California Forever will donate $500,000 to 45 non-profit organizations across Solano County, including the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano, Meals on Wheels, SafeQuest Solano, Travis Community Champions for Wings over Solano, VEST Solano and more.
Vacaville recipients include Opportunity House, the Vacaville Museum, The Vacaville Quarterback Club, On Stage Vacaville and Journey Downtown Theater. Vallejo Recipients include The Coach Sarna NFL Flag Football League, Vallejo Center for the Arts, Vallejo Project, Leadership Vallejo, First Chance Vallejo and Boys & Girls Empowerment Group in Vallejo.
Vallejo Project founder Adjoa McDonald thanked California Forever for the donation, which she said will go toward providing services for unhoused people between 16-26 years old in the community.
“Your resources will ensure that a handful of the many vulnerable youth in our community have the skills and mentors needed to establish gainful employment,” she said. “Vallejo Project supports youth with job readiness, mentors housing and exposure to arts and culture. We serve about 26 youth annually.”
Debbi Davis of the Special Care Angels Board of Directors said her organization will use the funds to open more scholarship spots in their summer camps and purchase more equipment to support children and adults with developmental disabilities.
“Access and inclusion in all local activities and programs are crucial to help individuals with different abilities thrive in our communities, and support from California Forever will help us do this!” she said.
Solano nonprofits were welcome to apply to California Forever for funding, a three-month process which the company closed in early March.
“We were overwhelmed by the number and quality of applications and were inspired by all the organizations committed to improving our community,” the company’s release read. “From the many important and deserving applications we received, we selected recipients based on several factors including their location within the county, area of focus, impact, and support for the organization that we heard from the community.”
Randy Zawaideh, Executive Director of Safequest Solano, said his organization has already spent the money from California Forever
The company has repeatedly pointed out a gap in non-profit spending between Solano County and the rest of the Bay Area since last year, pointing to a United Way study on charitable donations in the Bay Area.
“Our community has received less than 1 percent of funding despite being home to nearly 6 percent of the region’s population,” the release reads. “While the East Solano Plan will be able to make a much bigger difference to nonprofit funding once it starts being built and generating revenue, we are honored to step in now to support 45 organizations addressing important causes in Solano County.”
Controversy has surrounded charitable giving from California Forever in the past. Opponents of the East Solano Plan have raised concerns to local nonprofits accepting funds from the company.
In December, the Solano Land Trust returned a $20,000 donation from the company last year after facing criticism for taking it. Opportunity House, Travis Community Champions for Wings Over Solano, SafeQuest Solano, VEST Solano and Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs Association were also noted on the company’s website last year as initial grantees.
Solano Land Trust Executive Director Nicole Braddock said the money was given as a private donation from California Forever CEO Jan Sramek, not as a grant.
“That characterization is self-serving and grossly misleading,” Her statement at the time read. “Solano Land Trust did not solicit this funding, apply for a grant, or agree to any grant provisions that would imply that the anonymous donation from Mr. and Mrs. Sramek was a grant from California Forever or the Flannery Group.”
This is a developing story. Check this page and Wednesday’s print edition for updates.