,000 be enough?” She had one stipulation—that she remain anonymous.
A meeting was arranged between EPHC Gives Back members (Lori Crown, Linda Jameson, Regina Martinez, Linda Satchwell, Alanna Wilson, and Annie Yoakum) and Sara Sheridan, Principal of Portola Jr./Sr. High School, Bruce Williams , Principal of C. Roy Carmichael Elementary School, and Shannon Harston, the newly appointed Student Services Coordinator for both schools. The donor suggested filling backpacks with socks, underwear, and generic jeans and jackets as she had done previously for school children in Arizona. Harston, who has worked with Portola’s children and families before coming to her newly created position at Plumas Unified School District, shook her head. This is a small community. Everyone knows everyone, she said. Kids here wouldn’t wear clothes that would make them stand out as different. And, they’d go without a jacket before they’d wear an obviously cheap one to school. In reality, these kids just wanted to fit in and be like everyone else.
Martinez said she could get clothes the kids really wanted for just a few dollars more than the generic clothing. In the ensuing discussion, an idea was formed: Harston would make contact with families she knew could use the help. She would invite them to the school, where she would have a laptop set up. Martinez would provide the links to three websites: Old Navy, Kohls, and Sports Authority. The families could shop online, choosing the clothing of their choice, the right size and color. There was a total dollar amount set for elementary school kids and a slightly higher one for high school students. Martinez had coupons, searched email specials, and suggested a similar, lower priced item in some cases.
The other key ingredient to the success of the program, was keeping it anonymous. Harston would meet with each family and then assign them an ID number. She faxed this to Martinez, who shopped for deals and then placed the order. Each order, when it arrived at the hospital, was put in a large bag with the family’s assigned number. Martinez delivered the numbered bags to Harston, who in turn delivered them directly to the homes of the recipients.
EPHC Gives Back staff never knew the names of the children or their families. “We want everyone who participates to feel respected,” said Martinez. “We don’t want to know why they need help or who they are—we’re here to help whoever needs it.”
Harston said that the “Gives Back” program was essential to her role as Student Services Coordinator, because she was able to call target families and say, “’We have this volunteer driven program through EPHC Gives Back.’ It helps give a purpose to the introduction—something to offer them that is real and tangible right now. It helps build the relationship; families are immediately more open.”
Harston said getting entire families into the school is a concept both she and Principal Sheridan have been promoting. For this program, the entire family will come into Harston’s office and sit down at the computer and choose the items they need—these range, typically, from jackets, boots and snow suits, to sports shoes. The hospital group is committed to helping in any way they can—from the standard to the creative. In fact, they recently paid for medical needs not covered by insurance that help boost students’ success in school and items that help young students passionate about an after school program in the arts to follow their dreams. So far, the program has served 27 children and youth in a myriad of ways.
“Every single family that I’ve met with,” said Harston, “get what they really want. No two orders are the same. Every single family has been immensely grateful.” She gave examples of the difference these gifts made: “We have kids on the basketball court that wouldn’t have been because they wouldn’t have been able to afford shoes; kids with new snow pants and boots will get to play in the snow—before, they could only stay in designated plowed areas. They were not allowed to go where they could run and play and be social.”
And, the concept of caring doesn’t stop there. When EPHC Gives Back held a rummage sale to raise more funds for this program, Harston let recipients know about the sale. She told them that purchasing items at the sale could be a way for them to say thank you for their gifts—it would be their way to give back. According to Harston, a number of these families made a point of attending the rummage sale.
As the two largest organizations in the county, both EPHC Gives Back and the schools see this collaboration as an example of how much good can come from working together. In fact, this program has been so successful, both entities have agreed that it will continue as long as there are funds and need. “I see it as an important ongoing service,” said Principal Sarah Sheridan, “it makes a huge difference.”
Sheridan explained that this program dovetails nicely with school goals, set at the district level: “Family and community partnership has been added recently. This program does it hugely.” This brings her to a labor of love, which she and the school staff have been working on for the past year—their new Media Center.
During that initial planning meeting with EPHC Gives Back, Sheridan set out her vision for the Media Center: it would be a 21st Century learning center, with fifty laptops, a large flat screen television, and tables designed to configure in various ways for different teaching styles—from collaborative groups to individual study. “It’s now a very sought after space,” said Sheridan. “Kids love the fact that they have access to laptops, and teachers do too. Lessons have changed—they are computer based, and include a lot of internet research.”
The missing piece in the Media Center, however, was the tables and chairs—the collaborative meeting space at the heart of her vision. Sheridan looked uncomfortable at that first meeting when she asked if the Gives Back group might possibly be interested in buying the tables and chairs, which would complete the year-long effort to create the Media Center. The group talked with the donor, who immediately agreed, and as Sheridan and Harston were heading for their cars, they were stopped in the parking lot with the news. Sheridan was so overwhelmed she fought back tears.
Recently complete, the Center has become an example of the collaboration and compassion that are central to the message Sheridan consistently impresses upon her students, “because if we’re missing that, we haven’t done our job. We want our kids to be exposed to that daily,” said Sheridan.
The Center also serves as a place for students who have no place at home for studying to come after school and do their homework. Members of the football team are required to come to the Media Center to do homework three days a week, which brings together “the kids with resources and those without,” said Sheridan. “Those kids are put into an environment where they feel supported, more included. In the Media Center learning environment, they’re more likely to be kinder and help one another out with homework. I’ve heard kids say, ‘Why don’t you come over to my house to have dinner if your mom is still in Reno working?’” Sheridan hopes to expand the after school program to help even more kids, and she’s looking to the community for volunteer tutors to make this happen.
EPHC Gives Back member, Annie Yoakum, who graduated from Portola High School said, “It’s an amazing feeling to be able to help complete the Media Center. In a small way, I feel like I’ve been able to show some gratitude for the impact teachers and staff of PHS had on my life.”

EPHC Gives Back began as a simple idea—to give back to the community the hospital serves. When everyone involved works towards a common goal, based on caring for the community, more good gets accomplished than anyone could have imagined.
If you would like to help EPHC Gives Back and the Portola school children, please contact Regina Martinez: 832.6510; rmartinez@ephc.org. Donations are tax deductible. If you’d like to help students by tutoring at PHS, contact Principal Sara Sheridan: 530.832.4284, ext. 201; ssheridan@pcoe.k12.ca.us.
by Linda Satchwell, EPHC Community Programs Coordinator