FANTASTIC SAMS HAIR SALON, 75 Solano Square, has again set up its “Giving Tree” so residents can help the Benicia Community Action Council provide gifts to local underprivileged children, said Karen Love, who owns the salon along with Rick and Sam Love.

“Guests and the public are encouraged to bring unwrapped toys or gift cards to put under our Christmas tree, decorated with whimsy!” Karen said.

The salon’s stylists and its owners also have contributed to the CAC donation campaign, she said, adding that the presents will be delivered to the CAC Dec. 21.

It is the fourth year of the Giving Tree, Love said.

“Last year we broke our previous record, donating over 40 gifts suitable for so many delighted children,” she said. “Help us do even more this year, and have a candy cane on us while you visit Fantastic Sams.”

Raley’s lets donors text to help reduce hunger

Raley’s has started a program for shoppers and others to help reduce hunger in their communities simply by texting, John Segale of Precision Public Relations, Roseville, said. Benicia’s Raley’s supermarket is at 890 Southampton Road, in Southampton Shopping Center.

Until Dec. 31, people can give $10 to Raley’s Food for Families service by texting the word ENDHUNGER to 85944, Segale said. For each donation, a bag of groceries will be donated to local food banks.

The supermarket company also is contributing to the program, he said. “Raley’s will match each donation and provide a bag of groceries worth more than $20 and containing fresh and nutritious items including carrots, potatoes, green salad and whole wheat pasta.

“The company partners with 72 food banks throughout the region to distribute the food to help feed the hungry throughout the year.”

Raley’s and MobileCause are partners in the text service, Segale said. Once the text is sent, the individual will have the $10 donation charged to his or her telephone bill, with standard text data rights applying. He said the ENDHUNGER text service is available through such major carries as AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile.

“We are really excited to provide this new mobile text capability to people wanting to contribute to Food For Families,” said Jennifer Teel-Wolter, community relations manager for Raley’s.

Shoppers also can donate to Food for Families directly at local stores such as the Raley’s at Southampton Shopping Center, online at www.foodforfamilies.org or on Facebook.

This is the company’s 27th annual Food for Families holiday bag campaign. Segale said the 2013 goal is to contribute 2 million pounds of food to area food banks.

Solano County seeks employers to provide STEP jobs

Employers are being sought to participate in Solano County’s Short-Term Employment Program (STEP) to offset the cost of providing work experience to county residents receiving public assistance, said Stephen Pierce, county public communications officer.

Public, private and nonprofit employers can participate in STEP, which runs through June 2014, Pierce said.

“In exchange for helping people on public assistance gain job skills and good work habits from paid work experience, participating employers will be reimbursed for wages and a portion of the employer’s paid taxes,” he said.

Interested employers may download details and a letter of interest package from the county’s website, clicking on “Bids & RFPs” and “Purchasing Services,” he said.

Packages are also available at the Department of General Services Purchasing Services Office, Suite 2500 of the Solano County Administration Center, 675 Texas St., Fairfield. The office is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Those interested also may call 707-784-6322.

Submissions to The Herald’s weekly Benicia Business Beat column need to answer the questions who, what, when, where, why and how, preferably in the body of an email, and provide contact information.
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— Donna Beth Weilenman