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Lafayette Today ~ January 2014 - Page 25
January 2015 Lafayette Chamber of Commerce By Fran Miller
If the name “Chamber of Commerce” ushers forth images of the Welcome Wagon and brochure-distributing administrators, you likely haven’t met Jay Lifson or attended one of his Lafayette Chamber of Commerce events. In his nearly ten years as executive director of the Lafayette Chamber, Lifson has helped elevate the organization to its status as a social, philanthropic, civic, and business force. He, his staff of three part-timers, and a 20 member volunteer board of directors have taken seriously the Chamber’s original 1947 mission statement – To promote and maintain a healthy business climate and to preserve and enhance Members of the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce Young the quality of life in Professionals Group gather at an evening meet-up. Lafayette – and have created and advanced an atmosphere that exceeds those stated objectives. With the knowledge that a community’s make-up includes businesses, but
Serving the Lafayette Community Winter Nights Shelter: Good News in Bad Times
By Jody Morgan
Winter Nights Shelter, in its 11th year of providing temporary shelter for homeless families with dependent children, is a project of the Social Justice Alliance of the Interfaith Council of Contra Costa County. Winter Nights accommodates up to nine families (about 30 individuals) in rotating sites throughout Central Contra Costa County from October to May. Over 50 faith communities share in welcoming shelter guests with nightly dinner,
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Leila Douglah: 2015 “Marquis” Business Person of the Year
“Give with no expectations. Giving back is my way of thanking life for the opportunities that I have been afforded,” says Leila Douglah of Douglah Designs. Leila has lived by this philosophy ever since she opened the doors of her shop in Lafayette back in 1997. Her success has been shared with the greater community in many ways. Leila served as Lafayette’s Chamber Board President in 2013 and currently serves as the chamber’s Secretary. With her success she has given back to many local organizations including Habitat for Humanity East Bay, Lafayette Partners in Education, SHELTER Inc. and the Lindsay Wildlife Museum. While on the board at the Chamber, she spearheaded some of the most successful campaigns including the city’s SHOP LAFAYETTE program, the new Premier Membership program, and the local gift card program. Douglah Designs, a full-service interior design/build firm, opened their second showroom in La Fiesta Square last fall. Leila’s 5 star ratings for her work as a design and remodeling expert all seem to say the same thing: Leila and her staff rock! Stop by Douglah Designs and congratulate Leila. The “Marquis” Business Person of the Year annual dinner will be held on Friday, January 30 beginning at 6PM at the Lafayette Park Hotel & Spa. The evening also includes the introduction to the Lafayette Chamber’s 2015 Board of Directors, the incoming President Debbie Cooper, and the “State of the City” address by Mayor Brandt Andersson. Reservations can be made online by visiting www.lafayettechamber.org or by calling the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce at 925-284-7404.
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Setting up tents at Lafayette United Methodist Church, one of 17 shelter sites. Photo courtesy of Winter Nights.
daily breakfast and food to pack bag lunches for midday meals. Seventeen churches and synagogues each take two-week turns housing clients with 18 co-hosts providing food and additional congregations supplying funds and donations. Saint Vincent de Paul in Pittsburg offers a daytime Oasis for adults searching for work. Initially concerned citizens trying to establish emergency shelter for homeless Contra Costa families received nothing but bad news. In many California counties, National Guard Armories provide space. After being quoted a price for use of the Concord Armory, the group was denied access to the facility because Concord Council Members noted there were already two county homeless shelters in their city. Orinda’s new library made the vacant old library available, but negotiations with a willing City Council failed when a few vocal residents railed against the proposal because they misunderstood the population being served. Rather than intact families who only wanted a chance to rebuild their lives, they envisioned hard-core drug addicts and perverts flowing into Orinda. Bad news turned to valuable publicity when local and national press reported the struggle. Morrison Foerster, one of the nation’s leaders in pro bono law, assigned two attorneys to advise the group on developing an appropriate structure. Local Volume IX - Number 1 legislators helped formulate a 3000F Danville Blvd #117 solid business plan. The Contra Alamo, CA 94507 Costa Interfaith Council adopted Telephone (925) 405-6397 Fax (925) 406-0547 the cause, finding sufficient comeditor@yourmonthlypaper.com mitment from associated faith Alisa Corstorphine ~ Publisher communities to initiate the project opinions expressed herein belong to the writers, and in 2004. The business plan sets The do not necessarily reflect that of Lafayette Today. Lafayette forth precise rules for shelter Today is not responsible for the content of any of the ad-
See Shelter cont. on page 13
vertising herein, nor does publication imply endorsement.