The City of Lafayette has proclaimed the days of September 1 to September 21, 2021, as “BeKind 21” in the City of Lafayette. 

Together with the City of Lafayette, Lafayette Partners in Education, Lafayette School District, Peter Pan Foundation and Lafayette Social, the Lafayette Chamber is once again partnering with Born This Way Foundation to practice 21 days of being kind to each other, culminating on the United Nations International Day of Peace. Born This Way Foundation launched #BeKind21 in 2018 to invite participants to practice an act of kindness for themselves and others each day from September 1st to September 21st to build kinder, connected communities that foster mental wellness.  

Friday, September 10, 8am, Zoom, register here.

Mark your calendar and join us next Friday, September 10 at 8am on Zoom. We will host our next "coffee" with Bart Director Debora Allen. This is a great opportunity to bring your own questions and concerns regarding Bart’s current status, safety plan and scheduling for our Lafayette location.

Send questions in advance to sara@lafayettechamber.org.

Wednesday, September 8 & 22, 2021 4:30pm-5:30pm, Online via Zoom.

Robineve & Co Interiors welcomes their clients, friends and Lafayette Chamber members to their new Quail Court design studio for an in-person Ribbon Cutting on Thursday, September 9 at 5pm. Register here.

Join Lafayette Chamber Members online for Blitzr Speed Networking - Tuesday, September 14, 12:15pm-1pm and Tuesday, November 9, 12:15pm-1pm. Five one-on-one conversations for five minutes each! Please take 5 minutes to setup your account now by selecting your preferred date. Registration is required to participate in this free event open to Lafayette Chamber members and their guests.

Tuesday Talk: The Power of a Plan - Wills, Trusts, and Estate Planning by Balamuth Law - Tuesday, September 28, 12noon, Online. Register here.

Ribbon Cutting at Sunwise Clinical Research - Wednesday, September 29, 5pm, 911 Moraga Rd, Lafayette. Learn more here.

5k, 10k, 2mile fun run/walk will be held Sunday, October 24, 2021.

Reservoir Challenge runs October 13-23.

Become a lifetime Friend of the Chamber

A Friend of the Chamber membership provides a way for community members to support the efforts of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce. We are 74 years strong and our mission continues “To promote and maintain a healthy business climate and to preserve and enhance the quality of life in Lafayette.” 

All aspects that make up a community are important to us: schools, residents, churches and synagogues, community organizations, activities, and the city government. Chamber members work with representatives of all these groups for the betterment of our community. A lifetime Friend of the Chamber membership is $150 per family. Learn more here>>

Phone: (925) 334-7099 Email: info@pillarcowork.com

Web: pillarcowork.com Instagram Facebook @pillarcowork

This month our nonprofit members are listed by the date of their next event! Have an event to share with our community? Add it to our Community Calendar!

For the past 32 years, Contra Costa County Bar Association's Bar Fund has been proudly raising awareness of the need for pro bono legal services and assistance for low income members of our community. This year, CASA of Contra Costa County is honored to be the recipient of the 2021 Bar Fund Benefit.

Funds raised at this event will support CASA's efforts in recruiting volunteers to advocate on behalf of children in foster care. In addition, it will help CASA start a juvenile justice program to provide our services to foster youths to help them comply with probation requirements, and to ensure they complete their education in order to become successful young adults.  Purchase Your Ticket or Sponsorship here.

Love art and want to support a great cause? Join us this month as we will be holding a special online art auction beginning Friday, September 3rd at 10am and ending Sunday, September 5th, at 6pm. Come and bid on a variety of art pieces that would look great in any home or office. 

If you don’t have a chance to check out our online auction but want to support our mission, stop by any of our six local Hospice East Bay thrift shoppes! By supporting our thrift shoppes you're helping us fulfill our mission to provide quality hospice care to everyone in our community. To stay informed on all upcoming information about our art auction and more please follow us on social media. Be sure to mention the Lafayette Chamber to receive an additional 10% off your purchase! www.HospiceEastBay.org.

The Lafayette Library and Learning Center Foundation is partnering with LPIE to bring New York Times bestselling author Julie Lythcott-Haims to the Distinguished Speaker Series on Thursday, September 9 at 7pm PST.

Registration is free, register HERE.

Win this Kidzone electric Lamborghini at the Car Show Raffle, which benefits The Orinda Association's Seniors Around Town transportation program!

Honoring first responders with a tribute to vintage emergency vehicles, the show includes American and European cars ranging from the 1920s to the 1960s as well as modern exotics!

Free event with Loard's Ice Cream and pizza from Fourth Bore Restaurant's classic fire truck also available.

Raffle with unique prizes, including a Kidzone electric Lamborghini, benefits The Orinda Association's Seniors Around Town transportation program.

Call 925-254-0800 or go to www.orindacarshow.com.

Lafayette Community Garden and Outdoor Learning Center is open to the public during our work hours: T 4 – 6, Th 9 – 12 and Saturday 9 – 12. Community members are encouraged to stop by and look around or just sit and enjoy the garden setting. Join us for our Community Open House on September 12! www.lafayettecommunitygarden.org

MVPC will hold our canned food drive that benefits the Bay Area Rescue Mission starting September 13.

MVPC will have a collection bin outside our Church office at: 10 Moraga Valley Road, Moraga.

Curious about freemasonry? Wondering what happens in that building across from the Town Hall Theatre? Join us at 7pm on Tuesday September 14th at Acalanes Fellowship Lodge #480 - 925 Moraga Road for an Open House! You'll learn about the unique history of Freemasonry as the world's largest and oldest Fraternity, and have a chance to meet some of the men who have helped Lafayette's lodge earn the nickname "The Friendly Lodge." Featuring a lodge tour and a comprehensive introduction to Freemasonry, this is an ideal opportunity for anyone looking to become a better man, looking to improve the community, or simply looking for a great group of friends. ALL are welcome to attend! www.acalanesfellowshiplodge.com.

Home Energy Upgrade Workshop: FREE online webinar

This FREE 2021 BayREN Home Upgrade Workshop will provide you with information and contacts to make your home more energy efficient with rebates up to $5,000! Local participating contractors, building scientists, and financing experts will provide you with the critical information you'll need to get your project started. Learn how you can make home improvements that will lower your energy use, conserve water and natural resources, and make your home more comfortable. Register at bayren0915.eventbrite.com.

Join Sustainable Contra Costa for the 13th Annual Leadership in Sustainability Awards celebration on September 22nd. We’re excited to be joined by County Supervisor John Gioia and special guest environmental scientist Andrew Gunther in an interactive discussion on the latest progress on climate action. This online event supports and celebrates local individuals and organizations for their outstanding contributions and commitment to climate change work, a healthy environment, economy, and society - so that Contra Costa remains a wonderful place for generations to come. 

As a fundraiser for Sustainable Contra Costa, the event will also feature a fun silent auction, with a chance to bid on exciting items donated by local businesses. The Awards Event will be presented on Zoom, and also livestreamed on Sustainable Contra Costa's YouTube channel. For more information, write to info@sustainablecoco.org.

Energy Upgrade California: Small energy inefficiencies in our homes can add up to big losses—both for our pocketbooks and for California. Find solutions and rebates that help you take meaningful action. Get started at sustainablecoco.org/energy. 

The health and safety of Cancer Support Community SF Bay Area's members, donors, supporters and volunteers is our top priority. As such, we've decided that our September 18th Film Festival Charity Gala will be entirely virtual and will not include an in-person event. We invite you, your friends and family to register for free to watch the show from the safety of your home where you can view original short films, bid online for unique auction items, hear inspiring stories from members and continue to support people in our community impacted by cancer. For more information and to register please visit https://cancersupport.net/events/gala or contact Peter Dudley at pdudley@cancersupport.net.

The Alzheimer's Association is a global organization, working to advance care, support and research across the world. The Walk to End Alzheimer's® is the world's largest fundraiser to fight the disease and fuel the Association's mission. This inspiring event calls on participants of all ages and abilities. Join the East Bay by registering for our local event on Saturday, October 23rd - you can join us at Bishop Ranch in San Ramon or Walk from home in your neighborhood. The money we raise makes a difference in the lives of those facing Alzheimer's and all other forms of dementia. Take the next step, vist: http://act.alz.org/eastbay2021

Join the Lafayette Rotary at their weekly meetings on Thursdays! Every Thursday from 12:15 – 1:30 pm. Each week we feature a different guest speaker in addition to regular club business. Guests are always welcome! If you are interested in checking us out, email jay@lafayettechamber.org for more info.

We hope to be in-person soon, but in the meantime- join our Zoom meeting!

Programs for all ages are open for registration! This include enrichment classes, break camps, senior classes, special events and much more. See all that is in store for this fall at www.LafayetteRec.org. Classes starting soon! Call 925-284-2232 with any questions or stop by the Community Center office from 9am-1:30pm Monday thru Friday. Programs will follow current health guidance. The Lafayette Community Center thanks you for your continued participation and support of our programs.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at UC Berkeley is delighted to offer a fall term of fascinating and thought-provoking live online courses with no tests, no grades, and no prerequisites (except an OLLI @Berkeley membership). Included on the docket are Global Lens: The International Documentary (with Michael Fox, KQED contributing film critic) and How the U.S. Spent the Legacy of the Greatest Generation (with Michael Baker, surgeon and retired Rear Admiral). Classes begin the week of September 20. Check out the whole course lineup.

When two community-minded organizations work together, EVERYBODY WINS! On August 19, Assistance League® of Diablo Valley President Susan Geldin presented information to the Orinda Women’s Club regarding Operation School Bell’s^® commitment to provide clothing for school identified schoolchildren. The Orinda Women’s Club is a community-based organization that addresses urgent and ongoing family needs in Contra Costa and Alameda Counties by organizing fundraisers and community-building events. 

To learn about all of the hands-on programs that the Assistance League of Diablo Valley Thrift Shop at the Way Side Inn funds, please visit this website: assistanceleague.org/diablo-valley.

Photo: Assistance League of Diablo Valley President Susan Geldin shares Operation School Bell’s Common Threads story at a recent Orinda Women’s Club event.

BeingwellCA was founded to give voice to the youth who suffer in silence with anxiety, depression and suicide ideation. Two powerful advocates combined their strengths to provide HOPE to the whole family of those struggling with mental health issues which affect 1 in 4 people. Established in June 2019, BeingwellCA delivers programs, workshops and speaker series that address the three legs of mental health support: parents, educators and students. All three support systems are needed to provide a stable base to build upon basis for suffering youth to flourish again.

BeingwellCA was recognized in Diablo Magazine as an Agent of Change!

And just a reminder to support mental health in our schools by adding your name to the list of supporters we will deliver to the CA Senate in September. Sign up and learn more about BeingwellCA here.

Although that is not the news any of us wanted to hear, EDF has you covered offering three different masks designs and one smaller version for children. We also have our EDF Wellness Kits discounted to $15 a kit and volume discounts available by inquiry to ariana@earlydiagnosisfoundation.org.

Kit contents include a comfortable face mask, adjustable mask lanyard, hand sanitizer gel, sanitizer wipes, chapstick and EDF pen. All items are packaged in a convenient vinyl pouch. Please visit us at https://earlydiagnosis.foundation/store.

Friends Corner Book Shop is open for browsing.

The shop sells gently used books to support the collection, programs, and services of the Lafayette Library and Learning Center. 

New volunteers are also welcome! Average time commitment is two hours per week. Express your interest to friendscornerbookshop@gmail.com.

https://www.lllcf.org/friends-book-shop.

After-School Program Volunteers Needed: We are looking for patient and compassionate volunteers to provide academic support and mentoring for the children in our after-school program:

If you are interested in becoming a Homework Club volunteer tutor, please complete our interest form: https://www.hopesolutions.org/volunteer-interest.

Friday Fun Days: Hope Solutions Enrichment Programs at Lakeside Apartments (Concord) and Los Medanos Village (Pittsburg) bring fun activities to the children every Friday from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm, on site. We are looking for volunteers who are interested in sharing a skill, talent, or activity with the children in our programs.

To see a full list of September Volunteer Opportunities click here.

If you have any questions about after-school programming, Friday Fun Days, or any of our volunteer opportunities, please contact Sandibel Arnold at sarnold@hopesolutions.org or call (925) 788-3676.

NEW OPPORTUNITY: SOFT LANDING FUND. Hope Solutions provides a brand-new bed package for each resident we house. The Soft Landing Fund provides a mattress, platform, mattress pad and encasement, sheet set, comforter, and pillow for $350 per person. If you would like to contribute to the bed fund, visit https://www.hopesolutions.org/donate or contact Sandibel Arnold, sarnold@hopesolutions.org or (925) 788-3676.

Lafayette Community Foundation (LCF) is pleased to introduce its Excellence Grants Video that highlights several of its 2021 grants recipients. LCF would also like to take this opportunity to thank its wonderful, supportive donors without whom its grants program would not be possible.

LCF gives annual Excellence Grants based on the donations received. Help LCF achieve its fundraising goals to increase support for our local organizations. If you would like to support LCF's mission and efforts, please visit lafayettecf.org to donate. 

All of us, at some time or another, have probably wandered past the Lafayette Historical Society, located on the ground floor of the Library on Golden Gate Way. And some, during “non-COVID times” may have even visited the Society’s archives and history room and learned something they didn’t know about Lafayette’s past.

The Society raises operating funds by a combination of its membership dues, newsletter sponsorships, book sales, the not-to-be-miss “Breakfast with Santa” event, and through the popular “Speaker Series.” Due to the COVID pandemic, the Society’s history room has been closed and the Speaker Series canceled. It also appears that the “Breakfast with Santa” will also have to be postponed this year. All that is our way of saying that the Society really could use the community’s help right now. If you have a chance, take a look around the Society’s Website where you can listen to a collection of oral histories from many notables Lafayettans, including Bill Eames, Larry Blodgett, Ed Stokes, Steve Falk, Jon Frank, and Jack Marchant. And, if there’s anybody who knows how to work on a Model T, or knows how to drive one, the Society could sure use your help with Old Betsy. Visit the Society’s membership page now to find out how you can become an active member of this esteemed local gem. You can also call (925) 283-1848, or email Mary McCosker, LHS’s President, at lafayette.history@comcast.net.

Lafayette Juniors has selected it’s 21-22 beneficiaries, and will announce them at the first meeting Thursday, Sept 2.

If anyone is interested in learning about becoming a member, they can reach out here: https://www.lafayettejuniors.org/connect.

The Lafayette Library is centrally located and offers versatile spaces for all kinds of events on its beautiful 30,000 sq. ft. campus. Proceeds from rentals help fund the materials, programming, technology resources and extended operating hours of the Library - benefiting everyone in our community! The Community Hall, Arts & Science Center, Oak Room, and expansive outdoor Amphitheater and Patio are all available to rent. Visit www.LLLCF.org/rent-a-room for details. 

The difference is you! Lafayette Partners in Education has raised $1.6 million so far towards a $3.5 million goal. Join us in supporting our schools by donating at www.lpie.org!

The Lafayette Veterans Memorial Building is now accepting reservations. For information on booking an event, contact Building Director for info 925-283-1153 or info@lafayetteveterans.org. 

The Lamorinda CERT Foundation has opened a new sale for water drums and fire extinguishers. The sale will be open until Thursday, October 7th with pickup in Moraga or El Cerrito on Friday evening, October 15th from 5-8 p.m. and Saturday morning, October 16th from 9 a.m. until noon.

If you plan to get prepared by purchasing water storage or fire extinguishers, now is the time! https://supplies.lamorindacert.org. 

You know how important it is for your older parents and grandparents to get to medical and personal appointments, grocery shopping, and errands. The Lamorinda Spirit Senior Transportation Program needs volunteer drivers to help out by providing rides every week or two for Lamorinda older adults, age 60+. If you are age 25 to 75, have a good driving record, and a free morning, afternoon, or mid-day availability, please email mbruns@lovelafayette.org for more information.

If you would like to reserve a ride on the Spirit Van or want to learn about utilizing GoGoGrandparent, an Uber/Lyft service that doesn’t require a smart phone, please email dispatch@lovelafayette.org or call 925-283-3534.

Last, but not least, you may want to consider making a tax-deductible donation made payable to the City of Lafayette (Write Lamorinda Spirit on the memo line.) and mailed to: Lamorinda Spirit, Lafayette Community Center, 500 St. Mary’s Road, Lafayette, CA 94549. Community support keeps this program going.

Lamorinda Sunrise Rotary is proud to announce the return of HOME Team! This free service will resume Sept. 25 to provide local seniors with "fix-it" help on projects around their homes. To schedule a visit, please go to http://www.rotaryhometeam.com or call 888.204.5573.

Lamorinda Village is a membership organization of like-minded senior residents who are dedicated to building a community that engages and empowers its members to thrive as they age. Established in 2015, we support our members with innovative ways to live well and safely in their homes. Led by a dynamic group of long-standing residents of the community and a committed team of volunteers, we offer:

We invite you to reach out to us to learn more about our organization for yourself, for your neighbor OR to become a volunteer at: info@lamorindavillage.org. Visit us at: www.lamorindavillage.org.

After years of dreaming of expanding Las Trampas programs and services to more members of our community, the dream is now in reach. With the opening of our new facility, we will serve 70% more individuals, those who have been on a long waitlist just hoping to receive services. For them and their families, this is now a reality.

Please click here to order your engraved paver today! 

The Live Like Leo Foundation is intended to harness rich global experiences and bring them to students who do not have such access. We believe through opening societal borders and bringing the best of educational programs from around the globe, we can raise awareness to the underexposed and in turn breed a more connected world.

The Live Like Leo Foundation draws its inspiration from young Leo Cellura who’s life was cut short in a tragic accident. Leo's global experiences over his short eleven years of life are what has inspired all of the people he touched and given us the purpose to pay it forward. Learn more and make your donation at livelikeleo.org.

Several programs are available to help MCE customers reduce their monthly energy bill, get caught up on late payments, and lower their energy usage. For more information visit https://www.mcecleanenergy.org/lowerbill.

Mobility Matters is a nonprofit that gives rides to Seniors and Veterans in Contra Costa County.

Monument Crisis Center is accepting non-perishable food donations on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 9am-noon. Help families in our community by donating or hosting a drive. The most-needed items are: cereal, pasta, peanut butter. All food items must be within their expiration date, no glass containers please. Donations can be dropped off at 1990 Market Street in Concord. To find out more about hosting a drive, visit: https://monumentcrisiscenter.org/host-a-drive.

Visit SHELTERinc.org/COVID to take a survey to see if you qualify for aid. You can also make an appointment to speak with a specialist who can provide insight on relevant programs.

Sunflower Hill is a local non-profit dedicated to creating spaces and places where adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities live, work, learn, and thrive. Sunflower Hill develops independent-living residential communities and creates life skills and enrichment programs for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Sunflower Hill posts FREE weekly Activity Videos specifically designed for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Each activity is created to get people moving, learning, or just stepping outside for some fresh air! Our video archive includes more than 160 activity videos featuring yoga, arts and crafts, cooking, movement and mindfulness, activity challenges, and more! Visit our FREE Online Activity Videos.

Love in Action! White Pony Express’ Neighbors Helping Neighbors (NHN) Program is a joint effort between White Pony Express and RecycleSmart that creates a new platform for community service and food rescue – connecting volunteers with smaller food donations they can personally deliver in real-time.

Volunteers can ‘claim’ a delivery at their convenience and are welcome to pile the kids in the car for occasional (or weekly) service runs. These food rescue heroes will act as the connectors between abundance and need – all of us taking care of all of us in action!

Read more about Neighbors Helping Neighbors and sign up to participate on our website: https://www.whiteponyexpress.org/neighbors-helping-neighbors.

Youth Homes is honored to be selected as the 2021beneficiary of the Danville Children’s Guild fundraiser. You can join in on the FUNdraising by donating on their website and by purchasing raffle tickets for a chance to win a set of three gorgeous diamond rings, valued at $4,500! All proceeds will benefit Youth Homes’ Enrichment programs. Stop by the Youth Homes Thrift Shop (15 Vivian Dr. Pleasant Hill) before November 1 to purchase raffle tickets. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit the Danville Children's Guild website by clicking here.

The Seven Hills School is pleased to offer both virtual information sessions and on-campus tours options for prospective parents to learn more about our whole-child educational philosophy and the community of The Seven Hills School. A Seven Hills education is based on the whole child philosophy, as we educate not just the mind but the heart, and attend to the entirety of the student experience. From our Reggio-inspired Preschool and developmental Kindergarten to our adventurous Lower School classes and rigorous Middle School program, Seven Hills students are on a journey of curiosity and exploration, success and setbacks, awareness of self, and contribution to others. Our commitment to diversity and inclusion fosters compassionate students who shape a more equitable and sustainable world. To learn more or register for an admissions event, please visit our website. 

A Brighter Day is based in Lafayette, and works to increase teen mental health outcomes throughout the Bay Area. The founders are Acalanes Parents Alumni and longtime Lafayette family. View Teen Survival Kit.

Virtual Gala - 11/21 @ 4:00pm

Our Annual Virtual Gala is happening on Sunday, November 21st at 4:00pm. We'll have an exciting evening full of entertainment, music, live speakers, virtual door prizes, a silent and live auction, and much more! Sponsors will be featured prominently during our live event, on our event page, and on our website. Registration is now open for the Virtual Gala.

And don't miss our August/September Arts Community News!

The City of Lafayette is urging everyone to sign-up for the latest information for Lafayette residents and businesses.

You can subscribe to City of Lafayette notifications at https://bit.ly/LafayetteNotifications.

For wildfire resources, go to http://bit.ly/LafAreYouReady.