The Private Sector was born when the father of an Oakland, CA businessman passed away, and the businessman (who prefers to remain anonymous), wanted to do something to honor his father’s memory.  He chose to give the gift of a generous holiday meal to all the needy families in Pittsburg, CA, where his father once lived, and where many low-income residents can still be found.  The businessman enlisted several of his friends, and together, they either purchased or obtained donated food, assembled food boxes, and delivered them into the lowest income neighborhoods of Pittsburg.   Each box contained a turkey or a ham, plus all the trimmings for a lavish holiday meal for a family of four.  

This effort was originally intended to be a one-time only event.  However, it proved to be so gratifying and fun for the participants that they decided to do it again the following year.  Over 40 years later, the fun and gratification from that first giveaway has grown, and the desire to help others has spread. 

Today, there are about 75 Bay Area residents who regularly volunteer for The Private Sector.  At its height, pre-pandemic, The Private Sector supported programs that re-directed over 500,000 lbs. of surplus food per year to the needy of Contra Costa and Alameda Counties.  Now, The Private Sector is in the process of ramping up services that were limited during the pandemic.  Currently, thousands of pounds of food are delivered to low-income neighborhoods each month, using a model that is similar to the first food giveaway, over 40 years ago.     

The Private Sector is a 501©3 charity. The Federal Tax ID# is 68-0041276.