OUR HISTORY

Sierra Care Collaborative (Sierra Cares) was born at the intersection of service, craftsmanship, and crisis response -- shaped by decades of nonprofit leadership, public policy experience, and a shared belief that dignity and care matter most in moments of uncertainty.

The organization is guided by a predominantly women Board, including female military veterans, whose collective experience spans nonprofit governance, legislative and public policy work, small business ownership and operations, community-based programming, and disaster response.

Across their careers, Board members have advanced mission-driven initiatives, strengthened organizational leadership, and built programs designed to deliver meaningful, real-world impact -- particularly for individuals and families navigating crisis. For several Board members, this work is also informed by lived experience in service and leadership under pressure, shaping a practical, compassionate approach to care.

Together, this background informs Sierra Care Collaborative as a model that pairs strategic leadership with immediate, human-centered care -- grounded in service, guided by experience, and responsive to community need.

Sierra Care Collaborative’s origins are also deeply rooted in making.

Long before the organization formally existed, several Board members were engaged in creating and sharing handcrafted goods designed to nourish, comfort, and care. What began as personal making practices -- often used to support neighbors and community members during times of hardship -- gradually intersected with nonprofit partnerships and community care efforts.

One such effort, 395 Naturals, an Eastern Sierra–based, all-natural self-care brand, became a natural extension of this work. As its products were increasingly donated and integrated into community response efforts across the region, it became clear that a charitable structure could amplify both reach and impact.

In January of 2026, 395 Naturals formally transitioned to become a project of Sierra Care Collaborative, allowing its maker-led self-care offerings to directly support hygiene access, wellness equity, and dignity-centered programming.

While nonprofit leadership shaped Sierra Care Collaborative’s structure, making shaped its soul.

The Board of Sierra Care Collaborative (Sierra Cares) is comprised of makers at heart -- individuals who have collectively spent decades crafting products and programs with intention, care, and respect for those they serve. This shared maker mindset emphasizes quality over scale, responsiveness over rigidity, and people over process.

These values became foundational to Sierra Care Collaborative’s approach: clean, all-natural, thoughtfully handcrafted essentials paired with flexible, dignity-centered programming that meets people where they are.

Today, Sierra Care Collaborative (Sierra Cares) brings together nonprofit leadership, emergency-response awareness, and maker-led care to advance self-care and hygiene access, wellness equity, and personal dignity -- particularly for under-resourced and historically marginalized communities facing emergent situations across the Tahoe Region.

Our history continues to inform how we operate: collaboratively, intentionally, and with deep respect for the lived experiences of the people and communities we serve.