City Council Chambers

440 Civic Center Plaza,

Monday, May 9

5:00 p.m.

Free

The awards ceremony will be followed by a reception across the Plaza at the Richmond Art Center, catered by the Contra Costa College Culinary Department. There will be a No Host Bar.

HONOREES

KCRT Channel 28 for
Preserving Richmond's History on Film and Video

Joe Fischer for his book "Children's Art & Children's Words:
Richmond, California 1943-1966"

The Richmond Art Center for
Preserving the Roeder Folk Art Sculptures

The City of Richmond and the Save the Plunge Trust for
Rehabilitation of the Richmond Municipal Natatorium

Andrew and Kim Butt for the
Rehabilitation of 77 Scenic Avenue

Betty Reid Soskin for her work in
Community Building, Engagement and Storytelling

National Park Service Home Front Award
Richmond Chamber of Commerce for the
USO Dance and Home Front Festival by the Bay

PAL

2200 Macdonald Avenue

Friday, May 13th

6:00 pm

$30 per person

Flyer

Join the Kiwanis Club of Richmond as we honor the Firefighter of the Year, Germain Gomez, and the Police Officer of the Year, Robert Gray, and other notable Public Safety personnel recognized by the Richmond Police and Fire Departments.

Tickets are $30 each or $350 for a table of 8. Deadline is May 6th. There will be no tickets sold at the door. After May 6th, if seats are available, the cost will be $40. Call Sandi at 510-237-5670 for information or to buy tickets.

Thanks to CHEVRON for sponsoring this years' awards

Craneway Pavilion

1414 Harbour Way South

Saturday, May 14^th

7:00 pm

$45 per person

Bay Area cultural icon Wavy Gravy is turning 75 years young this year - and you're invited to his party! Wavy Gravy will host a benefit concert featuring a legendary lineup of musicians, including Bob Weir & Mickey Hart , performing alone and together with Steve Kimock , Mark Karan , Henry Kaiser , Jeff Chimenti , John Molo , Pete Sears , Nicki Bluhm & Robin Sylvester . Also on the bill is Zero , The Chris Robinson Brotherhood , Ace of Cups , the Clown Conspiracy and surprise guests!

We are extremely grateful to Wavy Gravy, and all of the musicians performing in support of Seva," said Seva's Executive Director, Jack Blanks . "Their generosity, along with donations from Bay Area audience members, will support Seva's programs that restore sight to the blind, train doctors in places where there are few, and bring services to indigenous communities around the world. Seva is a Sanskrit word meaning Service, and we welcome you to join with Seva as we serve those in need around the world. "We are honored by the music community's recognition of our work."

Kiwanis Day at the Races

Golden Gate Fields

Saturday, May 14th

11:00 am

Only $45 for admission to the Turf Club, valet parking and a luxurious buffet lunch.

Turf Club opens 11:00 a.m.

Lunch is served 12:00 noon

Racing begins 1:00 p.m.

Need more information?  Herb (510) 222-1269 or Floyd (510) 235-4748

Send your check or credit card information to Richmond Kiwanis,

P.O. Box 352 Station A    

Richmond, CA 94808.

All Proceeds go to support the Community projects of the Kiwanis Club of Richmond.

Memorial Auditorium

403 Civic Center Plaza

Monday, May 16th & Tuesday, May 17th

9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Our first annual conference in May last year pioneered new, employment-focused solutions to homelessness in the Bay Area. "Bridges Out of Homelessness" brought together more than 200 local stakeholders and regional and national experts for a unique, unconference-like event. Response from conference participants in 2010 was hugely positive, encouraging us to expand the conference for 2011.

Homelessness remains at crisis levels nationwide, with foreclosures continuing and the average unemployment rate still near 10%. Although conditions in the Bay Area run the gamut, homeless remains on the rise. Despite job growth "green jobs," unemployment in Richmond and other West Contra Costa communities remains nearly double the national average.

High unemployment, high cost of living, and reallocation of government resources combine to generate more homeless persons at a faster rate than already stressed public housing and emergency shelter programs can accommodate. At the county level, the "housing-first" approach to help the homeless remains the first priority. Yet, ongoing budget woes throughout the Bay Area stymie the housing-first approach. The most recent Contra Costa data show an increase in the concentration of the homeless population in the worst-affected areas, including Richmond and other West County communities.

New solutions to homelessness must increase the capacity of homeless adults to reduce their economic dependence on public assistance. Because of increasingly limited public and private resources devoted to supporting the homeless, such solutions must involve gainful employment or micro enterprise. These new solutions also must integrate and help improve existing health care and housing services for the homeless with the objective of optimizing long-term sustainability.

Our second annual conference - "Sustainable Solutions to Homelessness" -- convenes for 2 full days (9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) with opening plenary sessions, networking luncheons, and more than 20 professionally targeted workshops. Conference participants are going to meet and exchange views with influential national, regional, and local experts while exploring and developing new "employment-focused" solutions to homelessness in the Bay Area. 

Goals of the Conference

Our 2011 Conference enables all engaged in working with the homeless or managing issues involving the homeless to improve their professional expertise and performance. "Sustainable Solutions to Homelessness" provides practical ways to increase the cost-effectiveness of the continuum of care and transition of the homeless out of homelessness. Conference goals include:

1. Convene stakeholders to examine new, cost-effective, employment-focused solutions to homelessness

2. Identify gaps, incentives, and disincentives in existing programs for the homeless and practical ways to integrate new solutions

3. Consider best practices of traditional and new solutions in the homeless continuum of care and transition

4. Focus on specific programs to optimize employability and career potential of homeless persons

5. Use Richmond -- where growing numbers of the homeless face every possible challenge -- as the proving ground for new, employment-focused solutions to homelessness

Who should attend:

-- Local and state homeless program administrators and executive staff

-- Public health providers, outreach staff, case managers, and social workers

-- Primary and emergency medical care, substance abuse, and mental health providers

-- State legislators, their legislative staff, and local elected officials

-- Family, drug, and criminal court judges

-- Law enforcement leaders and police

-- Non-profit organizations and advocates for the homeless

-- Community health center and hospital executives, staff, and board members

-- Public housing providers, landlords, and tenants

-- People who have experienced homelessness and achieved their own solutions

-- Philanthropic and funding agencies

-- Local businesses

The City of Richmond Recreation Department recently developed a new motto, "Richmond Recreation, Rich In People, Rich In Play." In doing so, the department would like an image that describes their new motto. The department has opened up a simple contest to the public in creating the image.