California Ag Network

Tag: community outreach

  • California Table Grape Growers Double Impact of Food Bank Donations

    California table grape growers are doubling the impact of each gift made to the Central California Food Bank between October 20-31 to help provide meals for families facing hunger across the Central Valley.

    October is California Farmer and Farmworker Month, a month-long acknowledgement of California’s hardworking farmers and farmworkers. In celebration of the hands that help feed us, every dollar donated during the two-week campaign, up to $15,000, will be matched by California table grape growers. The campaign is designed to raise awareness and provide essential support to sustain food distributions in the San Joaquin Valley. Specifically, funds raised will help strengthen Central California Food Bank’s Farmworker Community Partnership Program across Fresno, Kern, and Tulare Counties.

    Central California Food Bank is the largest hunger-relief organization in Central California, serving Fresno, Kern, Kings, Madera, and Tulare counties. In Central California, 1 in 4 adults and 1 in 3 children face food insecurity, which is the limited or uncertain access to adequate food. Through a network of more than 260 member partner agencies, Central California Food Bank distributes nutritious foods to over 320,000 people each month, including more than 100,000 children.

    The campaign is a demonstration of California table grape growers’ collective commitment to building thriving communities in the table grape growing regions. “The commission is a service-based organization, and this initiative is a reflection of the commitment of California table grape growers to the communities they live and work in,” said Ian LeMay, commission president.

    For more information about the campaign, please visit give.ccfoodbank.org/calgrapes.

  • California Table Grape Growers Offer Scholarship Opportunities

    California table grape growers are once again providing scholarship opportunities to graduating high school seniors from the table grape growing regions of California. Three categories of scholarships are available again in 2026.

    Two scholarships are available to field workers and their families. The Field Worker Bridge Scholarship is a $14,500 scholarship for students who will attend two years at a community college and transfer to a four-year university in California. The Field Worker Scholarship is a $25,000 scholarship for students who will attend a four-year university in California. Eligible high school graduates or graduating seniors, or their parent/legal guardian, must have been employed as a field worker in a California table grape vineyard during the 2025 harvest or plan to be employed during the 2026 season to be eligible for the Field Worker Scholarships.

    The third scholarship is a $25,000 Agricultural Scholarship available for students interested in building a career in the California table grape industry and investing their undergraduate years of study in academic areas related to the industry. Eligible high school graduates or graduating seniors must pursue a four-year undergraduate degree from a California university in a field of study pertinent to table grapes and be residents of the Coachella or San Joaquin valleys.

    Three scholarships from each category are available. Applicants for all scholarships must plan to attend a California college or university. The deadline to apply for all scholarships is Friday, February 6, 2026.

    Since 1985, California table grape growers aided over 200 students in attending college. To hear from recent scholarship recipients, please visit: https://www.grapesfromcalifornia.com/community-outreach/scholarship-recipients/.

    For more information on the scholarship program, please visit: https://www.grapesfromcalifornia.com/community-outreach/ or contact: Scholarships@grapesfromcalifornia.com.

  • Golden State Farm Credit Supports Local Students with Back-to-School Backpack Donation

    Golden State Farm Credit (GSFC) recently donated 25 backpacks filled with school supplies to support students and families through The Salvation Army of Chico’s Back-to-School program, an annual effort to ensure local students are prepared for a successful start to the school year.

    Recipients of the program will receive a backpack filled with various school supplies such as notebooks and paper, writing utensils, a calculator, and a lunchbox. Each donation will support a child in need living in Chico, Paradise, Magalia, or Forest Ranch, helping relieve the financial burden from local families, parents, and guardians.

    GSFC has previously partnered with The Salvation Army of Chico, particularly through its annual participation in the Angel Tree program, which provides Christmas gifts to hundreds of children in the region. This back-to-school effort represents a meaningful extension of that partnership and a shared commitment to serving the community year-round.

    “We’re proud to support programs that provide local youth with the tools they need to succeed,” said Kris Costa, director of marketing and communications at GSFC. “Supporting the Angel Tree Program has always been a meaningful experience for our team, so when The Salvation Army invited us to be part of their back-to-school effort, we were excited to jump in and help.”

    This donation is part of GSFC’s ongoing commitment to serve and strengthen rural communities. The association’s community outreach pillar extends beyond supporting local agriculture organizations, activities, and events; they believe in supporting families in the community when the need arises. Looking ahead in 2026, GSFC plans to connect with other Salvation Army locations near its branch offices to expand the backpack donation effort.

    About GSFC:

    Golden State Farm Credit (GSFC) is a lending institution of the Farm Credit System with offices in Northern and Central California that service the counties of Butte, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, Trinity, Fresno, Kings and Tulare. The GSFC administrative office is located at 3013 Ceres Avenue, Chico, CA 95973. The Farm Credit System (System) is a nationwide network of borrower-owned lending institutions that provides loans, leases, and related services to farmers, ranchers, rural homeowners, agribusiness, agricultural and rural utility cooperatives, and Young, Beginning and Small Farmers nationwide. Congress established the System in 1916 to provide a reliable source of credit for the nation’s farmers and ranchers. Today, the System provides more than one-third of the credit needed by those who live and work in rural America.

    For more information about Golden State Farm Credit, call (530) 895-8698 or visit us online at www.goldenstatefarmcredit.com.