SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Applications are now open for the 2024 McDonald’s Golden Grants program. To apply, eligible entities can visit McDonald’s Golden Grants through October 13.
CORRECTION: McDonald’s Owner/Operators across the San Francisco Bay Area, Eureka, and the Central Coast will be selecting deserving educators, non-profit organizations, and the like, who represent programs that fuel the imagination, education, and growth of students, as recipients of a McDonald’s Golden Grant. Entering its third year, the program has awarded $65,000 in its first two years.
In 2023, 17 grants were awarded throughout San Francisco Bay Area, Eureka, and the Central Coast. Amongst these grants was Sonoma recipient, Kid Scoop News.
“With the generous funding from the McDonald’s Golden Grants, we were able to supply 10 classrooms, or 250 students in Contra Costa County monthly copies of their very own Kid Scoop News, providing access to engaging reading materials and literacy-supporting activities is key to a student’s success in reading,” said Kid Scoop News.
This year, grants will be awarded in the amounts of $10,000, $5,000, $2,500, and $1,000 based on creativity and hands-on application of projects. Please see below for applicable counties.*
Qualifying activities include arts programs, education initiatives, mentorship and empowerment programs, after-school programs, community service, sports activities, and technology.
Recipients of a Golden Grant will be announced on October 13.
*In California: Contra Costa, Alameda,Humboldt, Lake, Marin, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, San Benito, San Francisco, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma.
About McDonald’s USA
McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to millions of customers every day. Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s approximately 13,500 U.S. restaurants are owned and operated by independent business owners. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/mcdonalds.
Opportunity Junction, Rubicon Programs to receive unrestricted grant funding over 3 years as well as access to nation-wide learning community and network of Community Progress Makers
Part of a collective $9 million in grants to 9 Nor Cal nonprofits working locally in latest expansion of the initiative
NEW YORK – The Citi Foundation (“the Foundation”) announced last month that nine nonprofits based in Northern California have been selected as part of the fourth cohort of the Community Progress Makers initiative, among 50 nationwide. Two of the organizations are located in Contra Costa County, including Antioch-based Opportunity Junction and Richmond-based Rubicon Programs which also has offices in Antioch and Concord.
First launched in 2015, Community Progress Makers provides unrestricted funding to visionary organizations that work locally to connect low-income communities to greater economic opportunity. With this latest cohort, the Foundation has now committed $115 million in grants to Community Progress Makers since its inception.
The current cohort of Community Progress Makers has been selected through an open request for proposals (RFP) process announced this past fall, which focused on organizations working in the areas of affordable housing and access, economic development, financial health and workforce readiness.
“Unrestricted grant support is in high demand and low supply and we have witnessed how transformational this type of funding can be for community organizations,” said Brandee McHale, President of the Citi Foundation and Head of Citi Community Investing & Development. “This is why we are pleased to support the innovative solutions and deep community work that the organizations in this fourth cohort of Community Progress Makers are leading in Northern California through flexible, trust-based funding.”
“These Northern California-based Community Progress Makers are working at the forefront of pressing local issues, from workforce and economic development to housing and financial health,” said Philip Drury, Head of Global Technology and Communications Banking, Citi. “The flexible philanthropic capital that Citi Foundation is deploying will help these social innovators double down and find new ways to advance their work.”
All recipients will have access to a learning community where they can collaborate and share best practices with a network of Community Progress Makers across the country, as well as receive technical assistance delivered by national experts and leading researchers. Combining their local expertise and track record of community impact with a national network of resources and changemakers, these nonprofits are poised to accelerate their community-based work in Northern California.
Opportunity Junction
Opportunity Junction recently celebrated the expansion of its services with the grand opening and ribbon cutting of their Healthcare Career Pathways Training Center. The organization launched a new Medical Assistant (MA) Training program on June 3rd in the new facility.
In addition, Antioch Mayor Hernandez-Thorpe declared May 15th as ‘Opportunity Junction Day” in honor of the organization’s dedication to empowering individuals and building brighter futures.
Driven by the fundamental belief that everyone who works hard deserves the opportunity to succeed, their mission is “to help motivated Contra Costa County job seekers develop the skills and confidence to launch careers that lead to financial security.”
“We’re not just helping people find jobs; we’re transforming careers and lives,” said Brianna Robinson, President & CEO of Opportunity Junction. “Since 2000, we’ve been building foundations for better futures. Our Healthcare Career Pathway addresses the urgent need for healthcare professionals. With a quarter of Californians projected to be over age 60 by the next decade, we’re facing a critical shortage of healthcare workers.
Rubicon Programs
According to Rubicon’s Marketing & Communications Manager Angelica Huerta, This $1 million grant will significantly support Rubicon’s mission to increase economic opportunities for justice-impacted individuals and those disconnected from the workforce over the next three years. Rubicon is one of nine grant recipients in Northern California.
The Community Progress Makers initiative supports local community organizations that connect low-income communities to greater social and economic opportunities. This grant will provide Rubicon Programs with unrestricted funding, access to technical assistance from national experts, and opportunities to share learnings through virtual and in-person convenings.
“It is a big deal for Rubicon to be seen and welcomed as a valuable contributor within an amazing national network of talent and expertise. In addition to the grant support, we are excited to build community and exchange learnings to collectively strengthen the access to opportunity for justice impacted job seekers across the nation,” said Dr. Carole Dorham-Kelly, Rubicon’s President and CEO.
Rubicon Programs serves a diverse community of low-income adults through comprehensive services that address historic and systemic inequities. By maintaining connections with participants for up to three years, Rubicon prioritizes job placement and retention support, legal services, leadership development, wellness services, and financial health coaching.
“If passion and commitment alone were enough to end poverty, we would have already won the war on poverty. This investment from Citi will support the design and implementation of cutting-edge, win-win solutions that leverage the strengths of and address the complex challenges faced by the communities we serve,” said Adrienne Kimball, Rubicon’s Chief Talent Officer. “It will also equip our team with the tools and knowledge they need to increase their capacity. We are incredibly grateful for this partnership with Citi.”
The grant will enable Rubicon to address two major community challenges: a lack of access to quality jobs for justice-impacted individuals and those displaced from the workforce, and the need for regional employers to remove barriers to quality jobs. Rubicon will expand its influence over employer practices and public systems standards, creating a more equitable and inclusive workforce.
Participants enrolled in Rubicon’s programs benefit from a holistic approach that promotes long-term self-sufficiency through coaching, systems navigation, and experiential opportunities.
Rubicon’s four pillars—income, assets, wellness, and community connections—form the foundation of its theory of change, aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty.
Seven Other Nor Cal Non-Profit Organizations Receive Grants
The other seven community organizations selected to the fourth cohort of Community Progress Makers in Northern California include six located in the San Francisco Bay Area and one in Fresno:
“As an organization working to expand economic mobility for nearly two decades, we’ve learned that it takes innovation and an adaptive multi-pronged approach to address the needs of underserved communities,” said Margaret Libby, Founder & CEO, San Francisco-based MyPath. “That is why the unrestricted support from the Citi Foundation through the Community Progress Makers initiative is so transformational – it puts each nonprofit in the driver’s seat and offers the flexibility and support to maximize impact in our communities.”
About Opportunity Junction
Since 2000, Opportunity Junction has been providing training, support, work experience, and placement assistance, which help motivated Contra Costa County job seekers launch careers that lead to financial security. When we work together, motivated job seekers develop the skills and confidence they need to succeed. Their success makes their families and our community stronger. For more information visit opportunityjunction.org.
About Rubicon Programs
Rubicon Programs transforms East Bay communities by equipping people to break the cycle of poverty. Since 1973, Rubicon Programs has provided job training and placement, financial education, behavioral health, and other supportive services to low-income people in Contra Costa County, and in Alameda County since 2005, to break the cycle of poverty. Today, Rubicon operates sites in Antioch, Concord, Richmond, Oakland and Hayward. Learn more at www.rubiconprograms.org.
For more information about the grant program, please visit citifoundation.com/cpm and follow the impact these organizations are making at #ProgressMakers on social media.
TV personality Ana Navarro with representatives from Los Cenzontles Cultural Arts Academy of Richmond, CA, a recipient of Lesher Foundation grants. Source: Lesher Foundation
Special 30th anniversary fund to build resiliency, well-being for Contra Costa County organizations
WALNUT CREEK, CA…With gratitude to nonprofit organizations for their continued commitment to elevating the community, the Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation is pleased to announce the CARE Fund. This one-time $300,000 fund marks the Lesher Foundation’s 30-year history of grantmaking and honors its community partners.
“Organizations rooted in the community are essential to addressing social problems and taking on tough issues. It’s inspiring to see the network of support Contra Costa children and families can rely on for safety, hope, joy, strength, and opportunities,” said Steve Lesher, Lesher Foundation Board President. “Our family is proud to carry forward my grandparents’ vision of enhancing the quality of life in our community, and we will continue to support our community partners for many years to come.”
The Lesher Foundation will award a limited number of one-time grants ranging from $1,000 to $15,000 to support organizational resilience and nonprofit staff well-being, providing funding for retreats, practices of care, conferences, training and coaching. Nonprofit organizations that are in Contra Costa County or directly benefit its residents and support children and families, education, and arts and culture are invited to apply. Online applications are due by July 19, 2024, and applicants will be notified by August 30, 2024.
“We know many of our nonprofits carry their mission and vision on their shoulders, and that can be a heavy weight day after day and year after year,” said Devorah Levine, Executive Director of the Lesher Foundation. “The CARE Fund supports the strength and wisdom of the nonprofit sector and recognizes the essential need to focus on the care and well-being of staff and organizational resilience.”
The Dean & Margaret Lesher Foundation has a clear and simple mission—to enhance the quality of life for all residents of Contra Costa County. Founded in 1989 by the late Dean Lesher and his wife Margaret, the Lesher Foundation continues to uphold this value, giving more than $100 million in grants to programs benefitting children and families, particularly those in underserved and low-income areas.
By Sophia Martin, Regional Director, Love Life NorCal Antioch
Please support us in our annual fundraiser, LifeRide. We will be riding bikes across the nation to raise awareness and funds to unite and mobilize the Church to end abortion and the orphan crisis.
What is LifeRide?
In 2023, Pastor Jay Stewart at the age of 60, rode his bicycle over 3,100 miles across America to bring awareness to the ministry of Love Life and to raise over a million dollars. Pastor Jay has been a partnering pastor with Love Life from the beginning and his church is also a House of Refuge church. (See video1 and video2)
Locally, our goal is to raise $10,000. If you would like to give $25, $50 or $100 to help us meet our goal and learn more, please visit: https://join.liferideusa.org/team/580862.
“Rescue those who are being taken away to death; hold back those who are stumbling to the slaughter.” – Proverbs 24:11
The event will support former Center for the San Francisco 49ers and Antioch native Jeremy Newberry’s non-profit organization, Newberry’s B.L.O.C.K. which stands for Benefiting Leagues Offering Children Kindness. It provides underprivileged children the opportunity to participate in sports by sponsoring scholarships and equipment to youth programs. For more information visit www.facebook.com/NewberrysBlock.
Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe with seniors and participating in the Young at Heart Fall Prevention exercise class for the Meals on Wheels Diablo Region’s #SaveLunch program at the Antioch Senior Center as part of the organization’s Community Champions Week 2024. Photos: MoW Diablo Region
Part of National #SaveLunch initiative to help fight senior hunger, isolation in Antioch across Contra Costa County, and country
By Skylar Schaefer, Communications Specialist, Meals on Wheels Diablo Region
Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe joined Meals on Wheels Diablo Region for Community Champions Week 2024 to bring attention to the important work the nonprofit does for older adults in the Antioch community. The mayor participated in a Young at Heart Fall Prevention exercise class and encouraged the participation of nearly 20 seniors!
The mayor had an opportunity to see the impact Meals on Wheels Diablo Region has on Antioch’s older residents when he participated in a ‘Young at Heart’ Fall Prevention exercise class as part of the #SaveLunch initiative. Led by Meals on Wheels America, this nationwide initiative is designed to rally communities around our senior neighbors and protect the essential services that enable so many to remain healthy and independent at home. Across the country this week, Meals on Wheels programs have enlisted elected officials, community influencers and other prominent figures to deliver meals, speak out for seniors and raise awareness for the power of Meals on Wheels. Mayor Thorpe joined a class of roughly 20 seniors at the Antioch Senior Center and learned exercise techniques to improve strength and balance at any age!
“Last year, MOW Diablo Region delivered over 700,000 meals! That is 100% increase since before the pandemic and we are on track to deliver even more this year,” said Sherry Nadworny, MOW Diablo Region Director of Development & Community Relations. “This is an important time for our elected officials to see the impact of our work as federal Covid-stimulus funding will end in September. MOW Diablo Region is committed to keeping our seniors nourished and more connected to our community through this challenging time and beyond.”
As a full-service organization, we at Meals on Wheels Diablo Region are dedicated to addressing all the needs of the seniors we serve. In addition to meal delivery, we provide exercise and fall prevention classes, home safety modifications, elder abuse prevention, and much more. MOW Diablo Region is the only Meals on Wheels that delivers both meals and services to seniors in Contra Costa County.
National #SaveLunch efforts in March will commemorate the historic day in March of 1972 when the Older Americans Act was amended to include a nutrition program for Americans 60 years and older. More than 50 years later, 12 million older Americans are still threatened by or experience hunger, and one in three seniors feels lonely. That is why Meals on Wheels programs from across the country are joining forces to raise awareness and support to ensure we can continue to address food insecurity and malnutrition, combat social isolation, enable independence and improve health for decades to come.
“We commend all of our 2024 Community Champions for stepping up to ensure that Meals on Wheels is there for all of our senior neighbors in need,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “In the face of soaring demand and costs that surpass our current resources, we need to come together as communities to bridge the gaps. We can’t do it alone – it takes all of us to save lunch for our seniors.”
For more information on how you can volunteer, contribute, or speak out for the seniors in Antioch and around Contra Costa County this March, visit mowdiabloregion.org.
About Meals on Wheels Diablo Region:
For more than 50 years, Meals on Wheels Diablo Region has improved the lives of vulnerable seniors in Contra Costa County by delivering nutritious meals and supportive services that allow seniors to remain in their homes safely and with dignity. Programs include home-delivered meals, Breakfast Bags, Grocery Bags, Fall Prevention, Cafés, Care Management, Friendly Visitors, Health and Wellness, and more.
About Meals on Wheels America
Meals on Wheels America is the leadership organization supporting the more than 5,000 community-based programs across the country that are dedicated to addressing senior hunger and isolation. Powered by a trusted volunteer workforce, this network delivers a comprehensive solution that begins with a meal and is proven to enable independence and well-being through the additional benefits of tailored nutrition, social connection, safety and much more. By providing funding, programming, education, research and advocacy, Meals on Wheels America empowers its local member programs to strengthen their communities, one senior at a time.
