San Leandro’s meeting devoted much of its recognitions segment to thanking corporate and community partners for funding and supporting downtown events this year, with a speaker estimating that “over 42,000 people came downtown” to attend festivals and celebrations.

The meeting’s primary speaker credited sponsors, volunteers and city staff with enabling free events that panelists said drive downtown economic activity and community connection. The council said companies that donated at least $5,000 were being publicly recognized; sponsors mentioned during the meeting included Coca‑Cola Bottling (a reported $5,000 donation plus nearly $2,000 in product), Kaiser Permanente (identified by council as a $10,000 sponsor) and the Port of Oakland, which a representative said has tabled and supported events such as the Cherry Festival and San Leandro Pride.

Luana Espana, introduced from the Port of Oakland, thanked the mayor and council and said the Port values its partnership with the city and the Downtown San Leandro Community Benefit District. A Kaiser representative, Mary Grace, spoke briefly to express Kaiser Permanente’s appreciation for the invitation and for supporting community programming.

Council members and staff also singled out Waste Management representatives (Sean Das and Genia Harrington), Ava Community Energy (represented by James Cunningham, climate specialist) and other donors and volunteers for their ongoing logistical and financial support. Council speakers said the downtown ambassadors, student volunteers and adult volunteers are critical to the events’ success.

The council announced plans to expand “second‑Friday” programming to most months of the year—moving from 10 months to potentially 11 months of regular events—and encouraged multi‑year sponsorships to sustain programming. Morgan MacRose, the Downtown San Leandro Community Benefit District executive director (identified in the meeting), was invited as the primary city contact for sponsorship opportunities.

The recognition segment closed with the council reiterating that while some listeners had called for spending cuts, officials said community gatherings can bolster local businesses during difficult budget periods. Council members thanked the sponsors and volunteers and moved on to district recognitions.