Love Manteca 2024 is right around the corner.

The event that brings schools, churches, businesses, and the community together will take place on Saturday, April 27.

“This year, Love Manteca is focusing on our citizens,” said organizer Glo Fuentes-Swift, who is the Tag Director at Crossroads Grace Church. “There are so many people and families in our community that need our help in these tough times and I think we can make a huge impact.”

Included are several churches coming together to assist “five to 10 houses that need help caring for, from landscaping to simple repairs – that would mean a lot to the home owners,” Fuentes-Swift said.

Love Manteca is looking to help seniors at a mobile home park, including one that’s recently widowed.

“We will be working with local police officers in redoing a room for some of the at-risk kids in the Healthy Room Project as well as organizing a Community Clothing Closet at Lincoln Elementary School, where families can get clothing for free,” Fuentes-Swift added.

Love Manteca’s to-do list also consisted of:

·         Raymus House (various projects).

·         Hope Shelter (various projects).

·         East Union Cemetery (various projects).

·         Church restorations.

·         Painting curbs around the city.

·         Painting fire hydrants around the city.

·         Make handwritten appreciation cards for first responders.

For more information, email glofuentesswift@crossroadsgrace.org

Ripon

Love Ripon is also scheduled for the morning of April 27.

This community-wide volunteer event brings together locals with differing abilities and passions to participate in various service projects for the betterment of their city.

“There are volunteer opportunities for people of all ages, physical abilities, and experiences – each working towards giving back to the community and its people,” according to the

Last year, over 550 Love Ripon volunteers gathered together to take on projects around town. Included were graffiti removal from the bridge, cleaning up trash at the river, painting over 100 fire hydrants, beautifying six schools (painting and planting), spreading bark at city parks, and painting a house for a family in need, just to name a few.

This year’s Love Ripon to-do list consists of work at the Animal Shelter Gravel Project along with Clarence Smit Museum, Downtown Parking Space Identification, Garden Joy, and Harvest High.

Donations, in addition, are greatly appreciated.

For more information, log on to www.loveripon.com.