People of Progress

Good will. Good work. Good progress.

Community Safety-Net. Community Resource. Community Catalyst!

Food Bank. Resource Center. Community Gardens & Orchard.

Super-Sized Thrift Store. Information Resources.

POP! A nonprofit 501c3 serving Shasta County since 1973

Our mission is to strengthen individuals, families and our community with particular emphasis on issues affecting low income persons. People of Progress is unique to Shasta County and can make timely decisions to respond to emerging needs. All donations remain local.

The Joyful Alternative Christmas Faire.

If you missed it in early December, keep an eye out for this enchanting and practical event next year! A very nominal admission price ($2 and kids were free) included complimentary hot cider, chili, fresh-baked cookies and corn bread; make-it-yourself wreaths from a huge variety of very unusual greenery; pick-the-material-out-yourself and have-it-sewn-right-in-front-of-you fleece hats and pine cone bird feeders. There were over 20 booths from local and international nonprofit organizations where you could see what good work is being done, pick up a small gift or "alternatively" make a donation and receive a card-evidencing-your-gift to give as a gift to your loved ones instead of a material gift! The congregation of the First United Methodist Church puts on this event for the entire community and their decorations utterly transform their social hall into a beautiful expression of good will towards all mankind.

Human Bean Evenings

January & February, 2011 Join with other Human Beans throughout Shasta County and beyond! Invite your friends to your house or your colleagues to the lunchroom and we'll provide the Human Bean soup mix along with a host packet filled with information on hunger and homelessness in our area, conversation catalysts and suggestions on what people can do to help reduce hunger in Shasta County. Contact us if you'd like to host a Human Bean friend-raising event!

Octuberfest!

Our Annual Dinner & Silent Auction was a Great Success!

We raised over $3,000 because of the wonderful support of Silverado Mortgage Company, Kirkwood Assisted Living, First United Methodist Church, Doni Greenberg and the many diners who attended and the many other donors who contributed!

Our annual dinner honors people and potatoes and the ability to move forward together through adversity.

A New Community Radio Station!

Click Here for More Information

People of Progress was granted a permit by the FCC for a community radio station and is working to make this a reality. Please contact us if you are interested in helping get the station on the air. The new station will eventually be at 90.1 FM and cover parts of Trinity County, Redding, and the north and west areas of Shasta County. This will be a community forum and a community showcase. There is a lot of work to do, information to obtain, money to raise, grants to write, volunteers to sign-up and organize and train. If you have skills you want to offer, please contact us!

New Store Hours, Same Resource Center Hours

POP! Super-Sixed Thrift Shop is now open Monday through Friday from 10:00 to 5:30 and Saturdays from 10:00 to 3:00. Due to limited staff, we can accept store donations between 10 and 1:00. If these hours do not work for you or you have a larger volume than 3 or 4 boxes or bags, or something you are unsure that we are able to use, please give us a call! 243-3811 Thanks!!!!!!

We can be flexible and we certainly appreciate your donations!!!

Food Bank & Resource Center Hours: 10:00 - 1:00 Monday - Friday. Clothing assistance is from 10 to 11:00 Monday - Friday. Our Food Bank is also open Saturday mornings and weekkday afternoons by appointment for people who cannot make it in during regular our hours. We assist with food, clothing, blankets, personal hygiene, diapers, rent, voicemail, motel shelter (as grant funds allow), prescription assistance, bus passes, information/referrals, emergency-oriented casework, and one-on-one gameplans to help people move forward.

If you cannot arrive within program office hours, please call for assistance.

Our Programs:

Each year, our food bank and resource center provides food for over 290,000 meals to more than 14,000 people who would have gone hungry otherwise. We also help in many other ways: information and advice over the phone and helping other agencies serve their individual clients or collaborating on ways to improve trends, services and better meet meeds at the community level.

Hunger is a growing problem too many in our own community face. Seniors who are homeowners and can't afford to repair their roof; persons on an SSI disability income of $900 per month, mothers who go without lunch at work so their children have enough to eat; kids who arrive at school hungry; people working at low-wage jobs whose utility, food, fuel, and rent bills keep rising while wages are stagnant; and anyone who has been laid off and is trying to hold their household together with an unemployment check. EACH HOUSEHOLD WHO SEEKS OUR HELP HAS THEIR OWN STORY, THEIR OWN SITUATION, THEIR OWN STRUGGLES AND MOST IMPORTANTLY -- THEIR OWN ABILITIES TO MOVE FORWARD. WE HELP THEM THROUGH THEIR IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY AND PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, HELP THEM WITH INFORMATION AND STRATEGIES AND EMERGENCY CASEWORK SO THEY CAN MOVE AHEAD. We provide voicemail boxes to help people connect with employers, service providers and family. We also give away 10,000 clothing items, shoes, blankets, diapers, personal hygiene kits and 1,800 bus passes for essential appointments. Our services provide an essential community-based safety net for those most in need.

We are a member agency of the United Way of Shasta County. The United Way chooses to support agencies that provide outstanding, essential community services in an efficient manner and who conduct an annual independent audit.

Contact us for ways you can help! Here's some easy ideas: Host a sock or blanket or penny or umbrella or coat or shampoo or laundry soap or canned food drive at your workplace, school, civic group or church. Bring in paper and plastic bags in good condition for our store.Bring in egg cartons for our food bank -- we have ongoing "egg donors" but never enough cartons! Attend an event and bring a friend.Donate camping gear, furniture, small appliances, shoes, underwear and clothing! Volunteer -- contact us on specific needs we have and skill you have!

We hope you find our web site useful. We often update and add new areas of information, so please come back to our website or e-mail us with any questions or suggestions you may have.

New Shasta County
Community Radio Station?

-- page update 11/10/2011