Catholic Charities of the East Bay will lead an Economic Development Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility

On February 8, 2011, Solomon Belette, CEO and Cristina Hernandez, Division Director of Education and Employment Services of Catholic Charities of the East Bay (CCEB), along with Heather Kulp, External Affairs Manager for Chevron, will be the main presenters at an Economic Development Forum sponsored by The Oakland Chamber of Commerce.

The topic will be corporate social responsibility and how CCEB is working together with Chevron Corporation to better the lives of low-income residents of Alameda and Contra Costa Counties a step that other businesses can take in developing community relationships.

Chevron has given generous financial support to the B-Mat Project, a collaborative job training project of CCEB, RichmondWORKS (RW), and West Contra Costa Adult Education (WCCAE) as well as a recent grant to Project ACCESS advancing child care education and student services: training, career, and other support services for non-native speakers of English who want to enter and advance in the Early Childhood Education Field.

B-Mat supports low-income, limited English proficient residents of Richmond and West Counties to secure employment as Clinical Medical Assistants, a high-demand occupation in the East Bay. The program provides instruction in Clinical Medical Assistant coursework and lab instruction; supervised externships; soft skills training, job development; job placement; job retention; case management and supportive services, including financial assistance for tuition, fees, books, uniforms, supplies, and other expenses. On January 24, 2012, B-Mat celebrated the graduation of its second cohort of students.

The partnership between CCEB and Chevron has developed into a relationship that goes beyond the usual grantor/grantee collaboration, and can serve as a model for other nonprofits, local businesses, and corporations to contribute to improve the lives of the communities they in which they operate.

Catholic Charities of the East Bay has served the region for over 75 years, we are known and trusted for our compassionate provision of basic human service. Directed by our faith, Catholic Charities of the East Bay lifts people out of poverty by promoting self-sufficiency, strengthening families, and supporting safe and just communities.

The forum will take place on February 8, 2011, from 3 to 4:30 p.m. at the Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, 475 14th Street, Suite 100, Oakland, CA 94612. For more information, please contact ehollander@oaklandchamber.com.