We’re less than three weeks out from GRIP’s 40th Annual Harmony Walk in the Park, and we can feel the excitement building! The link to our registration page is live now – please spread the word to your family, friends, coworkers, and networks to sign up for a day of outdoor fun that will benefit an honorable cause. We can’t wait to see you on Saturday, November 7th at Nicholl Park in Richmond. Festivities start at 10:00 am, and we’ll conclude the event at 1:00 pm.
Like last year, our event this year is completely free to attend! We’ll begin with our usual, optional walk to the GRIP shelter, where guests will have a chance to tour the facility and learn more about GRIP’s current partnerships and programs serving homeless adults and families. At the park, we’ll have a lineup of speakers who will share more about how to get involved in housing justice work here in Richmond, and the greater East Bay Area. This includes local elected and county officials, several renowned poets, and leaders from the faith community, all emcee’d by a familiar face – we’re welcoming back Dan Noyes of ABC7 News. We’ll also enjoy a lively set from the band Suitcase Full of Funk, featuring the legendary Willie G.!
We have a record number of tabling groups joining the event this year – 65! With six zones – Community Resources, Health Resources, Family and Pet Resources, Vendors and Businesses, Congregations, and Sponsors – there’s enough to see that you might spend the whole morning exploring. Our Family and Pet Resources zone will include a craft table hosted by Johnny Greenstock. Two local shelters, Jelly’s Place and the Milo Foundation, will have adoptable pets in tow. We especially encourage families with young children to attend – we’ll have a bounce house, a pumpkin patch, face painting, and other fun activities for little ones. Food trucks from Curbside Kitchen and Mi Casa Grill will also be in attendance, selling delicious burgers, sandwiches, aguas frescas, and other goodies. Finally, by purchasing raffle tickets, attendees will have the chance to win any number of our special raffle prize bundles, donated generously by local businesses who support GRIP’s work – these include our Family Fun bundle with two tickets to Disneyland, our Health and Wellness bundle with a free one-month membership to OrangeTheory Fitness, our Taste of Richmond bundle with gift certificates to local favorite restaurants, and so much more.
We are enormously grateful to this year’s event sponsors: Chevron, Kaiser Permanente, Mechanics Bank, JPMorgan Chase, LifeLong Medical, Republic Services, the Contra Costa Labor Council, Overaa Construction, the Richmond Kiwanis, the Contra Costa Regional Health Foundation, EBMUD, Sims Metal Management, Mack5, Seven Stars Holistic Healing Center, and MA Hayes Insurance.
