How We Can Help Oakland Thrive

Opportunities to get involved and engaged in Oakland's future. We Oaklanders help Oakland.

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Housed Oakland

Donate to a homeless organization.

You can support key community-led homelessness organizations in Oakland by making a donation. Find a list of organizations here.

Volunteer with one of Oakland's many homelessness organizations.

Organizations across Oakland offer volunteer opportunities for community members looking to get involved in serving the unsheltered community. Find a list of these organizations here.

Clean Oakland

Volunteer at Creek to Bay Day on September 17.

Creek to Bay Day 2022 is a day of watershed cleanups, education, and commitment to practices to keep our city and water clean, from creek to bay, and beyond! Register to volunteer or record your Creek to Bay Day activity here.

Adopt a Spot

Oakland's Adopt a Spot program supports volunteers in upkeep of parks, creeks, shorelines, storm drains, streets, trails, and other public spaces. Volunteers have adopted hundreds of sites around Oakland. Public Works can provide tool loans, debris collection services, and technical assistance. Apply to Adopt a Spot here.

Volunteer in an Oakland park

Volunteer with the Oakland Parks and Recreation Foundation.

Volunteer with the Lake Merritt Weed Warriors.

Volunteer with Friends of Joaquin Miller Park

Volunteer with Friends of the Cleveland Cascade.

Volunteer at the Morcom Rose Garden.

Volunteer with Garber Park Stewards.

Volunteer with Friends of Sausal Creek.

Volunteer with Friends of Montclair Railroad Trail

Safe Oakland

Participate in a Ceasefire Walk.

Ceasefire is a data-driven violence-reduction strategy coordinating law enforcement, social services, and the community. The major goal is to reduce gang/group-related homicides and shootings. On Friday nights, community members walk for peace in areas with a history of gun violence. Find a complete schedule of 2022 Ceasefire Walks here.

Join your Neighborhood Council.

Neighborhood Councils aka Neighborhood Crime Prevention Councils (NCPC’s) are made up of Oakland residents working in partnership with City departments and outside agencies to solve problems and build a healthy, resilient community. Find your Neighborhood Council, and their meeting schedule here.

Engaged Oakland

Download the Oak 311 App

311 is an easy-to-remember telephone number, website, and mobile app that connects you with highly trained City of Oakland Call Center representatives who are ready to help you with requests for routine maintenance and urgent infrastructure issues. Learn more here

Subscribe to the Mayor’s weekly newsletter.

Mayor’s Weekly Briefing Home Page

Link to subscribe

The Mayor’s newsletter includes a “Resources and Opportunities” section

Subscribe to your City Councilmember’s newsletter.

District 1: Dan Kalb Link to subscribe

District 2: Nikki Fortunato Bas Link to subscribe

District 3: Carroll Fife Link to subscribe

District 4: Sheng Thao Link to subscribe

District 6: Loren Taylor Link to subscribe

District 7: Treva Reid Link to subscribe

At-Large: Rebecca Kaplan Link to subscribe

Volunteer with Friends of the Oakland Public Libraries

Link

Volunteer in Oakland Public Schools

Oakland Public Education Fund: Link

Children Rising: Enable children in Oakland to overcome COVID-related loss of learning time. Children Rising is looking for volunteer reading and math tutors to support elementary school children in Oakland area schools for the 2022-2023 school year. No experience is necessary; we supply training and teaching materials. Our tutors work one-on-one with students below grade level in reading and math. The time commitment is 2 hours every week during school hours as a part of a supported, onsite tutor team. Learn More.

Become an Oakland Promise College Mentor

Link




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