Volunteers ranged from local residents to employees of participating businesses and organizations.

RANCHO CORDOVA, CA (MPG) - Rakes scraped across lawns, landscaping materials moved from house to house and volunteers spread throughout Lincoln Village Saturday, Sept. 12 as a neighborhood became the latest stop for an annual day of service.

More than 100 volunteers took part in Dorothy Mae Good Deeds Day, helping beautify and maintain 30 homes during the event’s first year in Rancho Cordova. Sacramento Neighborhood Housing Services partnered with the City of Rancho Cordova and community organizations to provide yard cleanup, landscaping and other assistance at no cost to participating residents.

The annual event honors Dorothy Mae Richardson, who helped launch the Neighborhood Housing Services movement. SNHS President and CEO Lauretta Casimir-Mahoney said the organization focuses on communities where residents may face barriers to traditional housing assistance.

More than 100 volunteers took part in Dorothy Mae Good Deeds Day, helping beautify and maintain 30 homes during the event’s first year in Rancho Cordova.

“We identified that this area, in particular, was underserved in part because there’s a lot of renters, and there’s some gaps between some of the services the city provides for homeowners versus renters,” Casimir-Mahoney said.

She said the goal was to address some deferred maintenance while bringing residents, businesses and volunteers together.

Partners included The Home Depot, El Dorado Savings Bank, U.S. Bank, SMUD and Unidos. The event also included meals for residents and volunteers, live entertainment, children’s activities and information from community organizations.

This year marked the fourth Dorothy Mae Good Deeds Day and the first held in Rancho Cordova. Previous events have taken place in other Sacramento-area neighborhoods.

For Lincoln Village resident Renee King (left), whose home was among those receiving work, the activity brought a noticeable change to the neighborhood. His son, Avion King (right), said he appreciated seeing younger residents taking part.

Casimir-Mahoney said one challenge in previous years has been convincing residents that the services are actually free.

“What we found in the past is there’s a disconnect in believing that someone would show up and do what we’re doing for free,” she said. “We get people that say no, and then we show up that day, and they go, ‘Oh, we didn’t think it was real.’”

Organizers also took a more neighborhood-focused approach to outreach this year, recruiting residents to help canvass Lincoln Village and speak directly with their neighbors before the event. Nadia Faraci, a longtime Lincoln Village resident who helped with that outreach, said seeing the turnout was rewarding.

“I just feel gratitude, kindness, just commitment,” Faraci said. “Unifying the community, getting everybody together.”

The event included meals for residents and volunteers, live entertainment, including a Mariachi band, children’s activities and information from community organizations.

For Lincoln Village resident Renee King, whose home was among those receiving work, the activity brought a noticeable change to the neighborhood.

“It feels pretty good,” King said. “Just coming outside early in the morning and seeing the community more lively, people coming out, volunteering, helping out in the community.”

His son, Avion King, said he appreciated seeing younger residents taking part.

“It feels good to see people my age come together in unity, helping the older people and helping with yards and whatever people need in general,” he said.

Volunteers ranged from local residents to employees of participating businesses and organizations.

Genesis Perez said she signed up after hearing about the opportunity from a friend.

“I wanted to volunteer because I heard it was about helping out our community,” Perez said. “If you want others to help you, you should put in your part as well.”

The annual event honors Dorothy Mae Richardson, who helped launch the Neighborhood Housing Services movement.

The City of Rancho Cordova helped support the event through its Community Enhancement Fund. Matt Buland, a management analyst and community engagement volunteer coordinator for the city, said the work was about more than landscaping.

“Beautification is really important because it enhances the neighborhood and makes people feel proud to live in the place that they live,” Buland said. “What’s special about this one is that it’s really about the building of community.”

The Home Depot also supplied materials and volunteers for the event. Andrew Maluth, an assistant store manager at the Roseville Home Depot, said giving back is one of the company’s core values.

“It's very important for the community to show up for others,” Maluth said. “From a Home Depot standpoint, with our employees, they do this because they get to see that Home Depot does more than just sell stuff.”

Casimir-Mahoney said organizers hope Dorothy Mae Good Deeds Day will return to Rancho Cordova.

“The community need doesn’t stop,” she said.

Face painting was among the activities offered in the kids zone during Dorothy Mae Good Deeds Day.