Bay Area

Oakland Coronavirus Resources for Unhoused, Disabled, Elderly, and Poor Residents

Published

6 years ago

March 19, 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic spreads to the Bay Area, resources are being made available to provide help to the most vulnerable populations, which include the unhoused, disabled, elderly, and poor residents. Those who wish to help are being encouraged to connect with some of these resources to provide assistance economically and/or through their labor.

Californian workers who can no longer work can file for unemployment and the state has waived its usual one week waiting period to access the program.“If a medical professional says you’re unable to work if your hours have been reduced, or your employer has shut down, you can file a claim,” said Governor Gavin Newsom. KQED has published a guide to filing for unemployment during the pandemic

“I’m getting calls already from people that are hungry and it’s obviously going to get worse unless we help each other,” said Talya Husbands-Hankin, a volunteer with Love and Justice in The Streets.

Free breakfasts and lunches for Oakland Unified School District families will be available on Mondays and Thursdays between 8 a.m and 12 p.m. Students do not need to be present for family members to pick up food. Food for multiple days can be picked up. North Oakland families can pick up food at Sankofa Elementary School. Central Oakland, pick up food at Oakland High School and Garfield Elementary. East Oakland, pick up at Bret Harte or Elmhurst United Middle Schools, Fremont or Castlemont HighSchools, and Life Academy/United for Success, Coliseum College Preparatory Academy, and Madison Park Upper.

Oakland residents who are over 60 and/or residents who have compromised immune systems can connect with Oakland At-Risk Match. The organization connects people who are at risk for contracting COVID-19 to people at low-risk who can provide help. Those under 60 and healthy can sign up to deliver groceries and other essential supplies to those unable to safely leave their homes. Disabled and/or elderly residents can contact the Disability Justice Culture Club (DJCC) and fill out a needs support form.

DJCC has also been delivering COVID-19 sanitary protective gear and groceries to those who need help. People can help them financially by donating to their Venmo @DJCultureClub. People can volunteer their labor by filling out this form.

COVIDMutualAid has set up a spreadsheet for those who need people to help with specific tasks as well as some offers for direct financial support. Those who need help can connect with those offering help.

Oakland’s Rent Adjustment Program (RAP), informally known as the rent board, is offering counseling for tenants. RAP has committed to connecting tenants with housing counselors within 24 hours during the pandemic. Tenants can visit the site to file paperwork or call:
510-238-3721.

Central Legal De La Raza, an organization that advocates for immigrant and low-income tenant rights, is temporarily canceling its legal clinics.“We encourage clients to reach out by telephone to request legal consults and assistance.
Their number is: 510-437-1554.

Love & Justice in the Streets and The Village, help unhoused people in Oakland and are making an urgent call for those who are able to donate to do so as the COVID-19 pandemic has made it more difficult for unhoused people to get the resources they need.

Donate to Love and Justice in The Streets
Donate to The Village

Zack Haber

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Activism

Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of September 2 – 8, 2026

Published

4 days ago

September 7, 2026

Oakland Post

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Oakland Post

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Activism

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Published

2 weeks ago

August 29, 2026

Post News Group

Dawna Williams, EOBA executive director speaks to attendees at the Black August Eperience on Aug. 21. Photo courtesy of Carolyn Flynn of EOBA.

By Jana Lang Propel Youth Reporter

Youth-Led Black August Event Brings Past to Present at East Oakland Boxing Association

The East Oakland Boxing Association (EOBA) and Youth Alive! came together on Aug. 21 to share with their community all that Black August means to them.

Held on EOBA’s patio at 816 98th Ave. in Deep East Oakland, the two organizations hosted their second annual Black August Experience, featuring a food tasting, financial literacy and mindfulness workshops, and voter registration with the League of Women Voters Oakland (LWV).

Black August is known as a time to uphold the legacy of prisoners who protested their conditions by fasting, fighting, and educating themselves on the economic and political circumstances that contributed to their incarceration.

According to its website, “EOBA is a multi-service youth and community development hub that goes far beyond the ring. While rooted in the discipline of boxing, for nearly 40 years EOBA has also integrated robust programs in workforce development, food justice, afterschool enrichment, financial literacy, mentorship, and wellness.”.

The mission of Youth Alive! Is to “break the cycle of violence, heal trauma, and uplift a thriving community of leaders, to save lives in Oakland and beyond” by serving “as mentors, youth leaders, counselors, case managers, intervention specialists and violence interrupters,” working “to help violently wounded people heal themselves and their community.”

Through Coro California, another leadership organization serving young people across the state for 80 years, they gained a broader understanding of Black August.

EOBA Executive Director Dawna Williams spoke about how much she learned about Black August from the youth who created it. “I let them educate me,” she said. Instead of talking about prison reform and mass incarceration, Williams and youth interns found that Black August meant so much more. “We would have done a disservice if we had just focused on who the people were and what their situation was…We tried to take their message from back in the day and make it relevant to the young people today. What do they need to know?”

Youth interns created and placed posters around the patio to help participants understand how traditional Black foodways, civic engagement, financial literacy, and the power of education are relevant to Black resistance today.

An EOBA member described Black August with Youth ALIVE! as “a whole vibe. “This year we added the Fun Zone for the kids, because you really cannot go wrong with a Fun Zone. I also loved seeing everyone chillin’ in the outdoor lounge, catching some Vitamin D and just enjoying a Friday evening together.”

The food tasting, a popular event from last year, featured traditional Black foods such as black-eyed peas, johnny cakes, and fried chicken. Led by Williams, the tasting included a talk about how these traditional foods were made and why they are forms of Black resilience.

The “‘Plate of History’ was a favorite of the online writers. “Fun, educational, and did I mention delicious? Our Taste of History cook, Angela Southall, served up some good eats while connecting food to history and culture.”

The writer also commended the “League of Women Voters Oakland for their civic leadership and for getting our young people informed, ready, and registered to vote.”

Overall, it was a “good Friday event in East Oakland,” the writer said.

Upcoming Black August events: Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS), will host “Black August: The Arc of Liberation” at Oakland City Hall on Sat. Aug. 29, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The websites for East Oakland Boxing Association, Youth Alive! and CORO are sources for this report.

Jana Lang is an Oakland resident, teacher, gardener and poet participating in the Propel News Initiative.