Despite market volatility in 2023, the Red Oak Opportunity Foundation (ROOF) pulled together to distribute over $90,000 to East Bay nonprofits.
The funds were distributed to 21 charities that directly benefit East Bay communities. These nonprofits support the unhoused, at-risk youth, women and children in need, the environment, educational- and arts-based programs, mental health services, social justice, food insecurity, and much more.
Here are a few of the great organizations that we supported. We encourage you to learn and support them as well. Watch for more updates on Red Oak’s blog, where you can sign up for email updates here.
WATERSIDE WORKSHOPS engages Bay Area youth with hands-on vocational training in bicycle mechanics, wooden boatbuilding, and outdoor education. Located at the Berkeley Aquatic Park, the program offers internships and jobs for youth in their three social enterprises: a community bike shop, a wooden boat shop and boat rental facility, and a youth-run cafe. It’s a safe place for youth to feel heard, gain confidence, develop work skills, and access the tools and resources needed to lead healthy, sustainable lives.
SARAH WEBSTER FABIO CENTER FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE (SWF Center for Social Justice) was created with the goal of elevating Black voices. SWFCenter was inspired by the work of Sarah Fabio, scholar, educator, cultural critic, and poet. The organization supports the needs of the traditionally underserved by providing opportunities for dialogue, art, social justice, and community building.
Recently the center premiered the film, “A Rising Tide” by filmmaker Cheryl Fabio. The film confronts, challenges, and changes the false and limited narrative of the growing homelessness in Alameda County. The film is a call to action empowering a more profound understanding of keeping unhoused children and their families at the center. Red Oak Realty was honored to recently sponsor a screening of the film in partnership with the Bridge Association for Realtors to help spread awareness within the local real estate community. The impactful film brought most viewers to tears.
DESTINY ARTS CENTER’s goal is to ignite and inspire social change through the arts. Destiny Arts Center believes that art and movement give young people a vehicle for self and community expression. Founded by Black and Queer dance and martial artists in 1988, Destiny uses movement-based arts to uplift youth voice, supporting pathways for young people to express themselves, advocate for justice and equity, fight against the systemic racism that continues to impact Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and build a community where everyone feels seen, valued, and free.
HABITOT CHILDREN’S CENTER is a big advocate for early childhood learning through play. It’s a hands-on discovery museum designed for the youngest children, 0-5 years old, who learn through, and thrive on, play and social interaction. 90% of a child’s brain develops before age 5. Brain development in the early years depends on enriching experiences and positive interactions and relationships. The center’s mission is to provide a space that helps parents and caregivers raise creative, curious, and confident children. Theme-based exhibits give young children a context for play and learning about the world. Designed for small hands and bodies, Habitot’s exhibits foster social interaction, problem-solving, and confidence building.
HIP WAH SUMMER PROGRAM was founded in 1984 by parents to provide Bay Area children an opportunity to experience the heritage of the Chinese and Chinese-American people. The organization’s goal is to provide an accessible summer program by keeping it affordable and leveraging community support and volunteers. Children of diverse ethnicities come together and are immersed in a full Chinese experience that culminates in a music festival where everyone participates with choral and instrumental music, dance, and martial arts. Campers do not have to be Chinese to attend. For many, Hip Wah is an opportunity to discover their cultural identity. The program remains one of the most successful and longest-running Chinese-American summer programs in the country.
If you have questions about the organizations mentioned above, or about ROOF in general, reach out. And we hope you will donate to ROOF, too.
