This week I am playing some tunes with a focus on helping others. It's interesting how a song can literally change its meaning when you listen to it with the idea of volunteering. Listen with a need from the individual or the community in mind.

Join us as John Aubert and co-founder Greg Gibs talk about the truly awesome Community Harvest of Davis, a nonprofit run by volunteers that harvests fruit from residential trees and donates it to agencies that feed people in need. Both guests are members of the group's board. Community Harvest donates to Davis agencies, primarily the Short Term Emergency Aid Committee, with any excess going to the Yolo Food Bank and local churches. Its mission "is to provide food for people who need it, promote sustainable use of urban resources, and contribute to a stronger community." As of fall 2017, the charity had donated more than 250,000 pounds of fruit, and had a donor database of 200+ homes and more than 400 volunteers, including including members of 11 UC Davis service groups.

Pamela Cohen, founder and board member of Purple Tree Cafe, shares the story of the Davis nonprofit on the latest Imagining Yolo Davis. Purple Tree Café creates community-based employment for people with disabilities and brings people with and without disabilities together through food, art, and music. It offers handcrafted vegan and wheat-free baked goods, and organic iced tea and other beverages, at the Davis Farmers Market and other events, often serving from its signature bicycle-driven coffee cart -- an icon in bike-friendly Davis. Purple Tree also sponsors music events featuring performers with and without disabilities. "We plan to continue to expand opportunities to provide employment, food, fun, and a welcoming space for all." The Purple Tree cafe also created the Team Davis Singers -- check out Singers' website to see some amazing videos.

This week's guest is Paul Simon via his latest musical release, Seven Psalms. By sculpting his lyrics into his music, he explains his thoughts on mortality and his observations on life. This album has no majestic orchestrations as in Bridge Over Troubled Water, or snappy happy dance tunes, as so many of his songs do. Mr. Simon shares his thoughts and asks you to listen. I imagined myself listening under a canopy of stars. He brings up reflections of his life we all see and feel in our own lives, and he admits we all interpret in our own way. His version is facinating.  

You're on your own for the first time when you turn 18 and transition from foster homes to the adult world. This nonprofit stands to help. Executive Director Cathi Schmidt explains how: Make It Happen for Yolo County provides underserved youth in Yolo County who are transitioning into independent living situations with furniture, household goods and resources to furnish their first apartment or home. We also offer them support and advocacy. This broadcast is also available as a podcast on Spotify under Imagining Yolo Davis or on Apple Podcasts.

Kyle Monhollen reviews the 2023 Davis Music Fest and the role of volunteers. The event's website says the Davis Music Festival (June 16-18 this year) is "a multi-venue multi-genre live music event showcasing local, regional and touring artists – all to benefit local arts nonprofits. It’s like our own version of SXSW in a single weekend, and for a great cause! This event is all ages. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. The festival takes place rain or shine.  "DMF is a production of the Davis Live Music Collective and is presented with the generous support of our sponsors, members, individual producers and community partners. DMF is supported, in part, by a Sacramento Foundation Arts & Culture Grant and the City of Davis." Imagining Yolo Davis is available for streaming on KDRT.org and also available on the Itunes or Spotify podcast apps. This is episode 10.

This week, Bill Pride, the executive director of Davis Communty Meals and Housing, zeroes in on food, shelter and hope. He shares some eye-opening facts about the services offered by his organization, which provides low-income and homeless individuals and families with housing, food, and human services to help them rebuild their lives.

Meet Julie Chang, who through adopting one dog changed her life projectory and started this wonderful organization, The Life of Kai, which focuses on abandoned and mistreated dogs. Their mission statement:  "The Life Of Kai's strength lies not only in the words we stand by, but most importantly through our actions. It took us 8 years, but finally in 2021 we are ready to help homeless and pet dogs and to seed and spread compassion in our communities. Kai was adopted from a high-kill shelter in 2012 and continues to be the inspiration for our work."