24 Apr MCE Honors Richmond’s RCF Connects for Green Leadership

Ray Espino, left, and Croll Envieh, construction workers with Cenergy Power, walk past rows of solar panels during the MCE Solar One ribbon cutting at the 60-acre solar farm in Richmond on April, 18, 2018. (Brittany Hosea-Small / CC Pulse file)

CC Pulse Staff Report

Richmond’s RCF Connects organization was one of three Bay Area environmental groups honored in mid-April by the MCE Board of Directors in receiving a Charles F. McGlashan Advocacy Award.

The awards were established in 2011 to commemorate the legacy of MCE’s founding chairman, for whom the honors are named. The awards recognize local changemakers for their outstanding environmental leadership and commitment to building climate-ready communities.

RCF Connects has been a partner in MCE’s Richmond Virtual Power Plant pilot project. It helps convert blighted properties into modern, energy-efficient affordable homes for first-time, lower-income buyers.

“Clean energy and equity go hand in hand,” said Jim Becker, CEO of RCF Connects, in an April 21 press release. “That’s why we’ve invested over $19 million in advancing affordable homeownership, rental assistance, and emergency housing support across Contra Costa County.”

The RCF Connects partnership with MCE has been critical in getting affordable, sustainable homes in Richmond, he added.

The organization is currently celebrating its 25th year of working with the community.

The other MCE honorees are the Greater Concord Chamber of Commerce and Andrew Bradley, program manager of the city of St. Helena.

“Our communities thrive when passionate leaders step up to advance clean energy and drive our future in sustainability,” said Shanelle Scales-Preston, MCE board chair and member of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors. “These honorees embody the spirit of environmental stewardship and inspire us to push forward in our fight against the climate crisis.”

For more information about the RCF Connects organization, visit https://rcfconnects.org.