A P R I L    2 0 1 8
T a b l e   o f   C o n t e n t s 
D i r e c t o r ' s  H a i k u 

    It may be April
    But we're no fools! Our focus
    this month? Spring cleaning!                            
    -Rio

 
Spotlight S p o t l i g h t:  M a ri o   B a l c i t a 
HOPE has accomplished so much in the last year, and it wouldn't be possible without our amazing team of rockstars. Mario Balcita is one of our rockstars. He trains, mentors, and supports youth and adults so they can fully participate in and even lead the policymaking process. Mario has been with HOPE since 2012, and last year was promoted to Program Manager of Community Engagement in recognition of everything he contributes to our community and organization. Read on to get to know Mario better!


Mario Balcita, Community Engagement Program Manager
What's your greatest accomplishment?
Mario: Supporting the development of the Youth Action Board (YAB) so that young people are key leaders in HOPE's work and across the state. Young people hold leadership roles on HOPE's Steering Committee, in Healthy Corner Store work, and have joined our staff. YAB members are also in leadership positions in local and statewide coalitions and have been chosen to represent HOPE Collaborative at legislative visits and other activities around California.

What are you currently working on?
Mario: 
  • Supporting communications and implementation efforts for
    the Good Food Purchasing Policy. YAB members helped get that policy passed, and this is the next phase.
  • Supporting our coalition work in the Elmhurst neighborhood to pass the Healthy Development Guidelines. The goal is that that the health of long-term Oakland residents is considered when building new developments in Oakland.
  • Working with the Oakland Unified School District to support youth voices and leadership within the School Wellness Council and the Student Nutrition Action Council as a way to make positive impact on the School Food System.
What makes you come to work everyday? 
Mario HOPE is a leader in centering youth and adult residents in systems and policy change work. This is inspiring and keeps me coming to work everyday. There are some growth opportunities that I also see coming down the line, such as the new campaign manager position opening which will help advance HOPE's work towards a more just food system and neighborhood. This makes me excited about the future of HOPE's work.

What are your top 3 #wins in the past 2 years? 
Mario
  1. Growing the YAB from 6 to 15 membership body.
  2. Passing the Good Food Purchasing Policy within OUSD.
  3. Developing YAB members' leadership skills such that they've been hired on as staff.
Describe your job in 7 words or less. 
Mario:   Building resident power for healthier food, neighborhoods.


Visit our website to learn more about Mario and the rest of HOPE's family! 
 winning
# w i n n i n g   w i t h   t h e   O p s   M a n u a l s
What's the win: HOPE recently launched a project called "What to do if staff gets eaten by a bear, flies off on a dragon, or wins the lottery." Our big, hairy, audacious goal is to make our internal systems so streamlined and clear that if all staff flew off on a dragon tomorrow, our replacements could seamlessly pick up where we left off. Two of the things we're working on are standardizing and documenting all protocols, and transferring our files from an ancient server to the cloud (and even deleting some of them! #springcleaning).

Who made it happen: Smooth operations are integral to achieving our mission. They're not as eye-catching as the hands-on program work, but they're necessary supports that allow us to do our program work well. Well-executed operations deserve their moment in the sun, which is why we're sharing this win with you!

What's next: We'll keep on keeping on. This project will unfold over the next year.
 Updates
F o o d   J u s t i c e   S u m m e r   S c h o o l 
Apply now for the Food Justice Summer School!

HOPE members engaging with community members
What:
HOPE's Leadership Institute is a training program for community members to build their leadership in the Collaborative, their communities, and the broader policy-making arena. The Leadership Institute is hosting a Food Justice Summer School for community members to develop skills in advocacy, facilitation, communications, outreach, community engagement and organizing, and to deepen knowledge of food justice and built environment issues.

When: HOPE's Food Justice Summer School will take place from June 2018 - August 2018. The time commitment is approximately 12 hours per month. Participants will receive a stipend.

Who should a pply: Community members who demonstrate leadership potential and a commitment to the Collaborative's work.

How to apply : If interested, fill out this application by May 4, 2018 and please contact Mario ( mario@hopecollaborative.net ) if you have any questions.
 announcement
A n n o u n c e m e n t s

  • Join our team!
    If you've seen the last few newsletters, you know that we've been adding steadily to our team of rockstars. We plan to recruit for a Campaign Manager, Project Coordinator, Steering Committee members, and intern positions in the coming months. If you're interested in working with us, please keep an eye on HOPE's Get Involved page.
     
  • Partner Announcements
    The City of Oakland is starting a new opportunity for community-based organizations and non-profits to contract with the City to provide assistance with engagement and outreach for various improvement plans and projects and to provide unique expertise and perspective to the City of Oakland. Applications are due April 9, so if you haven't yet, hurry to the City's website or contact Sarah Fine at sfine@oaklandnet.com or (510) 238-6241.
     
announcements
O u r   A d d r e s s 
Office Address:
2000 Franklin Street, 3rd Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
(19th St. Bart Accessible)
Mailing Address:
HOPE Collaborative
P.O. Box 72256
Oakland, CA 94612