Dear Friends:

Founded in 1964, The Unity Council is now in its 47th year of operations.  This is a moment to reflect not just on the challenges we have faced, but also on the tangible change that has been brought about by the partnership between this organization and you, our supporters.
                                          
Together, we have weathered a financial crisis that threatened to cripple not just our nation’s financial sector, but also the health of this emergent neighborhood.  The Unity Council has taken a comprehensive approach to this challenge, with over a dozen programs working in tandem to build wealth and assets for families and individuals who need it most.  For example, our Homeownership Center has been on the forefront of this crisis on a community level, successfully counseling over 1,100 Oakland residents in 2010. With the launch of a new Unity Council Homeownership Center website, we are now helping more homeowners than ever to negotiate better terms on their loans and avoid foreclosure.

We have expanded our services and helped find community members new jobs.  Our Healthcare Sector Career Initiative has helped train 40 individuals for bilingual Medical and Dental Assistant/Medical Interpreter jobs this year.  As recipients of $3.5 million in federal stimulus funding, we are now moving to train clients in two additional counties, Solano and Contra Costa.

Similarly, we have reinforced and expanded our already-vital Head Start and Early Head Start programs.  With the receipt of an ARRA expansion grant of $1.1 million, we have added a location and are now able to serve an additional 95 children each year.  The future of children in Oakland looks brighter by the day.

Finally, supported by The California Endowment, we have recently completed a thorough 1-year research endeavor to address the disparities faced by Oakland Latino men and boys of all ages.  The Latino Men and Boys Project, which now continues into a second year, explores the issues of school attendance, health and wellness, obstacles to employment, and violence mitigation.  The project examines the root causes of disparities that Latino men and boys face in these areas while devising innovative policy and programmatic solutions to address them.
                                                     
With these successes and expansions comes an increased responsibility to our community, and we remain committed to our mission.  I am truly grateful for The Unity Council’s committed staff, a skillful and diligent Board of Directors, and our many allies in the community, the business world, and government.

Sincerely,

Gilda Gonzales, CEO
ggonzales@unitycouncil.org