Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference recently welcomed two new members to its all-volunteer Board of Directors: Carey Moreno-Hunt and Blake Anderson. They both bring tremendous experience and important perspectives to our skilled group of Directors. Get to know them more by reading on!
Meet Carey Moreno-Hunt
Tell us a little about yourself and your role on the Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference Board of Directors.
I am originally from the Chicago area, but moved to Sacramento for medical training and am now a permanent transplant! Met my husband in college at Michigan State University and we have 4 kids ages 12-18. When not working and shuttling kids to activities, we enjoy hiking and live music.
Many people on the board have business experience and they bring that knowledge and expertise to the board. As a Maternal Fetal Medicine physician, I do not have a business background, but having had 4 kids who are or have been very active in Hands4Hope, I bring the parent perspective.
How did you hear about Hands4Hope-Youth Making A Difference and how long have you been involved?
I first learned about Hands4Hope when they had a table at the pirate festival at the library 12yrs ago. As my kids entered middle school, they all became active in Hands4Hope and that’s when we got more involved.
What motivated to dedicate your time as a Board Member?
Seeing the influence Hands4Hope has had on my own children and wanting to be involved in bettering my community is what prompted me to get more involved. Hands4Hope was, by far, the thing that had the most influence in preparing my oldest child for college and launching into adult life.
What are you looking forward to doing most while on the Board?
Getting more involved with the amazing local youth and promoting the organization’s mission of helping to foster civic minded and socially responsible youth. I would also like to expand parental involvement, as we are always looking for adult leads for events to support all the youth participants.
Is there anything else that you would like to add about your experiences with Hands4Hope?
Hands4Hope is not just about volunteering. There is an entire education arm of the program that is teaching and instilling these youth with skills they will use for life and take to college and the communities they go to next. Whatever they put into Hands4Hope, they will get back so much more.
These pics are both from the annual EDH Town Center Fireworks & Freedom Concert. The top photo is from when we first learned about Hands4Hope and the kids started enjoying the events that Hands4Hope offered for the community. The bottom photo is from last summer when all four of our kids were volunteering at Hands4Hope's Kids Zone Area.
Meet Blake Anderson
Tell us a little about yourself and your role on the Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference Board of Directors.
Hello! My name is Blake Anderson, and I am so excited to be serving on the Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference Board of Directors. I grew up in Placerville, graduating from El Dorado High School, and after spending a few years in Utah and Oregon for college and work, my wife and I moved back to El Dorado County in 2022 to have our first child. I first heard about Hands4Hope when my office was invited to be a bail participant for the Endless Summer Beach Party. As I participated and learned about how Hands4Hope does so much more to empower our youth than just offer service hours, I knew I wanted to do more to help. I got involved with the Planned Giving Committee, using my professional skills as a Certified Financial Planner™ to help raise awareness of tax efficient ways to financially support our youth leadership and service efforts.
What are you looking forward to doing most while on the Board?
As a board member, I look forward to spending more time serving our community alongside our amazing youth and helping Hands4Hope grow to empower even more youth to make the difference our community needs.
Blake Anderson and his family joined the Endless Summer Beach Party Fundraiser as "Rescue Bail" participants, posing as castaways on an island with an exploding volcano. Never fear, their supporters were able to bail them off the island to safety, raising essential funding for Hands4Hope in the process.
