love Oakland? make it better

Ilove Oakland. I hecka love it. I hella love it. That's why I write Our Oakland. It's clear a lot of other people love it, too. But I think all of us agree some things could be better.

Back in August, the Ella Baker Center organized the Throw Down for the Town, a service festival with volunteer opportunities all over Oakland. At the celebration afterwards, one speaker said something like "we should do this every month", which would be pretty awesome.

But you don't need to wait for someone else to organize it -- get out there and volunteer. Whether you help build affordable homes with Habitat for Humanity, sort food for the hungry with Alameda County Community Food Bank, or help kids in Oakland schools, there's something out there for you to do to make Oakland better.

Saturday is a volunteer fair put together by Volunteering for Oakland. From 1-4pm at Westlake Middle School. Find out the needs for an Oakland school near you.

Sunday is the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. For some it will be an opportunity to quietly reflect. For others, it can be an opportunity to get out and make your community better -- it's also a national service day.

Next Sunday is an Oakland Creek to Bay Day cleanup. People all over Oakland will be cleaning up Oakland creeks and parks.

Love Oakland? Get out there and make it even better.

Feel more Oakland love:
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