Greetings!
|
The summer has marked a flurry of activity at the Unity Council's Fruitvale Village. As fall approaches, these efforts are paying off and the Fruitvale Village is moving into full bloom. It has been inspiring to watch the site mature and grow to fulfill our original vision, and we are pleased to share these successes with you in this newsletter. In addition to the blossoming of the Fruitvale Village, we also thought you would like to hear about our program developments and upcoming events.
Thank you for your continued support and commitment to the Unity Council's work in building the social, economic and neighborhood resources of the Fruitvale community.
Warmly,
Gilda Gonzales
CEO
| |
|
Fruitvale Public Market |
 Several vendors have moved into the Unity Council's Fruitvale Public Market and are gearing up to begin operations. Luis Abundis, owner of Nieves Cinco de Mayo, has begun serving hand-churned ice cream in 10 delicious flavors. Last week, Ceras y Pulseras, Parafina opened and began offering a unique variety of arts, crafts, jewelry and other items from Mexico. The first small business retail incubator in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Fruitvale Public Market is slated to provide retail space and business support to 12 micro-enterprises. A Grand Opening celebration will be scheduled later this fall. |
| New Restaurants at the Village |
Visitors to the Fruitvale Village will soon have even more restaurant options! In September, Mexican restaurant Mar y Tierra will expand from its Redwood City location to open a second eatery at the Fruitvale Village. In addition to serving typical Mexican fare, the restaurant will offer a delectable array of seafood options. A second restaurant, American Pizza, will further expand retaurant options when it opens this fall. |
| AmeriCorps Award |
|
The National Council of La Raza has honored the Unity Council's AmeriCorps program with the 2007 NCLR AmeriCorps Best Corps Award. In June, eleven Unity Council AmeriCorps members and key program staff flew to Miami to receive the award at NCLR's Annual Conference. As part of the four-day conference, AmeriCorps members participated in the Lideres summit, a specially designed set of leadership development activities for youth. Currently the Unity Council's AmeriCorps program is one of 10 AmeriCorps affiliate programs nationwide. | |
| New Session for Medical Training Program |
|
In September, the Unity Council will once again partner with Samuel Merritt College and four local community clinics to offer bilingual/bicultural medial assistant training. In the coming session, 30 students will enroll in the course and undergo comprehensive classroom and hands-on coursework. Since the start of the program in 2003, 60 students have graduated, nearly all of whom have been placed in hospital jobs or internships. | |
| Memory Walk |
|
The Unity Council's Fruitvale-San Antonio Senior Center is forming a team to participate in the Alzheimer Association's Memory Walk on the morning of Saturday, October 6 at Treasure Island. The Memory Walk is the nation's largest events to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer care, support and research. Participants may choose between a 1.5 mile short route and a 3-mile scenic route. As a nonprofit partner, over 50% of the proceeds raised by the Unity Council's team will be donated back to the Fruitvale-San Antonio Senior Center. | |
| Contact Us |
Fruitvale Village Office
3411 E. 12th Street, Suite 200
Oakland, CA 94601
Tel: 510.535.6900
Fax: 510.532.3894
| |
|
|
|
|
Welcome ARISE! |
|
|
|
The Unity Council offers a warm welcome to ARISE High School! Located on the second floor of the Fruitvale Village, classes began on August 27 for 120 ninth and tenth graders.
The school, which features brand-new classrooms and offices, is located near amenities such as a public library, transportation, restaurants and community services.
The partnership between the Unity Council and ARISE will help increase rates of high school graduation and college enrollment for students in the Fruitvale, 90% of whom represent the first college-bound generation in their families. |
| Dia de los Muertos |
 |
|
Please join us for this year's Dia de los Muertos Festival, presented by Comcast, on Sunday, October 28. This family-friendly event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. along Oakland's International Boulevard between Fruitvale Avenue and 35th Avenue. Attractions include community altars, four stages with live entertainment, traditional dance performances, children's activities, international food and more! For information on this year's Festival, please click here. |
| |
|
