January 2026

Progress Newsletter

By James Higa, Executive Director of PVF

It feels like every day, we experience seismic tremors and shifts in the fabric of the world that we thought we knew and was stable. This means uncertainty is the new normal. Amidst all this sudden change of policies and funding, we saw that food insecurity is not some distant issue over there. It is a daily and worsening reality for our neighbors, families, and friends. There are many local organizations that are working tirelessly to ensure that no one goes hungry but the more chaotic the times, the greater the need. It’s not in PVF’s DNA to sit aside.

We are wired for immediate response. When like-minded and generous partners like Oakland Thrives are ready to roll up their sleeves and just 'do' in moments of crisis, like the eve before SNAP benefits were frozen for the first time, we act fast. PVF opened the Alameda County Rapid Response Food Resilience Fund within 48 hours and distributed $1M in grants to grassroots organizations who do the good and hard work of delivering food directly to those in need.

"Alameda County Rapid Response Food Resilience Fund funding helped us prioritize equitable access by reaching seniors, families with children, and individuals experiencing housing instability or fixed incomes. By stabilizing our food assistance operations during critical periods, the Rapid Response Food Resilience Fund directly contributed to improved food security and reduced stress for over 1,000 community members during times of crisis. 86% of these recipients reported to be within the 0-30% of AMI [Area Median Income] and 44% ages 55 and older." - The Davis Street Community Center, Inc. in San Leandro

Beyond food insecurity, as all the needs have grown, so have we. In 2025, PVF and our fund partners distributed $43.5M in grants. We’re grateful every day to get to do the work we do. We have a bias for action. It’s always been in our DNA and we will promise to preserve and hold tight, this most important value.

Guest blog post by Elizabeth Woodson, Executive Director of Reckon With

A Designated Fund of Philanthropic Ventures Foundation (PVF), Reckon With, accompanies European Americans in the ongoing work of acknowledging and repairing racial harm—within ourselves, within our families, and within the institutions we help shape every day. With a mission rooted in courage, honesty, and the belief that repair is both possible and necessary.

Many who care about justice and democracy feel disheartened right now. We are witnessing the destruction of decades of legal infrastructure that advanced and protected basic civil rights, the use of the military to harass and deport community members, and the threat of cutting SNAP and other support systems that the government has committed to providing.

But there is much that remains within our control to change – and for “white” people who care about equity and democracy, much that is within our responsibility to enact.