For Immediate Release

Contact: James Paxson, General Manager
Hacienda Owners Association
(925) 734-6500

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Hacienda Helping Hands, Hacienda's community outreach initiative, is challenging businesses to make a difference in their community through participation in its annual fundraising campaign. Hacienda's owners, investors, businesses and other affiliates are joining in local efforts to address critical needs in the Tri-Valley.

Fundraising Continues Help for Tri-Valley Causes

Hacienda Helping Hands is seeking to grow its fund so that it can continue making grants to locally-serving community organizations and non-profits with missions to work in six key philanthropic areas: youth development and education, family strengthening, senior assistance, access to healthcare and healthy living, affordable housing and solutions to homelessness, and arts and culture. Over the last seven years, Hacienda Helping Hands has been able to distribute thousands of dollars to those committed to these causes. Past recipients include: Axis Community Health, Alameda County Community Food Bank, Senior Support Program of the Tri-Valley, Buenas Vidas Youth Ranch, Open Heart Kitchen, Sentinels of Freedom, Tri-Valley Housing Opportunity Center, La Familia and many more.

"Hacienda is interested in continuing our support of great community initiatives," said James Paxson, Hacienda's General Manager. "Hacienda Helping Hands was able to make some substantive contributions to worthwhile efforts in 2015 and the funds raised through this campaign provide an important means to help."

Hacienda Helping Hands community involvement spanned a number of areas in 2015. Key activities include:

• $15,000 in impact grants were made in gifts of $5,000 each to: Alameda County Community Food Bank as a dollar-for-dollar match of funds raised through Hacienda's holiday Virtual Food Drive, Open Heart Kitchen in support of a new vehicle for community services, and La Familia in support of scholarships for the Alameda County District Attorney's Justice Academy youth program.

• In partnership with Kaiser Permanente, the East Bay Community Foundation and the East Bay Leadership Council, Hacienda Helping Hands participated in a new effort designed to bring attention to poverty in the region and to help craft a long-term anti-poverty strategy.

• Hacienda Helping Hands continued its nearly two decades old tradition of assisting the Alameda County Community Food Bank with its annual holiday food drive.

2015 also saw the commencement of a new campaign created with Hacienda's 1st United Services Credit Union: the H3 Challenge. The H3 Challenge provides a special focus on growing the Hacienda Helping Hands fund. Under the H3 Challenge local businesses had the opportunity to meet with a Hacienda Helping Hands campaign representative to learn first hand about the initiative and how they can make a local impact. Visits also highlight campaign work, offer opportunities for engagement and create listening sessions to hear from businesses how Hacienda Helping Hands can strengthen ties between companies and the community at large.

Hacienda Helping Hands has already received support from a number of businesses but more is needed. Local companies are encouraged to join Kaiser Permanente, Chamberlin Associates, Walmart, First United Services Credit Union, Ellis Partners LLC, Colliers International and many more to help raise funds to meet community needs.

Management of contributions to and donations from the Hacienda Helping Hands campaign are performed under the auspices of the East Bay Community Foundation (www.EBCF.org), one of the largest sources of philanthropic support for the East Bay. Donations to the Hacienda Helping Hands Fund are tax exempt. An acknowledgment and appropriate documentation pertaining to the tax exempt status of contributions will be sent on receipt of a donation. Companies interested in making donations to Hacienda Helping Hands can do so online at www.ebcf.kintera.org and selecting 'Hacienda Helping Hands' from the Component Fund list, or by contacting helpinghands@hacienda.org or (925) 734-6500 at Hacienda or Sarah Lehman, East Bay Community Foundation, (510) 836-3223.

Hacienda comprises a broad mix of over 650 firms involved in high tech, communications, the food industry, insurance, finance, and consumer goods. Hacienda is home to the headquarters and western regional offices of Fortune 500 companies or their subsidiaries, as well as start-up companies comprised of local talent and consulting firms with expertise in legal, accounting, engineering and computer systems.

The East Bay Community Foundation (www.eastbaycf.org) transforms lives by harnessing financial capital, leadership and philanthropic expertise through the power of many: partnerships with individual donors, business, government, and private foundations. The East Bay Community Foundation is especially dedicated to advancing economic opportunity for those in need and the education that leads to it. As a leading resource on charitable giving and community needs, the East Bay Community Foundation manages more than 500 charitable funds and endowments.

Contact Information

Hacienda Owners Association
4305 Hacienda Drive, Suite 330, Pleasanton, California  94588-2738
(925) 734-6500 phone     (925) 734-6501 fax
info@hacienda.org e-mail     www.hacienda.org WWW