Lafayette Chamber presents “Getting your Business 2023 Ready” hosted by Pillar Cowork.

1/31 “Get Ahead of the Pack - Digital and Video Marketing in 2023” – Presented by Alan Koenigsberg, President of Agile Digital Marketing and Stephanie Shaterian, Owner of fLO Content. View promo on YouTube here.

2/7 “The Must-Know New Laws of 2023– how they affect you and your business” – Presented by Anthony Hyjer, Business Performance Advisor at Insperity

2/14 “Staying Compliant in a Digital World – Keeping Your Website Accessible to Avoid ADA Lawsuits” – Presented by Craig Wacks, Head of Sales at AudioEye *Zoom Only* *Presentation titles subject to change.

Topics will be posted shortly, please note dates: 4/11, 4/18, 4/25, 5/2.

Please be sure to REGISTER for each event as there is limited "in person" availability. A Zoom option will be provided and a link sent prior to the scheduled date, please choose your option during the registration process. 

The Lafayette Chamber's Business Person of the Year selection committee chose Tom Stack as the 2023 Lafayette Business Person of the Year for his decades of service to our community. Congratulations Tom! A dinner will be held in his honor on Friday, February 3 at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa.

The evening will also include the State of City Address by City of Lafayette Mayor Carl Anduri and the introduction of the Lafayette Chamber’s 2023 Board of Directors. 

The event is now SOLD OUT! To be added to the waitlist, please email [email protected] or call (925) 284-7404. Learn more at https://lafayettechamber.org/bpoy.

Read Lamorinda Weekly article here. 📷 Photo of Tom Stack and wife Kiki by Craig Isaacs, BlueGoo Photography.

Wednesday, February 8, 2023, 5pm-6:15pm, Don Tatzin Community Hall at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center

All members who joined in the last year, people who are new to your organization, as well as those who joined when our office was closed due to the pandemic are welcome to attend. Registration is required. Questions? Contact AJ.

The Lafayette Young Professionals, a branch of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, hosts a wide variety of entertaining and educational events to help take us to the next level in our careers.

Please join us for our social mixers on the second Thursday of the month. Our first event of 2023 is on Thursday, February 9, 5pm-6:30pm in the Dug Out at Headlands Brewing Company.

Registration required for each event. Register HERE for February 9. Learn more at https://lafayettechamber.org/young-professionals. 

Deadline to submit nominations is Friday, February 10, 2023 at noon. 

📷 Janet Thomas, 2022 Co-Citizen of the Year with Don Tatzin, 2019 Citizen of the Year

A Friend of the Chamber membership provides a way for community members to support the efforts of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. We are 75 years strong and our mission continues “To promote and maintain a healthy business climate and to preserve and enhance the quality of life in Lafayette.” 

All aspects that make up a community are important to us: schools, residents, churches and synagogues, community organizations, activities, and the city government. Chamber members work with representatives of all these groups for the betterment of our community. A lifetime Friend of the Chamber membership is $150 per family. Learn more here>>

Did you miss our Arts Community email blast? Read it here!

Have an event to share with our community? Add it to our Community Calendar!

Join LPIE for a festive family night in celebration of all we have done together to enrich our schools over the last 40 years and the potential of what is to come!

Entry is complimentary; food and drinks available for purchase. RSVP HERE. Guests who register will automatically be entered into a drawing to receive a Valentine’s dinner for two! Must be present on February 10th to win.

Valentine’s Day Bouquets are now available for pre-order!

Upcoming events:

Sip and Paint, Jan. 27

Children’s Day, Feb. 7

Mezcal Tasting, Feb. 14

Sound Bath, Feb. 22

It’s time to get sustainable and join the Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge if you haven’t already. This free website (available in both English and Spanish) provides a list of actionable steps you can take to save water, energy, waste and money. When we work together as a community, we can hit some impressive goals- like saving over 1100 tons of CO2 to date! Bonus- you can also earn prizes along the way. Why not check it out?

Be sure to check off any action that you have completed on Cleaner Contra Costa Challenge in order to have your points, water savings, and CO2 reduction count for Contra Costa. 

Saddle up and ride on over to the Concord Thrift Shoppe February 3-5th for our Western Days event. Come in and take a look at our selection of western & vintage clothing, cowboy boots, American memorabilia, collectibles, and more. By supporting our thrift shoppes you're helping us fulfill our mission to provide quality hospice care to everyone in our community. To stay informed on all upcoming sales, online shoppe offerings and more please follow Hospice East Bay on social media. Be sure to mention the Lafayette Chamber to receive an additional 10% off your purchase! www.HospiceEastBay.org.

Learn about the Alzheimer's Association, the East Bay Walk, and all of the ways you can volunteer with us this year! RSVP here: tinyurl.com/2023VKO

Shop to Give! Sydney Paige is having a Valentine’s Pop-Up Event at their warehouse (1243 Boulevard Way in Walnut Creek - Saranap area) on Feb. 10th 4-7pm. They have 18 fabulous local vendors/stores coming (including Kendra Scott) offering gifts for the whole family, just in time for Valentine’s Day. 20% of all proceeds will be donated to Sydney Paige. Grab some friends and join Sydney Paige for one-stop shopping of all of your Valentine’s Day gift needs!

Please join Monument Crisis Center in celebrating our 20^th year of service to the community at our Heartfelt Gala on Saturday, February 11, 2023. Tickets and sponsorships are available now: fundraiser.bid/heartfelt2023. Please email [email protected] for questions or further information. See you there!

LPIE is proud to announce a call for nominations for the Tom Mulvaney Legacy Award to honor those individuals, families, or businesses who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to the LPIE mission.

Nominations are due at https://www.lpie.org/legacy-award by February 14th at midnight. The winner will be announced March 25th, 2023 at LPIE's Masquerade Gala. 

Come volunteer at Family Harvest Farm, John Muir Land Trust’s thriving urban farm located in Pittsburg, California where youth and adults participate in a local regenerative food system. You’ll be working alongside farm staff and other volunteers pulling weeds, mulching, and other farm activities. The day will start off with a tour and orientation followed by a few hours of getting your hands dirty. Lunch is from 12:30-1:00pm. We’ll wrap up at 2pm. No experience required. Come prepared to learn and have fun! Register here.

Youth Homes is betting they see you at their Texas Hold 'Em Poker Tournament fundraiser on March 10th, 2023 at 5pm. All levels are welcome to join for an evening of "going all in" for local youth impact! Your $75 buy-in includes buffet dinner at Back Forty Texas BBQ in Pleasant Hill. Visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/475335119137to to purchase your tickets!

Buy your tickets today! Rock Out Hunger 2023 is set for Saturday, March 25th at Blackhawk Country Club. Enjoy dinner and cocktails, dancing and live music, and a silent and live auction - all proceeds benefiting Loaves and Fishes of Contra Costa and our mission to fight food insecurity in our community.

A Brighter Day’s 7th Annual Golf Tournament is coming up on June 12th. This year it will be held at the Crow Canyon Country Club, so be sure to mark your calendars!

If you’re a local business looking to spread your name and help a great cause, we need your help sponsoring our event. All sponsorship packages are 100% tax-deductible and will go directly back to our mission to stop teen suicide. You can find out more about our sponsorship packages at https://abrighterday.info/2023-charity-golf-tournament/.

Not a golfer or a sponsor? Be a volunteer and help us make a difference. Reach out to us at [email protected].

The Community Foundation of Lafayette's Excellence Grants application deadline is April 30, 2023. For almost 25 years, the Community Foundation has been giving grants to community nonprofits in the categories of Human Services, Seniors, Youth Development & Education and Arts & Culture. If you are interested in applying for an Excellence Grant, please click HERE. To learn more about the Community Foundation, please visit www.lafayettecf.org. Selected grantees will be notified in mid-May. If you have any questions about the grant application process, please email [email protected].

Bay Area Rescue Mission is seeking donations of gently used wallets for men and women and small purses for women.

MVPC will be have a collection bin at the Chamber office. Items can be dropped off during regular Chamber office hours, Monday-Thursday 9am-4pm, Friday 9am-1pm; Closed Monday-Thursday 12:30pm-1pm for lunch. Closed Monday, February 20 for President's Day.

Across our community, thousands of seniors are finding their fixed incomes aren’t buying the food they used to. Here at the Food Bank, we’re feeling the strain too. Right now, items like eggs cost us almost three times as much to buy as they did last year! Can you help us continue to support seniors and neighbors of all ages by making a gift today? 

Trinity Center’s Winter Evening Program provides up to 38 participants a warm evening meal, and a safe, dry place to sleep from now through April 13th, 2023.

The support of our donors and volunteers is key to the success of this program. For more details and to sign-up, please visit: https://trinitycenterwc.org/winter-evening-program

To complement Hope Solutions supportive services, we work to provide furnishings, housewares as well as fulfill special requests for our clients. This would not be possible without our community’s support. Click the Signup Genius link below to view and sign up our current greatest needs for clients: https://bit.ly/donationsneededJan-Feb2023.

After-School Program Volunteers Needed: We are looking for patient and compassionate volunteers to provide academic support and mentoring for the children in our after-school program. We ask volunteers to commit to one afternoon per week (Monday-Thursday) or bi-weekly for the remaining of the semester at our Pittsburg and Pleasant Hill after-school programs. The highest need is at our Pittsburg location.

If you are interested in becoming an After-School Homework Club volunteer tutor, please complete our interest form: https://www.hopesolutions.org/volunteer-interest or email Sandibel Arnold, Volunteer and Donations Coordinator, at [email protected] to get started.

Ruby Boots Gala Sponsorship and Auction Opportunities: Kick up your heels and join us for our most exciting event of the year as we celebrate our 15^th annual gala, Ruby Boots: There’s No Place Like Home at the San Ramon Marriott on Saturday, April 29, 2023. Dust off your boots and saddle up for a fun and life-changing event to raise funds to benefit homeless families and individuals in Contra Costa County. Festivities include cocktail hour, silent and live auctions, seated dinner, inspirational speakers, and entertainment by David Martin’s House Party. To support the gala you can become a sponsor, donate auction items, and/or buy tickets.

Auction Items Needed: We need your help securing fabulous items to make our silent auction a success. It’s also an excellent way to promote your business. There are three ways to help make our silent auction a success: 1) donate an auction basket, 2) work with your community to create one or multiple donations, 3) donate individual items including gift cards, gift certificates, and more. Click on the link provided to see a list of items needed and to sign up to donate: https://bit.ly/rubyauction2023

To learn more about the gala, including sponsorship and ticketing, please visit: https://www.hopesolutions.org/annualgala or contact Carrie Veurink, Manager of Development & Community ([email protected] / 925-542-5068).

To see a full list of Volunteer Opportunities for January – March 2023, visit the Hope Solutions website or CLICK HERE:

https://www.hopesolutions.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/JAN-MAR-2023-Opportunities-for-Involvement.pdf

Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) volunteers advocate for the best interests of children who have experienced abuse or neglect. Volunteers work with professionals to ensure that judges have the information they need to make the most well-informed decisions for each child.

Attend one of our hour-long Zoom Info Sessions to learn more about the program and how you can be involved. Once involved, our program will support you every step of the way. Sign Up 

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Tutors provide in-person, high quality, consistent, and accessible educational support to children and youth in the foster care system. 

If you have a background in education or experience as a teacher, tutor, or paraeducator, we invite you to sign up for an Informational Session, or email [email protected]. We are especially in need of tutors for middle and high school math support.

Learn More and Sign Up 

Friends Corner Book Shop offers a wide variety of gently used books in dozens of topic areas for your shopping pleasure.  

Interested? Send an email to [email protected].

If you answered yes, contact us now at (925) 284-5546 or [email protected].

Assistance League^® of Diablo Valley is a nonprofit, member volunteer organization dedicated to improving lives in our community through hands-on programs. Its programs are primarily funded by the Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop, located in Lafayette. 

Established in 2012, Assistance League^® of Diablo Valley’s Community Programs include 8 programs that meet a range of community needs. Food Boxes, chaired by Janet Venturino, is one of these programs. In preparing for an upcoming event, Food Boxes Committee members selected such shelf stable items as canned vegetables, canned fruit, canned tuna, pasta, cereal, chili, peanut butter and jelly and cereal. Everyday needs such as laundry detergent, dish soap and toothpaste completed the inventory. Once delivered to the Assistance League Offices in Walnut Creek, its large conference room became an assembly line workplace where member volunteers did their magic.

To learn more about the hands-on philanthropic programs primarily funded by the Assistance League Way Side Inn Thrift Shop in Lafayette, please visit the website: diablovalley.assistanceleague.org.

White Pony Express (WPE), headquartered in Pleasant Hill and serving all of Contra Costa County, recently received word that the premier nonprofit rating group Charity Navigator has awarded WPE their highest rating possible—100% and 4 stars! Charity Navigator, the largest of its kind in the U.S., is an organization that evaluates the financial health, accountability, and transparency of thousands of nonprofit organizations based in the United States.

Charity Navigator flew three of its highest rated nonprofit agencies to its headquarters in New Jersey as part of its twentieth anniversary. White Pony Express was among them, participating in a program attended by a distinguished group of philanthropists, funding officers, and community leaders. 

At this gathering, Eve Birge, Executive Director at WPE, was interviewed. Introducing her, the host said, “Because of WPE’s great work and outstanding rating on Charity Navigator, they were at the top of the list of organizations to highlight!” Less than one-tenth of one percent of nonprofits earn a perfect score from Charity Navigator.

Adding to this remarkable achievement, WPE also learned that Candid, a recognized national organization formed in 2019 from the merger of GuideStar and Foundation Center, awarded WPE its platinum seal of transparency—their highest accolade! Candid works to provide transparency in the social sector and makes valuable information available to the public about nonprofits.

In Eve’s words, “We are honored by the recognition from Charity Navigator and Candid. This is a reflection of the heartfelt dedication of our founder, volunteers, and staff team. Together we have built a gold standard, replicable food rescue organization that will eliminate hunger when taken to scale. These awards show that the work of WPE is deeply impactful, fiscally responsible, and totally transparent.” 

About White Pony Express (WPE): Founded in 2013 by Dr. Carol Weyland Conner with an initial budget of only $800, WPE is a volunteer-powered 501(c)(3) organization with a mission to eliminate hunger and poverty by delivering the abundance all around us to those in need—with love. WPE’s Food Rescue Program operates seven days a week, rescuing a daily average of 12,000+ pounds of high-quality, surplus, fresh food from over 50 local food outlets. This nutritious food is redistributed within 24 hours to 90 nonprofit partner recipients who feed the hungry in our county. Since its inception, WPE has rescued and delivered more than 20 million pounds of nutritious food—equal to 17 million meals—and prevented more than 25,000 tons of CO2 emissions from entering the air we breathe. All of WPE’s services are provided free of charge. 

WPE also operates a General Store which distributes new and like-new clothing, educational toys, hygiene kits, and emergency supplies to those in need. In 9 years, we have given away more than 920,000 items. Media coverage about WPE can be found here.

Kaiser Permanente and Contra Costa Health have partnered to provide our community with information about self-care recovery tips and virtual treatment options that can help you get better if you get sick. This winter, many viruses (COVID, influenza and RSV) are spreading in the community creating crowded waiting rooms in doctors’ offices and hospital emergency rooms. Fortunately, most people who get sick with a virus can recover safely at home.

Visit this webpage in English and Spanish to learn more about how to recover at home if you feel sick and when to contact your medical provider.

Additional resources include

The Lafayette Juniors is a 100% volunteer-run women’s organization whose active members are residents of Lamorinda. Through the dedication of our members, local partners, sponsors, and supporters, we have helped to raise over $800,000 in the last 20+ years for more than 50 non-profit groups. Our 2023 beneficiaries are A Brighter Day, Assistance League of Diablo Valley, and Cancer Support Community Bay Area. 

On Saturday, May 6, 2023, we will host our 24th Annual Lifestyle Tour, which brings together scores of Lamorinda residents to tour 6 lovely homes in Lafayette. The tour showcases home interiors, outdoor kitchens, pools, and play spaces. This year our event attendees will receive a keepsake printed resource guide, as well as an online interactive version, highlighting local businesses to visit and source from. Sponsorship opportunities are available in both half and full page options and will be full color. Placing a sponsorship in the Resource Guide is a wonderful way for your business to gain exposure among our most engaged local residents. Pricing is as follows:

If you would like to generously support our beneficiaries, please fill out our advertising commitment form online or download it and send it to Jenny Crist at [email protected]. If you need advertisement creative assistance, please let us know and we can provide a “creative best practices” document. We kindly ask that you confirm your commitment to participate by March 31st.

500 St. Mary’s Rd Lafayette, CA. 94549. www.lafayetterec.org (925) 284-2232

Add a fundraising element to support your organization for any group of 15 or more people. This is available for ANY Oakland Athletics home game, but it does come with added fees, estimated to be between $2-$6 per ticket. Parking can be added on when attendees are in the process of checking out.

Contact Carly Wade at [email protected] with any questions/inquiries regarding anything A's ticket-related or to get seats locked in for the upcoming season!

Lamorinda Village is a membership organization of like-minded senior residents who are dedicated to building a community that engages and empowers its members to thrive as they age. Established in 2015, we support our members with innovative ways to live well and safely in their homes. Led by a dynamic group of long-standing residents of the community and a committed team of volunteers, we offer:

We invite you to reach out to us to learn more about our organization for yourself, for your neighbor OR to become a volunteer at: [email protected]. Visit us at: www.lamorindavillage.org.

In case you did not already know, the Lafayette Veterans Memorial Building is home to the largest variety of events in Contra Costa County! From Weddings, Mitzvah’s, business meetings, to Celebrations of Life, the Veterans Building hosts those type of events and more. 

Since reopening after the Covid shutdown, the Veterans Building is once again THE place to rent for your next event – and NO you do not have to be a Veteran to hold your gathering in our beautiful facility. Not only can you hold your event in the building, but we can help to make it all happen with suggestions for a caterer, decorations, or a DJ or musicians to make your party downright memorable. To take a site tour or get more information, please contact our Building Director Eileen Lawrence at 925-283-1153 or at [email protected].

In 2023, the City of Lafayette will be exploring and celebrating our local history. They are working in partnership with Lafayette Historical Society (LHS), to increase awareness and appreciation of our history including recognition and understanding of the indigenous people who were first on the land that is now Lafayette, as well as the Spaniards and Rancheros that preceded American settlers who laid out the built community that we see today. The theme “Celebrating 175+ Years” also nods to our future. Learn more about the year long celebration here.

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