community outreach

We firmly believe in giving back to the community. We participate in a number of community outreach programs throughout the Bay Area. We donate labor, materials, supervision, equipment as well as cash donations. Program involvements include: 

• The National Association of Landscape Professionals Foundation As a NALP Foundation Ambassador – Gachina donated $25,000.00 to award scholarships and fund educational activities for the landscape industry. Founder John Gachina believes that investing in education and professional growth builds industry leaders. “Giving back to an industry that has given so much opportunity to the team members of Gachina Landscape Management is the primary reason that we decided to support the NALP Educational Foundation.” The Gachina Landscape Management and the Gachina Family Scholarship awards $1,000.00 scholarships to exemplary candidates annually.

• JobTrain We have partnered with JobTrain since 1992. John was on the Board of Trustees and named Champion at their 1996 Breakfast and was honorary chairman at the 2015 Golf Classic. Carrying out John’s legacy, Jackie has recently been accepted to the Board of Directors. Gachina continues to volunteer and sponsor the annual golf tournament, Breakfast of Champions and in 2018 became a sponsor of the Where we want fly and why program. The annual golf tournament was named the John Gachina Memorial Golf Tournament in 2016. We provide free year round landscape maintenance to their facility in East Palo Alto as well as performed a $40,000 landscape renovation project at their day care facility free of charge in 1996. Long time partners, JobTrain and Gachina  embarked on an organic demonstration garden to help train future chefs and gardeners in 2013– the result is known as “The Farm.” We provided the land, donated the expertise, labor and all the materials to make The Farm happen. The goals of the Farm were to provide opportunities for JobTrain students to gain “farm to table” skills and also provide fresh produce for Gachina employees. The Farm was recognized by the National Wildlife Federation as a Certified Wildlife Habitat – John’s dream come to life. JobTrain transforms lives and communities in Silicon Valley. They help the Valley’s most in need reclaim their lives from poverty and unemployment by preparing them for successful, sustainable careers in high-demand and emerging fields. In 2017, JobTrain was the recipient of IFMA SV and The GROW Foundation’s Rebuilding Together project and received a $200,000 facelift! Gachina donated over $16,000 of labor, materials and equipment for this project, read more at the Gachina blog.

• IFMA SV Community Outreach We have participated in IFMA SV community outreach projects annually since 2008 and beginning in 2016, The GROW Foundation. The Community Outreach Committee was established to utilize the great resources of our IFMA-SV members focusing on programs that highlight the FM value and help our local communities. We volunteer our time to assist in the rebuilding of multiple low income projects. We donate items such as planters, irrigation materials, soil and plants to beautify daycare centers, housing projects, and job training centers. Past recipients include:

• Sunnyvale Adult School Daycare Facility, Fremont Union High School District, Sunnyvale, read more at the Gachina blog
• JobTrain, Menlo Park
• The Bill Wilson Center, Santa Clara
• Costano School and 49ers Academy, East Palo Alto
• Millbrae Community Youth Center, Millbrae
• Kainos Home and Training Center, Redwood City

• Earth Day We participate in earth day and a variety of beautification programs throughout the Bay Area. We donate labor, materials, equipment and supervision to accomplish these projects.

• Luiz Valdez Leadership Academy, San Jose, read more at the Gachina blog
• Robertson High School, Fremont
• Marin Day School, Redwood City
• Sunol Glen School, Sunol Glen Unified School District
• Burlingame United Methodist Church
• Christmas in the Park, San Jose Downtown Association
• St. Francis Center, Redwood City

• San Mateo County EAC Gachina Landscape Management sponsors the San Mateo County Employer Advisory Council (EAC). They are one of the strongest voices in San Mateo County for advocating employers’ interests and lobbying for economic development. San Mateo County EAC supports employers and their employees by providing a series of educational seminars covering issues important to personnel, administration, management, and legal departments. Additionally, they serve employers in providing a strong connection to the labor market. Partnering with the State Employment Development Department of California (EDD), San Mateo County EAC can directly assist employers with EDD sponsored hiring events, job fairs, and support for additional recruitment activities. In-line with its no-profit status the San Mateo County EAC has annual scholarships, engages in community support including Jobs for Youth (JFY), and EDD’s Youth Opportunity Program (YEOP) program. With a low annual fee, membership with San Mateo County EAC opens the door to an extensive range of benefits such as a legal hotline, business assistance, and more.

Brisa Zamudio, Gachina Human Resource Manager, serves on the board of the San Mateo County Employer Advisory Council since 2017 and also chairs the Committee on Communications.

• Movember Foundation November 1 is the kickoff for the annual Movember campaign to raise awareness for cancer research and men’s overall health. We became supporters when John was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2000. Roughly 94% of Gachina employees are male. We hope to educate all members of the Gachina family and extended family of customers, vendors, partners and friends. We encourage all men to schedule their wellness check ups. Please join us in fighting this disease; education is just the start. You can join Team Gachina and show your support by making a donation here, joining our No-Shave November campaign to evoke conversation and raise cancer awareness or creating a Mo challenge on your individual page.

• Ronald McDonald House As part of Earth Day 2018, Gachina renovated the connective courtyard at the Ronald McDonald House at Stanford. The beautification took place a the courtyard and rear of the Taube Center where there is a playground and garden. opening in 1979, Ronald McDonald at Stanford has provided the gift of togetherness for thousands of families who relocate to Palo Alto for their children’s specialized medical treatment at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Stanford. 30 Gachina volunteers – both employees and family members joined the renovation. The estimated cost of the project was $16,355.00. Gachina provides the ongoing monthly maintenance to the House and will add these new areas at no additional cost. Click here to read more about this project at the Gachina blog.

• The GROW Organization Gachina donates annually to The GROW Organization’s annual Fall Carnival Block Party. In partnership with IFMA SV, Gachina donates to the Spring community outreach project as well. GROW arises from the words Guidance, Resources, Opportunities, and Work. GROW provides outreach, scholarships, and mentoring from facility management professionals to youth and young adults from diverse communities. Their mission is to help the facilities profession grow to better reflect and sustain the communities in which we live and work. In 2016, Gachina hosted an internship through GROW and JobTrain.

• Downtown Streets Team We have been involved in Downtown Streets for over a decade. Our core values are inline with Downtown Streets philosophy. They believe that treating people with dignity and empowering them to be a part of the solution to their struggles is a major factor in their ultimate success. Their approach is unique in that we not only challenge Team Members to take an active role in their own recovery but empower them to create long-term solutions for their peers. We have participated in their soup kitchen for Thanksgiving as well as are a sponsor of A Classic Rock Christmas Party. Our sponsorship helps homeless and low-income people find permanent housing and employment. 

• City Team Ministries We sponsor City Team Ministries since 1994 through BOMA Silicon Valley’s annual Share Your Holiday program. The program adopts needy families during the holidays by providing food, sundries, clothes and a gift for every child. 

• Making Strides Against Breast Cancer We have participated in Bay Area Making Strides Against Breast Cancer events annually from 2006-2015. Employees raise funds with a company match to support the cause to grant more birthdays to those affected by this horrible disease.

• HIF (Housing Industry Foundation) We have sponsored HIF events annually since 2009. We sponsor their annual Summit as well as their annual Golf Classic. In 2017 we sponsored their 2nd annual Kick out Homelessness Kickball event. In addition, we helped rebuild their Sisters of Charity project, St. Claire Apartments. The St. Claire Apartments assists those with housing crisis’ in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

Contact us today to partner with a company that cares.