Richmond was a participant in the Cities of Service Love Your Block program. Through the program, participating cities support the efforts of residents to revitalize their neighborhoods. Cities of Service provided each city with $25,000 and two years of technical assistance and placed two full-time AmeriCorps VISTA members in each city hall to build capacity for resident engagement. Learn more about the results of Richmond’s efforts.
Richmond also participated in the Bay Area Impact Volunteering program, through which it expanded the capacity of Community Emergency Response Teams (CERT) to visit and train people with disabilities.
Richmond has been a member of the Cities of Service coalition since 2012, when former Mayor Gayle McLaughlin signed the Declaration of Service. Current Mayor Tom Butt reaffirmed the city’s commitment to service by signing the Declaration again in 2015 .
Mayor Tom Butt
Tom Butt was elected Mayor of Richmond in November of 2014. His mayoral priorities include establishing an urban agriculture policy, connecting youth with job opportunities, and keeping crime low. Mayor Butt regularly highlights the positive role that Richmond's community of citizen volunteers play in achieving the city’s objectives.
Chief Service Officer Rochelle Monk
In Richmond, Chief Service Officer Rochelle Monk harnesses the power of local volunteers to improve the lives of Richmond citizens. Through Monk’s work, great strides have been made toward improving Richmond’s education system and revitalizing neighborhoods.