In April 2001, the Sacramento Bee ran a front-page story revealing a staggering Census 2000 finding: a single neighborhood block with 567 kids living on it, more people under 18 per capita than any other urbanized block in the six county region.  The article described some of the challenges and opportunities of this low-income block of three, four, and five bedroom apartments.  One father from the neighborhood was quoted, "I've got seven kids myself. The lady over there has eight and the lady next door has nine."   A grandmother of eight kids on the block added, "A lot of these children are coming from one-parent families and they are not getting that attention and love that they need."

After reading the article, Kacie Stratton and some volunteers from a local church (Sanctuary Covenant) felt drawn to this community and wondered if they might be able to bring some of that needed "attention and love" to the neighborhood. These volunteers began going to the park across the street, Ninos Park, on the weekends to play games and build relationships with kids while offering support and a helping hand to the parents. After hearing their stories and seeing their incredible potential, these volunteers began to dream about a place that could represent health, hope, and renewal for this community.

This dream became reality in July 2002 when The GreenHouse was born. The GreenHouse is a community enrichment center that was formed to help unlock the inherent resources of this neighborhood and transform it from one that is merely surviving into one that is thriving.