November 2025 | Issue 1

Dear Friends,

It is with great excitement that I welcome you to the inaugural issue of the Roots Quarterly Review, a new publication created to keep you informed and engaged in the transformational work happening every day at Roots Community Health.

Since its inception in 2008, Roots has strived to meet the evolving needs of the communities we serve, offering care, healing, opportunity, and hope. As our work expands, so too does our commitment to connect more substantively with you—our friends, partners, and supporters. The Roots Quarterly Review is an additional, new way of doing just that.

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Each issue of this newsletter will bring you stories, data, and highlights from the programs, services, and partnerships that define and advance our mission. You'll hear directly from the people whose lives are being changed, and from the teams doing the work on the ground. Our aim is to share not only outcomes but also the lived experiences, challenges, and triumphs that shape the path forward.

These efforts, and so many others at Roots, are powered by a commitment to racial and health equity. We are grateful for your continued support and partnership as we work to move beyond symptoms to solutions, and beyond service to systemic change.

Thank you for walking this path with us. Together, we can continue to transform lives, strengthen communities, and build a healthier, more just future for all.

With gratitude,

Noha Aboelata, MD

Founding CEO

Roots Community Health

The Emancipators Initiative is a workforce development program designed for East Oakland residents who face systemic barriers to employment, like prior incarceration, housing instability, and lack of access to reliable transportation. The program combines job training, hands-on work experience, and life-skills education with the kind of wraparound support that makes long-term success possible.

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The Workforce Emergency Housing Initiative offered a pathway from homelessness to housing and economic stability for residents who were ready, willing, and able to work. Through the integration of safe housing, workforce development, and wraparound health care, the initiative achieved extraordinary outcomes, including 100% housing placement and 95% employment in 2024, and has emerged as a blueprint for tackling homelessness countywide.

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Roots Community Health and Samuel Merritt University teamed up with local partners this summer to launch a hands-on healthcare internship for Oakland youth, building skills, confidence, and the next generation of health equity leaders. Read more

Roots Community Health is building the next generation of trusted health leaders through its new Community Health Worker (CHW) training program. By equipping community-rooted individuals with skills in navigation, outreach, and trauma-informed care, Roots is creating meaningful career paths while ensuring East Oakland families have the support they need to thrive. Read more