Every year, County Connection participates in the drive to collect donations for the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano; the collection typically runs for a two-week period between Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year, it ran throughout the County between November 30th and December 13th. County Connection offered an easy way for the community to participate in the program by having a crate available ready to accept donations as riders boarded their bus. We also had a donation drop off onsite at our administrative office located at 2477 Arnold Industrial Way in Concord. Not only did we collect donations from our passengers, we also encouraged donations from County Connection employees. Historically, our employees have been very generous when it comes to donating food to the food bank. Our goal this year was to raise over 1,000 pounds of food from our County Connection collection points. We nearly reached it with a total of 900 pounds, which represents a 10 percent increase from last year. In past years, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano has formally recognized us for our food raising efforts. Everyone at County Connection is very proud of that. One of the fastest ways to get into the holiday spirit of giving is by donating food to those that find themselves in need, however, I personally urge everyone who reads this blog to donate food to the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, not just during the holidays, but also throughout the year. If you are not familiar with the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, the group:
- Provides food to nearly 188,000 people EVERY month, of which 28% receiving emergency food are children
- Distributes food directly back into the community through school and church programs
- Distributes food to recognized non-profit organizations such as Monument Crisis Center, La Clinica de la Raza, and WIC
- Accepts cash donations to provide fresh fruits, vegetables and other perishable foods that cannot be stored for long periods at its warehouses — 96 cents of every dollar donated goes directly to food programs
- Has hundreds of regular volunteers that help keep food moving through its warehouses into the community, as well as assisting with education and outreach
- Offers harvesting assistance to people wishing to donate excess amounts of fruit on trees
I want to thank everyone who donated food to the Contra Costa Food Bank this holiday season. And, I thank County Connection employees who donate and work our piece of this important campaign. More people than ever rely on food banks for basic nutritional needs making every donation very meaningful. All of us at County Connection wish you and yours a happy holiday.
County Connection buses became a training ground for police dogs at the North Concord BART station last month. Animals representing BART Police, San Francisco Sheriff Office, San Francisco Police Department, and the Transportation Safety Administration were sent in search of incendiary devices that were placed by law enforcement officers in and around three buses. The rainy conditions presented additional challenges because smells dissipate more quickly than in warm weather, but training in all conditions is critical. There were a lot of rewards given out, and good information for the officer/trainers on follow-up work their canine partner may need.
