Giving Back – Tehama Together
Q&A with Noel Bookout, Tehama Together…
Briefly tell us what Tehama Together is about.
Our mission is to work with citizens, businesses, government and nonprofit partners to identify and find solutions for unmet needs of Tehama County residents.
What are some of the programs you provide?
The programs we provide are:
- Garden mentoring program to raise awareness and build skills for fresh food for schools and residents
- Community Food Alliance/Food Share, which coordinates food drives and runs monthly meetings to connect over 15 emergency food and meal providers
- Nonprofit roundtable, with events and monthly meetings of more than 50 nonprofit organizations across the county enabling them to share resources and optimize their results
- Sher Wintle Dog Park, taking donations to upgrade the park facilities
- K9s for Veterans, which offers free monthly canine obedience trainings for veterans and the general public.
When was Tehama Together founded?
The first meeting of Tehama Together was held on January 19, 2009, the National Day of Community Service, and was attended by approximately 25 people.
What are your main focus areas right now?
One focus of Tehama Together is promoting food programs that alleviate food instability. In 2025, our fifth summer voucher giveaway provided approximately 135 $25 food vouchers for families at the local Saturday Farmers Market. We will provide approximately 210 turkeys to local food pantries for Thanksgiving dinners. In December, we will provide five-pound bags of mandarins for 273 families at the local Children’s Christmas Festival. These endeavors are made possible through local donations. During the year, we attend approximately 20 events providing the community with food distribution, emergency preparedness, 211 resources and recycling information. Another area of focus is bringing the local dog park up to ADA standards and bringing potable water to the parks. We are also selling commemorative bricks to dog owners who have lost their pets.
What areas of the community do you serve?
We serve all Tehama County residents, regardless of age, income or location, depending on need.
How many people do you serve in a typical year?
With a county population of over 60,000, we directly and indirectly help approximately 20,000 people.
How can individuals get involved with your work?
Volunteers are always welcome, as are new board members to table events, participate in giveaways, help with office work and grant writing and help promote Tehama Together throughout the community.
