Established in 2001, the Bay Area Leadership Foundation serves students from Oakland, Richmond, Pittsburg, and San Jose – some of the Bay Area’s most economically challenged areas. Our goal is to enable each student to graduate from higher education and become a productive member of the local community.
We also put the philosophy of giving back to the community into practice. Each student in our ACCESS program performs a minimum of 3 hours community service annually. In addition, students and staff select a community service project twice a year to embark upon as a team.
In 2009, our students participated in a community service day at Alum Rock Park in San Jose. They were greeted by the local park rangers and given a history of the park and its importance to the overall environment and economy of Santa Clara County. Following that presentation, they were assigned to participate in a variety of activities at the park: pulling up of weeds and dead vegetation, creek abatement, and minor repair of park benches.
In 2010, our students participated in a community service day at First Morning Star Baptist Church in East Oakland whereby they worked with church staff to help feed over 300 needy and homeless families in the East Oakland community. BALF students filled grocery bags with food and personal hygiene items, passed out packages of chicken and vegetables to residents in the community. They also organized the receiving lines for the recipients and carried food and groceries for the elderly and disabled recipients.
To sponsor a student in high school or college or to help us organize or volunteer at a community service event, please visit our Donation page or contact Marcy Straw at (510) 622-7881 or marcy@eblf.org.
