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Current Grants |
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The 1200 Foundation has awarded grants to eight worthy non-profit organizations in the East Bay that support the 1200 Foundation’s mission of helping low-income individuals and families achieve economic self-sufficiency:
The Bread Project (http://www.breadproject.org), started in 2000, trains low-income and unemployed persons in commercial baking and food preparation skills. Graduates are fully prepared for entry-level jobs in the food service industry. The staff helps students find and retain jobs, and provides work performance tracking and ongoing support for one year after graduation. Today, there are five classes of 20 adults each year in Berkeley and two additional classes annually in Oakland. Students participate in intensive nine-week training sessions, eight hours a day, five days a week. Building Skills Partnership (http://www.buildingskills.org/), based in Oakland, is a project of the Leadership Training and Education Fund between California janitors’ union SEIU 1877 and responsible businesses. It presents innovative training programs at the worksite for low wage workers in English as a Second Language (ESL), computer literacy, vocational training, health and safety training, leadership development, financial literacy and educational advocacy. Each program focuses on the janitorial employees of a specific company and is supported by that company and the employees’ union. C.E.O. Women (http://www.ceowomen.org) is a non-profit organization based in Oakland that is creating economic opportunities for low-income immigrant and refugee women. It empowers them by teaching entrepreneurship, English and communication skills so they can establish successful livelihoods and small businesses. C.E.O. Women has developed a systemic model for bringing immigrants and refugees of diverse backgrounds into the economic mainstream by blending English language training and entrepreneurship development. The organization then enhances their students’ likelihood of success and continued participation by connecting these women through high-touch elements of training, networking, coaching and access to capital. Opportunity Junction (formerly known as OPTIC) (www.opportunityjunction.org), based in Antioch, fights poverty by helping low-income adults get the confidence and competence to get good jobs that enable them to support themselves and their families. Through intensive training programs, they build a solid foundation in computer skills, introduce participants to workplace culture, and offer the skills necessary for students to thrive in a competitive business environment. Opportunity Junction offers a three-phased program for its students including training in computer-based business applications, paid internship, and alumni services with 18-months of continued networking support and job-related guidance. Saint Vincents Day Home (http://www.svdh.org) is a nonprofit, non-sectarian agency located in the heart of west Oakland – in the same home where it began in 1911. The day home provides comprehensive programs and family services to those in greatest economic need. The home’s Family Learning Program provides educational workshops, classes, and advocacy that encourage families to become self-sufficient and pursue their educational and employment goals. Parents help plan and participate directly in activities such as a family learning computer lab, a Read-to-Me program, a weekly Spanish learning group for parents, a family library, and a collaborative program with Oakland Public Library and the JumpStart national literacy program. Sophia Project (http://www.sophiaproject.org), located in a low-income community in west Oakland, was founded in 2000. With its two homes – the Sophia House and the Myrtle House – the live-in staff and interns create a safe, home-like environment for children and working families who are at risk of homelessness and its effects. The Sophia Project programs support healthy parent-child bonds, enhance family literacy, and allow parents time for employment and education. Providing these intensive services for two years and a continuing relationship after that has a lasting impact on the lives of the children and their families. Street Tech (http://www.streettech.org), based in San Pablo, is a non-profit organization offering low cost computer training, certification, and job placement for deserving adults from disadvantaged communities in the Bay Area. Following the career development program, graduates are transitioned into entry-level computer technician, help desk, and network administration jobs. In addition to the career development program, Street Tech also has a desktop and network support business called Relia Tech. This company employs graduates and provides paid and non-paid internship opportunities for students. Wardrobe for Opportunity (http://www.wardrobe.org), based in Oakland and Pleasant Hill, is a volunteer-based nonprofit organization that provides professional clothing and career support to low-income jobseekers in the Bay Area. The WFO organization works in partnership with over 70 community agencies, hundreds of clothing donors and 200 active volunteers. In 2006, Wardrobe for Opportunity provided interview attire to over 1,700 low-income jobseekers. Founded in 1995, provides its clients with the tools they need to project the positive image, self-confidence, and self-esteem necessary to find and maintain employment and achieve economic self-sufficiency. |
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