The afternoon started with a picnic lunch of sandwiches, chips, and cookies. Our most exciting special guests and co-leaders of the meetUP, Tracy and Tara from the Women for Wolves, along with Aria, a wolf-dog, were a special part of the adventure. A wolf-dog is exactly as it sounds, an animal resulting from breeding a domestic dog with a pure wolf or some combination of breeding within the types.

Aria has the appearance of a very large shepherd husky mix, yet despite her great size, she brought a calm and grounding presence. At first, Mentoring Matches observed her while Tracy and Tara shared about their work with wolves and wolf-dogs. They offered insight into their experiences and the importance of wildlife education and conservation. Matches also enjoyed time talking, laughing and engaging with one another in a relaxed outdoor setting. All the while, Aria sat patiently and was then rewarded with treats.

With full tummies and refilled water bottles, the group set out to walk the trails with Aria on a leash. Along the various paths, the environment shifted from flat open spaces to shaded paths or small banks near the water. The group tapped into quieter rhythms as nearby people fished and others rested in hammocks. There were also louder, funnier moments talking about the hardships of job hunting or their favorite animals.

At nine years old, Aria is considered an elder wolf-dog, yet she walked the path with graceful energy and trotted a bit into the water. Due to quality care and patient training, Aria is comfortable around people and quickly acclimated to our group. With Tracy and Tara nearby, the youth and mentors engaged Aria with careful touches.

Unique events like this help build real connections through shared positive experiences and learning. It’s very important for us to create opportunities for our youth to enjoy outdoor settings and activities. Not only does it offer a break from everyday routines, but nature also helps the body de-stress and self-regulate, which is a tool all people need, but especially important for people who have experienced trauma, like youth in foster care.

Before our time was over, mentees posed next to Aria for an impromptu photoshoot. Everyone appeared to leave feeling refreshed, inspired, connected and grateful. We love partnering with other nonprofits and are so grateful to Women for Wolves for this unique opportunity. It’s moments like this that remind us that growth happens when we are present, engaged and open to something new.

This year’s Holiday meetUP was intended to bring homey feelings of an old-time Christmas gathering with friends. Thanks to dedicated volunteers who led creative activities, the event had a special element of thoughtfulness. Other festive touches included a hot cocoa bar, holiday crafts, and one of the season’s most iconic traditions: cookie decorating.

Mentor Kristin, who also volunteers as a baker with Cake4Kids, truly made the day sweet (literally, with more than 6 pounds of powdered sugar!). After hours of prep to mix, roll out, and bake more than 100 cookies in 5 festive shapes, she also prepared 5 colors of homemade royal icing and packed dozens of mini piping bags for everyone.

Kristin and other amazing volunteers arrived early to set up cookie-decorating stations and transform a lovely apartment clubhouse into a festively welcoming space. Wintery decor also reflected elements of Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanza to honor the diversity within our community. As Mentoring Matches arrived, the room quickly filled with chatter and laughter amid holiday tunes. Mentees and Mentors mingled while eating tasty bites and warm hot chocolate.

Then, everyone gathered for cookie fun. Kristin guided the group through flood-decorating techniques, and once everyone got the hang of it, creativity took over. The perfectly golden Christmas trees, stockings, sweaters, snowflakes, and dark brown gingerbread cookies were decorated with care and delight. For several mentees, this was their first time decorating cookies, which was very special for Kristin, who cherishes memories of this tradition.

Another favorite activity was the craft station, where mentees created DIY ornaments and sculpted mini snowmen from air-dry putty. The space also had a small theater complete with comfy lounge chairs in stadium-style seating. A big screen played modern animated holiday short films curated by Volunteer Videographer Victoria.

Holiday cards for some of the people who invest in our mission were available for mentees and mentors to sign, offering an opportunity to share their gratitude. Two of the youth happily insisted on signing every card — more than 30 — to personally thank those who help make our community possible.

Seeing the youth mingle with one another, their mentors, and other volunteers is so heartwarming. It is also very meaningful to the youth. As one shared, “It’s my time to escape from my real world and come together with everybody and have a great time.”

Everyone left with a box of cookies (some with fewer than others as the sweet creations were hard to resist), any crafts they created, and feel-good holiday vibes. The youth also received a stocking with candy, useful items and fun gadgets, thanks to some generous friends. One mentee won a Chromebook through CalKIDS, which was perfect for her college journey.

After the event, our entire community of Mentoring Matches received an email with the cookie and icing recipes and a link to the animated shorts. This way, those who participated could relive the fun, and those who were unable to attend would still enjoy some of the festivities.

It was a day filled with cheer, new traditions, and gifts that brought care and joy during a season that can be very difficult for young people who have experienced foster care. We are deeply grateful to have held this space and thank all 7 volunteers — including a Mentoring Match and one young adult mentee — who made it happen.

May the spirit of sweet togetherness continue to fill hearts this season and throughout the year ahead!

Our recent Harvest Picnic meetUP was a fun way to celebrate this season! Mentoring Matches met at a local park for lunch and pumpkin carving. It was a beautiful Sacramento fall day — chilly yet sunny, which made it a perfect outdoor event where Matches could social distance while still enjoying time together as a group.

Upon arrival, the teens selected a large pumpkin and received a small decorated bucket filled with a carving kit and a surprise goodie bag that included festive socks and candy. A hearty lunch of fresh sandwiches with chips was made complete by adorable and very tasty monster cookies, thanks to our friends at Cake4Kids.

Youth and mentors worked side-by-side to create their unique jack-o’-lanterns. Most Matches freehanded their pumpkin designs while others used patterns from their carving kits. All of the jack-o’-lanterns came out great, and it was wonderful to celebrate together!

We encourage all caring adults to help teens in your life enjoy Halloween in a way that makes them comfortable. Check out our fun suggestions*:

• Let them eat candy! If you’re passing out candy, please share with teens — even if they don’t say “trick or treat” or aren’t in (elaborate) costumes.
• Help them dress up. It doesn’t have to cost a lot. Dressing up can be done with minimal accessories, simple hair/makeup and everyday clothes. We also like these fun and affordable costume ideas curated by Fabulessly Frugal.
• Order tasty takeout – several pizza chains offer jack-o’-lantern-shaped pizza. You can also check out tasty deals (shared by TODAY) from national restaurants, like Krispy Kreme, Wendy’s and more.
• Have a movie marathon — depending on your teen’s preference, you can stream Halloween-inspired movies from a spooky, horror, vintage or comedy genre.
• Bake or decorate a fun seasonal treat, like one of these easy recipes from Insanely Good.
• Of course, pumpkin carving is a great activity — you can make it a contest and give a prize.

We hope these tips* encourage you to do something fun with the teens in your life. A signature part of our program is to provide positive recreation to youth from foster care. We are proud to offer these age-appropriate activities and love seeing our young people enjoy traditions with their mentors.

We hope you enjoy a safe and happy Halloween!

*This content is NOT sponsored. These are original ideas from Aging UP staff and any companies mentioned are simply noted for inspiration.

The format of the event gave the sense of being in the same space together. It began as youth and mentors met in front of computer screens with their blank canvases and paint supplies. After several holiday-inspired ice breakers, Maya from Pinot’s Palette of Elk Grove gave step-by-step instructions on how to paint a charming snowman. Of course, individual style was highly encouraged, which resulted in unique paintings ranging from subtle to significant differences.

A couple of days before the meetUP, Founders and volunteers delivered holiday surprises to every teen in the program. They received festive bags filled with a DIY holiday project of wooden ornaments and paint pens, hot cocoa mix, candy, and everyday useful items of hand sanitizer, soap and holiday flavored lip balm. They also received a humorously commemorative 2020 ornament. Those who registered for the paint party received their paint kits. Finally, thanks to our friends at Ticket to Dream Foundation in partnership with Famous Footwear, many of our teens also received new shoes!

This was a special way to wish our teens a happy holiday season and to maintain our community. During paint strokes and drying time, participants chatted or asked questions as Christmas music played in the background. This sense of belonging is a very important part of our program. We are proud to continue to provide fun ways to engage, celebrate and support our teens—especially during this challenging year.

This Group meetUP began with a tasty lunch in a private room across from the lanes that Mentoring Matches would soon take over. After pizza, salad and soda, everyone laced up their two-toned, borrowed shoes to bowl in the Back Alley VIP Lanes that featured black lights, fun music and plenty of space to mingle.

After bowling, the youth received a handful of tokens and quickly led their mentors into the flashing arcade. From racing in driving simulators to testing their strength on the carnival hammer or shooting mini hoops, the Matches also engaged in plenty of one-to-one bonding time during this group event.

While they had a great time, Group meetUPs allow teens from foster care to enjoy more than just fun moments–they help to build confidence, a sense of community and, most importantly, resilience. While the activity may be new or challenging, these recreational events happen within a safe and supportive environment.

Such positive interactions allow youth to grow, develop skills, release stress and store up positive memories. As these benefits combine, young minds and bodies can heal from trauma. And, in bowling terms, that’s a STRIKE!

From the moment the teens entered the suite, there was a sense that this was a special event. Whether it was deciding on indoor barstools or outdoor stadium seats, our youth quickly made themselves comfortable. They enjoyed catered ballpark favorites of hot dogs, soda and popcorn as well as other tasty items like chicken wings, sliders, a veggie tray and cookies.

The suite was packed with Mentoring Matches. Some of the Matches in our first and second cohorts are still meeting for the first time and it was great to see the groups mingling. The private space made it easy for teens to engage with one another as well as with their mentors and our founders.

Watching a live baseball game was a new experience for many who attended. They also enjoyed three fun surprises. The first was a visit from Kevin and his family. Upon introduction, one of the teens asked, “is he a lawyer for bikers?” Later, another shared that he was nervous talking with a “celebrity.” If you know Kevin, these statement makes a lot of sense. His visit provided a great opportunity for our teens to have casual conversations with our event sponsor and it likely removed stereotypes and boundaries as they saw a positive adult role model, who may not have been exactly what they expected. The Mascot Dinger also made an in-room visit and Matches enjoyed taking pictures with him.

The biggest surprise came when River Cats jerseys arrived for each of the teens. This special gift was received with great excitement. For some of the teens, however, the jerseys were too big and they were invited to go to the River Cats store for an exchange. Nearly half of the group went to the concourse for what became a fun shopping spree where the teens asserted independence and showcased more of their personalities.

The Sacramento River Cats played a close game that ran extra-long but the Reno Aces won in nine innings and over four hours of play! Throughout the night, Matches slowly trickled out but a few stayed late in hopes of catching the post-game firework show. Since the game ended so late, it was decided to watch the fireworks from the parking lot. As the remaining group watched, one of the male teens pointed out how cool the reflection looked on the downtown buildings.

This meetUP was a win for all. Thank you again, Hughey Phillips, for the major league fun!

This was also our second group event with Mentoring Matches from both of our first two cohorts. Knowing that we had new Matches that are still in early relational development stages along with Matches that have been together for almost a year, brought additional rays of joy.

It’s not always easy to get teenagers to wake up early on a weekend, but even with our 10 a.m. start, there was great energy. Our group had private use of the entire facility. We began with an introduction and learned that two teens had never played laser tag and that several mentors had not played in 10 or more years. After pastries, fruit and juice, the friendly staff introduced us to the laser vests, guns and rules of play. We then entered the laser arena to enjoy a thrilling game of running, squatting, hiding and firing lasers at one another. 

The activity level was certainly high. After our first game, everyone was rather warm, so we cooled down with more snacks and some arcade games. Most of the Matches wanted to play laser tag again. During this game, our group decided on team play. The teams were assigned based on the vest that was grabbed. For the majority of the game, the blue team overtook the second floor; however, they still lost to the red team by points. It ended with laughs, high-fives and some friendly pointing as the group eyed the scoreboard.

The morning continued with mingling over arcade games and air hockey. One of our mentors also generously covered the costs of bumper cars for those who wanted to experience that activity. It was great to see so much interaction. Youth related with their mentors and one another. A few of the teens had previously lived in the same placement and they were able to reconnect during this event.

Group meetUPs are one of our core program services because of the many benefits they provide. They are designed to offer new and fun recreation that allows youth from foster care to enjoy typical teen activities within a stigma-free environment. They also encourage physical movement or creativity, which serves as a relief from everyday adolescent troubles and the additional stressors often associated with living in foster care. Finally, group events enhance mentoring friendships as youth and mentor engage through shared experiences.

The smiles, as well as post-event evaluations, let us know this event was a bright light to all who attended. 

Our first Group meetUP took place at the Sacramento Zoo.  Seven Matches (youth and mentor) joined our founders April and Kecia, Match Coordinator Bonnie, Volunteer Photographer Lana and Intern Jordan for an afternoon at one of Sacramento’s most iconic locations.

Matches started with a self-guided stroll through the zoo then met as a group for a private Animal Encounter. The fun and knowledgeable zoo staff brought out a variety of small animals from all over the world, including a hedgehog, ball python, six-banded armadillo, and blue and gold macaw. Some animals hit instant celebrity status, while others needed more time. One mentor even jumped out of her seat at the sight of the snake.

Seeing the animals up close was a unique experience. Prior to this trip, some youth had never explored the zoo and one even stated she was not that interested in animals. At the end of our time, everyone was able to identify a favorite animal and what they enjoyed most during the zoo trip.

The group then headed across the street to William Land Park for lunch and an activity. After lunch, Matches were guided to choose a word that they wanted as a foundational part of their lives. Using paint pens, the word was then expressed on small river rocks, in whatever artistic fashion they chose. We also had two large river rocks for Matches to design together. We hope these keepsakes serve as reminders to remain strong and focused.

Group meetUPs are intended to be fun, but they are also meant to provide opportunities to gain new experiences and expand worldviews. As the youth smiled, engaged with nature, met one another, and took the time to consider their word, we saw this goal become a reality. Many more group events are planned, and we can’t wait!

Our special thanks to Lana for capturing some amazing moments and to the Sacramento Zoo for its generosity and hospitality. It was very special for our first group event to take place at such a memorable place.