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Receive a presentation and awards from the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano for participation in the 2018 Counties Care 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 Libby Hodas, Volunteer and Corporate Engagement Coordinator, of the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano to recognize the efforts of Solano County employees in the 2018 Counties Care 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 2018 Counties Care Holiday Food Fight campaign, a net donation total of $121,113 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 $47,151 donated as part of the 2018 campaign and for a grand total of $457,232 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, 2017 and now again in 2018, the trophy will remain with Solano County. Solano County is the only County in the competitions 14-year history to win the Big Apple trophy three years in a row. In 2018 Solano County employees donated an average of $16.39 per person, a new record over the previous year of $13.17. Contra Costa employees donated an average of $10.89 per employee.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Accepting the awards will have no impact on the County’s finances. The costs associated with preparing the agenda item are nominal and absorbed by the department’s FY2018/19 Adopted Budget.
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 can accomplish this. For each $5.00 raised, the Food Bank can 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 2018, 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, 2017 and now again in 2018, the trophy will remain in Solano County, making Solano County the only County to have won the Food Fight three years in a row. In 2018, Solano County collected $16.39 per employee and Contra Costa County collected $10.89 per employee. This represents a 2018 total of $45,321 for Solano County and $65,363 for Contra Costa County for a combined county employee total of $110,684 for 2018.
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 2018 total, including the Friends of the Counties, was $121,113 and the net cumulative total since the first Counties Care Food Fight in 2004, including the Friends of the Counties, is $1,887,869.
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 $15.00 per employee. With the assistance of 49 departmental Food Drive team leaders throughout the County, that goal was exceeded with $16.39 per employee raised, which is a new all-time high for Solano County, beating last year’s all-time high of $13.17 per employee.
Below is a list of the departmental team leaders:
§ Andrina Quan - Agriculture
§ Tiffany Bossi, Enjoli Gayle, Ashley Moore - Assessor/Recorder
§ Cathy Obiacoro, Jay Peno, Robyn Lacy-Sanders - Auditor/Controller
§ Kelly Dwyer - Board of Supervisors
§ Tammi Ackerman, Matthew Davis, Jodene Nolan, Melinda Sandy - County Administrator’s Office
§ Gene Ibe - CAO/First 5 Solano
§ Theda Peck, Davina Smith - County Counsel
§ Keli White - Department of Child Support Services
§ Jenny McCoy - Department of Information Technology
§ Vicki Rister, Cheryl Tablit - District Attorney
§ Linda Cheesman, Michelle Offermann - General Services
§ Tess Lapira, Elizabeth Lunsford-Saitz - Health & Social Services (H&SS) (Admin)
§ Lorielle Harbin, Rhonda Smith - H&SS (Child Welfare Services)
§ Grace Quejado, Claudia Rodrigues - H&SS (Employment and Eligibility, Beck Ave)
§ Melinda Aplin, Cheri Carelock, Kathy Gillespie, Ann Gonzales, Cristin Perez - H&SS (Employment and Eligibility, Exec. Court)
§ Margie Harris, Rosemary Zalesky - H&SS (Employment and Eligibility, Vallejo Campus)
§ Marisol Lopez, Tessa Perrin - H&SS (Behavioral Health)
§ Kristina Feil, Vicki Pringle - H&SS (Behavioral Health - SUDS)
§ Genevieve Mauritz, Joecilla San Nicolas - H&SS (Mental Health)
§ Shelly Howisey - H&SS (Older and Disabled Adults)
§ Terry Boucher - H&SS (Public Health)
§ Elizabeth Garcia-Reyes, Jennifer Saldivar - H&SS (Special Investigations Bureau)
§ Jennifer Gamez - Human Resources
§ Cathy Sheldon, Tamie Tvrdik - Library Services
§ Maggie Luna - Probation
§ Elvira DelValle - Alternate Defender/Public Defender
§ Rebecca Fortune - Resource Management
§ Dia Cornell, Pamela Stonsby - 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 $266.67 / employee
Second Place: County Administrator / First 5 $223.55 / employee
Third Place: Human Resources $147.97 / employee
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 2018.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
All Departments and the Board of Supervisors participated in the Solano County Cares Holiday Food Fight challenge with Contra Costa County.