Capital Region Cares Capital Region Cares 2017-2018 | Page 19

ture generations; Plentiful Plate, which deals with matters
of diet and nutrition; Local Spirit, to contribute to localized
goals — as Minor puts it, “What’s good in Modesto isn’t nec-
essarily good for Placerville” — and Healthy Habits, which
donates to groups focusing on fitness and lifestyle choices.
Erica Manuel, SMUD’s manager of community, eco-
nomic development and education, says the idea behind
their charitable and community initiatives is to foster col-
laboration on the neighborhood level. This past May, SMUD
launched the Shine Awards, a program that invites their
customers to request funding for local nonprofit projects
that will improve and revitalize neighborhoods in SMUD’s
service area. Award money ranges from $5,000-$100,000.
The inaugural year received more than 100 applications,
and the utility company is currently deciding how many
awards to give out, Manuel says.
Big Green IT, SMUD, Raley’s and VSP all chose philan-
thropic outlets in line with their company’s business goals.
“We’ve found the most success when we focus on initiatives
that are an extension of our mission,” Cappelletti-Matthews
says of VSP’s efforts.
THOUGHTFUL PLANNING
Once you’ve found the right outlet for your company’s
philanthropic ventures, the next step is to decide what
the program will look like.
Even though Raley’s has a large budget for philan-
thropic giving, Minor says its model is one every com-
pany can follow, because the directive comes from the
top down. “It’s a constant strategic initiative,” Minor
says. “It’s instilled in us. It’s not something we have to
be reminded of.” Philanthropy is something the Raley’s
family has been involved in since they began operating
their supermarkets more than 80 years ago, she says.
In 2016 alone, Raley’s donated more than $10 million
to organizations and nonprofits throughout Northern
California and Western Nevada through their multi-
ple giving platforms. “Organizations that are authentic
about their giving practices are ultimately successful
because of the opportunities that come from the cus-
tomers and the organizations they help,” Minor says. “It
has to be constant and at the foremind of every team
member.”
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