richmond classrooms get a helping hand after vandalism

Eyes wide with surprise as well as determination, Chevron volunteer Jennifer Michael stepped onto the campus of Lincoln Elementary School in Richmond, California, in mid-July. Instead of walking by tidy classrooms well-stocked with school supplies, she stepped over shattered glass. Desks and notebooks littered the hallway floors. Vending machines were toppled and broken.

Tragically, Lincoln Elementary and five other nearby public schools were significantly vandalized over the summer.

Chevron, working with nonprofit DonorsChoose, acted quickly to help the local school district restore, repair and recover as the new school year approached.

Working alongside teachers, school staff, custodians and Richmond residents, Jennifer and a group of Chevron volunteers, including employees from the Richmond Refinery, cleaned up the mess.

“It just seemed like the right thing to do—an ‘all hands on deck’ kind of situation,” she said. “Kids need to feel safe in order to learn. Teachers and administrators everywhere have had a rough few years. To add senseless destruction on top of everything else is mind-boggling.”

But our support didn’t stop there.

Together with DonorsChoose, Chevron came through with more than $94,000 in funding.

• $10,000 for each of the six vandalized schools for replacement supplies and materials
• $34,090 for 50 teacher-requested projects in 21 schools across the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD)

“DonorsChoose is well situated to support the schools and teachers immediately,” said Lily Rahnema, community engagement manager at Chevron Richmond.

“Their program allows teachers to request items and receive the materials they need in a matter of days. It was the fastest, most efficient way to get the resources in this kind of situation.”

“I would like to personally share my heartfelt appreciation for Chevron’s support of our community during this time,” said Kenneth Chris Hurst Sr., superintendent of WCCUSD. “We’re especially grateful not only for your support of our vandalized schools but also for supporting our schools with high-priority needs.”

Our alliance in Richmond with DonorsChoose is one in a series of joint educational successes.

• Since 2010, Chevron has worked through DonorsChoose to donate nearly $60 million toward classroom project requests from over 36,000 teachers in the communities where we operate.
• In 2020, Chevron partnered with DonorsChoose to advance racial equity through education. We’re supporting students with resources that promote racial equity and increase access to STEM opportunities for Black, Latinx and Indigenous Americans.