On May 17, more than 100 Marin residents, advocates, elected officials, staff, and volunteers gathered to champion Community Action Marin’s vision at Step Up Marin! Held at the Las Palmas Children’s Center in Novato, it was an event that brought together a prolific mix of county leaders such as Marin County Supervisor Stephanie Moulton-Peters, Mayor of Novato Mark Milberg, Superintendent of Sausalito-Marin City School District LaResha Huffman and Executive Director of Legal Aid of Marin Laura McMahon.
The evening, which began with delectable hors d’oeuvres by Dee’s Organics set to the soothing Afro-Caribbean and jazz sounds of the Christelle Durandy Quartet, raised $40,000 to further its mission of equity for all in the county. Funds raised from the event went to support a new sensory space for neuro-divergent children in San Rafael, purchase equipment and materials for Community Action Marin’s production farm and learning gardens, and provide new technology to help older adults at the nonprofit’s benefits enrollment center.
A Message of Courage and Hope for Lasting Change
Featured speaker Johnathan Logan shared his message about the courage and hope needed to create lasting change in the fight for economic and racial justice, telling the audience, “together we can do big things. We can do the right things and we can do the hard things. We will create the world that they deserve.” Logan, who now runs his own strategic consulting business, was previously the head of community engagement at the Marin Community Foundation, and leader of the Marin City Community Services District where he designed and implemented various community development and policy initiatives.
Accolades for Community Action Marin’s Success Stories
During the event, Bless Krieger received the 2024 Community Courage Award for his hard work securing stable housing, overcoming financial hurdles, saving money, and embarking on a path to a brighter future as part of Community Action Marin’s economic justice program. Krieger worked with a success coach to embark on a journey of financial literacy and discipline, and now with a robust savings account and an impressive credit score of 817, Krieger stands tall as a beacon of hope and possibility for all.
Marin’s Official Antipoverty Agency
Community Action Marin was founded in 1966, born from the civil rights movement started in the 60s. In 1967, the Marin County Board of Supervisors designated Community Action Marin as the county’s official antipoverty agency, with a mandate to work to eliminate the causes and consequences of poverty in Marin County. It has served as the incubator for several other local nonprofits, including the SF-Marin Food Bank, Ritter Center, the Farmer’s Market, and Homeward Bound.
“Since 1966, Community Action Marin has been making an impact in this community,” said Community Action Marin CEO Chandra Alexandre. “Our commitment is to move this work toward dignity and a vision of access for everyone—and I invite you today to join us.”
For more information on how you can get involved with Community Action Marin, please visit camarin.org.
A freelance writer in Marin who writes about family, kids and parenting, Glass is the mother to one son, one dog and a hamster named Miss Geri. When she’s not writing, trekking up steep hills in Marin or driving her kid to sports practice, she and her family spend time in their tiny cabin in Lake Tahoe. She avidly supports the California Academy of Sciences, a world class science museum and research institution, and the Institute on Aging which provides much needed services to Bay Area seniors and disabled adults. Glass is obsessed with baking the perfect loaf of banana bread, something she makes so often she no longer needs to look at a recipe card.
