510-925-4749 | 3295 Castro Valley Blvd., Castro Valley, CA 94546
Change Things
we dig gratitude
& giving back
Getting back to giving back
Our Change Things nonprofit support program has seen some changes over the years.
As of 2026, we quietly re-introduced this program knowing both the reinvigorated need to support nonprofits, but also recognizing that as citizens, we’re all being asked to do more, from more directions, than we can handle.
Instead of sustained campaigns asking you to give, we just dedicate the first Friday of every month to a small, local nonprofit and give them a straight cash donation based on a percentage of that day’s sales from both store locations.
You can just shop as usual, and our chosen nonprofit gets a check. Check out our 2026 lineup, and read below for past Change Things!
| Month | Nonprofit (linked) | Total Donation |
| January | La Raza Community Resource Center | $829.29 |
| February | Beyond Emancipation | $1,104.84 |
| March | Women’s Foundation of California | $1,096.99 |
| April | Urban Compassion Project | $1,182.80 |
| May | Empower Project | $1,167.22 |
| June | Alameda Pride Castro Valley Pride | Alameda: $609.51 CVNG: $488.14 Total: $1,097.65 |
| July | Punks with Lunch | $1,657.41 |
| August | Sogorea Te’ Land Trust | $1,071.05 |
| September | Alameda Food Bank San Lorenzo Family Help Center | |
| October | Island High School (Alameda) Redwood High School (Castro Valley) | |
| November | Chapter 510 | |
| December | Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project | |
| 2026 | $10,036.94 |
Ye Olde Change Things
Rounding up at the registers with our Change Things program is an easy way to make donations to great causes. We have chosen a nonprofit doing Good Things in our community to support each month. Simply round up to the nearest dollar (or more) at checkout and all donations will go directly to these organizations.
Our 2021 and Beyond Campaigns
We are continuing to raise additional funds for our front-line, hourly workforce.
We look forward to resuming our program in the future with a new lineup of nonprofits. See below for those we’ve supported in the past.
Our 2020 Change Things Nonprofits
Our chosen nonprofits for 2020. Each month we will match up to 100% of the customer contributions.
THE PROGRAM WAS SUSPENDED AT THE ONSET OF THE PANDEMIC, WITH MARCH OF 2020 BEING OUR LAST FULL MONTH. WE INSTEAD ENCOURAGED CUSTOMERS TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TIPS FOR OUR FRONT-LINE, HOURLY STAFF WHO KEPT US UP AND RUNNING DURING THE WORST DAYS. THIS WAS GIVEN EVENLY TO ALL IN ADDITION TO OUR MANY MONTHS-LONG HAZARD PAY INCREASE. WE ARE RUNNING THE EMPLOYEE FUND WHILE THE PANDEMIC PERSISTS, HOWEVER LONG THAT IS.
Some nonprofits subject to change
| 2020 | Local Nonprofit | Customer Donations | Total Donation |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Mandela Partners | $3,134.21 | $4,701.32 |
| February | UnCommon Law | $2,859.93 | $4,289.90 |
| March | Planting Justice | $2,940.38 | $4,410.57 |
| April | |||
| May | |||
| June | |||
| July | |||
| August | |||
| September | |||
| October | |||
| November | |||
| December | |||
| 2020 | Total (through March) | $8,934.52 | $13,401.78 |
0ur 2019 change things roster & results
| 2019 | Local Nonprofit | Customer Donations | Total Donation |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | Alameda Food Bank | $262.21 | $524.42 |
| February | Food Shift | $571.28 | $1,142.56 |
| March | Midway Shelter | $529.74 | $1,059.48 |
| April | Punks with Lunch | $1,635.91 | $2,453.87 |
| May | Rhythmix Cultural Works | $1,772.41 | $2,658.62 |
| June | Wardrobe for Opportunity | $1,404.61 | $2,106.92 |
| July | Alameda County Beekeepers Association | $1,480.24 | $2,220.36 |
| August | Kids for the Bay | $1,288.58 | $1,932.87 |
| September | Centro Legal de la Raza | $1,307.78 | $1,961.67 |
| October | Oakland LGBTQ Community Center | $1,577.81 | $2,366.72 |
| November | Bay Area Music Project | $1,703.75 | $2,555.63 |
| December | Boys and Girls Club of Alameda | $1,760.66 | $2,640.99 |
| 2019 | Total | $15,294.97 | $23,624.10 |
This program is only a part of our larger philanthropic efforts which consist of product and financial contributions to local schools, nonprofits, and causes to support equity, the environment, food security, and a better future for our youth.
Bee in on the buzz
Become a member of the Castro Valley Natural Grocery mailing list to get exclusive news, happenings, sales info, and more! Delivered fresh and free to your inbox. Don’t miss out.
