Sharing Closet sign installed at EOCP
EOCP Director, Wendy Jackson, and Don
This past Friday, on behalf of the Oakland Association of Realtors (OAR), I visited the East Oakland Community Project (EOCP), AKA “Crossroads,” and installed a “Sharing Closet” sign outside their room designated for donations to the residents. As I discussed in a previous blog, EOCP is the largest homeless shelter in Alameda County.
While sitting in the lobby, I noticed a sense of calm and well-being in the building. This was in striking contrast to the feeling in their former location, a very old, converted factory in poor repair. The new facility is a transformative place where people can regain their dignity.
In 2004, as OAR president, I created the concept of Oakland Realtors and their clients donating various items, such as business clothing for job interviews, to EOCP. I was gratified to learn that the new building incorporated into its architectural plan a huge storage room with shelves and rolling racks dedicated to the Sharing Closet. The custom designed sign, a gift from OAR members, was a fitting commemoration of the upcoming first anniversary of this landmark residence for those in need.