Community
Over a year after Oakland declared a state of emergency on homelessness, during a sparsely-attended city council meeting on Tuesday night, councilmembers passed two resolutions intended to help those living on the streets.
Last year, the state of California experienced its most destructive and deadliest wildfire season on record. October is one of the highest-risk months of the year for wildfires in the state. Currently, fire departments and agencies are working to spread the message and give people the tools they need to prevent fires in the first place.
Every Tuesday morning, Max Cadji of Phat Beets drops off half a dozen boxes of fresh fruit and produce at Jasper P. Driver Plaza in North Oakland. The food is grown at several local urban farms and gardens and distributed to the community.
Residents of West Oakland continue to have little trust in the Oakland Police Department.
The Order of Malta of Northern California has started a mobile clinic to serve uninsured and homeless people. The 36-foot mobile clinic made its debut at a monthly podiatry clinic.
The members of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC) provides legal advocacy and works to create policies that will positively affect those who are in prison or have recently been released from it.
Guardian Gym is a free, non-profit sports facility for boys and girls ages 10 to 24. Its founders opened the gym in Oakland after they realized the profound effect that having a safe recreational space and healthy goals had brought to their own lives. They want to bring those same opportunities to young men and women and help them learn that you can be successful on and off the mat by showing up every day.
No one is taking credit for distributing what some call “misleading” signs in Oakland corner stores but community board members may take legal action anyway.
Life is hard enough as it is for Oakland’s homeless encampment residents. Adding to the long list of adversities, however, is petty theft and other low-level crime. And that’s just the beginning of it.