Eliminate Homelessness for Oakland's Unsheltered

Unstable living conditions, poverty, housing scarcity, and many other issues have contributed to individuals falling into homelessness. The Covid-19 pandemic has both highlighted and worsened underlying mental and behavioral health challenges homeless individuals face. To remedy this, Roots Community Health Center recently transformed its Turning Point program into a transitional housing and workforce development program. This program provides emergency but stable housing while equipping its participants with the necessary skills to secure long-term employment. Additionally, it connects them to Roots’ expansive cache of services providing physical, emotional, and behavioral care to them, ensuring their health does not impede their ability to work. This program transforms lives, providing our people a pathway out of homelessness that did not exist before. 

Turning Point provides temporary housing for up to 40 homeless individuals. Within the first two months of the program's launch, we are proud to say two residents transitioned to permanent housing, and four have been linked to job opportunities. Each program serving as a point of entry as Roots dedicated team members help transition homeless households off the streets and into temporary housing solutions. Once stabilized, navigators help community members identify barriers to employment and link them with wrap-around services to address those barriers.  

The Covid-19 crisis upended all of our lives. Much of the country has come to a halt, the ripple effect has disproportionately impacted those with low economic mobility; the homeless, those living from paycheck to paycheck, individuals living with mental illness, and chronic health conditions. We’re working to solve our community members' immediate needs each day while collaboratively working with our community partners and stakeholders to analyze the long-term impact and anticipated future needs. This crisis has exacerbated existing chronic issues in our community like lack of access to medicine and financial instability, which have only gotten worse. Our goal is to let them know they do not stand alone. Your gifts allow us to continue to serve the community most vulnerable.

Thanks to your support and our committed staff, we continue to achieve tremendous success in our Roots Oakland Homecoming residence! Oakland Homecoming offers stable housing concurrently with on-the-job training, counseling, health navigation, and financial literacy training as a path to permanent stability for Oakland's unsheltered residents. We continue to successfully transition individuals to financial literacy, housing security and full-time employment.

Some highlights over the last 3 months:

We had 2 individuals graduate from the Oakland Homecoming program, securing full-time work and apartments. The first resident secured a position as a full-time manager at a Deli Supermarket, and was able to save enough money to secure an apartment. Throughout the program, we were able to assist this resident through addiction challenges to obtain and maintain a job and learn how to save money. The resident remarks, “the greatest thing I’ve learned from Oakland Homecoming is financial literacy and how to budget.” The next resident that graduated from the program was able to obtain two jobs and is now sharing an apartment with a roommate. Throughout the program, the resident struggled with behavioral health challenges and was able to receive help from his behavior health provider at Roots. He has improved and stabilized his behaviors and as a result, he has gained visitation rights to see his children.

One of Oakland Homecoming's current residents has already accomplished a goal of opening a checking and savings account, after being a resident for only a couple of months. The resident has expressed “if they didn’t have Oakland Homecoming it’s easy to fall back into the streets and the program has allowed us to save money to accomplish our goals.” This resident's goals are to build up savings in order to eventually own their own business and property. The program has allowed the resident to learn financial development and professional integrity. Another resident has lived at Oakland Homecoming for 6 months, and during that time has found full-time employment after receiving job training at Roots and is currently saving money to secure his own apartment. The resident mentioned, “in a month or so I will be able to accomplish my goal of having my own apartment.” 

We have achieved great results during the past 3 months with Oakland Homecoming in providing residents with a pathway to stability. Please share and refer unhoused Oakland residents who are ready, willing and able to work. 

Your continued support helps to expand this program to transition more individuals from Oakland’s encampments into stable housing and employment. Please also consider donating - and asking your friends to do the same - as we continue to support unsheltered Oaklanders in their transition to self-sustainability!

With gratitude, 

The Roots Family

Links:

• Our website, please check us out