Ed Fund awards grants to support OUSD attendance initiative
The Oakland Public Education Fund (“Ed Fund”) has announced 12 grantees for the Ed Fund’s Community United for Educational Success (CUES) project.
The project is a collaborative effort between the Ed Fund and community-based organizations in support of the Oakland Unified School District’s “Everyone and Every Day Counts” initiative. Over a two-year period, the Ed Fund will partner with these organizations to help ensure that OUSD students attend school and engage in their learning every day.
“Regular school attendance is critical for student success at any age,” said Ali Medina, Executive Director of the Ed Fund. “We want to increase school engagement and graduation rates for kids throughout Oakland and our community partners can provide that support to our schools.”
As a result of COVID-related school closings, many students and families were disconnected from school and are struggling with in-person instruction. Organizations and agencies will provide services and activities through the OUSD Community Schools effort, which uses a holistic approach, providing resources that include education, health centers, after-school and summer programs, parent and staff wellness and support, sports opportunities, nutrition, and more.
“While the CUES project primarily focuses on the most vulnerable children, youth, and families, the entire community benefits,” Medina said. “Our partners do great work, and we look forward to seeing the difference we’ll make together for all Oakland kids.”
First-round grantees include:
Acta Non Verba: Youth Urban Farm Project—creates a safe and creative outdoor space for children, youth, and families in East Oakland, engaging and strengthening young people’s understanding of nutrition, food production, and healthy living as well as deepening their ties to the community;
Community and Youth Outreach—provides outreach, mentoring, case management, and support to high-risk youth and young adults in Oakland, offering them opportunities to succeed and supporting them in overcoming challenges;
East Bay Agency for Children—addressing children’s mental health needs since 1952, through comprehensive services designed to reduce the incidence and impact of childhood trauma and delivering those services to children, youth, and families in schools and local communities;
East Bay Asian Youth Center—whose mission is to support all youth to be safe, thoughtful, and socially responsible through diverse services including youth violence prevention, expanded learning, and civic and community engagement;
East Bay Consortium—provides services to students and teachers in Oakland to achieve the goal of increasing the number of students finishing high school and enrolling in postsecondary institutions;
Higher Ground Neighborhood Development Corp—providing a variety of services for the intellectual development of children and youth, including workforce development, behavioral health treatment, afterschool enrichment, school/community-based service coordination, and more;
Oakland Kids First—whose mission is to increase youth voice and power to create engaging and equitable public schools where all students learn and lead;
Oakland Natives Give Back—funding, creating, and incubating innovative programs, experiences, and partnerships that empower the next generation of high-achieving citizens, locally and globally;
Oakland Pacific Islander Network—empowering Pacific Islander youth and young adults to pursue their purpose through enhancement services and programs through a resource center located in Castlemont High School;
Safe Passages—engaging youth and families to build and drive a continuum of services that supports student success and community development to disrupt the cycle of poverty;
Soccer Without Borders—using soccer as a vehicle for positive change, they provide underserved youth with a toolkit to overcome obstacles to growth, inclusion, and personal success;
Spanish Speaking Citizens Foundation—which for almost 60 years has provided tutoring, youth leadership and development, immigration services, and English as a Second Language classes for Spanish-speaking adults.
The Oakland Public Education Fund leads the development and investment of community resources in Oakland public schools so all students can learn, grow, and thrive.