History

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Founded in 2001 with nine West Oakland community-based organizations, and support from The San Francisco Foundation and Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson, the West Oakland Community Collaborative (WOCC) was originally created to provide technical assistance and support for the nine organizations to enhance and strengthen their capacity to work together to provide services to the West Oakland Community. The nine founding members were: the Prescott-Joseph Center for Community Enhancement, Inc, People's Community Partnership Federal Credit Union (now Self-Help Federal Credit Union),  SISTERS (now Serenity House), St. Vincent's Day Home, McClymond's/7th Street Initiative, George P. Scotlan Youth and Family Center, Regional Technical Training Center (now Bay Area Business Roundtable), the Coalition for West Oakland Revitalization (Queen Thurston), and the Institute for the Advanced Study of Black Family Life and Culture (Dr. Wade Nobles). Other key players during this time were Jubilee West, DeFremery Park, and St. Patrick Catholic Church. 

 

Today that vision has expanded to include over 40 community-based organizations, faith-based organizations, schools, and businesses serving West Oakland. Members address a wide range of issues from Homelessness, Affordable Housing, Employment, Entrepreneurship, Food Security, and  Health Care to Education, Economic Self-Sufficiency, Youth & Family Services, and Safety. All WOCC members are committed to working together recognizing that we can accomplish much more together than we can individually. The WOCC is a vibrant group of over 40 organizations committed to serving the needs of West Oakland residents. The WOCC is a fiscally sponsored project of the Prescott-Joseph Center for Community Enhancement, Inc. 

 

Mission

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The original mission as developed by the founding nine organizations in 2001 is: "To enhance, expand, unite, and build the capacity of West Oakland community-based organizations to improve and protect the quality of life, positive living conditions and social, cultural, and economic viability of all West Oakland residents." 

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Today, we honor the original mission and have expanded upon it: "To enhance, expand, unite, and build the capacity of West Oakland community-based organizations and community members to improve and protect the quality of life, positive living conditions and social, cultural, and economic viability of all West Oakland residents through advocacy, community action, community empowerment, and being a voice for the people." 

 

Vision

The vision for the WOCC is for us to come together for...Equity, Advocacy, Culture, Community, Connections, Support, and being a Voice for the People...All things West Oakland...All Needs at the Table...Serving our Community West Oakland Style.

 

Goals

Our primary goal is the seamless provision of services to West Oakland residents. This represents a holistic approach to meeting local needs through strategies promoting systematic change and social services aimed at improving the quality of life. Goals include:

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1. Offering comprehensive services to meet the long and short-term needs of West Oakland. Key program areas include food, employment assistance, safety and crime prevention, youth development, and education.

2. Building a network of community-based organizations and community members in West Oakland that works together to best meet the needs of West Oakland. Members of this network coordinate services and referrals to local residents, form partnerships to leverage resources, and meet regularly to discuss strategies to address community needs. 

3. Building the capacity of individual community-based organizations in West Oakland. This is accomplished by networking, support, facilitating peer knowledge-exchange and mentoring relationships, and cultivating partnerships with local stakeholders, consultants, and academia.  

 

Past Accomplishments Include:

• 2021 - The WOCC hired its first Director and began a restructuring and strategic planning process.

• 2020 - Community Family Holiday Gift Distribution. 

• 2019 – The WOCC held its first annual West Oakland Unity Fair, in collaboration with De Fremery Park.

• 2018 – The WOCC was re-launched with a new vision and focus, in partnership with Lincoln, St. Vincent’s Day Home, and the Prescott-Joseph Center, 20+ organizations participate.

• 2013 & 2014 – West Oakland Education Expo, 100+ vendors, 200+ attendees

• 2012 – West Oakland Community Investment Forum, Guest Speaker: Lena Robinson, Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco

• 2006-2009 – Voter Registration Campaign

• 2006 – West Oakland Community Fair, DeFremery Park

• 2005 – PJCCE/WOCC awarded a contract with Alameda County Social Services Agency and First 5/Every Child Counts to serve as the West Oakland replication site for Another Road to Safety (ARS) providing in-home, family support services to low-moderate risk families referred from CPS.

• 2005 - WOCC’s contract renewed with the San Francisco Foundation to continue providing family-centered support services to 45 families and students of all three schools in the new McClymond’s Educational (BEST/EXCEL/KIZMET).  

• 2004 - WOCC received a grant from the West Oakland Initiative of The San Francisco Foundation to provide family support services to 25 families and students of the Youth and Family Center at McClymonds High School.

• 2004 - WOCC conducted a very successful Voter Education and Registration Drive that increased new voter registration by over 3,500 and increased use of absentee ballots.

• 2003 - Organizational assessments conducted in July 2003 showed that all WOCC members have increased their organizational capacity since program completion in 2001. Forty-two percent of the organizations assessed in 2003 have fully addressed all recommendations in at least one capacity area.

• 2001- Nine participating agencies graduated from a one-year capacity building program sponsored by The San Francisco Foundation and Alameda County Supervisor Keith Carson.