UOP President Elected to Great Valley Center Board

THE UNIVERSITY OF PACIFIC PRESIDENT ELECTED TO 
GREAT VALLEY CENTER BOARD

Modesto, CA (September 1, 2010) – The University of Pacific President Pamela A. Eibeck has been elected to the board of the Great Valley Center, a regional planning and action nonprofit serving the Central Valley.

The Great Valley Center, which is in partnership with UC Merced, works with community organizations and local governments to improve the quality of life for residents of the 19 counties in the region. Its 12-member board is composed of business, government and education leaders.

Kathy McKim, Vice President of AT&T External Affairs for the Central Valley, and chair of the Great Valley Center board, announced the election. “President Eibeck's strong leadership in the San Joaquin Valley and her commitment to the community will be a great addition to the GVC board.”

Now in her second year as president at Pacific, Eibeck made community engagement a priority. She launched a series of public forums called “Beyond Our Gates,” to explore ways to better connect the University with its community. Eibeck leads a University of nine schools and colleges enrolling 6,500 students on three campuses in Stockton, Sacramento and San Francisco. She is the former dean of engineering at Texas Tech University and held academic posts at Northern Arizona University and UC Berkeley. Eibeck holds bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in engineering from Stanford, and is the first woman president at the university.

“I admire the Great Valley Center for the leading role it has played in shaping thought, policy and planning for major issues in the Central Valley,” said Eibeck. “University of the Pacific is eager to be a part of that discussion, and it is an honor for me to become involved in this important work as we prepare our communities to thrive in the 21st century.”

In addition to conferences and briefings on regional growth issues, the Great Valley Center is a resource for information about the Valley, including a daily e-letter on renewable energy and a weekly public television program seen throughout the region. The Modesto-based center, in cooperation with Heyday Books, recently published a book on Valley trends over the next decade, titled 2020: Visions for the Central Valley. University of the Pacific has joined with the Great Valley Center and other organizations in starting a new network for leaders in the northern San Joaquin Valley called the American Leadership Forum Great Valley Chapter.

About the Great Valley Center: Founded in 1997, the Great Valley Center is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with the University of California, Merced to support organizations and activities working to improve the economic, social and environmental well-being of California’s Great Central Valley.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Amy Moffat
(209) 522-5103
amy@greatvalley.org

More Coverage:

• UOP Leader Joins Great Valley - (9/3/10, Sacramento Bee)
• UOP Leader Joins Great Valley - (9/3/10, Modesto Bee)
  

Teens Assisiting The San Joaquin Valley Partnership

The San Joaquin Valley Partnership is working with Pixley Connect to promote jobs and education for adults in the San Joaquin Valley. With the support of Great Valley Center and the Pixley Foundation the Teen Tech Squad has been assisting with the recruitment in Kern County Delano, CA and hands on technologically documenting progress.

Check out a Video produced by the Teen Tech Squad

New program aims to increase digital literacy and Internet usage in underserved California communities

GVC's work on digital literacy in under-served communities will continue and expand under a new grant.

(Sacramento, California - August 20, 2010) - The Foundation for California Community Colleges is proud to announce California Connects, a new program that will increase digital literacy and expand broadband Internet access to underserved populations throughout the state. The program is funded by a $10.9 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration for Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP).

The three-year program will provide outreach, training and educational support in key communities throughout the state, and will ultimately provide access to more than 61,000 broadband users in California through three primary components:

In collaboration with the California Community College Technology Center housed at Butte Community College, an online digital literacy program will be made available to provide the educational support and tools needed to help enhance the online aptitude of individuals for whom computer and Internet use is still a challenge.

Support will be provided to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office in its statewide efforts to provide laptop computers to community college Math, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) students who participate in community service.

In partnership with the Great Valley Center, an affiliate of UC Merced, efforts will be made to expand the access of broadband technology and conduct outreach to promote digital literacy with an emphasis on serving low-income residents in the Central Valley region.

“In this digital age, having the tools and ability to connect to the Internet is vastly important, but even today is not always feasible in many communities,” said Dr. Paul Lanning, President of the Foundation for California Community Colleges. “California Connects will provide real lifelong incentives to individuals who have not previously had access or resources to learn digital literacy skills, acquire computers, or connect to the Internet. This program will provide a direct, tangible, and long-lasting benefit to underserved populations.”

“This program will help to close the digital divide that still exists in many communities and will provide a foundation for economic growth and job creation for decades to come,” said Dr. Barry Russell, Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs for the California Community Colleges. “What’s more, the collaborative nature of this program transcends the boundaries of any one specific educational system; California Connects will help to ensure students at all three systems of higher education in California, along with other segments of the population, have access to the digital education and training that is necessary in today’s economy.”
California Connects represents a collaboration of numerous organizations, including the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, the California STEM Learning Network (CSLNet), the California Community College Technology Center housed at Butte College, and the Great Valley Center affiliated with UC Merced.

Funded as part of more than $200 million in recent American Recovery and Reinvestment Act grants specifically supporting California projects, California Connects is expected to fully launch later this fall. Additional details, along with program contacts, will be made available at the Foundation for California Community Colleges’ Web site at www.foundationccc.org.

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The Foundation for California Community Colleges is the official non-profit foundation to the California Community Colleges’ Board of Governors and Chancellor’s Office. The Foundation’s mission is to benefit, support, and enhance the missions of the California Community College system, the largest higher education system in the nation. Incorporated in 1998, the Foundation works with Community Colleges and partner organizations to manage donations, grants, programs, and services that drive excellence in education while saving millions of dollars for colleges each year. The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit corporation and receives no direct state or public support.

Valley Futures Forum: "Housing the Future" on September 16

Housing the Future: Can our children afford to live in the Valley? with Darryl Rutherford

The Valley’s housing picture is changing constantly.  We’ve gone from “go-go” to “no-go” to “very slow go” in the past five years. Join Darryl Rutherford, the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco’s Regional Manager for Community Development for the San Joaquin Valley, as he discusses the Valley’s housing mix today, and what is needed to achieve affordable housing for all as the Valley grows rapidly. How are regional planning efforts moving communities forward and what’s missing from the equation? Bring your ideas about the new housing reality for the San Joaquin Valley.

September 16, 2010
5:00 - 6:45 pm

Great Valley Center
Community Room
201 Needham St.
Modesto, CA

Fee for the Forum: $10 (payable at the door)

For more information, please visit our new website at www.valleyfuturesforum.org or email nuplanner@gmail.com

About Darryl Rutherford:
Darryl joined the Federal Reserve Bank’s Community Development Department in 2008 as the Regional Manager for the San Joaquin Valley in Central California. He provides technical assistance and training on community development initiatives and programs. His primary initiatives include rural community development, affordable housing, neighborhood revitalization, asset building, small business development and access to financial services. 

About the Valley Futures Forum (VFF):
The VFF is a dynamic conversation on development issues in the San Joaquin Valley. The VFF is held on the third Thursday of each month at 5:00pm, from January through November.

The VFF is presented by:
American Planning Association, Central Section; Building Industry Association of Central California; Congress for the New Urbanism, NorCal Chapter; Great Valley Center; Local Government Commission; Modesto Chamber of Commerce.

→ Download a flyer

Great Valley Center Releases New Fundraising Guide for Valley Nonprofits

Funding is a challenge for every organization but there are special challenges for Central Valley nonprofits. Many are “small shop” operations with staff spread thin among the many tasks required to run programs as well as operations. And while their programs are in demand, the services offered don’t always grab the attention of big funders.

With so many tasks pulling on the attention of staff members is it worth it to compete for larger grants from major foundations and corporations?

This paper explores the value of big grants and how Valley nonprofits can reposition their programs and organizations to improve their chances of winning big grants.

Download Breaking Through to Big Foundations →

About the Author
Claire Thomas has devoted 17 years to planning, creating, writing, and delivering communications that connect with audiences and motivate action—especially giving.  During her fundraising career, she raised over $23 million for local, national and international nonprofits. Claire is now a consultant and writer specializing donor communications; web and online marketing; grants, direct mail; and branding. She designs and delivers workshops on the topics of integrated communications, impact stories, and winning grants.

About the Great Valley Center
The Great Valley Center is a nonprofit organization working in partnership with the University of California, Merced to improve the social, economic and environmental well-being of California’s Great Central Valley.

Regional Food Hub Launches in San Francisco

3BLMedia
August 16, 2010
San Francisco, CA 

(Photo © Flickr/Creative Commons Wally Gobetz)

After eight months of planning, the San Francisco Foodshed Project launched in the SF Bay Area thanks to a grant from the California Department of Food & Agriculture (CDFA), administered by Great Valley Center. The project was born out of a recent Urban-Rural Roundtable coordinated by advocacy group Roots of Change, SF Mayor Gavin Newsom, and CDFA.

The project is being executed by both nonprofit and for-profit businesses working together to establish how to set up and grow regional food distribution hubs.  This collaborative effort, sometimes called “business clusters”, has proven to be crucial for other regional food programs.  Nonprofit organizations handle most of the coordination and outreach, and conventional distributors can handle the heavy-lifting of distribution.  Everyone focuses on what they do best.

This SF Foodshed program is no different.  FarmsReach is the overall project manager and provides the online system for buyers to track current and upcoming availability.  California Alliance with Family Farms (CAFF) identified producers who could meet the needs of larger institutional buyers.  Growers Collaborative serves as an aggregation hub for the farms. Finally, conventional distributors FreshPoint SF, SF Specialty and VegiWorks deliver the goods to the eight participating buyers: Living Room Events, Palace Hotel, Paula LeDuc Catering, Ritz-Carlton Hotel, SF Juvenile Hall, St Regis Hotel, Taste Catering, and W Hotel. 
Actual deliveries have been running for a few weeks now, and it has already proven to be a learning process for all.  Kate Seely of FarmsReach explains, “Our goal is to increase access to fresh foods, help the logistics flow more smoothly, and ultimately enable farms to get a higher return on every dollar.  It’s no easy task.  But, it’s exciting to see everyone engaged and committed to make this work.”

Scott Davis of FreshPoint SF shares the same commitment: “Many of our customers are requesting to purchase local produce.  Partnering with [this project] enables us to expand our local offerings. We believe in the mission and are excited to help make it a success.”

In the coming months, more farms will join the program with the help of other grant recipients Brentwood Agricultural Land Trust (BALT) and Marin Organic.  More buyers will be invited to join as well, likely in the Fall.

As the demand for regional food systems grows amidst concerns about the health and safety of our food supply, the SF Foodshed Project is notable in that best practices are all being documented, so others may replicate similar models in other regions.

To see a full list of SF Foodshed grantees and participants, go to www.zerofoodprint.com.

 About FarmsReach: FarmsReach works to facilitate regional food systems by fostering collaboration and building tools to serve farmers, aggregators, distributors, and end buyers.

About ROC’s Urban-Rural Roundtable:  http://rootsofchange.org/projects/ 

Recent article highlighting concepts in the regional food hub model:
http://organicconnectmag.com/wp/2010/06/going-mainstream-with-locally-grown-food/

FR8389

Contact Information:

www.farmsreach.com

Kasi Boyd

kasib@farmsreach.com

617.515.4097

Valley Futures Forum: August 19

Innovations in Designing for Pedestrians: Revitalizing Communities Through Increased Walkability with Paul Zykofsky

Many communities in California and the rest of the nation are recognizing that creating walkable communities is a great way to revitalize downtowns and neighborhoods while achieving broader community goals of reducing vehicle miles traveled, greenhouse gas emissions, and improving health by supporting routine physical activity. This presentation will look at some of the innovative techniques and strategies that communities are using to create complete streets and design safer and more enticing environments for pedestrians.

August 19, 2010
5:00 - 6:45 pm

Great Valley Center
Community Room
201 Needham St.
Modesto, CA

Fee for the Forum: $10 (payable at the door)

For more information, please visit our new website at www.valleyfuturesforum.org or email nuplanner@gmail.com

About Paul Zykofsky:
Paul Zykofsky is Associate Director at the Local Government Commission in charge of community design, climate change, and health programs. During the past 10 years, he has facilitated over 30 community design charrettes focused on improving conditions for infill development, walking, bicycling, and transit. He conducts workshops on Complete Streets (for APBP), designing for pedestrian safety (for FHWA), Safe Routes to School (for the National Center for SRTS), and Walkable Communities. Mr Zykofsky is a member of the American Institute of Certified Planners and the Congress for the New Urbanism. He was born and raised in Mexico and is fluent in Spanish.

About the Valley Futures Forum (VFF):
The VFF is a dynamic conversation on development issues in the San Joaquin Valley. The VFF is held on the third Thursday of each month at 5:00pm, from January through November.

The VFF is presented by:
American Planning Association, Central Section; Building Industry Association of Central California; Congress for the New Urbanism, NorCal Chapter; Great Valley Center; Local Government Commission; Modesto Chamber of Commerce.

→ Download a flyer