Sacramento business owners give back to local students through donations, community support

A successful Sacramento screen-printing company is giving back to its community. Their motivation: It turns out, the local business owners have never forgotten where they came from, and they're making a difference in the lives of young students.

Cristina Van Beek is the co-owner of Raylay Enterprises in the Del Paso Heights community. The small business owner said the company serves many local groups, including, "schools, youth programs, nonprofits, small businesses, sports leagues, and community discounts."

She and her husband, Mitchell, run the screen-printing company named after their children, who help out in the shop from time to time.

"Raylay is Raymond and Layla, so Raylay is everything," Van Beek said.

Day in and day out, the couple works side by side, embroidering special requests, customizing baseball caps, and print-screening T-shirts for businesses and nonprofits, both big and small.

Their success is built on humble beginnings.

"We started from our garage and have grown to what we are today," Van Beek said.

And even though their work keeps them busy, the couple gives back to Bell Avenue Elementary in the Robla district, where their children attend school.

For Cristina Van Beek, it's personal. 

"There was a point in time I collected welfare and food stamps and all that, and sometimes I had to budget from school supplies to school clothes, because kids grow out of their clothes," Van Beek said.

The busy mom recently started a parent-teacher association and kick-started fundraisers.

"Creating these events is such a lifesaver and budget-friendly for the parents," Van Beek said.

She made it possible to also print special T-shirts for all students.

"We can afford where every child has a spirit shirt," Van Beek said. "So, no child gets left behind because they can't afford a spirit shirt kind of thing."

Growing up, Mitchell Van Beek never got the opportunity to join a team.

"As a kid, I wasn't able to play sports because my mom didn't have the funds to do it," he said.

He's now helping disadvantaged kids experience something special he missed out on.

"It warms my heart to help these kids out, and that's why we do what we do," he said. "We sponsor most of the banners. We do a lot of things for the community when it comes to kids."

Their busy shop is fulfilling their dreams of creating success in life and community.

CBS News Sacramento is teaming up with the United Way to collect backpacks for students in our communities.

To donate, simply text the words: UWKOVR to the number 41444.