An anonymous East Bay benefactor has provided the city of Oakland with $34 million to be distributed among more than 15 nonprofits and public agencies by the San Francisco Foundation.
The Foundation reports that the millions could create 2,502 jobs, 731 units of affordable housing, and serve 62,570 people.
The mysterious benefactor made the donation in February. As the Chronicle reports, via the San Francisco Foundation's CEO Fred Blackwell, “They wanted the money in the streets by the summer.” That drew cheers from a crowd gathered for the announcement. “This, you all, is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Blackwell said.
"Oakland deserves to be a city where everyone is healthy, safe and prosperous, and our children have the skills and hope to fulfill their dreams,” said Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf. “I am grateful to The San Francisco Foundation for sharing my vision for Oakland and taking direct action to make it a reality."
Blackwell, a former Oakland city administrator, has begun to divide up the donation into some of the following grants:
- Alameda County Health Services Agency ($1.5 million to support Best Babies Zone project)
- Asian Health Services ($3 million for clinic's renovation)
- Destiny Arts Center ($1.3 million to eliminate debt and expand work with youth in the Alameda Juvenile Justice Center and LGBT youth)
- East Bay Asian Local Development Corp. ($1 million to support neighborhood development in Oakland's San Pablo corridor)
- East Oakland Youth Development Center ($1 million for capital campaign)
- Oakland Codes, housed at San Francisco Foundation ($4 million to fund seven Oakland groups that focus on helping underrepresented groups find tech jobs)
- Oakland Community Land Trust ($2 million to support the "stabilization" of Oakland neighborhoods)
- Oakland Public Education Fund ($6 million to provide pre-kindergarten support for young children)
- Unity Council ($3 million to support Fruitvale Transit Village)
- Kiva Oakland ($500,000 to support Kiva Zip’s goal to become a primary capital source for financially excluded small businesses in Oakland by funding at least 400 entrepreneurs in the next two years)
- EastSide Arts Alliance ($1 million to secure the building)
- Ella Baker Center for Human Rights ($1 million in support of Restore Oakland/Restaurant Opportunity Center)
- Immigrant Legal Resource Center ($1.5 million to support the Oakland DACA/DAPA Project)
- Urban Strategies Council ($1.2 million for CEO transition and low-income housing development)
- Center for Employment Opportunities ($1.5 million to support reentry employment) Youth Uprising ($2.5 million in support of Castlemont community development)
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