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Receive a presentation and awards from the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano for participation in the 2017 “Peace, Love and Veggies Holiday Food Fight”
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board receive a presentation from Larry Sly, Executive Director, and Kathy Gleason, Corporate Donation Coordinator, of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano to recognize the efforts of Solano County employees in the 2017 “Peace, Love and Veggies Holiday Food Fight” challenge.
SUMMARY:
Since 2004, Solano County has been participating in an annual holiday food drive with Contra Costa County to raise funds for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano. At the official end of the 2017 “Peace, Love and Veggies Holiday Food Fight” campaign, a net donation total of $147,878 was reached, which includes employees and residents of both counties.
Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano would like to recognize Solano County’s Board of Supervisors, County employees and Friends of the County for their efforts, with a record breaking $45,253 donated as part of the 2017 campaign and for a grand total of $377,739 donated since the first friendly food fight competition in 2004. This funding has made a huge difference in the Food Bank’s ability to support those who need it.
In 2012 and 2013, Solano County won the friendly food fight and held the ‘Big Apple Trophy.’ In 2014 and 2015 the trophy returned to Contra Costa. In 2016 and now again in 2017, the trophy will remain with Solano County. Employees donated an average of $13.17 per person, a new record over the previous year of $12.74. Contra Costa employees donated an average of $12.87 per employee.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Accepting the awards will have no impact on the County’s finances.
DISCUSSION:
The Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano distributes approximately 7 million pounds of food annually throughout Solano County. Approximately 63,000 hungry people, including children and seniors, in Solano County are served by the Food Bank each month. Both perishable and non-perishable food is also provided to countless nonprofit agencies throughout the County such as food pantries, shelters, soup kitchens, senior and child care centers, and group homes. The Food Bank’s mission is “leading the fight to end hunger, in partnership with our community and in service of our neighbors in need” and through continued community support, the Food Bank is able to accomplish this. For each $5.00 raised, the Food Bank is able to provide 10 meals for residents in need.
The first annual counties care holiday food fight challenge began in 2004 with a challenge from Contra Costa County to join them in an annual event to raise funds to support food collection and distribution efforts in both counties, as well as some friendly competition. All funds raised by employees during the annual food fights are used to benefit the residents of the respective county.
In November 2017, Larry Sly, on behalf of Solano County Board of Supervisors, extended the annual friendly food fight challenge to competitively raise money for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano to the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.
Solano County won the challenge in 2012 and 2013 with Contra Costa County regaining the title in 2014 and 2015. In 2016 the trophy returned to Solano County and will remain in Solano County in 2017. In 2017, Solano County collected $13.17 per employee and Contra Costa County collected $12.87 per employee. This represents a 2017 total of $37,087 for Solano County and $78,996 for Contra Costa County for a combined county employee total of $116,083 for 2017.
In addition, since 2006 the Board of Supervisors of each county have encouraged residents of Solano and Contra Costa Counties to open their hearts and wallets to also assist the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano and its client organizations during the annual holiday food fight, thus creating the Friends of the Counties online donations. The combined 2017 total, including the Friends of the Counties, was $147,878 and the net cumulative total since the first Counties Care Food Fight in 2004, including the Friends of the Counties, is $1,737,207.
Solano County Cares Holiday Food Fight was led by Melinda Sandy and Tammi Ackerman in the County Administrator’s Office. This year’s goal was to raise $13.00 per employee. With the assistance of 44 departmental Food Drive team leaders throughout the County, that goal was exceeded with $13.17 per employee raised, which is a new all-time high for Solano County, beating last year’s all-time high of $12.74 per employee.
Below is a list of the departmental team leaders:
§ Ashton Sturr - Agriculture
§ Emilia Morrissey, Kyla Perrin, Brenda Mattson - Assessor/Recorder
§ Jay Jada and Winter Veloria - Auditor/Controller
§ Kelly Dwyer - Board of Supervisors
§ Melinda Sandy and Tammi Ackerman - County Administrator
§ Andrew Boatright - CAO/First 5 Solano
§ Theda Peck - County Counsel
§ Keli White - Department of Child Support Services
§ Jenny McCoy - Department of Information Technology
§ Stephanie Holiday, Tonya Covington - District Attorney
§ Linda Cheesman - General Services
§ Jackie Hernandez and Zachary Covington, Debrah Ditto - Health & Social Services (H&SS) (Admin)
§ Rhonda Smith - H&SS (Child Welfare Services)
§ Cristin Perez - H&SS (Employment and Eligibility, Exe. Court)
§ Catherine Talavera - H&SS (Employment and Eligibility, Ex. Ct No Training)
§ Rosemary Zalesky - H&SS (Employment and Eligibility, Vallejo Campus)
§ Tiffany Bossi, Joy Bryant - H&SS (Medical Services)
§ Lynne Pinkela, Patricia Zuniga - H&SS (Medical Services)
§ Cindy Limerick, Joecilla San Nicolas, Genevieve Mauritz, Krisstina Feil - H&SS (Mental Health)
§ Shelly Howisey - H&SS (Older and Disabled Adults)
§ Terry Boucher - H&SS (Public Health)
§ Elizabeth Garcia-Reyes - H&SS (Special Investigations Bureau)
§ Nancy Gutierrez, Joy Cadiz - Human Resources
§ Tamie Tvrdik and Cathy Perez - Library Services
§ Maggie Luna - Probation
§ Brianna Nobil - Alternate Defender
§ Rebecca Fortune - Resource Management
§ Catharine Senior - Sheriff/Coroner
§ Elizabeth Sumner - Treasurer/Tax Collector/County Clerk
§ Deborah Brook - Veteran Services
All County departments participated and donated dollars in the spirit of competition and have made a significant contribution toward alleviating hunger in Solano County. The following departments will be receiving trophies based on the most dollars contributed per departmental employee:
First Place: Veterans Services $383.33 / employee
Second Place: County Administrator / First 5 $260.40 / employee
Third Place: Human Resources $129.13 / employee
In addition to the first, second and third place awards, special wood plaques will be given to the departments collecting the most dollars over the last five years as follows: Health and Social Services (H&SS) was the highest contributor of large departments of 200 or more employees with $30,540; the District Attorney was the highest of medium departments of 75 - 199 employees with $9,147, and Human Resources was the highest of small departments of fewer than 75 employees with $12,983.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could choose not to receive the presentation; however, this alternative is not recommended as the Board has supported the annual counties holiday food fight challenge in the past and challenged Contra Costa County to the Food Fight in 2017.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
All Departments and the Board of Supervisors participated in the Solano County Cares Holiday Food Fight challenge with Contra Costa County.