Progress October 2022

Celebr ating

August 1867 to 2022

Since 1867, we have been providing the highest level of service and innovation for our customers. From business loans to expand a growing venture, to real estate loans to help you buy your rst home, we’re here for all your banking needs. We are grateful for the relationships we have built and are committed to providing you with the tools, convenience and service to help families and businesses grow, succeed and ourish throughout the many communities we have the pleasure of serving. Visit a branch near you or check us out online and let us add you to our list of happy customers!

Mission stateMent

The

executive coMMittee

Chairman - Michael Gaffney, PG&E

Chairperson

board of directors

DeJeune

President & CEO

A Message From The President & CEO

Caring for Community

By Trish Christensen

This year our October edition of Progress Magazine is focused on more than just Community Service. We are well into a very active election season. The Modesto Chamber’s Government Relations Council (GRC) and Political Action Committee (MoPAC) have been busy. We invited all candidates running, to participate in our usual Written Candidate Interviews. You will find one common question, with unedited responses for each candidate within this edition. With the redistricting taking place we included the race for Congress seats for both District 5 and 13. We then extended the invite to State Senate, State Assembly, and Modesto City Council District 2, District 4, and District 5 races. We also extended the invitation to those running for Modesto Irrigation District seats for Division 2, Division 3, and Division 4.

About the time this edition arrives in mailboxes, you will find the full list of unedited responses to each of the questions, for each of the races, uploaded on our website. These will be grouped by race and then candidate. There is just not enough space in our magazine to print all questions and responses. We hope you find this is a worthwhile and insightful opportunity to learn a bit more about the candidates interested in becoming stewards of our community.

We thank Opportunity Stanislaus and their CEO, Dave White, for partnering with us on our Candidate Forum. Having an opportunity to hear from individuals in person brings an entirely different form of insight and

understanding to us. I find it valuable to keep in mind that those who run for these various offices of leadership are each interested in leading and caring for our great community, region, resources, and the people who live here. Win or lose, they care. We wish each the best throughout the election.

When it comes to community service, we are a very fortunate community! Modesto and Stanislaus County is rich with non-profits, service organizations, and individuals who strive to support the needs of others. From special needs to unique services, to resources, and locations to engage at, there is likely an organization offering just what a person needs to benefit from right here. It is interesting how many long-standing organizations are celebrating anniversaries this year. Such a wonderful testament to the longevity of care and attention that is interwoven throughout our community.

There is plenty to discover as you flip the pages of this edition. I wish you happy reading and encourage you to join us at any of our committee meetings, program offerings, events, and member highlight occurrences. Enjoy the transition to fall~

With warm regards, Trish

Each member of the Chamber is important, no matter the size of business. We desire for local businesses and organizations to succeed and thrive. To reach this goal we provide exposure, opportunities to engage with Regional Electeds and community partners, as well as networking with businesses and organizations across industries. We work to better our community by providing up-to-date education and training, certifying qualifying businesses as Green, and providing advocacy on City, State, and Federal levels. The Chamber is a family of dedicated professionals striving to make a difference in their business and way of life. Whatever your business needs are, we invite you to join us.

To execute our adopted mission we have developed an acronym that helps keep us focused. That acronym is “CARES: Community, Advocacy, Relationships, Education and Service.”

C - Community

At its heart, the Modesto Chamber is a community of like-minded business owners who share the vision for enjoying a thriving economy and creating and maintaining our community as a vibrant place to live, work and play. With over 100 years of history and experience in the Greater Modesto Area, we understand what it means to be a business owner and customer in our community, with featured events such as local and regional forums, Ag Aware, Harvest Luncheon, and Family Day. Chamber members get the opportunity to actively engage in and influence the community they live and work in.

A - Advocacy

The Modesto Chamber supports local businesses and is an active advocate for the common interest of its members. The Chamber has an Economic Development Committee and a Government Relations Council. These advocacy committees are dedicated and proactive in representing our members and community. They work to address business initiatives and relieve the regulatory burdens businesses face may face. The Chamber is also honored to certify local businesses and organizations through our California Green Business Network Stanislaus Program. Through this we create more conscientious and sustainable ways of life while lowering the cost of doing business for our community and future generations.

R - Relationships

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce specializes in building relationships and serving as the nexus to businesses, nonprofit organizations, and governmental agencies. With over a dozen Committees, Programs, and Events in which our members can participate, the Chamber offers ample opportunity to meet and connect with other business owners in our community. As a relational organization, the Chamber works with its members to ensure the opportunity to connect and grow in every niche and industry to help build and cultivate long-lasting relationships among business owners and community partners alike.

E - Education

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce values education and offers members the opportunity to stay on the leading edge with new and emerging information and training that will set your business apart from the rest. In partnership with Modesto Junior College, the Chamber is pleased to offer an assortment of trainings applicable to any business or industry for credited completion through our Chamber University platform. Our Chamber also works with members to provide a platform to speak to their own industry expertise and invite other members to learn from those leading our local industries.

S - Service

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce offers its members a wide range of opportunities to promote and engage their business across industry and community lines. The Chamber Weekly E-Blast, Website, and our Progress Magazine provide opportunities to advertise and promote your business, keep up to date with articles about local businesses in our community, and stay in the loop about up-and-coming Chamber and community events. Our Chamber also offers indemand materials, such as Member contact list, Federal and State compliance posters, export document services, and so much more. Chamber members can also personalize their business profile within our website and have access to our Member-Only Information Center, where members can connect with other members, boost their social media presence, promote job postings, public events, and member-to-member discounts.

CHAMBER CALENDAR

octoBer

novemBer

5

6

economic development committee-tBd

*Register on website, in person & Zoom 11:30 A.M.

riBBon cuttinG – WelBe health

1224 Secenic Drive, Modesto CA 95350

3:30PM - 5:30PM

*Vaccination cards and ID required

6

risinG professionals

Boomer of Modesto

4215 Bangs Ave, Modesto, CA 95356

5:00PM - 6:30PM

*Register on website, $20 per person appetizers included

13 tech connect

Bay Valley Tech

5:00pm-6:00pm

2 economic development committee

*Register on website, in person & Zoom 11:30 A.M

rise & shine With ceo’s

8:00AM -9:00AM

Location TBD

*Register on website, $16 per person breakfast included. 5

clean air family ride and festival

9:00AM – 1:00PM

Location TBD

*see website for more information

Women in Business coffee & conversations

18

Women in Business mixer

Location TBD

5:00PM - 6:30PM

*Register on website, $16 per person appetizers included

20

stanislaus Green team meetinG

Kirk Oatman

I'm in Control

*In Person, Register on website 21

*In person & Zoom 12:00 P.M. Register on website

amBassador & Welcome team meetinG

Location TBD

8:00am – 9:00am

*Register on website, $16 per person coffee & breakfast included

stanislaus Green team meetinG

TBD

*In person & Zoom 12:00 P.M. Register on website

amBassador & Welcome team meetinG

21

memBer's mix and minGle - Wardens

4101 Technology Dr, Modesto, CA 95356

5:30 PM – 7:00 PM

*In person & Zoom 8:00 A.M 21

Government relations council meetinG

Rosa De Leon Park, Executive Director

Stanislaus Councils of Government (StanCog)

Topic: Local Transportation Authority Measure L Program

*In person & Zoom 8:00 A.M

Government relations council

*In person & Zoom 11:30 A.M. Register on website

thanksGivinG holiday- office closed

*In person & Zoom 11:30 A.M. Register on website 27

memBer's mix and minGle - valley Builders exchanGe

Co-Hosted with Central Valley Hispanic Chamber

1118 Kansas Ave, Modesto, CA 95351

5:30 PM – 7:00 PM 27

riBBon cuttinG - GloBal hospice & palliative care, inc.

1200 G Street, 2nd Floor Modesto, CA 95354

4:00 PM

office closed

*See website for more detail.

Find Zoom Registry links and more at www.modchamber.org

Please note that calendar events and details are subject to change.

AnnoUnCeMenT

Gallo Center Repertory Company Revisits ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’

By Doug Hosner / Director of Marketing & Communications / Gallo Center for the Arts

A decade ago, the Gallo Center for the Arts and Modesto’s Prospect Theater Project collaborated on a brilliant stage adaption of Harper Lee's masterpiece, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” It was a resounding success. Every performer was wonderful. Every performance sold out. The production helped inspire the creation of the Gallo Center Repertory Company, as well as the founding of the San Joaquin Valley's only African American theatre organization, Sankofa Theatre Company.

Now, in honor of the retirement of GCRC artistic director Dr. Jim Johnson following the 2022/23 season, as well as the 10th anniversary of the production, the Gallo Center Rep is thrilled to present a reprise of To Kill a Mockingbird.”

This production includes racist language from the original book that is considered true to the era and place in which the story is set. The Gallo Center has consulted with leaders from the local African American community, who recommended retaining the language in the interest of historical accuracy. If you are offended by its inclusion, you may not wish to attend the play.

Photo illustration by Michael J. Mangano. Pictured left to right: John Ervin III as Tom Robinson and David Hambley as Atticus Finch.

Ticket holders from all performances are invited to a free, onehour Question & Answer meet up after the 2 pm matinee. Participants will join with local African American cultural and civic leaders, and creative team members and actors from To Kill a Mockingbird, to discuss the play’s continuing relevance, artistic impact and historical significance.

Photo illustration by Michael J. Mangano. Pictured left to right: John Ervin III as Tom Robinson and David Hambley as Atticus Finch.

To Kill a MocKingbird

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 2022, 7 PM

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2022, 2 PM & 7 PM

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2, 2022, 2 PM*

THURSDAY & FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6 & 7, 2022, 7 PM

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 8, 2022, 2 PM

TICKETS FROM $19

(209) 338-2100

people oN the Move

Modesto gospel Mission adds New staff Members

The Modesto Gospel Mission is pleased to announce the following staff members who have been hired for the following key positions at the Mission.

Markku Heikkila joined the Mission executive team in July as the new Director of Programs, overseeing staff and programs for all of the Modesto Gospel Mission’s services to the poor and homeless – the emergency shelter services and case management for men, women, and fathers and mothers with children; the 18-month residential New Life Program for men and women; the Freedom Road Day Program; respite care and the medical clinic; and the after-school Youth Center program.

Heikkila moved to the Central Valley from the Bay Area at the age of 3. Due to some unfortunate circumstances, Heikkila found himself on the wrong side of the criminal justice system at 13 years old, continuing down this path for almost another 2 decades dealing with probation, incarceration, and abuse of drugs, ending up homeless on the streets of Modesto. By Providence, Heikkila was offered the opportunity to accept a year-long residential program at City Team in the Bay Area in lieu of a 4-year prison sentence. Heikkila wanted to finally make a real and positive life change, and he seized every opportunity and resource put before him.

After graduation, Heikkila became an intern with City Team, and worked his way up through the ranks of that organization for the next nine years, ending as the Director of Men’s Programs at City Team Oakland.

Heikkila is certified for Drug and Alcohol Counseling, and is registered as a CADC II counselor. He will complete his college degree in Psychology at the end of this year.

Heikkila was able to restore his relationship with his wife (whom he remarried) and his daughter, who now only knows her father as a man who is passionate about helping others. If you would like to hear more about Heikkila’s testimony, you can reach him at markku@mymission.org or 209-225-2923.

Renee Cowan joined the Modesto Gospel Mission in July as the new Development Manager, working with each team member of the Development Department to coordinate all projects, events, and calendars, to oversee external and internal communications, and to ensure that all the moving parts run efficiently and smoothly.

Cowan was born and raised in Jamaica, and migrated to the United States in 2008 where she settled in Sunderland, Massachusetts with her family. She attended The Art Institute of Atlanta, Georgia in 2012, where she earned a degree in Culinary Arts.

After graduating, she returned to Massachusetts and worked in the food and beverage industry for seven years. She spent two years at Amherst College in the position of Garde Manger and five years at Smith College as the Catering Coordinator in the Catering and Events Department.

Cowan then transitioned out of the culinary field and into the role of Office Manager at Home Health Aide Company in Amherst. Cowan recently moved to the Central Valley to work at the Mission.

She is excited to work toward making an impact in her new community and use her experience, training, and skillset to affect life transformation in the lives of struggling men, women, and children. Cowan can be reached at renee@mymission.org or at 209-225-2921.

Krishnaswamy assumes responsibility for all hospital operations, executive planning and directing medical services. Warren Kirk will remain the Group CEO of Tenet Healthcare’s Northern California Group hospitals, which includes Doctors Medical Center, Doctors Hospital of Manteca, Emanuel Medical Center, San Ramon Regional Medical Center, Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center and Twin Cities Community Hospital.

“Jay has extensive experience in healthcare administration and has been with Tenet Healthcare for 20 years,” Kirk said. “With our hospital’s expertise in providing a higher level of care for our patients, Jay will be working closely with our sister hospitals to help us broaden the care we provide as a market. We look forward to continuing to grow within our community and expanding the services we provide.”

Krishnaswamy joins Doctors Medical Center from Tenet’s home office in Dallas where he has been serving as the Vice President of Hospital Operations since 2020. He previously served as CEO of other hospitals within Tenet, as well as other executive roles. Krishnaswamy also served as Associate Administrator at Doctors Medical Center from 2004 to 2008, as well as the hospital’s Chief Quality Officer from 2002 to 2004.

jay krishnaswamy

Krishnaswamy earned his Masters of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University – Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland, and his M.S. in Health Services Research from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

markku heikkila

renee cowan

Second Harvest of the Greater Valley – Helping Families this

Jessica Vaughan - Executive Assistant/ Director of Development

What if you didn’t know where your next meal was coming from, let alone how you would provide a traditional holiday meal for your family?

For more than 6,000 families last year, that was a stark reality, and this year the need will be even higher as inflation continues to impact food costs.

For these families, the holiday help that Second Harvest of the Greater Valley (SHGV) and their food pantry partners provide is much more than a holiday meal. It’s a chance at normalcy, proof they are not alone, and hope during a dark and difficult time. Thanksgiving at the food bank is a perfect depiction of the good that can be done when the community comes together to meet a specific need.

For more than 30 years, SHGV, in collaboration with local real estate offices, has hosted “Turkeys R Us,” a fundraiser geared at collecting and purchasing more than 6,000 turkeys that are distributed in the community.

This year with rising costs, less disposable income, and an impending turkey shortage, the concern is that SHGV will not be able to continue meeting needs of those families that rely on SHGV services during the holiday season. “Said, SHGV Director of Development and Communications, Jessica Vaughan, we have been incredibly fortunate over the past decade to have incredible corporate partners like Foster Farms, Walmart, and Raleys come alongside us and start the process of donations.

Our community then steps in and helps us close the gap. Our fear this year is that rising costs will make donations difficult to come by and lessen our buying power as we look to purchase the amounts we need.” CEO, Keenon Krick, explains that since March of this year, we have seen an increase of 40% more people accessing food bank services, which is on top of the 180% increase throughout the last two you years of the pandemic.

The need continues to rise as we head into the winter months, and

these holiday meals will be necessary well beyond Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

Thanksgiving is a symbolic time for families to reflect on what they are grateful for; for many families, the help they receive during the holidays and beyond from our agency partners and programs is at the top of that list.

If you would like to help SHGV continue providing for our neighbors in need, please consider donating to our Turkeys R Us program at www.localfoodbank. org or by dropping off a fresh or frozen turkey at one of our many drives, make sure to follow us on social media for updated information.

For businesses that are looking to sponsor Turkeys R Us, please call Dalia Hernandez-Fernandez at 209490-5183.

SPEAKERS “EGGSTORDINARE”

Sierra Vista Child & Family Services Marks 50 Years

This year, Sierra Vista Child & Family Services celebrated its 50th Anniversary serving the people in our community. Sierra Vista serves more than 16,000 children and families each year providing services throughout Stanislaus and Merced Counties. Sierra Vista has offered a range of services to support and strengthen the community. This commitment has established Sierra Vista as a leader in best practices in the fields of mental health and family support services. Integrating these programs into the community has created a sustainable availability of child and family services accessible and tailored to address a broad range of needs.

In 1972, Sierra Vista Child & Family Services was initially known as Therapeutic Homes Incorporated and began operating Residential Treatment facilities for children. H.I. “Tom” Sawyer visited a non-profit agency in the Bay Area and saw a group home that could provide the high level of care needed for children in Stanislaus County. To establish such a program in his community, Tom reached out to a friend in Southern California who was a child psychiatrist, and they developed Stanislaus County’s first Residential Treatment Program. In 1980 we expanded by adding our Non-Public School and Children’s Day Treatment Program for children with emotional or behavioral disorders who require daily therapeutic activities, including individual and group therapy. In 2020 Andrew Timbie was appointed Chief Executive Officer.

“We were established in May of 1972 to serve children in our first group home, and 50 years later, we are still going strong in new and innovative ways. Sierra Vista is committed to listening, adapting, and collaborating with our community to help break the cycles of poverty that many of us have endured,” said Andrew Timbie, the CEO of Sierra Vista Child & Family Services.

As Sierra Vista celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2022, we have grown into one of the largest non-profit agencies in Stanislaus and Merced counties. We are excited at how far we have come and the promising future ahead.

We are proud of the enormous positive impact our staff, donors, and the Board of Directors have had on the community and families we serve. We want to honor the people, quality programs and services that make a difference to the children, their families, and the entire community.

Love Stanislaus County & Stanislaus County CSA Team Up to Serve

Did you know that Stanislaus County is home to over 100,000 seniors, age 60 or above? Some seniors live an active and independent life while others need a little help to remain independent and active. For many years the Stanislaus County Community Services Agency (CSA) has been at the heart of providing services for seniors in our community. Love Stanislaus County is proud to announce that Stanislaus County CSA will be partnering with us to launch a new Serving Seniors Initiative as part of our Neighbors Program.

“The Community Services Agency is excited about this partnership,” stated Director Christine Huber. “This partnership will allow us to match the needs of our adult and elderly clients with support to reduce their isolation and meet their needs”. The Serving Seniors Initiative team will be working with Stanislaus County Adult Protectives Services (APS) and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS). They both serve older adults and persons with disabilities.

Love Stanislaus County is centered on a vision for a community that lifts each other up, values one another, and seeks to help where help is needed. Our Neighbors Program, where this initiative will be housed, is a boots on the ground program that works directly with community members to connect them with volunteer opportunities

throughout the year as well connect community members to one another.

This initiative was inspired and will be modeled after the Love Stanislaus County Kids Program which serves foster youth. The program will receive referrals from CSA for seniors who may need some items fixed in their home or perhaps need some furniture items or other household needs. The Serving Seniors Initiative team will then reach out to the community to try to secure those needs.

Additionally, The Serving Seniors Initiative team will be putting together projects like connecting seniors to high school seniors for mentoring and learning technology. The initiative is also looking at ideas such as pet food donations that can be delivered to seniors who have pets but may have trouble being mobile.

The Serving Seniors Initiative team will be reaching out to members of the community for donations and opportunities to volunteer. Love Stanislaus County is currently in the process of hiring the person who will lead these efforts. We plan on having someone in place no later than October 1st. This is a great opportunity and continues to allow us to Think Love, Inspire Love, and Give Love in our community.

Andrew Timbie, CEO with Judy Kindle and Board of Supervisor Vito Chiesa.

Bryan Justin Marks / Executive Director - Love Stanislaus County

HAVeN Has been a resource In community for 45 Years

Imagine for a moment that you can’t go home tonight. It isn’t safe there. You only have what’s in your pockets, or your purse, or your car. You know you need to hide because someone is looking for you; someone you love but also fear.

HAVEN has provided emergency shelter for people experiencing domestic violence in Stanislaus County since 1977. Today, shelter is only one of the services HAVEN offers to all survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking regardless of gender, gender expression, sexual orientation, or immigration status. However, for people in that moment of fear and insecurity where they don’t know what their next step will be, our 24 hour crisis line (209.577.5980) and shelter are the only services that matter.

In 2020, the fear of exposure to COVID 19 was a very real concern that people experiencing abuse had to think about. Congregate shelters like HAVEN did not feel safe to many people. Thankfully, HAVEN had existing partnerships with hotels in Stanislaus County, and made new connections with more as the pandemic wore on. These partnerships and funding specific to COVID related shelter needs helped ensure victims of abuse in Stanislaus County could have safe shelter without the fear of exposure that comes with close living at a 24 hour shelter. HAVEN’s Hotel partners were a vital piece of safety planning for survivors in Stanislaus County, and they continue to support us today.

Now imagine if you would that you’ve been in our shelter for four to six weeks and you’re preparing to leave. You can’t go back home, and you want to be able to provide the long term stability for yourself and your children that only your own home can bring. However, the rental market is very tight, and maybe your credit isn’t so good or you don’t have the work history you need. You’re not sure where you’ll be going next.

HAVEN was able to add Housing assistance to our programs in 2016. This program filled a huge gap in need for services, as stable housing is crucial to ongoing safety. While there is always more demand than HAVEN is able to fill, the program has made a huge difference in the lives of people who have been able to participate.

If you would like to learn more about HAVEN’s Shelter and Housing programs, consider joining us at our Kick Up Your Heels event on Oct. 27. October is Domestic Violence Awareness month, and attending Kick Up Your Heels gives you an opportunity to support HAVEN’s work and learn more about us while helping celebrate 45 years of service in Stanislaus County. Please see HAVEN’s website at havenstan.org for more information.

CANDIDATE RESPONSES CANDIDATE RESPONSES

MID Board of Directors Division 2

What are the greatest challenges MID faces and how would you address them?

Frank Damrell Jr.:

The State Water Board mandates are a tremendous challenge. Cooperation with our regional partners to secure sustainable groundwater in the Modesto Sub Basin is another challenge. And, as I mentioned earlier, the conversion of our energy portfolio to 100% renewable energy is looming.

Janice Keating:

1) Rates. I will strive to make good budget and policy decisions to keep and maintain our affordable electrical and water rates, some of the lowest in the State.

2) State Water Grab. I will strive to protect the district from the State stealing our water resources, to the last drop.

3) FERC. I will protect our electrical rates by striving to reach a reasonable decision in the ongoing negotiations with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

4) SGMA in 2014 the State signed the California Sustainable Groundwater Management Act. It defines our sub-basin and the water table levels within it. I plan to deeply engage in this policy issue.

For any of this to happen it will require leadership, both by elected officials and staff, with knowledge, negotiating skills and tenacity.

MID Board of Directors Division 3

What are the greatest challenges MID faces and how would you address them?

Nick Dokoozlian: Working together on addressing the State’s “Water Grab,” complying with state groundwater regulations, and our transition to renewable energy mandated by the state can only be done successfully with a strong MID Board. To do this we must:

1. More Communication— The MID Board needs to communicate better, not just with their fellow board members, but with the community. If our board is unable to work together, we all fail. As your next MID Director, I will work with every board member to ensure that we are coming to equitable solutions to these problems and can find common ground to move forward together as a community. In addition, I will also hold regular office hours, where constituents can come to talk to me about issues facing our community and how MID can best address them.

2. Stop Staff Turnover— We have had too much staff turnover over the past years. Due to the amount of staff turnover, we have been unable to develop our longterm vision for the future. What will our community look like if we are unable to plan? I believe by empowering our staff to work collaboratively together with the entire MID Board we can make comprehensive plans on how to ensure our district has an affordable and reliable source of electricity and water.

The Modesto Chamber of Commerce GRC has invested time to create a questionnaire that was sent to all local and candidates, in an effort to keep our members informed of the upcoming 2022 general election.

3. Enhance Collaboration— We must work with neighboring districts and our other partners to make a sustainable plan for our future. Our region must have a united front to face the issues that face us, such as reliability of energy and water for our area.

Robert Frobose: The water rights of MID are to be used for beneficial use in our community. As a Director, I will provide policy that will make certain our water is used for the benefit of our community.

MID Board of Directors Division 4

What are the greatest challenges MID faces and how would you address them?

John Boer:

The greatest challenge is the threat to our water supply. With a united board we could attract a top water expert (both of MID’s top water experts resigned due to board dysfunction) and stop spending millions on consultants. We need dedicated internal resources to fight the state and obtain our FERC license.

Stu Gilman: Our biggest issues to date involve continuing to move forward on settling the state water grab either via a voluntary agreement or by litigation, as well as continuing to work towards getting our federal license for our dam renewed.

Attracting talented employees to MID is a struggle for us as it is for many businesses, so I’d like to see more public relations campaigns that promote the opportunities associated with working at our utility.

Eliminating the division on the board. Any government, regulatory agency can become paralyzed if people have personal agendas and are not driven by promoting sound public policy. MID has dealt with that and I want to see us move toward a more collaborative and productive board that works together for the good of the District, as I have been doing.

Brad Johnson: Hay thank you, But NO. – Brad Johnson

Modesto City Council District 5

Is the organization for which you seek office operating with a balanced budget? If not, what would be your plan to make the organization more sustainable?

Naramsen Goriel:

Budget: We have a budget shortfall of $8.1 million for 2022-2023. This shortfall is systemic and ongoing, it will continue to increase over time. Unfortunately, cuts are inevitable due to the pandemic. I will do my best not to make cuts to important government services.

In the meantime we can use: (i) One-Time resources to delay the inevitable for one more year. (ii) continued to eliminate services and/or investments in our critical infrastructure. My budget principles. Don’t spend more than you take in Don’t spend one-time money on ongoing expenses Maintain prudent budget reserves Maintain strict controls on hiring and spending Fund the highest priority services first

Jeremiah Williams:

The City of Modesto is operating with a balanced budget, however, the City currently operates with a eight to nine million dollar budget shortfall that Measure H will help correct. We need the citizens of Modesto to support Measure H to ensure the City is financially sound. As a council member I will provide fiscal oversight and accountability to ensure the funds are spent appropriately to deliver the best services to the residents of Modesto.

Assembly District 22

What

would be your top priorities?

Juan Alanis:

My top priorities are reducing the cost of living, public safety, and bringing clean, reliable water supplies to the Valley. Finding solutions to these problems are critical to ensuring Valley families, businesses, and the local economy prosper.

Jessica Self:

My top priority if elected would be to make sure our district gets its fair share of resources from the state. That means increased investment in transportation infrastructure, pre-k through post secondary education, affordable and equitable healthcare, adequate housing for all socioeconomic situations, and economic development that will bring good jobs to our community.

Senate District 4

What would be your top priorities?

Marie Alvarado-Gil:

Instability in the economy is the most pressing issue facing our communities as inflation begins to soar and savings, pensions, loans and other reserves risk evaporation - directly impacting not only our community as a whole, but the businesses that support everyone.

As the economy begins to recover from the COVID epidemic, government officials cannot just go back to “business as usual,” continuing heavy taxation and regulation over business, expecting that the economy will continue to grow indefinitely on its own. There are signs of economic distress all around us, starting with global supply issues, everincreasing energy costs, employee shortages and growing inflation.

First, we must reduce taxes - in fact, we should consider tax havens for those who produce and grow so as to attract businesses, not repel them. California is losing some of its best businesses and people to other States, because we simply make it too costly for people to live here. Second, we must increase our housing supply. For my District in particular, my priorities are reducing taxes, addressing gas prices, addressing inflation as a whole, securing our water supply, increasing housing stock, bringing better educational opportunities, attracting employers who pay livable wages, and expanding internet connectivity.

Tim Robertson:

Economic and Workforce Development. There are many reasons for the current labor shortage as the labor market has shifted dramatically in the last few years, but the solutions are clear. We need to revamp our education and workforce development system to ensure that current and future workers have the skills to do productive work that meets the needs of the business community.

I have already been doing this work and intend to grow my capacity to do so at the state level. As a member of multiple bipartisan workforce and economic development committees, I’ve worked to develop consensus (between business/labor/community/education) programs to identify expected and potential jobs of the future and to develop pipelines for those jobs.

The federal and statewide workforce development system needs to do a better job listening to businesses about their needs and connecting them to the services they provide. They also need to do a better job identifying potential workers and connecting them with job training programs that meet the needs of businesses.

Water. We need more water, and we have to examine every aspect of the system for improvement. We need to expand our storage capacity by expanding our reservoir system and fight for our share of water and against transfers to Southern California. We also need to repair our water infrastructure, improve water recycling and stormwater capture. I’m also interested in new developing techniques to decrease evaporation in our reservoirs and canals.

Forest & Fire Management. We need to bring in more resources for fire mitigation, including funding for home hardening, defensible spaces, and fuel breaks to help protect people’s homes and limit the spread of wildfires. We also need a more thoughtful approach to forest management including additional thinning and post-fire restoration.

Congress District 5

What would be your top priorities?

Michael Barkley:

Strengthen Federal wildfire suppression; develop Federal post-disaster homeowners insurance support. Advocate the formation of a Congressional Natural Disaster and Casualty Insurance Caucus: Wildfires, Earthquakes, Floods, Hurricanes, Tornados

Adopt Medicare for All Adopt the Labor Bill of Rights Bring jobs back from overseas Humanize personal income Solve housing/Reverse what Congress did to cause the homeless and soaring housing cost epidemic Upgrade infrastructure Fund Greyhound

Solve climate change

Nationalize the right to vote and protect the voting system Replace impeachment

Fix California's flooding risk and water shortages

Enlarge the New Melones spillway to handle Great Flood flows

Adopt U.S. balanced budget

Halt the confiscation of taxpayer trust fund deposits

Humanize immigration Fund education

Black Lives Matter

Repeal the right to keep and bear arms Restore Roe v. Wade

Tom McClintock:

1. Secure the border. As ranking Republican on the House Immigration Sub-Committee, it will be my responsibility to shepherd the changes to immigration laws necessary to secure our border and make it impossible for future administrations to allow the unprecedented mass illegal migration now flooding our southern border. That will include tightening of asylum laws, mandating implementation of the remain in Mexico policy and requiring detention of illegal aliens until their cases are heard.

2. Restore Fiscal Responsibility. I discuss this below.

3. Restore our ability to build reservoirs and manage forests. I am one of the senior members of the House Natural Resources Committee and have chaired both its sub-committee on water and its sub-committee on public lands. I intend to continue my work to reform the radical environmental laws such as ESA and NEPA that have made it impossible for us to manage our forests and meet our generation’s water needs.

Congress District 13

What would be your top priorities?

John Duarte:

As your Congressman, I will drive an agenda of American abundance.

Water abundance. I will fight to fundamentally change how Washington approaches water policy. Central Valley politicians always say we need more water storage but provide no real action. The first thing I would do is call oversight hearings on the agencies that manage our Valley water to hold them to account for their ill-reasoned and harmful decisions. Second, I will fight to fully fund critical maintenance on our water facilities. Lack of proper upkeep has lost our precious surface water to percolation and evaporation for too long. Third, I will introduce legislation to raise the standards of evidence that agencies must meet when they attempt to seize the water we are owed in the name of the environmental priority of the day.

Energy abundance. I will support legislation to expand the extraction of carbon energy right here in America on private and public lands. I will promote American manufacturing policy that allows our private enterprise to develop the advanced energy sources of the future. I will vote to ease the environmental regulations that, ironically, hinder the building of alternative energy projects. I will defend our businesses and working families from Washington’s cynical calculation that the costs of our energy fantasies should be borne by those who can’t fight back.

Opportunity abundance. I will fight back against federal policy that has made the dream of entrepreneurship unavailable to hardworking Valley families. I will protect your right to own and operate private property as you see fit. I will fight to end the taxation schemes that take money away from small businesses and force families to sell out to institutional investors. I will fight to make housing affordable and plentiful for every family. I will strengthen the advances made in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that have repatriated capital and increased treasury receipts while pushing back on radical policies like Build Back Better that discriminate against family businesses and closely-held companies.

Adam Gray:

My top priorities are water, health care access, the cost of living, and public safety. I will work to significantly expand California’s antiquated water infrastructure to support domestic food production as a critical aspect of our national security. That means more water storage for farmers and better access to clean drinking water for everyone. Democrats and Republicans have both had control of the White House and Congress over the last four decades, but neither party has added a drop of additional water storage for California farmers. We need representatives who know how to work across the aisle to deliver results instead of relying on finger-pointing as their favorite public policy. I worked with Republicans and Democrats in the State Legislature to deliver more than $3 billion for water storage and other water infrastructure improvements. I will continue to support bipartisan solutions in Congress.

The Central Valley has fewer doctors than any other part of the state. I will address this dangerous shortage by lifting federal funding caps on residency programs and directing additional resources to underserved regions. I will continue my work to create the UC Merced medical school, because we must recruit and train future doctors in the communities that need them most. The UC Merced medical school will enroll its first class of future doctors next year, but we must ensure we have enough residency slots to serve the next generation of Valley doctors.

To bring down the cost of living, I will support efforts to streamline supply chain bottlenecks at our ports and logistics networks and expand domestic energy production, so our economy is not dependent on foreign dictators.

Finally, I will always fight to fully fund our police and firefighters, so they have the resources they need to keep our neighborhoods, businesses, and schools safe.

Stanislaus Green Team Meeting

By Sheng Su, SustainYou / www.sustainyousolution.us

SustainYou disposable straws are part of California Green Business Networks Certification. Our gamechanging plan is to invest in circle economics, utilizing agriculture waste in the form of local grain fiber and plant fiber as raw materials for biodegradable drinking straws and other single-use food ware.

We will move our machinery equipment into the Valley area from China. Sustain You will train the local workers to create factories and operate the machinery needed to market biodegradable and green products.

At Sustain You, we use all the agricultural waste we create to make valuable organic fertilizer. We use various types and sizes of machinery to convert animal waste and food waste into organic fertilizers.

The environmental footprint of big agriculture plays a large role in climate change in the Valley area.

Sustain You will help by teaching local farmers to create fertilizer from walnut, almond, pistachio, and cashew shells.

While disposal of shell waste has traditionally been a big problem for the Valley, our plans will utilize shell waste in making both carbon-based fertilizer and activated charcoal for filtering water and air.

Measure H Is Needed For community

No one likes to increase taxes. But sometimes we must invest more in our local community.

That’s where Modesto is today. The numbers don’t lie. Our city does not have a sustainable revenue stream. For years the city has deferred needed maintenance to upkeep our roads and parks, and has been unable to address growing homelessness, addiction and crime issues that undermine the quality of life we seek to preserve for our families, neighborhoods and businesses.

The City of Modesto needs additional revenue to provide:

Our residents with a cleaner place to live;

Our communities with safer parks;

Our neighborhoods with healthier trees;

Our businesses with cleaner and more comfortable work environments;

Our consumers with a more memorable retail experience; and

Our first responders with more staff and resources.

Measure H will give us this additional revenue - revenue that we can control and spend here locally.

Facts about Measure H

1.Sales tax within the city of Modesto is 7.85% on every dollar of goods sold (except for medicine and groceries). Of that revenue, the City of Modesto receives only one cent of every sales tax dollar. The rest goes to the State of California and other jurisdictions.

2.In 2007, Modesto had 286 officers in our police department. Today, we have 203 officers. That’s a 30% reduction, at a time when our population has grown by almost 30,000 people since 2000. Most specialty units have been reduced or eliminated. For instance, our traffic unit now has only 5 officers. In 2007, it had 19.

3.Measure H will provide Modesto with an additional $39 million annually, fully con trolled by the City — not other agencies or the state or federal government.

4.Modesto's current budget is not sustainable. We will face immediate cuts in essential services since $9 million of our current costs are covered by one time state and federal funds, which are not expected to be continued.

5.Measure H contains a provision requiring the appointment of a citizen oversight com mittee that will review and advise on how every dollar of the tax revenue is spent. They will let the council, and the community know if both the law, and the spirit of Measure H is upheld by the city.

Measure H was put on the ballot by the unanimous vote of the council. The official ballot argument in support of Measure H is signed by the democratic Mayor, the republican Vice-Mayor, along with former republican state officials and community and neighborhood leaders.

Along with the Modesto Chamber of Commerce, Measure H is supported by the Central Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Opportunity Stanislaus, and every city employee association including Modesto Police Officers Association and the Modesto City Fire Fighters Association.

Individual members of Modesto’s business community have rallied to support the Measure, contributing thousands to the campaign.

Modesto’s future is on the line. I urge you to join us in supporting and voting for Measure H.

Michael Gaffney, Chairman of the Modesto Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors

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Capax-Giddings, Corby, Hynes, Inc., a HUB

International Company

Doctors Behavioral Health Center-DMC

Doctors Medical Center-DMC

Frito-Lay Co., Inc.

Pacific Southwest Container, Inc.

Physician Referral Service-DMC

Stockton Heat

Visionary

Blue Diamond Growers

Crystal Creamery

Doubletree by Hilton Modesto

EMOE, Division of Parker Hannifin Corp.

Fiscalini Cheese Company

IHeart Media

Modesto Irrigation District

Modesto Nuts Professional Baseball

Sutter Health Valley Area

Sysco Central California Inc.

E nthusiast

Alpine Protective Solutions

American Chevrolet

American Medical Response

Astound Business Solutions Powered by Wave

Atherton & Associates, LLP

Audi Modesto

Bank of Stockton

California State University, Stanislaus

Care One Home Health and Hospice, Inc.

Central Valley Automotive

Central Valley Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge

Central Valley Nissan

Central Valley Volkswagen Hyundai

Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino

Clark Pest Control

COIT Services Inc.

Collins Electrical Comcast Del Monte Plant #1

English Oaks Nursing & Rehabilitation Hospital

Exceed GPR & Locating, LLC

F&M Bank

Flowers Baking Co. of Modesto, LLC

Food Maxx

FreshPoint

Gianelli Nielsen

Gilton Solid Waste Mgmt, Inc.

Golden Valley Health Centers

Grover Landscape Services, Inc.

Infiniti of Modesto International Paper Co.

JS West & Companies

Maxx Value Foods

Mister Car Wash

Mocse Credit Union

Modesto Toyota Nine3One

O'Brien's Market

Oak Valley Community Bank

Opportunity Stanislaus

Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

Panelized Structures Inc.

Pepsi Bottling Group

PMZ Real Estate

Residence Inn by Marriott Modesto North Rizo-Lopez Foods, Inc.

Rose Bouquet

San Joaquin Valley College

Save Mart Supermarkets

Seven-Up Bottling Co. of Modesto/Varni Brothers Corporation

Solecon Industrial Contractors

Stanislaus Food Products Co.

Stifel Investment Services

Storer Coachways

Sutter Gould Medical Foundation

The Century

The Farmacy

The Modesto Bee

The Parks Group

TSM Insurance & Financial Services

Turlock Irrigation District

Union Bank

US Bank

Valley BMW

Valley Children's Healthcare

Valley First Credit Union

Valley Lexus

Vintage Faire Mall/Macerich Company

Walmart

Warden's Office Products Center

Wells Fargo Bank

Winton-Ireland, Strom & Green Insurance Agency

Yosemite Foods Inc.

Serving our community before, During And After the Pandemic

By Michael Gaffney, Immediate Past President & Public Image Chair, Rotary Club of ModestoFLEX

Service clubs have long been a vital part of our community. Visit a local park or attend a community event and you're likely to see evidence of the service clubs that help support these productions and amenities from behind the scenes. Rotary Club of ModestoFLEX is one such service club that is looking to expand its reach by bringing more individuals from a wider cross-section of the community into the important and timeless tradition of community service.

How are we doing it? By knocking down the barriers to participation. "Our primary goal as a club is to draw people in who have not seen a place for themselves in Rotary previously," said President of Rotary Club of ModestoFLEX, Matt Martino. ModestoFLEX (short for FLEXible) holds its activities on evenings and weekends to accommodate people with rigid work schedules. We’ve also done away with traditional attendance requirements and leaned our calendar down to two events per month focusing on volunteering, family involvement, and fellowship. "We found that there were folks in the community who wanted to give back, but needed some flexibility in the membership model in order to participate," said Membership Chair, Brian Shearon. Another guiding philosophy of ModestoFLEX is to host service projects that are family friendly, so that time spent serving the community can be enjoyed by people of all ages. In fact, attend a ModestoFLEX service project, and it would not be uncommon to find a member serving the community shoulder to shoulder with their retired parents and their school-aged children.

This flexible model has proven to be successful in attracting new members. Newly inducted Rotarian Lacey Maugeri says, "I was encouraged to join Rotary Club of ModestoFLEX by a few role models in my life. I attended some ModestoFLEX volunteer projects and decided being a part of a club that placed their focus on helping others was exactly what I needed to do. ModestoFLEX has been welcoming and informative and I'm excited to see what is to come for my club!"

Since chartering in 2019, ModestoFLEX has formed strong bonds with many non-profit organizations in the community. Whether it's working in community gardens, beautifying the Tuolumne River, serving food to the unhoused, or putting a fresh coat of paint on a local women's shelter; there are many ways ModestoFLEX has found to make a difference. Mr. Martino says, "The most rewarding thing I've gained from my membership has been the exposure to so many different people and groups that are dedicated to bettering our region. It's inspiring to get to play a part in the important work they do every day."

If you're interested in learning more, follow us on social media @modestoflexrotary or check out our calendar of events at www.modestoflexrotary.org

Today's business owners must know how to create a company culture people will want to support. Otherwise, they become another forgettable brand in an ocean of similar ones.

Maintaining a positive company culture, even for remote companies, can be tricky. Other businesses have learned about negative corporate culture the hard way. Instead, keep these tips in mind when reviewing your brand's image.

Introduce Your Personal Beliefs

Basing your corporate culture on your personal beliefs is straightforward. That becomes especially true of non-profit organizations and volunteer groups. While many people will tell you to keep personal beliefs and work separate, we have found that most successful businesses marry the two quite well.

Whether you’re passionate about green energy, or women's rights- having those beliefs and passions front and center will help you attract like-minded employees as well as create a company culture people won’t want to leave.

These attitudes will form the rest of your company's interactions with the public. Make sure you focus on the traits you see lasting for generations.

Hire Appropriate Staff

When your organization has a strong culture, you must hire those drawn to it. When employees run against these traits, it only sabotages your brand.

Staff today are under scrutiny both on the clock and at home. Many firms find trouble from individual social media posts and public outbursts.

Instead, search for candidates who already embody some of your culture's values. That way, they won't require much training to adopt the rest.

Always Point Back to Your Company Values

The most important reason for having strong company values is when it’s time to make a decision. Does this decision align with our values and culture as a company? Does this choice reflect who we are as a business? Will this decision upset our consumer base? All these questions are easier to navigate when you have a strong company culture and company belief system.

For more information managing your online presence go to www.sisbroinnovation.com or call Sisbro Innovation at (800) 291-9102

the Importance of Development and Infrastructure

Christina Alger, MHR, SHRM-SCP, CLRM / Director of Human Resources City of Modesto

Our Leadership Modesto team spent a day learning about the vital services that are provided to our community. It was enlightening and made many of us realize just how many services are provided that we are just accustomed to having daily such as electricity, clean drinking water, working sewer systems, maintained roadways and sidewalks, coordinated traffic lights, and so many others.

The day began with a visit to the Modesto Irrigation District main office. It was extremely informative to learn about how the district operates, who they partner with, and who they serve. Did you know that MID is owned by rate payers? There is a board of directors that are elected by the constituents that are served. We also had the Utilities Department with the City of Modesto present on providing clean water to our residents as well as all of the programs offered by both MID and the City to help with water and energy conservation.

We learned more about the State water issues that have been present in California for many years. We discussed electricity needs in the community and the coming requirement for the sale of only electric vehicles in our state.

The City of Modesto was our next learning opportunity and it began at their corporation yard. We took a tour of the facilities and explored the services provided to the community by the Public Works Department. They maintain a fleet of 96 buses for the newly formed Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority (StanRTA). These are the busses that operate for the public throughout Stanislaus County and beyond. These massive busses take a lot of upkeep to ensure they are reliable and ready to serve our community needs. The Fleet Division also maintains all police vehicles and fire trucks that deliver safety to community members and respond to the various emergencies. This means that they need to employ talented and dedicated mechanics.

Public Works also ensures the streets and sidewalks are maintained. They are highly focused on preventative maintenance to keep costs as low as possible and be good stewards of tax dollars. They keep up with 1400 lane miles of streets and sidewalks. That is far enough to take you well into to Canada! They also maintain all City trees on streets and in parks. Did you know that the City of Modesto has 81,000 trees?

The group also was able to learn about traffic control. We experienced the traffic control room where engineers work to make traffic flow better throughout the City.

We ended our day in City Hall learning about Community & Economic Development. The City is in the process of developing a new Master Plan and have engaged the community in providing

www.humphreys.edu

the Mission’s Youth center Is Serving our At-risk Neighborhood children

By Cristina Green, Modesto Gospel Mission Youth Center Manager

The Modesto Gospel Mission has served the homeless population of Modesto since 1948. In that year, a young, promising preacher named Billy Graham held an evangelistic crusade at the roundabout at the entrance to the La Loma neighborhood. After the crusade was over, all unused funds and donations were given to a local group to meet the needs of the Modesto community. Out of these leftover funds, several organizations were started in Modesto that are still around today, including the Modesto Gospel Mission (originally the Modesto Union Gospel Mission). The Mission started in downtown Modesto primarily as a soup kitchen to feed the hungry and poor.

Fast forward to 2022, and the Mission is still serving the needs of the greater Modesto community. No longer just a soup kitchen, the Mission campus is comprised of over 10 buildings, and hosts a myriad of programs to help men, women, and children. These services include both emergency shelter services and a day program for the homeless, long-term residential programs for transformational living (“New Life Program”), transitional apartments for program graduates, supportive housing for senior women, respite care, a medical clinic, a warming center in the winter and a cooling center in the summer, and community events to meet tangible needs for back to school, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

But perhaps the most overlooked and little-known program at the Mission is the Youth Center. The Youth Center, housed in a repurposed Del Taco building at the corner of Yosemite and Kerr Ave, provides a safe community center for kids ages 6-17 years old to hang out after school and during the summer. The hours of operation are Monday-Friday, from 2:00 pm – 8:00 pm.

The purpose of the Youth Center is to provide a safe, well-rounded, and nurturing environment for the health and wellbeing of our kids and their families. Local ministries join us in hosting faith-filled devotions, coping skills, book clubs, and indoor and outdoor fun activities to foster personal growth in self-esteem, community service, and hope. Each weeknight, the youth and their families can eat dinner for free at the Mission.

Academic support, such as tutoring, GPA checks, and school advocacy is provided. The Youth Center also provides snacks, school supplies, hygiene kits, clothes, and shoes.

Resources for employment, scholarships, housing, counseling, activities, and more are also provided

through various local partnerships, such as 10k with a Cop, Youth for Christ, Americans Veteran’s First, Beyond the Walls, Civil Air Patrol Squadron 50, and more! The Mission believes in offering as much support as possible to ensure our youth have all they need to be successful at home, in school, and in their future.

Most of the children that come to the Youth Center daily are staying at the Mission or live in the surrounding Airport District, a neighborhood that is known for its poverty and challenges such as gang activity and violence, food insecurity, high incidents of crime, and even lack of electricity or running water in many homes. The staff and volunteers at the Youth Center are intentional about trying to help these children overcome these challenges and break cycles of poverty and violence.

The Modesto Gospel Mission aims to be preventative and proactive in supporting, educating, and loving Modesto’s future generation into their God-given purpose. If you would like more information about the Youth Center or how you can get involved in this impactful ministry, please contact Youth Center Manager Cristina Green at cristina@mymission.org or at 209-225-2924.

Our partnership with HUB International has made it possible to offer our clients more than ever before. The combination of our local knowledge and expertise along with the resources of one of the nation’s premier insurance companies allows us to bring you creative and cost-effective solutions that can make a world of difference to you and your business. Call us today and find out what we can do for you.

Catholic Charities

Amber Butler -Development Director

88 years ago Catholic Charities began the ministry of care and support to those in need in what is now our local church.

In the middle of the 1940’s volunteer women for Catholic Charities worked hard to provide food and clothing for many destitute families within our Diocese. During WWII many orphans were left, even here in our diocese, and thus casework and group home services began. In 1952 Catholic Charities responded with services to single mothers, and counseling services were established for all.

Over those 88 years the Catholic community has continued to reach out to those most in need. Today we carry out 24 vital human services and programs that, this past year alone, touched the lives of over 31,000 children, families and individuals.

In fact over 2,974 seniors were helped to remain living in their homes, helped with elder abuse prevention, or supported in care facilities, 78 veterans were aided with housing and case management, and 1,229 children and adults were helped with access to health care.

Catholic Charities continues to reach out through its food bank, naturalization services, and counseling programs. During the pandemic we helped hundreds of families remain in their homes, pay their rent or mortgage and keep food on their tables. The list goes on, and one can see all our services and ministries in the Catholic Charities brochure.

Our partnership with the community helps not only the most vulnerable, but also your neighbor who could be struggling with inflation, looking for healthcare for their children, or struggling to remain independent and in their own home.

Catholic Charities supports everyone, regardless of race, religion or age. Let us all look to assist our brothers and sisters in need, as we have these past 88 years.

Catholic Charities would like to thank its partners over the past 88 years, and those who continue to help us provide these valuable services. With your continued support we can thrive for the next 88 years.

For more information, please contact our Modesto office at (209) 529-3784!

Set up your business to successfully battle inflation

By James Kim, President and CEO, Central Valley Community Bank

With inflation at 9.1% – a four-decade high – you’re certainly feeling it. According to Bloomberg, the average family is now paying $400$500 more per month in household expenses compared to a year ago – mostly due to rising energy, food and housing costs.

The news isn’t any better for business owners. The Producer Price Index, which measures business inflation, has risen 11.3% in the last year. In a recent survey, 85% of small business owners expressed concern about inflation, echoing the anxiety of consumers who expressed the highest level of uncertainty since 1991.

To better understand how to protect your business in today’s inflation-prone environment, it’s good to start with the basics.

What is Inflation?

Inflation is simply the rise in prices you pay for goods and services. As prices rise, your purchasing power weakens.

While inflation has a negative connotation, moderate inflation is expected. The Federal Reserve Bank (Fed) targets a modest level of inflation of 2% annually and considers this level normal. Inflation of 9%+ is far from normal.

What causes inflation? Simply put, it’s the result of too many dollars chasing too few goods. In other words, when demand outstrips supply, prices rise.

Ironically, the cure for high prices is high prices. When consumers must spend a greater portion of their income on energy, food, rent and other basics, they refrain from buying discretionary items (cars, appliances, clothes and vacations). These changes typically slow the economy and ease inflation.

How long will it last?

The Fed has already taken steps to slow the economy by hiking

short-term interest rates. Since March 2022, the federal funds rate has increased four times with additional hikes expected. Some believe the Fed could over-react by raising rates too quickly or too much, spurring our economy into a recession in 2022 or 2023.

How do I navigate my business through inflation and a possible recession?

Business owners have been dealing with inflation and supply chain issues, which have likely negatively affected operating margins.

Unfortunately, a recession will only make things more challenging. Prepare your business for the possibility of recession by focusing on the following strategies:

• Build a 6-12 month cash reserve

• Reduce unnecessary debt

• Improve your cash flow

• Reduce your expenses

• Diversify your customer base

• Maintain your creditworthiness

• Obtain a line of credit as a backup cash reserve

You can count on CVCB

Regardless of what the economic forecast may bring, you can take comfort in making it this far, with the resilience to survive and the determination to thrive. With CVCB as your financial advocate, you have the up-to-date resources and practical information you need to ensure your business is set up for success both today and tomorrow.

To learn more about what Central Valley Community Bank can do for you, contact us today at (800) 298-1775 or visit our website at www.cvcb.com.

Health care should be hassle-free. At Kaiser Permanente, it is. With connected teams and flexible ways to access care, it’s easy to get the support you need to stay healthy — when and where you need it.

Health care should be hassle-free. At Kaiser Permanente, it is. With connected teams and flexible ways to access care, it’s easy to get the support you need to stay healthy — when and where you need it.

THE CARE YOU NEED, THE WAY YOU WANT IT.

THE CARE YOU NEED, THE WAY YOU WANT IT.