VIDEO: GRIP event highlights challenges, solutions to housing, honors volunteers

by Brandon Mercer | Mar 18, 2026 | events, blog, Featured, front gallery, Front Page

On an unseasonably warm late winter evening last week, local leaders, politicians, GRIP staff, volunteers, and member congregations gathered to connect, unite, hear about challenges, and find solutions. The 2026 annual meeting called “Sunset & Sips”...

Honoring experiences of loss and grief in homeless communities

by Jilly De la Torre | Nov 19, 2025 | blog, Featured, front gallery, Front Page

Photo: Franco Folini CC BY-SA 2.0 As the days get colder and the nights get longer, it’s ever important that we think about our homeless neighbors, including the losses they may be experiencing during what is a difficult time of year for many. The number of people...

How your faith community can remember our homeless neighbors and those dying on the streets on Dec. 21st

by Brandon Mercer | Nov 13, 2025 | blog, events, Featured, front gallery, Front Page

Winter solstice, the longest night of the year, December 21st, has often held religious significance, and for the homeless community, it is more poignant as the National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day, begin 35 years ago and now growing. Given the life...

As food scarcity emergency grows, Chevron donates $10,000 to immediately help GRIP get food to families

by Brandon Mercer | Nov 6, 2025 | Featured, front gallery, Front Page

With government food benefits still blocked for many of the 42 million Americans on SNAP, GRIP got an emergency injection of $10,000 from Chevron Richmond to help address the food scarcity emergency facing the West County region. “The Chevron Richmond Refinery’s...

October 18th Harmony Walk free, with more food, live music, and more to do

by Brandon Mercer | Oct 14, 2025 | blog, events, Featured, front gallery, Front Page, News

The 39th annual GRIP Harmony Walk in the Park on Saturday, October 18th, 2025 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. is expanding this year, while dropping the price to $0, with a live jazz fusion band, additional food trucks, a massive video screen with a virtual tour and celebration...

GRIP Board: Ruthie Abelson Olivas brings lifetime of service and volunteerism to make a difference

by Brandon Mercer | Mar 19, 2025 | blog, Featured, front gallery

Ruthie Abelson Olivas, one of GRIP’s newer board members, is a force in the community, a leader on the board of the Rosie the Riveter Trust and the League of Women Voters, active in the Rotary Club, and was named a 2024 Woman of the Year by Congressman John Garamendi....