2006 35th Anniversary Fundraiser

On June 22, Consumer Action held its 35th anniversary fundraiser and Consumer Excellence Awards ceremony at its new offices in downtown San Francisco. Against Bay Bridge views from the large windows that encircle the organization’s spacious new headquarters, supporters old and new networked, sipped drinks and nibbled hors d’oeuvres.

On June 22, Consumer Action held its 35th anniversary fundraiser and Consumer Excellence Awards ceremony at its new offices in downtown San Francisco. Against Bay Bridge views from the large windows that encircle the organization’s spacious new headquarters, supporters old and new networked, sipped drinks and nibbled hors d’oeuvres.

The party raised more than $32,000. (See a full list of donors in our 2006 Fall issue Newsletter .)

Ken McEldowney, executive director of Consumer Action, outlined some of the group’s recent key accomplishments:

• The new Consumer Action web site went live. The site features Consumer Action’s award-winning publications, curricula and backgrounder guides, as well as new features such as News Headlines, Coalition Efforts, Consumer Book Notes and On Our Radar.
• Consumer Action’s national network of community-based organizations grew to 8,500 agencies using the organization’s multilingual publications for one-on-one education, outreach to clients and train-the-trainer activities. Each year these agencies distribute millions of Consumer Action brochures.
• Consumer Action provides these agencies with more than just free publications. In 2005, it trained staff from more than 750 agencies throughout the country on how to use our materials effectively.
• Consumer Action’s Washington, DC office has built strong new alliances for advocacy in telecommunications, health care, privacy and financial services and was called upon to provide testimony to Congress on credit card practices.
• The group has received three large cy pres awards that enable it to enlarge the scope of its work in California in the areas of housing, insurance and financial services.

McEldowney noted that the money brought in during the annual fundraiser helps the organization to build its educational fund so that it can distribute Consumer Action’s free multilingual materials to consumers all over the country.