Contra Costa Herald

By Jimmy Lee, Director of Public Affairs, Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff

Contra Costa County Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston announced that a Coroner’s Jury on Friday, April 16, 2021 reached a finding in the July 18, 2019 death of 21-year-old Omar Jalal Harb of Brentwood. The finding of the jury is that the death is an accident.  (See related article)

The Coroner’s Jury, which heard two inquests today, also reached a finding the October 16, 2019 death of 72-year-old Enrique Camberos Pina of Walnut Creek. The finding of the jury is that the death is a suicide.  (See related article)

The Coroner’s Jury reached the verdicts in both inquests after hearing the testimony of witnesses called by the hearing officer, Matthew Guichard.

A Coroner’s Inquest, which Sheriff-Coroner David Livingston convenes in fatal incidents involving peace officers, is a public hearing during which a jury rules on the manner of a person’s death. Jury members can choose from the following four options when making their finding:  accident;  suicide; natural causes or at the hands of another person, other than by accident.

Would transfer $1.1 million in Pittsburg and Bay Point tax revenues per year to county; eliminate Antioch mayor’s job; Board President challenges Frazier who doesn’t represent most of the healthcare district

By Serina Hartinger, Media & Communications, Office of Assemblymember Jim Frazier

SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Friday, April 16, 2021, Assemblymember Jim Frazier (D-Fairfield) passed AB 903 the Assembly Local Government Committee on a unanimous vote of 8-0 to dissolve the Los Medanos Community Healthcare District. The bill will now be sent to the Committee on Appropriations. If it passes there it will head to the floor for a vote by the full Assembly. Should it pass there, it still needs both State Senate approval and the governor’s signature before becoming law.

The Los Medanos Hospital closed in 1994 but the district, covering Pittsburg and Bay Point, has continued to exist, collecting property tax dollars and using the funds to pay for staff and provide grants to local organizations, direct service programs including a community garden and district sponsored programs including REading ADvantage for early literacy. The district’s 2020-21 Fiscal Year budget projects $1.13 million in tax revenue and $1.3 million in expenses.

“As all of you know, the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed critical shortfalls in healthcare and health services funding across the state. Communities of color have been especially impacted by the emergency,” said Frazier. “Now more than ever, we have seen the life-changing impacts of devoting every possible dollar to serving those we represent. AB 903 is a district bill that takes strides towards addressing this issue. The bill effectively creates hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for badly needed healthcare services in the region.”

AB 903 will dissolve the Los Medanos Community Healthcare District and require the County of Contra Costa to be the successor of all rights and responsibilities of the district. AB 903 will also require the county to complete a property tax transfer process to ensure the transfer of the district’s health-related ad valorem property tax revenues to the county in order to operate the Los Medanos Area Health Plan Grant Program.

The Contra Costa Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) has approved of the dissolution of the existing healthcare district, and Contra Costa County already serves the communities within district boundaries.

The bill was co-sponsored by Assemblymember Tim Grayson, (D-Concord).

The Los Medanos Community Healthcare District (LMCHD) was formed in 1948 to operate the Los Medanos Community Hospital. In rural communities, such districts were created to provide for hospitals that otherwise would not exist. LMCHD operated the hospital until 1994 when the hospital closed due to bankruptcy. Since then, LMCHD has not provided any hospital, physician, or emergency medical services. Instead of providing direct services, LMCHD funds third-party agencies that provide health-related programs.

“This bill effectively creates hundreds of thousands of dollars in funding for badly needed healthcare services in the region. A lot of this funding comes from the savings on LMCHD’s extremely high administrative expenses, which topped 60% in some years,” said Frazier. “That is simply unconscionable.”

“Comparable programs in the county average at about 15% admin cost, and a nearby healthcare district runs at a maximum of 20% in admin costs. Rather than lose over half the funding to wasteful administrative expenses, AB 903 dedicates those dollars to the community,” he added.

Some of those administrative expenses include the salary and benefits for Executive Director Lamar Thorpe who is the mayor of Antioch, whose job would be eliminated if the bill becomes law.

UPDATE: In response to efforts to reach him and Board President Patt Young, Thorpe provided the following letter from Young to Frazier.

“Dear Assemblymember Frazier:

On behalf of the Los Medanos Community Healthcare District, I am writing to you in response to your introduction of AB 903

Given that 98 percent of our healthcare district does not fall within your assembly district, or the fact that you have never attempted to build a relationship with our board or programs, I am quite perplexed as to why you would introduce this legislation without attempting to understand how we serve eastern Contra Costa County.

This letter is not intended to be interpreted as an attempt to appeal to your reason or logic, as we are well aware of the fact that you are taking political orders from your top political advisor in an effort to turn our district into a political slush fund for one of your top allies on the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors.

Let me be clear in stating that, although to you this is simply a political game, to our healthcare district, you are jeopardizing a critical healthcare prevention lifeline for many in our community. From free reading glasses for children to HIV/AIDS prevention efforts, many of the community members we serve participate in our programs because they do not feel that they have their needs met via Contra Costa’s public healthcare system.

Lastly, I have to state for the record that the manner by which you introduced this legislation has been interpreted to be highly disrespectful by both my board and community. I suspect that, if the makeup of our board were more in line with the makeup of the Oakley City Council, you would not have been as disrespectful as you have been to date.

Neither my board, nor my community will stand idly and accept to be treated in any manner less than the respect we deserve.

Sincerely,

Patt Young

President

Los Medanos Community Healthcare District”

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

For supporting non-Democrat candidates; first time organization has disciplined one of its members

By Daniel Borsuk

Jason Bezis during a 2016 interview with NBC Bay Area. Video screenshot.

Outspoken Democratic Party Contra Costa County Committee (DPCCC) member Jason Bezis, a Lafayette attorney, was handed a one-year suspension Thursday evening from serving on the political party panel for violating DPCC bylaws and for allegedly assisting and providing support to non-Democrat candidates.

This marks the first time the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County (DPCCC) consisting of 26 elected officials, has ever disciplined one of its members, albeit an outspoken party member, Bezis, who has served on the political panel for six years.

The vote was 35 in favor to 3 in opposition with one abstention on a motion that that the Richmond Democrat had willfully violated the county party’s bylaws. On a second motion, members voted 32 for and 7 in opposition that the attorney had supported a non-Democratic candidate. For the third motion, members voted 32 to 7 that Bezis had supported a nonpartisan candidate.

According to Executive Committee member Marshall Lewis, “the Democratic Party of Contra Costa County (DPCCC) has a total of 60 voting members. 24 of those members are elected on the public ballot, and the rest are either elected by local Democratic clubs, appointed by elected officials, or play some role in party leadership. DPCCC has existed for many decades, during which time several members have unfortunately had to be disciplined. This was the committee’s first time using a new set of disciplinary procedures, not its first time disciplining a member.”

“The 35-3 vote was to determine that Mr. Bezis was guilty of the charges. The 32-7 vote was to apply a one-year suspension as the penalty,” he clarified.

Details on the three charges were not provided by DPCCC officials.

Before DPCCC Chair Katie Ricklefs announced the results of the closed-door session, she briefly remarked, “This is the first time we’ve done this. We’re trying to be as transparent and open as possible concerning the case involving Jason Bezis while being confidential and congenial, and respectful.”

During the one year, Bezis is under suspension he can attend future DPCCC meetings but cannot vote on agenda items.

Before Thursday evening’s DPCCC meeting, Bezis leveled a charge that the organization, especially current Chair Ricklefs and past DPCCC Chair Maria Alegria had   violated DPCCC Complaint & Due Process Policy and Procedure while seeking removal of his committee membership.

“All of you have violated the so-called ‘Due Process Policy & Procedure’ in your authorized, coordinated effort to oust me,” he wrote in an April 10 email to Chair Ricklefs. “You and other DPCCC actors have conspired to corrupt the disciplinary process and abused ‘closed meetings’ in violation of the California Democratic Party Open Meeting Rule.  The suggested remedy is retraction and/or reversal of the CDRC and Executive Committee action.”

Bezis prides himself on being an independent thinker, who is unafraid to question tough issues when he confronts them.  Those traits were demonstrated early Thursday evening before Chair Ricklefs called for the executive session that would suspend Bezis’ ability to serve on the committee for one year.

Bezis’ inquisitiveness and ability to ask questions was put to the test when he was the only committee member to ask questions about a piece of state legislation, Assembly Bill 1099 authored by Democrat Assemblymember Mike Gipson of Compton. If enacted into law, AB 1099 would impose a new annual excise tax on owners of rental or leased property to develop a new funding source for rental assistance, aid for the homeless, affordable housing and housing counseling services.

Former DPCCC Chair and current member Maria Alegria, a former Pinole City Council member, interrupted Bezis’s statement about AB 1099, saying the reason he opposes AB 1099 is probably because the conservative-oriented Contra Costa Taxpayers Association does not endorse the measure.

That comment froze further discussion on the pros or cons of AB 1099, especially from Bezis.

“I was deemed guilty of a jumbled of three charges,” Bezis wrote in an email sent to the Contra Costa Herald after the vote.  “There was no separate vote on the three charges.  I am suspended from the Contra Costa Democratic Party for one year. The closed session was a torture chamber.  This is ‘Contra Costa cancel culture’ at its worst. I was deemed a terrorist to ‘transgender people’ among other irrelevant and untrue accusations.”

Bezis had earlier written in an email that was dispatched to this reporter: “I have nothing to hide about my alleged transgressions. Everything that I have done in my past six years on the County Committee has been to advance openness, transparency, fairness and inclusion.”

Some of the fireworks seen in Discovery Bay on July 4, 2020.

East Contra Costa Fire Protection District ins appeals hearing for citation issued for illegal fireworks show on July 4, 2020

By Steve Aubert, Fire Marshal, Public Information Officer, East Contra Costa Fire Protection District

The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District (ECCFPD) Fire Prevention Division was advised of an illegal fireworks show that had taken place on the July 4, 2020 holiday in Discovery Bay. An investigation pursued and revealed a large-scale show of a little over 500 fireworks had been fired the night of the 4th of July resulting in one Discovery Bay resident receiving a citation of $26,325.00.

Fire Marshal Steve Aubert stated, “With the District’s limited resources of only three stations available to respond to fires, our Prevention Division works to eliminate all potential fires within the District.”

District Board President Brian Oftedal stated, “On June 25, 2020 the Fire District put out a press release urging everyone to avoid the temptation of putting yourself and your neighbors at risk and reminded the public that Contra Costa County is a firework free zone.”

“It is unfortunate that these warnings were blatantly ignored and that our community was placed at increased risk,” he continued. “I am hopeful that this incident will serve as an eye opener to our communities and discourages individuals from violating local and county ordinances in the future.”

All fireworks are illegal in Contra Costa County, and violators may be subject to criminal charges or citations if found to possess, manufacture, sell, use or discharge, or offer to do so, any fireworks (including “dangerous,” “safe and sane,” and other fireworks) as defined in or pursuant to Health and Safety Code Sections 12502 through 12504.

Smoke from a small fire could be seen in Discovery Bay during the private, illegal fireworks displays. Asked if that was caused by the person who was fined Aubert responded, “Hard to say. We ran so many calls that night and there were less than a handful of us patrolling for illegal fireworks.  This one was brought to our attention later.”

ABOUT ECCFPD

The East Contra Costa Fire Protection District is a rural-funded fire district that currently operates 3 fire stations and has a 3-station deficit. The District protects a population of more than 128,000 across its 249 square-mile service area. ECCFPD provides firefighting personnel, emergency medical services (basic life support) and fire prevention to the residents and businesses of the cities of Brentwood and Oakley, and unincorporated communities of Discovery Bay, Bethel Island, Knightsen, Byron, Marsh Creek, and Morgan Territory. Learn more at www.eccfpd.org or social media via Facebook (East Contra Costa Fire Protection District), Instagram(@east_contra_costa_fire), Twitter (@ECCFPD) or our YouTube channel (East Contra Costa Fire Protection District).

Allen Payton contributed to this report.

Vial of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine. Source: CDC

Due to “six reported cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot” after vaccination

SACRAMENTO – On Tuesday, April 13, 2021 the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a statement from Dr. Erica Pan, state epidemiologist, regarding the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine.

“Today, the CDC and FDA have recommended a temporary pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine out of an abundance of caution. Of over 6.8 million doses administered nationally, there have been six reported cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot with symptoms occurring 6 to 13 days after vaccination.

“California is following the FDA and CDC’s recommendation and has directed health care providers to pause the use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine until we receive further direction from health and safety experts. Additionally, the state will convene the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup to review the information provided by the federal government on this issue. As the federal government has said, we do not expect a significant impact to our vaccination allocations. In California, less than 4% of our vaccine allocation this week is the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.”

For more information about the adverse effects, and what to do if you are experiencing symptoms, please contact your healthcare provider. We will provide additional details on what this means for our state efforts as they become available.

The joint CDC and FDA statement can be found here.

In addition, the Contra Costa Health Services issued the following announcement on Tuesday about the matter, also pausing use of the J&J vaccine:

To ensure that every dose of COVID-19 vaccine provided in our county is safe for patients, Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) will today temporarily pause its use of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine while federal regulatory agencies examine new information about a possible, rare side effect that can cause blood clots.

CCHS is closely following guidance issued this morning by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding this vaccine. CCHS continues to administer the other vaccines approved for emergency use in the U.S., from Pfizer and Moderna.

Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine is a very small part of Contra Costa’s vaccine allocation from the state and federal governments and CCHS does not anticipate cancelling any of its vaccination appointments at this time.

Patients with vaccination appointments through CCHS should attend at their scheduled time.

CCHS is not aware of any reported cases of adverse reactions to COVID-19 vaccine in the county that were inconsistent with those documented during the extensive clinical trials conducted to ensure the safety of all vaccines used in the U.S.

The risk of an adverse reaction for people who received Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine more than a month ago is extremely low, according to the CDC.

People who received this vaccine more recently should contact a healthcare provider immediately if they develop symptoms such as severe headaches, severe abdominal pain, severe leg pain or shortness of breath – these symptoms are different than the usual, minor reactions that some people may experience in the day or two following their vaccination.

The FDA has not received any reports of similar side effects associated with the use of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

CCHS will update the public at cchealth.org/coronavirus as more information becomes available about this developing situation.

Officials and firefighters joined Fire Chief Lewis T. Broschard (with scissors) for the ribbon cutting. Video screenshot.

Station set to replace temporary facilities in use since 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake

Front view of the new Station 70 in San Pablo. Photo: Con Fire

The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District (Con Fire) announced Tuesday, April 13, 2021, the completion of construction of the new Fire Station 70 in the City of San Pablo. Located at the corner of 23rd Street and Market Avenue, the new station will replace temporary Fire Station 70, which has been in service nearby since the permanent one was severely damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake.

Officials, firefighters and family members of those for whom the station is named, joined Fire Chief Lewis T. Broschard for the ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open the station.

When actually opened in the coming weeks, Fire Station 70 will support the city and surrounding communities along with district firefighters, allowing for better quality of life, health, training, and community interaction. The three-bay station is built to modern earthquake standards to ensure its availability for facilitating disaster preparedness and response, including a potential location for a West County disaster-response command post.

Fire Station 70 is named the Captain Matthew Burton and Engineer Scott Desmond Memorial Station in recognition of the ultimate sacrifice made by these Con Fire firefighters in the early morning hours of July 21, 2007. Responding on Engine 70 to reports of a structure fire on nearby Michelle Drive, Captain Burton and Engineer Desmond tragically lost their lives attempting to rescue a couple trapped in their burning home. As a result of their sacrifice, the Con Fire Advisory Fire Commission recommended, and the Fire Board (County Board of Supervisors) authorized, the new fire station dedication in their names.

Corner view of the new Station 70 in San Pablo. Photo: Con Fire

“Today culminates a multi-year collaborative effort between Con Fire and the City of San Pablo to get our firefighters into a modern and long overdue permanent fire station in San Pablo,” said Lewis T. Broschard III, fire chief, Contra Costa County Fire Protection District. “The new Fire Station 70 is a fitting memorial to fallen firefighters Matt Burton and Scott Desmond, offering enhanced facilities to support emergency services to both neighboring communities and the firefighters who will staff it.”

Total cost for the new station is $14 million with the City of San Pablo contributing $4.5 million to the project.

Designed with cancer prevention in mind, the station will include state-of-the-art gross decontamination showers, turnout extractors, a decontamination sauna, and modern systems for extraction of diesel exhaust particulates. The new station’s training props will allow for considerable training opportunities for crews including ladder work, rappelling and indoor all-weather training.

Opportunity for neighboring community members to offer input of what they want from the impacts of the project

If you live or work in the Delta, we’d like to invite you to join an online workshop to provide feedback to the Department of Water Resources about the Community Benefits Program of the Delta Conveyance (tunnel) Project. On April 14, between 6:00 and 8:00 pm, Ag Innovations will facilitate a large online workshop to gather feedback from Delta residents on the Department of Water Resources (DWR), Community Benefits program.

To Register for the April 14 Workshop Email DeltaConveyanceCBP@water.ca.gov
Click Here for more information.

However, as of Monday, April 12, the day the Herald received the notification of the meeting on the 14th, registrations are closed. If you would still like to participate, please email us at DeltaConveyanceCBP@water.ca.gov. If you cannot participate in the workshop, but would like to provide input, please email us at DeltaConveyanceCBP@water.ca.gov. A recording of each workshop will be posted, along with the background material, at https://water.ca.gov/Programs/State-Water-Project/Delta-Conveyance/Community-Benefits-Program

About the workshop: DWR is developing a community benefits program to acknowledge that if the Delta Conveyance project is approved it could have potential adverse effects on communities through construction of major capital projects. The Community Benefits program could create economic, social, and other benefits in the local community. A Community Benefits Program could go beyond what traditional “environmental mitigation” typically affords.

Why participate: While people oppose the Delta Conveyance Project, DWR has no expectation that participating in the workshops signals any support for the Delta Conveyance Project. The community benefits program would only proceed if the project were approved. But participating now provides community members a chance to shape the program to best suit the needs of the local community.

Ag Innovations is a 501c3 nonprofit and is committed to reaching out to underrepresented voices and creating meaningful opportunities to provide input, including at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic makes this challenging.  Please let us know if you have ideas for how we might work with you to bring your input into this process.

Stay tuned for additional workshops on the Community Benefits Program future workshops will be on:

Thursday, May 6, 2021 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm.

CLICK HERE to REGISTER

Tuesday, May 25, 2021 | 6:00pm – 8:00pm.

CLICK HERE to REGISTER

What is the Delta Conveyance Project?

The state is studying the potential impacts and benefits of two possible routes for a tunnel in the Delta, labeled the Delta Conveyance Project. The proposal aims to protect the reliability of the State Water Project to deliver clean water to homes, farms, and businesses in the Bay Area, Central Coast, and Southern California.

The project would catch fresh water in the northern Delta – especially during storms – through two new intakes near the town of Hood. A deep underground tunnel would carry that water 40 miles to the southern Delta where it would be pumped into the State Water Project. The project would be constructed over approximately 16 years.

DWR is currently studying potential impacts on traffic, noise, air quality, and historical, cultural, recreational, and other resources.

They have launched the Environmental Justice Community Survey to better understand how the project may affect the resources, values, and priorities that are most important you.

(See related articles here and here)

Do you live in Contra Costa County District 5?

Hercules, Martinez, Pittsburg and portions of Pinole and Antioch as well the unincorporated communities of Alhambra Valley, Bay Point, Briones, Rodeo, Pacheco, Crockett, Tormey, Port Costa, Mt. View, Vine Hall, Reliez Valley, and Clyde.

We have a District 5 opening!

APPLY HERE

The Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa County is dedicated to advancing the arts in a way that promotes communication, education, appreciation and collaboration throughout Contra Costa County so that we may grow creatively as a community that preserves and celebrates our diverse cultural expression.

The commission has 10 seats: five from each of the county’s Supervisorial Districts, four at-large and one alternate.

District Specific Seats:

Are recommended by the applicable District Supervisor and then approved by the Board of Supervisors.

What does a Commissioner do?

• Support the functions of the Commission.
• Give all meetings and other Commission activities a priority on their calendar.
• Serve on and chair Commission committees and events.
• Keep current with all facts and information upon which the Commission must base its collective opinions and decisions.
• Participate in strategic planning and implementation of arts programming.
• Be an ambassador and proponent of the arts and the Commission in Contra Costa County and engage people from all cultural and ethnic groups in the arts and in the work of the Commission.

Please apply today!

For more information visit www.ac5.org.

April 15, 2021  3:30 PM – 4:30 PM  Online event

Join us as for a very special panel discussion with Pixar Animation Studios. Have you ever dreamed of working in animation or technology? Listen in as we discuss the highlights and challenges of being a woman in the business and get tips and advice from experts in their fields.

About the panelists: Jessica Tran is a Project Manager in the Tools Engineering department at Pixar. Emily Davis is a Feature Film Department Manager at Pixar. Becky Neiman Cobb is an Associate Producer at Pixar who has recently worked on the short film Bao and the feature film Onward.

Register with your email here. You will receive information on how to access the Zoom event on the day before the program. Closed captioning will be provided for this program.

Details the company’s extensive initiatives to positively impact their people, communities and planet

Their seven Contra Costa County store locations donated 696,281 total pounds of food to local distribution agencies via their food rescue program

By Kevin Buffalino, Raley’s Public Relations & Partnerships Manager 

Raley’s, owners of 124 grocery stores, released their first-ever, annual Impact Report today, Wednesday, April 7, 2021, highlighting the organization’s actions in 2020 to support their purpose of changing the way the world eats, one plate at a time.

“Our first Impact Report exemplifies our team’s dedication to prioritizing purpose over profit and our commitment to serving multiple bottom lines,” said Keith Knopf, Raley’s President & CEO. “We are committed to being more than a grocery store, so it is both rewarding and humbling to see the progress we were able to make this past year to change the way the world eats and positively impact the communities we serve.”

“At Raley’s, we carefully balance purpose with profit and believe in serving multiple bottom lines,” he continued. “The success of our business relies on the vitality of the communities we serve.”

As detailed in the report, Raley’s efforts and initiatives in 2020 were aimed at nourishing their purpose, people, communities and the planet. Highlights of Raley’s inaugural Impact Report include:

Changing the Way We Eat:

• Opened the first Raley’s O-N-E Market, an acronym which stands for “organics, nutrition and education”, is a unique shopping destination focused on wellness education and offering a highly curated assortment of products that meet high standards of health, nutrition and sustainability.
• Continued outpacing the competition in sales of better-for-you items in categories such as clean label, grain free, non-GMO, keto, plant based, organic and nutrient dense.

Responding to COVID-19:

• Invested more than $60 million in enhanced safety protections.
• Hired and trained over 9,000 new team members.
• Provided more than $15 million to team members through appreciation pay and bonuses.
• Donated $200,000 to purchase devices and internet access to allow students in low-income districts to complete schoolwork at home.

Community Investment: 

• Raised over $9 million, the equivalent of 6,482,118 meals, for 12 Feeding America aligned food banks through Raley’s Food For Families. 
• Donated over $1 million in funds to causes and organizations to empower current and future generations to live healthier and happier lives. 
• Issued $700,000 in Extra Credit grants to 48 schools and districts for programs that promote nutrition education, teach food literacy, address food insecurity, provide physical safety and directly impact students’ mental, emotional and physical well-being.

Sustainable and Responsible Operations:

• Diverted over 70% of all waste companywide from landfills.
• Donated 4.8 million pounds of food via Raley’s food rescue program.
• Continued commitment to and focus on ethical supply chain practices.

In addition to detailing the impact made throughout the past year, the report charts Raley’s course for the future by setting goals for 2021 and beyond. Raley’s intends to publish an Impact Report annually moving forward to transparently report progress toward these goals.

In Contra Costa County, Raley’s stores:

• Donated $22,064 to nonprofit organizations in Contra Costa County in 2020 through our charitable giving
• Raised $483,825 for the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano during our Annual Holiday Drive
• Raley’s Food For Families gave $1,395,483.54 to the Food Bank of Contra Costa & Solano in 2020
• Our seven Contra Costa County store locations donated 696,281 total pounds of food to local distribution agencies via our food rescue program

To learn more about Raley’s overall environmental, social and governance efforts and to download the full report, visit purpose.raleys.com.

About Raley’s

Raley’s is a privately-owned and family-operated customer experience grocery company headquartered in West Sacramento, CA. Raley’s stores are the destination for the best fresh products, affordable offerings and personalized service. The company’s commitment to infusing life with health and happiness by changing the way the world eats, one plate at a time, has made it a trusted source for food, nutrition, and wellness. Raley’s strives to enhance transparency and education in the food system in order to help customers make more informed, healthy food choices. Raley’s operates 124 stores under six banners: Raley’s, Bel Air Markets, Nob Hill Foods, Raley’s O-N-E Market, Food Source and Market 5-ONE-5. Making healthier offerings accessible to everyone, Raley’s has expanded beyond the store to operate grocery curbside pick-up and delivery in their nearby communities. For more information visit www.raleys.com. 

Allen Payton contributed to this report.