"To Support the Children and Families of Richmond"

The Richmond Community Foundation was formed in 1997 after a class action lawsuit against General Chemical was settled for $180 million. The lawsuit had been filed against the company two years earlier, after an explosion at the company’s sulfuric acid plant in Richmond released a toxic cloud of “oleum” into the community, sending 25,000 residents to nearby hospitals.

As part of the settlement, a portion of the money was set aside for a community benefits fund “to support the children and families of Richmond.” By 1997, after the settlement was fully disbursed, the fund had grown to $13 million.

By court order, local attorney David Rosenthal, who represented the plaintiffs, Debra Belaga, a General Chemical representative, and Judge Pat Heron, who oversaw the case, were appointed to administer the fund. Together, they founded the non-profit Richmond Community Foundation.

In 2003, the Foundation established the non-profit Richmond Elementary Schools, Inc., which operates Richmond College Preparatory, a charter school in Nystrom for preschoolers and elementary school students.