Placer Community Foundation Receives High 5 Luminary Award

Affordable Housing Advocacy Work in Placer County

(Auburn, Calif.) – Placer Community Foundation (PCF) earned the High 5 Luminary Award in recognition of its collaborate advocacy work to achieve more affordable housing in Placer County and for founding Placer Housing Matters, an on-going initiative to educate the public and shine a light on the need for attainable housing.

The award was given formally from First 5 Placer at their 20th anniversary celebration on Nov. 6, an event to recognize individuals and organizations who are luminaries for young children and families in the community. Since its inception, First 5 Placer has helped over 100,000 people in their effort to ensure Placer County’s young children are safe, healthy, and ready to succeed in school and life.

“We know First 5 shares in our vision for a healthy, connected community and we can all agree that housing, as a basic need, is critical to the prosperity of our county’s children and families,” explained Jim Williams, PCF First Vice-Chairman of the Board of Directors.

Placer Housing Matters keeps the affordable housing crisis at the forefront through advocacy and leadership. PCF board members, staff, nonprofit partners, community leaders and concerned residents regularly attend Placer County board of supervisors and planning commission meetings to advocate for change and to provide alternative housing solutions that may be suitable for the county. The Placer Housing Matters website also serves as a resource to connect locals with upcoming workshops, housing statistics, and efforts being taken to address the affordable housing crisis.

“We are grateful to be working alongside a huge number of housing advocates, many of whom have been working on this issue for decades,” saidd Williams. “We dedicate this award to the residents of our community who struggle to make ends meet as housing costs are so high. To our school teachers, janitors, health aides, small business owners, service workers and our firefighters. Our community is better because you are in it and it is you we are fighting for.”

About Placer Community Foundation

PCF grows local giving to strengthen community by connecting donors who care with causes that matter. Known for sound financial management and knowledge of the nonprofit sector, PCF continually monitors the region to better understand the nature of local needs, so that it can help donors invest in areas such as arts and culture, education, health and human services, and the environment. In an effort to raise awareness on the lack of affordable housing in the county, PCF started the Placer Housing Matters. To learn more about the housing crisis in Placer County and ways to help, call 530-885-4920.