ReCreate’s mission is to make hands-on learning accessible to all, through STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) exploration. By integrating high-tech tools with reused materials, we provide low-cost, high-impact learning and enrichment programs to the students of our region. Our learning programs span from preschool through high school. Building interest in STEAM nurtures a more vibrant community and creates a stronger future workforce.
In addition to our STEAM program, ReCreate provides waste reduction education and also diverts over 60 tons annually of unwanted items from businesses and individuals to "recreate" hands-on learning and creative expression.
ReCreate serves as a conduit to collect unwanted usable items from regional businesses through our thrift store and uses it for STEAM focused education. Our tremendously popular "More Art, Less Waste" program takes children on an educational journey that encourages them to re-think their notion of trash. Students learn about how much trash Californians generate on average, how it is processed, why they should care, and how they can be better stewards of the environment after they build art with our reused material kits.
It is well known in academia that hands-on learning fosters a lifelong love of learning. Rather than listening to a lecture from a teacher, students that participate in our programs engage with the subject matter to create something or solve a problem. Maker Education is a great equalizer - in that often our most successful makers are the risk takers and the kids that are often not labeled as the “best students.” Our program has a long-term impact on these students - because often in working with their hands - they make a connection with the need for math or science skills. It ties it all together and engages students back into their classwork. Our school programs inspire creative expression, facilitate meaningful interactions with technology, and present STEAM education through hands-on making, building, and creating.
You can help us spark the creativity and innovation of our region by making a contribution today.
Founded in 2008, nonprofit ReCreate works with businesses and individuals in the region to divert clean usable but unwanted items. With these items, ReCreate provides STEAM (Science, Tech, Engineering, Art and Math) focused hands-on educational programs and strives to make creative expression accessible to all.
At ReCreate, we're embarking on a phase of growth and expansion, and we're seeking support in key areas to help us achieve our goals.
Acquiring a Second Green Vehicle - Expanding our outreach is crucial for us, and acquiring a second green vehicle will significantly enhance our ability to connect with more communities. This additional resource will enable us to increase our presence at local events and schools, furthering our mission of promoting sustainability and creativity across the greater Sacramento area.
Supporting Diverse and Underrepresented Audiences in STEAM - Our commitment to providing STEAM programs to diverse and underrepresented audiences is integral to our mission. However, it comes with financial costs. It costs $1,200 for us to conduct a single day visit to a school, delivering engaging STEAM programs that inspire students from all backgrounds.
Improving Accessibility at our Craft Thrift Store - We are committed to enhancing the accessibility and functionality of our building to better serve our community. Our plans include staff training on accessibility to ensure all visitors receive appropriate assistance, optimizing egress within our stock area to improve efficiency and accessibility, enhancing signage for easier navigation, and upgrading bathroom facilities to meet accessibility standards. These updates reflect our dedication to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can engage in arts education and activities with ease.
How You Can Help
Your support is instrumental in helping us meet these needs and continue our mission-driven work. Your contribution will directly fund additional school visits, the acquisition of a second green vehicle, and the ongoing provision of STEAM programs to diverse audiences.
Join us in making a meaningful impact. Your support will help us expand our reach, diversify our programs, and create a more inclusive and sustainable future for all.
Please consider donating today to support our efforts. Together, we can make a difference.
ReCreate's goal is to make creativity and art accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic standing, regional residency, or other barriers. Our programs utilize diverted materials from businesses and manufacturers in order to keep all associated costs extremely low to inspire creativity without breaking the bank. We believe every child intrinsically is creative and that creativity is a skill that needs nurturing and development. Socioeconomic inequality and lack of funding in school districts has often meant we have not been able to provide our services to students who are underserved and underrepresented in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) fields. Our intersection of STEM and Art is where students can gain positive inspiration to see their true creative and educational potential, of which students of color and those in low-income areas do not often have the opportunity to pursue through hands-on lessons.
The challenges our local communities now face require diversity in thought and “out of the box” thinking from the next generation. In order to solve complex issues, we need to empower, equip, and motivate all of our youth, regardless of racial or economic status. The results of a Cultural Mapping Survey conducted in 2022 by the Arts Council of Placer County found that there is a lack of equity in access for youth, particularly those from low-income families, to “free & affordable (art) programming”, with transportation being a big barrier. Our GeniusMobile directly solves that problem by bringing mobile, pop-up maker education to schools and community events throughout the region.
Our current emphasis is on Title I schools, which are schools that have a 40%+ student population of children who come from low-income homes. Our STEAM lesson kits utilize commonly available items, that are low in cost or free, and we use these to show children that creation is possible without purchasing items. We aim to make the avenues of invention and accessibility of creativity clear to these children, so that their pursuits in education can be passionate and fruitful. We are targeting funding sources and grant opportunities in order to serve these Title I students with our lessons. In addition, our kits (which are send-home or otherwise self-contained) do not make assumptions on what a child has access to. We are aware that not every student will have access to a hot glue gun, for example, or even have parental supervision to use such a tool. To alleviate this inequality, we fund purchasing glue dots. We work with teachers to understand the classroom and students' needs to ensure no student is given an art kit but cannot fully utilize and enjoy it. In order to do this, we ask teachers to identify if the students need tools such as scissors, LED lights for our Science of Light kit, or require additional or different instruction methods.
In all our interactions and educational pursuits, we focus on bridging the economic gap for creativity pathways and opportunities for each and every student. Providing equity in an open communicative and cooperative manner is central to all our operations here at ReCreate.
View our current participation opportunities.
In-Person Volunteering
Board Treasurer
Rocklin, CA
Ongoing opportunity
Organization name
ReCreate
2008
Tax id (EIN)
26-2581623
Mission Category
Education
Operating Budget
$250,001-$500,000
Organization Need
Funding: Unrestricted, Space: Office or Other, Board Members, Volunteers, Funding: Program
Demographics Served
Youth & Children
Local Counties Served
Placer
Equity Statement
Equity Statement
Address
6827 Lonetree Blvd. Suite 105Sacramento County, CA, US
Placer County, CA, US