To: Board of Supervisors
From: Diana Becton, District Attorney
Report Title: 2024 Counties Care - Holiday Food Fight Kick Off
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
ADOPT Resolution to kick off the 2024 Counties Care - Holiday Food Fight, as recommended by Supervisor Glover.
FISCAL IMPACT:
No budgetary impact. All funds raised will be donated to charity.
BACKGROUND:
The Annual Counties Care Holiday Food Fight has evolved into a challenge between Contra Costa County and Solano County as a friendly competition to see which county can achieve the larger amount of donations, all in the spirit of helping the residents of both counties.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Contra Costa County will not be able to participate in the 2024 Counties Care Holiday Food Fight.
The Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County, California
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IN THE MATTER OF Launching the “2024 Counties Care - Holiday Food Fight”
WHEREAS, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties originated as a Contra Costa County project; and
WHEREAS, The Food Bank works heroically on the front lines of the daily effort to address food inadequacies, providing food 242,364 times on average each month to residents of Contra Costa County; and
WHEREAS, The Food Bank distributes over 20 million pounds of food each year to food insecure residents of Contra Costa County seven days a week; and
WHEREAS, the number of residents of this County who are struggling to make ends meet and need the Food Bank’s assistance continues to remain high; and
WHEREAS, climate, power outages, devastating fires, COVID-19, housing shortages, skyrocketing rents and other societal pressures create extra demands on the Food Bank’s budget, due to reduced access to fresh produce, as well as the necessity to serve people that need extra help to make ends meet and navigate their changing situations; and
WHEREAS, the Food Bank is enabled by our monetary donations from County employees to purchase and distribute fresh produce, which makes up nearly 55% of everything they dispense to our neighbors; and
WHEREAS, since 2002, approximately 6,530 employees of Contra Costa County, in virtually every department, have participated in this annual drive to serve the residents of Contra Costa County who are in need and have over the last 21 years raised approximately $1.6 million toward this effort; and
WHEREAS, the “2024 Counties Care - Holiday Food Fight” will take place between November 18th and December 31, 2024; and
WHEREAS, County employees encourage the public to participate in the “2024 Counties Care - Holiday Food Fight” between the employees of Contra Costa and Solano counties by donating generously and often to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano online in a corresponding “people-to-people” challenge;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County hereby recognizes this great and constant need in the community, and commends, encourages, and challenges employees and residents of Contra Costa and Solano counties to open their hearts and wallets to assist the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano Counties and its client organizations during the coming holiday season; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County hereby officially continues the annual challenge with Solano County and kicks off the “2024 Counties Care - Holiday Food Fight” and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County hereby encourages all residents of Contra Costa and Solano counties to extend the generous holiday spirit throughout the year to help those less fortunate.
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