Meet the honorees and welcoming the red tier in Contra Costa County

Announcing the East Bay Philanthropy Awards Honorees

We asked for your help in nominating leaders, philanthropists, employers, volunteers and youth who have stepped up for the East Bay in a time of profound need and you absolutely delivered.

In just one month, we were overwhelmed with story after story of compassion, commitment, and courage.

The Philanthropy Awards event may look a little different this year, but the heart of this event remains the same. The honorees represent the very best in our community and we cannot wait to celebrate them all on November 12.

After a painstaking and thoughtful selection process, we are excited to announce the honorees for the 10th Annual East Bay Philanthropy Awards presented by Wells Fargo.

ATTEND THE AWARDS

2020 Honorees

Community Leaders
Donald Frazier | Social Impact Award
Tamisha Walker | Social Impact Award
Bret Sweet | Economic Justice Award

Nonprofits & Employers
RYSE Center | Next Generation Leadership Award
Contra Costa Health Services | Bridge Builder Award
Healthy Richmond | Changemaker Award
Monument Impact Fund | Meeting the Moment Award
Blue Shield of California | Community Impact Award
CSAA Insurance Group | Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Award

Thank you to all our event sponsors

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Contra Costa County joins Alameda in the red tier

On Tuesday, Contra Costa County was downgraded from purple to red in the state's color-coded system. Like we discussed last week, the change is positive news but still signifies "substantial" risk of COVID-19 in the county.

Moving into the red means that indoor dining, gyms, and movie theaters may reopen with some restrictions. Non-essential office workers are still asked to work remotely.

"The credit really belongs to the people of Contra Costa, who have adapted to the new normal and modified their lifestyles to reduce the spread of COVID in the county," said Dr. Farnitano, the county's health officer in a press release Tuesday.

As for school reopenings, that decision hinges on health data holding steady or improving over the next two weeks. Then, the decisions will fall to local school governing boards to decide what is best for their students and faculty.

Contra Costa County also announced free flu shots at COVID testing sites starting today — a wise move as flu season with its lookalike symptoms approaches.

Learn more about Contra Costa County's Measure X

We shared our endorsement of Measure X in last week's update, but if you are hoping to learn more about the countywide measure there is an online forum scheduled for October 11 at 2:00 PM.

You will hear from a variety of panelists in support of the measure and have a chance to ask your questions about accountability and how it can help close the opportunity gap.

Must read // Recovery will take more than two years, UCLA economists say

Margot Roosevelt in the LA Times: California’s economy began to bounce back this summer thanks to an infusion of federal jobless benefits and business loans along with the reopening of some workplaces, but a full recovery from the coronavirus downturn will take more than two years, UCLA economists predict.

The UCLA Anderson quarterly forecast released Wednesday suggested California payrolls will drop 7.2% this year to 16 million jobs, a loss of some 1.5 million since the COVID-19 pandemic hit. They are expected to climb back slowly, by just 1.3% next year and 3.5% in 2022.

The Golden State’s unemployment rate, which was 3.9% in February, will average 10.8% this year, then fall to 8.6% next year and 6.6% in 2022, the forecast calculated.

Nonetheless, “the news is not all bad,” economist Leila Bengali wrote in the report, noting that some industries are faring far better than others. A precipitous drop in travelers has hammered California’s leisure and hospitality sector, where payrolls are projected to fall 25% this year, but “the housing market is an area where we project particular strength and a quick recovery to pre-recession levels.”

Our Reading List

NewslettersMark OrcuttOctober 1, 2020Philanthropy, COVID-19, Economy, Measure X, Contra Costa CountyComment