What was once an unsightly weed infested vacant lot, is now a beautified, mowed garden area with trees. The parking lot adjacent to the lot is now a basketball court, with freshly painted lines and brand new hoops. And the offices that bring it all together, The Center for Fathers and Families, is totally refurbished, complete with new computers, a library full of books, video games, ping-pong and foosball tables and new paint on every wall.

It was all part of Maloof Sports & Entertainment’s Fifth Annual Day of Volunteerism to celebrate the legacy of Cesar Chavez. Together with presenting partners Wells Fargo, Raley’s & Bel Air and Comcast, Sacramento Kings players and all full-time Team Members of Maloof Sports & Entertainment refurbished The Center for Fathers and Families’ newly-acquired facility on Monday.

The Center for Fathers and Families is a non-profit agency dedicated to responding to the needs of fathers and their families by offering programs and services that lead to family growth, enrichment and empowerment.

As is tradition on the Day of Volunteerism, Joe and Gavin Maloof closed their offices for the entire day, freeing up more than 200 part-time and full-time Team Members to volunteer at the center.

“This is the fifth consecutive season we have celebrated the memory of Cesar Chavez with a Day of Volunteerism,” said Joe Maloof. “To truly honor Mr. Chavez’s lifelong contributions to humanity and his commitment to community service, we decided to make the holiday a ‘day on’ instead of a day off for our employees. We are thankful for the opportunity to give to an organization like The Center for Fathers and Families that provides such a vital service to our community.”

Wells Fargo added a special room in the center that features its financial literacy program, Hands on Banking. Comcast donated two years of Internet service to the facility and Raley’s & Bel Air donated two toddler play areas complete with a Raley’s Kids Kitchen and Bel Air Book Bungalow.

Throughout the day, volunteers ripped out weeds, picked up trash, painted walls, assembled furniture and did pretty much anything it took to get the center ready for kids. At the end of the day, the entire Sacramento Kings team showed up to interact and play games with the kids.

“It’s always fun to spend time with the kids,” said Francisco Garcia. “I’m glad the kids of this neighborhood have a special place to go. This is really nice.”

“Thanks to the Sacramento Kings, Wells Fargo, Raley’s & Bel Air and Comcast, The Center for Fathers and Families will now be able to help more Sacramento families grow and succeed,” said Rick Jennings, executive director of The Center for Fathers and Families. “We are honored to be the recipient of the Cesar Chavez Day of Volunteerism.”

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