Charlie Walker, who recently starred in a film starring Luke Cage's Mike Colter, has died aged 89.

In the 1960s, Walker led protests to open public construction jobs to black contractors, who were excluded and intentionally discriminated against and passed over in favor of white truckers and white-dominated unions.

He later became one of the most successful truckers in the United States and was highly regarded for cleaning up San Francisco Bay after an oil spill in the early 1970s.

The post Charlie Walker, San Francisco's Black Contractor Hero, Honored by Biopic Star Mike Colter in Face of His Death appeared first on Blavity.

Walker's legacy was immortalized in the recent biography I Am Charlie Walker.

“Charlie Walker was a true original. Cut from the same cloth as men like my own father and uncles,” Colter said. Men from the 70s who seized the opportunity. Charlie was unapologetic about his ambition and his desire to carve out a place for himself in the world. He paved the way for his family and set an example for future generations. He was a character who moved through the world with a certainty and pride that made people notice him. He deserved to have his story told. It was an honor to portray him. He will never be forgotten. My condolences go out to his family and loved ones. May he rest in eternal peace.”

Mike Regan, producer of I'm Charlie Walker, said: “On behalf of our executive producer Bill O'Keeffe and our entire cast and crew, we are all devastated by Charlie's death, but at the same time we are here to celebrate his amazing To celebrate life.” Our thoughts are with his beautiful wife Annette, his entire family and his beloved community of Bayview Hunters Point in San Francisco. We could talk endlessly about Charlie's achievements and the impact he had on so many, but we also know that Charlie would tell us to get back to work. And that’s exactly what we will do to continue to honor his legacy and wonderful life.”

“Like many others, I had the honor and privilege of spending a lot of time with Charlie as he reveled in stories and wisdom,” said Patrick Gilles, director of “I’m Charlie Walker.” “He will be missed, but certainly not forgotten.”

In 2022, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to honor Walker by naming a street in Bayview Hunters Point “Charlie Way.”

Walker is survived by his wife of 63 years, Annette Walker, his daughters Charlette Carnegia and Ruedell Walker, his son Charles Walker Jr., his eleven grandchildren, including his eldest grandchild, Geoffrea Morris, whom he helped raise, and his Family 13, great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews as well as friends from the community.

The post Charlie Walker, San Francisco’s Black Contractors’ Hero, Honored By Biopic Star Mike Colter In Gentle Of His Dying appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

by Aniesia Williams

February 22, 2016

Whether you're a self-proclaimed foodie or someone who knows a good meal when they eat one, eating out is an experience that many treasure. Quality food prepared by extremely talented chefs is an excellent way to tantalize your taste buds or impress someone important. Deciding where to eat should not be taken lightly. And if you're in the San Francisco Bay area, there are two Black chef-owned restaurants that will whet your appetite.

First up is Chef Banks White. Chef White is known for his bold flavors and sophisticated combinations. His food tells stories. Some of his menu items are soothing for the soul, others are designed to delight you and enhance your palate. A Texas native, White discovered his love of cooking in his grandmother's kitchen. He always believed that food should make people happy.

[RELATED: Chef Digby Stridiron is Making St. Croix the Culinary Destination of the Caribbean]

Having cooked in Napa Valley-style restaurants on the West Coast and chic, upscale restaurants on the East Coast, White's bicoastal flair covers everything from seafood to steak to French or American cuisine. Earlier in his career, he was a sous chef and the sole executive chef at Keystone Restaurant. Inspired by his travels through Southeast Asia, White created a menu with offerings like Pad Thai wings and a side of Malaysian curry butter. But his love of home cooking is also on the menu with a delicious pot roast, macaroni and cheese. Its menu consists of “edgy millennial food with a calming vibe,” making Keystone a draw for Bay Area restaurants.

If you're into creative and offbeat combinations that take your taste buds on an adventure, then you'll lose your mind (in a good way) when you try Chef Pierre Tumlin's dishes.

Chef Tumlin brings years of experience, particularly from working under Michelin-starred restaurant chef Gordon Ramsay (Masterchef and Hell's Kitchen). A graduate of the California Culinary Academy, Tumlin's talents have been featured in several Bay Area gastropubs. Lately, his passion for food has been expressed at Hog & Rocks, San Francisco's premiere ham and oyster bar.

As the executive chef at Hogs & Rocks, his menu is unique and full of clever and delicious brunch and dinner options. Although the concept of the menu may be a bit confusing at first glance, the food is phenomenal and well-rounded. The restaurant, which debuted its new menu in December 2015, features brunch items like DHB (Devils on Horseback), bacon-wrapped prunes and a banana rum caramel waffle, as well as dinner items like charred Spanish octopus, steak tartare, mushroom toast, Squid spaghetti and farm pork.

These two chefs, each with their own unique perspective on food, are setting new standards in gastronomy. Her professional background is filled with diverse inspirations, technical training and, above all, an insatiable desire to prepare great food. Keystone and Hogs & Rocks approach food with one big goal: to provide an exquisite experience where delicious food is prepared by talented chefs. These Bay Area restaurants should be on your restaurant list and be sure to remember the names of Chef Banks White and Chef Pierre Tumlin. You will often hear great things about them.

The post The Two Black Cooks Heating Issues Up in San Francisco appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Charlie Walker, who recently starred in a film starring Luke Cage's Mike Colter, has died aged 89.

In the 1960s, Walker led protests against opening public construction jobs to black contractors, who were excluded and intentionally discriminated against and passed over in favor of white truckers and white-dominated unions.

He later became one of the most successful truckers in the United States and was highly regarded for cleaning up San Francisco Bay after an oil spill in the early 1970s.

The post Charlie Walker, San Francisco's Black Contractor Hero, Honored by Biopic Star Mike Colter in Face of His Death appeared first on Blavity.

Walker's legacy was immortalized in the recent biography I Am Charlie Walker.

“Charlie Walker was a true original. Cut from the same cloth as men like my own father and uncles,” Colter said. Men from the 70s who seized the opportunity. Charlie was unapologetic about his ambition and his desire to carve out a place for himself in the world. He paved the way for his family and set an example for future generations. He was a character who moved through the world with a certainty and pride that made people notice him. He deserved to have his story told. It was an honor to portray him. He will never be forgotten. My condolences go out to his family and loved ones. May he rest in eternal peace.”

Mike Regan, producer of I'm Charlie Walker, said: “On behalf of our executive producer Bill O'Keeffe and our entire cast and crew, we are all devastated by Charlie's death, but at the same time we are here to celebrate his amazing life celebrate.” Our thoughts are with his beautiful wife Annette, his entire family and his beloved community of Bayview Hunters Point in San Francisco. We could talk endlessly about Charlie's achievements and the impact he had on so many, but we also know that Charlie would tell us to get back to work. And that’s exactly what we will do to continue to honor his legacy and wonderful life.”

“Like many others, I had the honor and privilege of spending time with Charlie as he reveled in stories and wisdom,” said Patrick Gilles, director of “I’m Charlie Walker.” “He will be missed, but certainly not forgotten.”

In 2022, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed a resolution to honor Walker by naming a street in Bayview Hunters Point “Charlie Way.”

Walker is survived by his wife of 63 years, Annette Walker, his daughters Charlette Carnegia and Ruedell Walker, his son Charles Walker Jr., his eleven grandchildren, including his eldest grandchild, Geoffrea Morris, whom he helped raise, and his family of 13, great-grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews as well as friends from the community.

The post Charlie Walker, San Francisco’s Black Contractors’ Hero, Honored By Biopic Star Mike Colter In Mild Of His Dying appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Presenters Matt Edmondson and Mollie King were quizzed by a man named Jonathan as part of the Have You Been Paying Attention Quiz on Sunday.

It sees the pair asked about things which have happened during the week by a listener – with the first question of the segment being about Peaky Blinders.

And it led to a gaffe with the Black Country Living Museum in Dudley, the answer to the question, being labeled as in Birmingham despite the museum’s obvious name.

Jonathan asked: “Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight has said the story could potentially return to television with a new creative team. What museum is the series filmed in, in Birmingham?”

Matt said he “didn’t know it was filmed inside a museum” which was backed up by fellow presenter Molly. The male presenter added the show was something he “tried to watch” but he never warmed to it – despite joking he was jealous of the suits and flat caps, but would look like a “little chimney sweep” if he replicated it.

Matt added: “It’s got to be like a museum of old Britain, hasn’t it? When is it set, like around the war isn’t it? The museum of the 20s or 30s. Hang on, in Birmingham there’s a chocolate factory. No, is there a museum of chocolate? No, they wouldn’t film it there, that would make no sense.”

The two presenters asked to be put out of their misery – with Jonathan revealing the answer, although he got the name wrong – saying “It’s the Black Country Living History Museum” to which Matt responded: “of course, the BCLHM that one.”

And the presenter added: “I think there are people who worked on Peaky Blinders who are going ‘I don’t know the answer to that question’.

The post Radio 1 quiz host says Black Nation Dwelling Museum is in Birmingham appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Once the boxes are filled and crammed into car trunks and back seats, the volunteers caravan across San Francisco to make deliveries to expectant and new Black moms.

The “Sunday Show Ups” began at the start of the pandemic when Gebre noticed that few of the Black Patients at her Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital clinic were taking advantage of a pantry a doctor had set up for pregnant patients. Concerned about insufficient outreach to a vulnerable population during an uncertain time, Gebre sought donations on social media for her Black patients and the grassroots effort took off.

“There were disparities in access to masks, access to education and factual information around the pandemic,” Gebre says. “Out of this hard period, we created a space where we can engage in conversations and give back to the community in a positive way.”

One Love Black Community organizer Asmara Gebre speaks with expectant mother Tanisha Bell about resources for her newborn in Bayview-Hunters Point, San Francisco, on Nov. 13, 2022, during the organization’s ‘Sunday Show Up.’ (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

The focus on Black women is personal and purposeful: Gebre, 34, was living in a home for single moms more than 15 years ago. She relates to the multitude of challenges her patients face. As a medical professional, she has seen Black women suffer from higher rates of pregnancy-related complications and preterm births even as the city’s Black population dwindles.

In San Francisco, Black families make up half of the city’s maternal deaths and 15% of infant deaths (PDF) despite representing just 4% of all births. City data also shows nearly 14% of Black infants are born prematurely compared with 7.3% of white infants. It’s a cause for alarm because preterm babies are more likely to experience chronic disease, not to mention learning and behavioral difficulties in school.

At first, the donations included masks, hand sanitizer, diapers, children’s books, produce and money. The cash donations allowed Gebre to distribute $200 per woman — no strings attached.

As her network of volunteers grew, so did her reach.

Cassandra Perkins (left) and Asmara Gebre pose for a portrait on Treasure Island after making all their deliveries during One Love Black Community’s ‘Sunday Show Up’ on Nov. 13, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

With the help of her most dedicated volunteer Cassandra Perkins —to outreach coordinator for the San Francisco Department of Public Health – they expanded their deliveries to new moms participating in the California Black Infant Health program and pregnant women who are unhoused. They also aligned with several Bay Area initiatives that are trying to address Racial inequalities to improve Black maternal health.

Perkins has spent the last 23 years working in HIV and family planning clinics in the city’s marginalized Black neighborhoods. She has an easy smile and is the kind of person who gives away books, socks and toiletries stashed in her car to give away to people she meets on the street.

She calls the Sunday show-ups her church.

“I look like them so it’s easier for them to relate to me … just to inform, educate and be of service and always treat people with dignity and respect and you get it back tenfold,” Perkins says.

She said after the women leave the hospital and recover at home, many of them miss out on information about services focused on Black women’s health. The home visits are filling a crucial gap in postpartum care and establishes One Love Black Community as a reliable source of information to a community wary of outsiders after experiencing decades of poverty, environmental injustice and racial discrimination.

Bayview-Hunters Point became a Black neighborhood in the 1940s as African Americans from the Gulf Coast migrated to the Bay Area to work at the nearby Navy shipyard. After World War II ended, jobs evaporated. Black people, who were limited in where they could live in San Francisco due to discriminatory housing policy, were left languishing in substandard housing surrounded by pollution left over from the shipyard.

“If they show initiative in how much they care to help you, then that’s the most helpful because they make you want to put more initiative into yourself,” says Charise Haley, who met Perkins when she was living on the streets and pregnant with her now 10-month-old son.

Haley, who continues to cope with losing her partner to suicide, says she’s close to receiving a subsidized apartment.

“Cassandra is one of my favorite people because if it wasn’t for her actually believing in what I can do, I probably wouldn’t be where I am right now,” she says about Perkins.

Haley was among seven women who received deliveries on one Sunday last month.

Charise Haley picks up her son Isaiah from his toy car outside of her home in San Francisco on Nov. 13, 2022, during a visit by One Love Black Community volunteers. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

I ride with Gebre in her SUV that’s cluttered with baby supplies in the back and her half-eaten breakfast in the front. A tireless multitasker, she also finds time to lead Black Centering, a program at UCSF where she organizes nature walks, CPR classes and other community-building activities for expectant Black parents.

Perkins and Katiana Carey-Simms, a midwifery student, follow in two other cars filled with supplies. Meanwhile, Gebre’s son Devin comes along to pack and haul boxes.

We go uphill to an apartment complex overlooking the bay and meet Crystal Hill, who is receiving her first delivery from One Love Black Community. Inside her unit, football plays on the TV while Hill’s 2-month-old boy lays in a baby swing.

Big pots of stew simmer in the kitchen, and the aroma prompts Gebre to offer to sign Hill up for six weeks of meals delivered by Postpartum Justice, an organization that recruits Bay Area restaurants to cook nourishing meals for Black women healing from childbirth.

“I need to start getting healthy because I have high blood pressure and diabetes that stayed with me after [pregnancy],” Hill, 40, tells her.

“This would be a beautiful transition, just having some nice meals and sharing with the family and thinking differently,” Gebre replies.

A short drive later, we stop at the Bayview home of a pregnant woman Perkins recently met while shopping at Safeway. Perkins urges the woman, who declines to be interviewed, to enroll in the Abundant Birth Project because she is in her first trimester and thus eligible. The guaranteed income program gives $1,000 per month to a randomly selected group of Black and Pacific Islander pregnant women who face some of the greatest degrees of income inequality in one of the nation’s most expensive cities.

Sabrina Hall holds her newborn, Harleigh Quin, at her home in Bayview on Nov. 13, 2022, while visiting with volunteers from One Love Black Community. (Beth LaBerge/KQED)

The experiment is part of a growing number of guaranteed income programs responding to racial and economic inequality by giving unconditional cash directly to people in need. Abundant Birth’s goal is to ease financial stress for these women and improve their health outcome.

Gebre suspended her monthly cash gifts due to tax reasons, but said she’ll resume it as soon as she receives proper fiscal sponsorship.

She estimates 300 women have received deliveries from One Love Black Community in just over two years. This Christmas, she hopes to show up for 100 families with the help of volunteers from a Black sorority.

She recalls the small acts of kindness that made a big difference for her when she was raising Devin in the Santa Cruz area. Once, when she volunteered at a horse ranch so he could get free riding lessons, a woman slipped a surprise in the book Gebre was reading.

“I remember one day I was running out of gas and was like, ‘I don’t know how I’m going to get through this week of school.’ I opened the book and there was $100 in cash in there,” Gebre says. “There were so many moments where my community showed up for me. Little things here and there, but they add up.”

She says she’s driven to give back because of the support she received.

When we reach Sabrina Hall at her home in an industrial part of the Bayview, Gebre and Perkins pitch the postpartum meals and online support group for Black moms facilitated by UC San Francisco.

Hall, 41, says she developed gestational diabetes during pregnancy and suffered nerve damage and other complications after delivering her daughter, Harleigh Quin, three weeks early. The baby weighed just 5 pounds.

The experience was nonetheless an improvement from four previous pregnancies, Hall says. She participated in the guaranteed income study, and says the extra cash helped her buy baby gear and catch up on some bills.

“With my other kids, no one told me about doulas. [There was] just a lack of education,” Hall says. “This birth, I had a doula, I had Black Infant Health — you know, just the support. I had no one to speak for me with the medical office or the staff. And this time I had an advocate.”

Boxes filled with diapers, formula, and other essentials are loaded into a car to be delivered to mothers throughout San Francisco and Treasure Island as a part of One Love Black Community’s ‘Sunday Show Up’ on Nov. 13, 2022. (Beth LaBerge/ KQED)

Back in the car, Gebre says since the guaranteed income pilot launched two years ago, she noticed patients who receive the money participate more actively in their prenatal care. For example, patients in transitional housing were more likely to find transportation to show up for their appointments.

“I have not met one patient who doesn’t care about their pregnancy or want the best for themselves and their baby, although there are so many factors around them that are influencing their ability to engage or not engage in the kind of quality of care that they want,” she says. “When you’re able to provide additional resources to minimize those stress factors — that burden, that toll is no longer present — you can notice the difference in patients and how they engage in care.”

She drives across a section of the Bay Bridge and exits onto Treasure Island, passing a housing construction project and new ferry terminal. She parks in front of a cluster of townhouses to check on her former patient Danesha Johnson.

“How are you?” Gebre asks while hugging Johnson, who gave birth a month earlier.

“The recovery is fine, no complications. I’m fine,” the 21-year-old says.

When Johnson’s partner, Darrian Burrows, comes out to carry the supplies inside, Gebre tells Perkins that he assisted her in the delivery room and caught his daughter when Johnson made her final push. Perkins remembers seeing him in the hospital when Johnson was in labor, and she’s overcome with emotions.

“That was so beautiful for you to be in the tub with her when she was going through labor to help ease things,” she says as tears fill her eyes.

“You’re giving me the chills because I work in our communities of color and they’re always giving our men a hard time,” Perkins continues. “And some programs, there’s something for the mom and the baby but they don’t want the dad involved. So just to see you all as a couple and loving one another and having a baby brung into this world together …”

Bearing witness to a happy, healthy birth makes her want to keep this thing going, she says.

The post Diapers, Meals and Money: San Francisco Group Helps Black Mothers, One Supply at a Time appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

Federal Home Loan Bank Of San Francisco

Empowering Black Homeownership Program matched funds the Bank’s member financial institutions donated to housing counseling organizations serving communities of color

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 12, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco announced that, in partnership with participating member financial institutions, more than $2.2 million has been donated to HUD-approved housing counseling agencies through the Bank’s Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant program. This funding has been distributed to 22 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies so that they can better serve homebuyers and homeowners in communities of color.

“The Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant program is a key component of FHLBank San Francisco’s commitment to working to narrow the Black homeownership gap and reduce racial wealth disparities,” said Teresa Bryce Bazemore, president and CEO of FHLBank San Francisco. “We are grateful for the member financial institutions that have partnered with us to advance racial equity by providing financial support for housing counseling agencies directly serving populations that have been historically disadvantaged when it comes to building wealth through homeownership.”

The Empowering Black Homeownership grant program, which launched in March 2022, made $1 million available for the Bank’s member financial institutions to request dollar-for-dollar matching grants of up to $125,000. FHLBank San Francisco is grateful to each of the following Bank members for delivering generous donations along with our matching grant funds to 22 local housing counseling agencies for HUD-eligible activities, which include capacity building, operations, and pre-and post-purchase homeownership counseling .

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Several FHLBank San Francisco member institutions shared their thoughts on the impact that FHLBank San Francisco’s Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant program will have on homebuyers and homeowners of color in communities where they do business:

“Thank you to our partners at FHLBank San Francisco for making this important grant matching program available via its member banks,” said Cheryl Ryman, Farmers & Merchants Bank vice president, community reinvestment act officer. “We applaud Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles, NeighborWorks OC, and Affordable Housing Clearinghouse for the valuable work they do in our community, and we are grateful for the opportunity to assist in achieving their mission.”

“City National Bank is proud to support Neighborhood Housing Services of Los Angeles County and its mission of helping more families realize the American dream of homeownership,” said Sal Mendoza, City National Bank senior vice president, community reinvestment act manager, “We want to also thank FHLBank San Francisco for matching our grant and helping us make a difference in the communities where we live and work.”

“The racial homeownership gap is persistent and pervasive in the Bay Area, so we thank FHLBank San Francisco for making this funding available to partners doing critical work to make homeownership more attainable for Black families,” said Bobbie Salgado, Silicon Valley Bank’s senior director, community reinvestment act and community affairs manager. “We are proud to work with FHLBank San Francisco and our local housing services partners to put these funds to work in our communities.”

More information on FHLBank San Francisco’s Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant program and the Bank’s other Community Programs, is available at fhlbsf.com.

About F&M Bank
Founded in Long Beach in 1907 by CJ Walker, F&M Bank provides white-glove service to clients at 25 branches from San Clemente to Santa Barbara, as well as through Online and Mobile Banking platforms. The Bank offers commercial and small business banking, business loan programs, home loans, and a robust offering of consumer retail banking products, including checking, savings and youth accounts. F&M Bank is a California state-chartered bank with deposits insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (Member FDIC) and an Equal Housing Lender. NMLS #537388. For more information about F&M, please visit the website, www.FMB.com.

About City National Bank
With $91.2 billion in assets, City National Bank provides banking, investment and trust services through 68 branches, including 22 full-service regional centers, in Southern California, the San Francisco Bay Area, Nevada, New York City, Nashville, Atlanta, Washington, D.C. and Miami*. In addition, the company and its investment affiliates manage or administer $83.0 billion in client investment assets.

City National is a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), one of the world’s leading diversified financial services companies. RBC serves more than 17 million personal, business, public sector and institutional clients through offices in Canada, the United States and 27 other countries. For more information about City National, visit the company’s website at cnb.com.

*City National Bank does business in Miami and the state of Florida as CN Bank.

About Silicon Valley Bank
Silicon Valley Bank, the bank of the world’s most innovative companies and investors, provides commercial banking services, expertise and insights into the technology, life science and healthcare, private equity, venture capital and premium wine industries. Silicon Valley Bank operates in centers of innovation around the world and is one of SVB’s core businesses with SVB Capital, SVB Private and SVB Securities. With global commercial banking services, Silicon Valley Bank helps address the unique needs of its dynamic, fast-growing, innovative clients. Learn more at www.svb.com.

About the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco
The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-driven cooperative helping local lenders in Arizona, California, and Nevada build strong communities, create opportunity, and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we provide to our member financial institutions—commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions—foster homeownership, expand access to quality housing, seed or sustain small businesses, and revitalize whole neighborhoods. Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more vibrant, equitable, and resilient. Learn more at www.fhlbsf.com.

CONTACT: Media Contact: Mary Long Senior Director, Marketing Communications longm@fhlbsf.com 415.616.2556

The post FHLBank San Francisco Matching Grant Program Delivers Extra Than $2 Million to Assist Slender the Black Homeownership Hole appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

CHICO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Tri Counties Bank announced today, in conjunction with the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco), a $200,000 donation to promote Black homeownership as part of the FHLBank San Francisco’s Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant program.

The recently launched program is a key component of Tri Counties Bank and FHLBank San Francisco’s commitment to advancing racial equity in homeownership and narrowing the Black homeownership and wealth gaps. Through this new program, FHLBank San Francisco’s member financial institutions can request dollar-for-dollar matching grants, up to a total matching amount of $125,000, for their donations to approved housing counseling agencies.

“We are fortunate to have FHLBank San Francisco as a partner in our efforts to increase Black homeownership across our footprint,” said Rick Smith, President & CEO of Tri Counties Bank. “There is no better time to kick off this program than in June, both for National Homeownership Month and in appreciation of Juneteenth.”

FHLBank San Francisco matched Tri Counties Bank’s $100,000 donation for a total of $200,000, which will be distributed in $50,000 grants to four Housing Counseling Agencies (HCAs) throughout Tri Counties Bank’s footprint: Greater Sacramento Urban League, Self Help Enterprises, Community Housing Development Corporation, and San Francisco Housing Development Corporation.

“Pre- and post-homeownership counseling can be the key to sustainable homeownership, and we are thrilled that Tri Counties Bank is using our new Empowering Black Homeownership program to support four different HCAs,” said Marietta Núñez, Senior Vice President and Community Investment Officer at FHL Bank San Francisco. “The Bank’s match of Tri Counties Bank’s donations to these HCAs will magnify their impact and enable the agencies to serve more aspiring and at-risk homeowners in communities where Tri Counties Bank does business.”

Greater Sacramento Urban League

Greater Sacramento Urban League (GSUL) has been aiding youths and adults from underrepresented communities throughout Sacramento County for over 50 years, providing comprehensive housing counseling, education, job training and placement opportunities to achieve economic self-reliance.

The organization plans to use their grant from Tri Counties Bank and FHLBank San Francisco to assist with their Housing Counseling Program, which is HUD approved and offered to the public at no cost. The program offers counseling in areas such as homelessness, rental assistance, first-time home buyer, credit and budgeting, and refinancing.

“Sacramento County has the lowest Black home ownership rate in California. Far too many have lost hope in the American dream of home ownership,” said Dwayne Crenshaw, JD, President and CEO of the Greater Sacramento Urban League. “With this critical grant funding, the Greater Sacramento Urban League will strive to restore hope to families we reach by offering them personalized financial planning services to help get their families on a realistic path to actually achieving the dream.”

Self Help Enterprises

Self-Help Enterprises (SHE), located in Visalia, California, was founded in 1965 with the mission to work together with low-income families to build and sustain healthy homes and communities. SHE serves eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus and Tulare counties. Although this area is known as a top agricultural production region, the San Joaquin Valley has among the highest poverty rates in the State of California.

The organization will use the grant to link opportunities to enhance and create outreach campaigns in Black communities to promote the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program. Participants will be served with customized homeownership resources, educational, and home counseling needs. SHE will implement alliances and collaboration strategies with partners to pursue shared goals to raise and strengthen Black homeownership.

“We are grateful for Tri Counties Bank’s Black Homeownership Grant as it will enable us to continue to provide accessible housing opportunities for the underserved members of our community,” said Tom Collishaw, President and CEO of SHE. “This grant will help create a direct path toward sustainable homeownership for the Valley’s Black families and will empower them to build wealth for generations to come.”

Community Housing Development Corp

Community Housing Development Corporation, located in Richmond, California, provides a broad range of affordable housing opportunities and services throughout the Bay Area to enable low/moderate income residents to gain better housing and financial stability.

The organization plans to use their grant to fund the Black Wealth Initiative (BWI), which helps to close the Black wealth gap through encouraging and helping black people in the Bay Area to become homeowners. The BWI assists with both homebuying education and down payment and/or closing costs. While the program is still in its infancy, the organization has already assisted one homeowner with closing the purchase of a home and three more are already on the way towards homeownership.

“The Black Wealth Initiative (BWI) focuses on one of the leading causes of the black wealth gap, and that is the disparate number of black homeowners compared to white homeowners,” said Don Gilmore, Executive Director of the Community Housing Development Corporation. “CHDC and Tri Counties Bank hope to close that gap by helping more black families and individuals to purchase homes in the Bay Area, which will also help to build generational wealth for years to come.”

San Francisco Housing Development Corporation

San Francisco Housing Development Corporation (SFHDC) was founded in 1988 with the mission to foster financial stability through the development of affordable housing, the facilitation of homeownership and the economic empowerment and revitalization of San Francisco’s communities of color.

The Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant will support SFHDC’s Housing Counseling & Financial Empowerment Program, which provides renters, aspiring homebuyers and existing homeowners with the skills, knowledge and information they need to obtain, stabilize and maintain affordable housing, whether it’s a rental or home purchase . The program supports 1,500 clients a year, with over 80% of them individuals of color.

“Since our founding in 1988, SFHDC has focused on empowering Black San Franciscans to achieve homeownership, and providing them with other economic stability and mobility strategies to create wealth,” said David Sobel, SFHDC’s Chief Executive Officer. “The generous support of FHLBank and Tri Counties Bank will enable us to continue this urgently needed work amidst soaring housing prices, and address racial disparities within the arena of both home purchase and homeownership retention.”

About Tri Counties Bank

Established in 1975, Tri Counties Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TriCo Bancshares (NASDAQ: TCBK) headquartered in Chico, California, with assets of over $10 billion and more than 45 years of financial stability. Tri Counties Bank provides a unique brand of Service With Solutions® for communities throughout California with a breadth of personal, small business and commercial banking services, plus an extensive branch network, more than 37,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide, and advanced online and mobile banking . Visit TriCountiesBank.com to learn more. Member FDIC.

About Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-driven cooperative helping local lenders in Arizona, California and Nevada strengthen communities, create opportunity, and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we provide to our member financial institutions — commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies and community development financial institutions — promote homeownership, expand access to quality housing and boost economic development. Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more vibrant, equitable and resilient.

The post Tri Counties Financial institution and FHLBank San Francisco Donate $200,000 to Black Homeownership for Nationwide Homeownership Month appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

CHICO, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Jun 16, 2022–

Tri Counties Bank announced today, in conjunction with the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco), a $200,000 donation to promote Black homeownership as part of the FHLBank San Francisco’s Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant program.

The recently launched program is a key component of Tri Counties Bank and FHLBank San Francisco’s commitment to advancing racial equity in homeownership and narrowing the Black homeownership and wealth gaps. Through this new program, FHLBank San Francisco’s member financial institutions can request dollar-for-dollar matching grants, up to a total matching amount of $125,000, for their donations to approved housing counseling agencies.

“We are fortunate to have FHLBank San Francisco as a partner in our efforts to increase Black homeownership across our footprint,” said Rick Smith, President & CEO of Tri Counties Bank. “There is no better time to kick off this program than in June, both for National Homeownership Month and in appreciation of Juneteenth.”

FHLBank San Francisco matched Tri Counties Bank’s $100,000 donation for a total of $200,000, which will be distributed in $50,000 grants to four Housing Counseling Agencies (HCAs) throughout Tri Counties Bank’s footprint: Greater Sacramento Urban League, Self Help Enterprises, Community Housing Development Corporation, and San Francisco Housing Development Corporation.

“Pre- and post-homeownership counseling can be the key to sustainable homeownership, and we are thrilled that Tri Counties Bank is using our new Empowering Black Homeownership program to support four different HCAs,” said Marietta Núñez, Senior Vice President and Community Investment Officer at FHL Bank San Francisco. “The Bank’s match of Tri Counties Bank’s donations to these HCAs will magnify their impact and enable the agencies to serve more aspiring and at-risk homeowners in communities where Tri Counties Bank does business.”

Greater Sacramento Urban League

Greater Sacramento Urban League (GSUL) has been aiding youths and adults from underrepresented communities throughout Sacramento County for over 50 years, providing comprehensive housing counseling, education, job training and placement opportunities to achieve economic self-reliance.

The organization plans to use their grant from Tri Counties Bank and FHLBank San Francisco to assist with their Housing Counseling Program, which is HUD approved and offered to the public at no cost. The program offers counseling in areas such as homelessness, rental assistance, first-time home buyer, credit and budgeting, and refinancing.

“Sacramento County has the lowest Black home ownership rate in California. Far too many have lost hope in the American dream of home ownership,” said Dwayne Crenshaw, JD, President and CEO of the Greater Sacramento Urban League. “With this critical grant funding, the Greater Sacramento Urban League will strive to restore hope to families we reach by offering them personalized financial planning services to help get their families on a realistic path to actually achieving the dream.”

Self Help Enterprises

Self-Help Enterprises (SHE), located in Visalia, California, was founded in 1965 with the mission to work together with low-income families to build and sustain healthy homes and communities. SHE serves eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus and Tulare counties. Although this area is known as a top agricultural production region, the San Joaquin Valley has among the highest poverty rates in the State of California.

The organization will use the grant to link opportunities to enhance and create outreach campaigns in Black communities to promote the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program. Participants will be served with customized homeownership resources, educational, and home counseling needs. SHE will implement alliances and collaboration strategies with partners to pursue shared goals to raise and strengthen Black homeownership.

“We are grateful for Tri Counties Bank’s Black Homeownership Grant as it will enable us to continue to provide accessible housing opportunities for the underserved members of our community,” said Tom Collishaw, President and CEO of SHE. “This grant will help create a direct path toward sustainable homeownership for the Valley’s Black families and will empower them to build wealth for generations to come.”

Community Housing Development Corp

Community Housing Development Corporation, located in Richmond, California, provides a broad range of affordable housing opportunities and services throughout the Bay Area to enable low/moderate income residents to gain better housing and financial stability.

The organization plans to use their grant to fund the Black Wealth Initiative (BWI), which helps to close the Black wealth gap through encouraging and helping black people in the Bay Area to become homeowners. The BWI assists with both homebuying education and down payment and/or closing costs. While the program is still in its infancy, the organization has already assisted one homeowner with closing the purchase of a home and three more are already on the way towards homeownership.

“The Black Wealth Initiative (BWI) focuses on one of the leading causes of the black wealth gap, and that is the disparate number of black homeowners compared to white homeowners,” said Don Gilmore, Executive Director of the Community Housing Development Corporation. “CHDC and Tri Counties Bank hope to close that gap by helping more black families and individuals to purchase homes in the Bay Area, which will also help to build generational wealth for years to come.”

San Francisco Housing Development Corporation

San Francisco Housing Development Corporation (SFHDC) was founded in 1988 with the mission to foster financial stability through the development of affordable housing, the facilitation of homeownership and the economic empowerment and revitalization of San Francisco’s communities of color.

The Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant will support SFHDC’s Housing Counseling & Financial Empowerment Program, which provides renters, aspiring homebuyers and existing homeowners with the skills, knowledge and information they need to obtain, stabilize and maintain affordable housing, whether it’s a rental or home purchase . The program supports 1,500 clients a year, with over 80% of them individuals of color.

“Since our founding in 1988, SFHDC has focused on empowering Black San Franciscans to achieve homeownership, and providing them with other economic stability and mobility strategies to create wealth,” said David Sobel, SFHDC’s Chief Executive Officer. “The generous support of FHLBank and Tri Counties Bank will enable us to continue this urgently needed work amidst soaring housing prices, and address racial disparities within the arena of both home purchase and homeownership retention.”

About Tri Counties Bank

Established in 1975, Tri Counties Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TriCo Bancshares (NASDAQ: TCBK) headquartered in Chico, California, with assets of over $10 billion and more than 45 years of financial stability. Tri Counties Bank provides a unique brand of Service With Solutions® for communities throughout California with a breadth of personal, small business and commercial banking services, plus an extensive branch network, more than 37,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide, and advanced online and mobile banking . Visit TriCountiesBank.com to learn more. Member FDIC.

About Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-driven cooperative helping local lenders in Arizona, California and Nevada strengthen communities, create opportunity, and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we provide to our member financial institutions — commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies and community development financial institutions — promote homeownership, expand access to quality housing and boost economic development. Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more vibrant, equitable and resilient.

View source version on businesswire.com:https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220616005302/en/

CONTACT: Megan Sheehan, Community Engagement Manager

megansheehan@tcbk.com

(530) 332-2330

KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: OTHER PROFESSIONAL SERVICES FINANCE SOCIAL SERVICES BANKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES PHILANTHROPY FOUNDATION BUSINESS

SOURCE: Tri Counties Bank

Copyright Business Wire 2022.

PUB: 06/16/2022 12:30 PM / DISC: 06/16/2022 12:32 PM

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The post Tri Counties Financial institution and FHLBank San Francisco Donate $200,000 to Black Homeownership for Nationwide Homeownership Month | Information appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

CHICO, Calif., June 16, 2022–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Tri Counties Bank announced today, in conjunction with the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank San Francisco), a $200,000 donation to promote Black homeownership as part of the FHLBank San Francisco’s Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant program.

The recently launched program is a key component of Tri Counties Bank and FHLBank San Francisco’s commitment to advancing racial equity in homeownership and narrowing the Black homeownership and wealth gaps. Through this new program, FHLBank San Francisco’s member financial institutions can request dollar-for-dollar matching grants, up to a total matching amount of $125,000, for their donations to approved housing counseling agencies.

“We are fortunate to have FHLBank San Francisco as a partner in our efforts to increase Black homeownership across our footprint,” said Rick Smith, President & CEO of Tri Counties Bank. “There is no better time to kick off this program than in June, both for National Homeownership Month and in appreciation of Juneteenth.”

FHLBank San Francisco matched Tri Counties Bank’s $100,000 donation for a total of $200,000, which will be distributed in $50,000 grants to four Housing Counseling Agencies (HCAs) throughout Tri Counties Bank’s footprint: Greater Sacramento Urban League, Self Help Enterprises, Community Housing Development Corporation, and San Francisco Housing Development Corporation.

“Pre- and post-homeownership counseling can be the key to sustainable homeownership, and we are thrilled that Tri Counties Bank is using our new Empowering Black Homeownership program to support four different HCAs,” said Marietta Núñez, Senior Vice President and Community Investment Officer at FHL Bank San Francisco. “The Bank’s match of Tri Counties Bank’s donations to these HCAs will magnify their impact and enable the agencies to serve more aspiring and at-risk homeowners in communities where Tri Counties Bank does business.”

Story continues

Greater Sacramento Urban League

Greater Sacramento Urban League (GSUL) has been aiding youths and adults from underrepresented communities throughout Sacramento County for over 50 years, providing comprehensive housing counseling, education, job training and placement opportunities to achieve economic self-reliance.

The organization plans to use their grant from Tri Counties Bank and FHLBank San Francisco to assist with their Housing Counseling Program, which is HUD approved and offered to the public at no cost. The program offers counseling in areas such as homelessness, rental assistance, first-time home buyer, credit and budgeting, and refinancing.

“Sacramento County has the lowest Black home ownership rate in California. Far too many have lost hope in the American dream of home ownership,” said Dwayne Crenshaw, JD, President and CEO of the Greater Sacramento Urban League. “With this critical grant funding, the Greater Sacramento Urban League will strive to restore hope to families we reach by offering them personalized financial planning services to help get their families on a realistic path to actually achieving the dream.”

Self Help Enterprises

Self-Help Enterprises (SHE), located in Visalia, California, was founded in 1965 with the mission to work together with low-income families to build and sustain healthy homes and communities. SHE serves eight counties in the San Joaquin Valley: Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, Mariposa, Merced, Stanislaus and Tulare counties. Although this area is known as a top agricultural production region, the San Joaquin Valley has among the highest poverty rates in the State of California.

The organization will use the grant to link opportunities to enhance and create outreach campaigns in Black communities to promote the Mutual Self-Help Housing Program. Participants will be served with customized homeownership resources, educational, and home counseling needs. SHE will implement alliances and collaboration strategies with partners to pursue shared goals to raise and strengthen Black homeownership.

“We are grateful for Tri Counties Bank’s Black Homeownership Grant as it will enable us to continue to provide accessible housing opportunities for the underserved members of our community,” said Tom Collishaw, President and CEO of SHE. “This grant will help create a direct path toward sustainable homeownership for the Valley’s Black families and will empower them to build wealth for generations to come.”

Community Housing Development Corp

Community Housing Development Corporation, located in Richmond, California, provides a broad range of affordable housing opportunities and services throughout the Bay Area to enable low/moderate income residents to gain better housing and financial stability.

The organization plans to use their grant to fund the Black Wealth Initiative (BWI), which helps to close the Black wealth gap through encouraging and helping black people in the Bay Area to become homeowners. The BWI assists with both homebuying education and down payment and/or closing costs. While the program is still in its infancy, the organization has already assisted one homeowner with closing the purchase of a home and three more are already on the way towards homeownership.

“The Black Wealth Initiative (BWI) focuses on one of the leading causes of the black wealth gap, and that is the disparate number of black homeowners compared to white homeowners,” said Don Gilmore, Executive Director of the Community Housing Development Corporation. “CHDC and Tri Counties Bank hope to close that gap by helping more black families and individuals to purchase homes in the Bay Area, which will also help to build generational wealth for years to come.”

San Francisco Housing Development Corporation

San Francisco Housing Development Corporation (SFHDC) was founded in 1988 with the mission to foster financial stability through the development of affordable housing, the facilitation of homeownership and the economic empowerment and revitalization of San Francisco’s communities of color.

The Empowering Black Homeownership matching grant will support SFHDC’s Housing Counseling & Financial Empowerment Program, which provides renters, aspiring homebuyers and existing homeowners with the skills, knowledge and information they need to obtain, stabilize and maintain affordable housing, whether it’s a rental or home purchase . The program supports 1,500 clients a year, with over 80% of them individuals of color.

“Since our founding in 1988, SFHDC has focused on empowering Black San Franciscans to achieve homeownership, and providing them with other economic stability and mobility strategies to create wealth,” said David Sobel, SFHDC’s Chief Executive Officer. “The generous support of FHLBank and Tri Counties Bank will enable us to continue this urgently needed work amidst soaring housing prices, and address racial disparities within the arena of both home purchase and homeownership retention.”

About Tri Counties Bank

Established in 1975, Tri Counties Bank is a wholly-owned subsidiary of TriCo Bancshares (NASDAQ: TCBK) headquartered in Chico, California, with assets of over $10 billion and more than 45 years of financial stability. Tri Counties Bank provides a unique brand of Service With Solutions® for communities throughout California with a breadth of personal, small business and commercial banking services, plus an extensive branch network, more than 37,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide, and advanced online and mobile banking . Visit TriCountiesBank.com to learn more. Member FDIC.

About Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-driven cooperative helping local lenders in Arizona, California and Nevada strengthen communities, create opportunity, and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we provide to our member financial institutions — commercial banks, credit unions, industrial loan companies, savings institutions, insurance companies and community development financial institutions — promote homeownership, expand access to quality housing and boost economic development. Together with our members and other partners, we are making the communities we serve more vibrant, equitable and resilient.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220616005302/en/

Contacts

Megan Sheehan, Community Engagement Manager
megansheehan@tcbk.com
(530) 332-2330

The post Tri Counties Financial institution and FHLBank San Francisco Donate $200,000 to Black Homeownership for Nationwide Homeownership Month appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

The FHLBank San Francisco is providing a total of $1 million in matching grants to Department of Housing and Development-approved counseling agencies to serve more aspiring and at-risk homeowners in communities of color.

This grant program is called Empowering Black Homeownership and eligible FHLBank San Francisco members that are making their own donations can request a dollar-for-dollar matching grant of up to a total of $125,000. The grants will be given to the housing counseling agencies to be used for HUD-eligible activities during 2022 and 2023, including staffing and marketing, along with pre-and post-purchase counseling services.

While the program has a two-year life span, the FHLB San Francisco is looking “to use [the funding] as quickly as we can,” said President and CEO Teresa Bryce Bazemore. “We’re going to start working with members who are interested in participating, and if we are able to use up all the money in 2022, we will.”

Teresa Bryce Bazemore is the President and CEO of the FHLBank San Francisco

Alex Lowy

However, the FHLBank San Francisco board could decide at any point to add additional funds for the program, she explained.

When Bazemore, who had retired in April 2017 as president of Radian Guaranty, accepted the FHLBank San Francisco job a year ago, she noted much of what she done during her career aligns with the mission of affordable housing, community development and economic development

Last October, the bank teamed with the Urban Institute to create the Racial Equity Accelerator for Homeownership, a two-year, $1.5 million commitment creating an incubator to develop innovations in housing finance.

Both of these programs are what Bazemore termed “voluntary” on behalf of the bank. It has a legal requirement to contribute 10% of its previous year’s net income to its Affordable Housing Program. For all of 2021, the bank reported $287 million in net income.

The voluntary programs are not a part of that commitment.

Housing is considered the primary way to address the wealth gap between Black and white households. A typical Black household has only about 23% of the wealth of a typical white household, an April 2021 Zillow study found. Lower home values ​​and rates of homeownership among the Black population account for nearly 40% of that gap.

“We’re focused on working with counseling agencies that are working in minority communities that are primarily black communities, but there could be a variety of people [of color] who are in those communities and participate in the program,” Bazemore said.

Others are also making efforts to improve homeownership rates among people of color, including the Black Homeownership Collaborative’s “3by30” program announced last June.

This week, TD Bank introduced the TD Home Access Mortgage, which aims to increase homeownership opportunities in Black and Hispanic communities in portions of its East Coast retail banking footprint.

It includes a $5,000 lender credit which does not require repayment. Borrowers may use that credit for closing costs or toward a down payment on a home purchase.

“The current housing market is highly competitive, making it exceedingly difficult for potential homebuyers, especially people of color, to contend if they have limited financial resources for a down payment or closing costs,” said Michael Innis-Thompson, head of community lending and development at TD Bank in a press release. “This mortgage offering is designed to ease that burden, provide more equity in the home lending process, and make the dream of homeownership more attainable for Black and Hispanic families.”

But advocates have noted in the past that it’s not just getting a home, it is also having the knowledge and ability to keep it.

“Knowledge is power, and this funding can help ensure that Black homebuyers and homeowners have equal access to all the information they need to feel confident in their own ability to purchase a home or sustain homeownership,” Bazemore said.

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