Vida Nueva is a 1.83-acre affordable housing site in Rohnert Park that offers a community for people in need. Vida Nueva offers housing at 30 to 50 percent of the area's median income.
Some populations the group seeks to help are those who are at risk of becoming homeless, people with mental illnesses or chronic substance abuse and people with special needs. Some units are also reserved for single parents. Amenities located on-site include schools, a playground and a job outreach center.
The vision of China Soul for Christ Foundation is to spread the word and gospel of Jesus Christ through modern media, videos and literature. The business acts as a non-profit organization while focusing on spreading Christianity throughout the world, focusing specifically on Asia. Yuan Zhiming, pastor and founder, has written books, produced documentaries and even completed a TV series all in this pursuit.
Forgotten Felines is a program that first, seeks to bring in stray and abandoned cats from the streets to give them food and shelter, and eventually a caring home.
While Forgotten Felines has no actual building, it operates from the service and goodwill of animal shelters throughout Sonoma County. The Rohnert Park Animal Shelter takes in these cats and nurses them back to health, getting them out of the wild.
The program has also recently begun to examine the root causes of why feral cats proliferate in certain communities — and how to prevent this.
Twenty-two clinics over the next year will be held for pet cats, formerly feral cats and tame, homeless cats. Owners and people interested in adopting can ask questions and get more information about how to adopt.
Also, for the first time, Forgotten Felines is offering spay and neuter services for low income people who own cats or are seeking to own cats, for a small fee.
The Rohnert Park Animal Shelter usually has between 10 and 15 dogs available for adoption at a given time, and usually more than 20 cats. A large enclosed dog park on the shelter grounds is open to the public until 9am and opens up to the public again after 5pm. This is a good opportunity to socialize your dogs and to meet other dogs available for adoption. The shelter hosts special adoption events. For example, on the second Saturday of every month, the shelter hosts "Bunny Day," where the public can meet adoptable rabbits, learn about rabbit care, bring bunnies in for a free nail trim and just ask general questions. Other services include a feral cat referral, microchip placement and tagging, a kid's pet summer camp and other after-school programs.The shelter also offers low-cost spay and neuter services for both cats and dogs. The recommended donation is $30. Adoptions end one half-hour before closing.
Lifehouse is a nonprofit that helps people with developmental disabilities. Founded in 1954, Lifehouse works in both Sonoma and Marin counties to provide skills training, advocacy, integration, referrals and information. Many local companies and philanthropists help support Lifehouse, which accepts donations.
Love is the Answer (LITA) is a nonprofit group that matches volunteers with seniors to create lasting friendships. LITA has opened chapters in several counties since beginning in the 1970s. People who are able to donate even 30 minutes a week can help in a variety of programs such as One-on-One Friends, Pet Connection, Bridging Generations and LITA Families & Holiday Gifts.