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County Employees Rise to the Donation Occasion

The campaign allows the workforce to make biweekly paycheck deductions or one-time donations to nonprofit federations that assist a variety of charities. Employees can also pick charities of their choice. With employees giving at the office in a combined campaign, nonprofits save the time, effort, and expense of seeking out and processing individual donations. Payroll deductions create a reliable way for the nonprofits to predict contributions and plan for consistent revenue streams.

Published

4 years ago

January 9, 2022

Oakland Post

Liza Massey, the County’s Chief Information Officer and the Heart of Marin countywide campaign coordinator.

Annual payroll deductions and one-time contributions help nonprofits

Courtesy of Marin County

It’s the Giving Season, but County of Marin employees have proven again that giving is a yearlong endeavor. The County workforce demonstrated its community spirit by committing to the Marin County Employees Charitable Giving Campaign, known internally as the Heart of Marin. A sum of more than $108,000 was committed in charitable donations via payroll deductions and one-time donations this holiday season, and that money will be dispersed to nonprofit agencies steadily throughout the coming year.

“I am thrilled that we surpassed our goal of $100,000,” said Liza Massey, the County’s Chief Information Officer and the Heart of Marin countywide campaign coordinator. “The past two years have been hard on everyone, especially nonprofits and charities. Many have closed and others are close to it. County employees’ generosity will help prevent that from happening and benefit critical programs both locally and globally.”

The $108,000 figure was an increase from the $98,000 raised by the workforce last year. Total donations rose 10% and payroll deductions were boosted by 7% during the November campaign. Last holiday season, County employees surpassed the $1 million mark in total charitable contributions since starting the coordinated effort in 2007.

Among the County’s 22 departments, the Department of Health and Human Services raised the most funds, followed by Information Services and Technology and Public Works. The Public Defender’s Office and County Counsel had the highest percentage of employee participation.

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Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of March 4 – 10, 2026

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5 days ago

March 7, 2026

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

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2 weeks ago

March 1, 2026

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

3 weeks ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.