Tickets On Sale For 'Hometown Heroes' Breakfast Fundraiser

The “Hometown Heroes” breakfast and fundraising event will be held Friday morning, September 11, 2015 at 7:15 A.M. at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, announced Tom Myers, Executive Director of Community Services Agency (CSA) in Mountain View.

“Hometown Heroes” is an annual event to honor both individuals and businesses (for profit and not-for-profit) for their philanthropic contributions to both CSA and our local community. The event is sponsored by Community Services Agency, the only non-profit, social service safety-net provider for Mountain View, Los Altos, and Los Altos Hills.

Honored this year as Hometown Heroes are: Susan Russell and Jeanne Richter (Individual) for their community activism around housing issues; and Raley’s Nob Hill (Business) for their Food for Families program which helps CSA fight hunger and food insecurity in our community.

Featured guest speaker will be County Supervisor Joe Simitian.

SUSAN RUSSELL. After graduating from law school, Susan focused on representing tenants and worked with Midpeninsula Citizens for Fair Housing, but after about 12 years of practicing law decided that the lack of affordable housing was a more compelling issue for her than the legal rights of tenants. She worked as a developer for nonprofit housing developer, Mid-Peninsula Housing Coalition for about 12 years and after retiring, teamed up with a group of long-time Mountain View housing advocates, Advocates for Affordable Housing. This group expanded to become an active League of Women Voters housing group, including Los Altos housing advocates, also. For about 12 years this group, led by Susan, has encouraged policies and programs in both Los Altos and Mountain View that would provide more affordable housing.

JEANNE RICHTER’s life work has been about supporting families in their efforts to raise happy, healthy, well-educated children. Working with CSA offered an opportunity to serve those families in our community who were most in need. She joined the board of CSA where she served for 6 years, serving her final year as president. She also began volunteering with Partners for a New Generation where she was fortunate to mentor a young woman for several years, the daughter of one of her former students! She then became involved with the Mountain View Los Altos Community Scholars Program where she continues to mentor two young women who are now attending college.

RALEY’S NOB HILL’s Food for Families program is a true partnership in Mountain View with CSA as it pairs cash donations from customers with the wholesale purchasing power of Raley’s stores that allows CSA to purchase needed dairy, protein and produce items at reduced costs. Combined with Raley’s Nob Hill’s product donations (including turkeys, chickens and hams during the holidays) an even greater impact is made in fighlting hunger and food insecurity in our community. This September Food for Families is expanding its program to include fresh fruits and produce. This expansion aligns with CSA’s long-standing commitment to providing not just food but healthy food ensuring that our families have access to nutritious food not calorie dense food with little nutritional value.

JOE SIMITIAN was elected to the County Board of Supervisors in 2012. He represents the Fifth District, which includes Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, and Mountain View and has been working tirelessly on the issue of affordable housing in Northern Santa Clara County.

Joe’s public service over the years includes stints as a member of the California State Senate, the California State Assembly, Mayor of Palo Alto, President of the Palo Alto School Board, as well as an earlier term on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors.

“Community Services Agency has been part of the local social fabric for the past 58 years,” says Tom Myers. “It truly takes collaboration between residents, government and businesses for Community Services Agency to accomplish its mission. The Hometown Heroes event recognizes these efforts and we all should be inspired by the commitment and hard work of our very own ‘hometown heroes’.”

Individual tickets for the breakfast are $45. Partner/Sponsorships begin at $500. For reservations, sponsorships or other information, contact Jim Boin at 650.968.0836 x 115 or: jboin@csacares.org.