This week, CAFF was selected as a 2021 California Nonprofit of the Year by Senator Sydney Kamlager. We’re honored to join other inspiring nonprofits around the state recognized for their tremendous contributions to the communities they serve.
“Thank you Senator Kamlager for recognizing CAFF and for your leadership in food & farming justice that centers and invests in historically underserved communities and farmers, particularly urban” said Paul Towers, CAFF’s Executive Director. “The pandemic exacerbated existing inequities in our food system and we are grateful to tackle this work together.”
We are grateful for this recognition of our 40 year legacy to support California’s family farmers through our various programs from ecological farming to market access to policy advocacy. We will continue to support the needs and advocate on behalf of family farmers in California to ensure a more just and resilient food system that supports our farmers, communities, and ecosystems.
This includes advocating for investments by the California legislature to fund programs that support small-scale farmers across the state with technical assistance, beginning farmer and farmworker training, sustainable pest management, development of food hubs and tool sharing libraries!
Additional Background
California Nonprofits Day, now in its sixth year, was formally recognized by 2021 Assembly Concurrent Resolution 80, authored by Assemblymember Luz Rivas, and co-authored by Senator Monique Limón. Each year legislators from across California have chosen a Nonprofit of the Year in their district.
Traditionally, honorees and legislators are invited by CalNonprofits, Chair of the Senate Select Committee on the Nonprofit Sector Senator Monique Limón (Santa Barbara), and Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on the Nonprofit Sector Assemblymember Luz Rivas to a celebratory luncheon on California Nonprofits Day. This year, like 2020, the luncheon was canceled in response to pandemic restrictions, but legislators moved forward with honoring nonprofits doing great work in their districts.
According to “Causes Count,” a 2019 report commissioned by CalNonprofits, the nonprofit sector is the 4th largest industry in the state, employing more than 1.2 million people. Each year, California nonprofits generate more than $273 billion in revenue and bring in $40 billion in revenue from outside of California. The unpaid labor contributed by volunteers at nonprofits is equivalent to 330,000 full-time jobs every year.