Sacramento

Pastor Ken Burkey accepts the award on behalf of Green Valley Community Church.
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The Sacramento Division honors Green Valley Community Church in Placerville, California for its work serving as a resource for community members in crisis, whether they have been impacted by violent crime, homelessness, substance abuse, mental health issues, or financial challenges.

Founded in 1930, the church’s congregation is focused on using all funds collected and donated to impact the community as a whole. For more than 10 years, church members have assembled “survival backpacks” for federal, state, and local law enforcement to provide to victims of violence and sex trafficking at no charge. The church has also assisted law enforcement by sponsoring flights to return trafficked victims to their loved ones.

Green Valley Community Church also founded Hope House, the only transitional housing program of its kind in El Dorado County, to address the need for housing for the rising population of women with children in crisis. Hope House staff and volunteers strive to empower women to be self-sufficient by helping them develop a plan to overcome challenges, all while the women live cooperatively together, sharing responsibilities and managing household budgets.