Thanks to generous BOSS supporters and community members, BOSS was able to provide gifts, warm coats, food, and other resources for families and individuals in need across Alameda County. From Thanksgiving through Christmas, BOSS was contacted by individuals and community groups who dropped off goods, toys, wrapped and unwrapped gifts, new and gently used coats, shoes/sneakers, clothing and more.
Starting in early October, I didn’t know what to expect with the annual BOSS holiday giving drive, with COVID looming over everything, but the community stepped up like never before. We send our deepest gratitude to all those who have been partners of BOSS over the years and to those new partnerships who helped bring joy to individuals and families we serve in our programs.
New partners included the doctors and staff from Kaiser Permanente (Oakland) and staff from A Better Way who provided gifts via our Adopt a Child/Teen programs to make sure all of our children received a gift or two. A staff person from Amazon (sign up with AmazonSmile for your shopping dollars to support BOSS!) shared the BOSS Charity link from the Amazon website with other staffers and we began receiving new donations like houseware, linen, and items for the Children’s Learning Center.
The Berkeley Holiday Fund provided holiday checks to a number of our adult clients (with and without children) and families. The Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. from the Contra Costa Alumnae Chapter did a huge collection drive for coats and jackets; all sized for all ages. The Berkeley Police Department set up a drop-off location in front of their police station on MLK Jr. Way to collect toys from the community where BOSS was the recipient of the toy drive.
All in all, BOSS participants were well taken care of this year by those in our community — thank you all of you. It was because of this community outpouring that we were able to get gifts and goods for everyone receiving services from BOSS. Listed below are those who contributed to this 2020 holiday collection drives:
The Family Giving Tree
The Berkeley Holiday Fund
Duck’s Nest Preschool (Berkeley)
Black Pine Circle School
Head Royce School
Kaiser Permanente: Doctors and staff in the Department of Adult and Family Medicine,
Oakland, Oakland Internal Medicine Residency Doctors
Banks Family and Thompson family
Barbara Cohen
BART & BART Police Department
Martha Sellers & the Girl Scouts
Delta Sigma Theta Sorority (Contra Costa Alumnae Chapter)
Amazon (staff) via Charity online
Heart & Soul Center of Light
Paul Scott
Hilary Winters
Tina Monaco
Maureen Sullivan
A Better Way, Inc.
Kimberly Rodgers from Kimmie’s Kitchen
Elvia Bockman
Sophie Volpp
To donate to BOSS programs at any time of the year, contact Gwen Austin at gaustin@self-sufficiency.org or 510-649-1930 x 1001, or donate online.