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Giving Machines Come to Oakland’s Temple Hill in ‘Light the World With Love’ Event

The Giving Machines are vending machines that, rather than dispensing drinks or potato chips, dispense love, hope and support to those in need. Three Giving Machines are available at Oakland Temple Hill through Jan. 3. These machines allow all to purchase a gift for one of six humanitarian organizations. Simply pick a particular gift such as a chicken for a family overseas or warm clothing for a local need, then use a debit or credit card to pay for the tax-deductible charitable donation.

Published

4 years ago

December 12, 2021

Oakland Post

From left to right, Elder Jay D. Pimentel and Elder Steven C. Merrell of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Linda Ashcraft Hudak, CEO of George Mark Children’s House; Candace K. Andersen, Contra Costa County Supervisor and MC of the launch event; S.F. 49ers offensive tackle Corbin Kaufusi; daughter of Sheng Thao with Sheng Thao, Oakland’s District 4 Councilmember; Bobby Miller, director of Emeryville Citizens Assistance Program; Christine Dillman, associate director of Tri-Valley Haven; ECAP founder Nellie Hannon; and Bruce Bird of JustServe. Photo by Kourtney Jex Jarvis.

By Post Staff

At the ribbon cutting ceremony, Oakland City Council President Sheng Thao and Contra Costa County Board of Supervisor President Candace Andersen were joined by San Francisco 49er offensive lineman Corbin Kafusi to launch Giving Machines on Oakland Temple Hill.

These machines allow all to purchase a gift for one of six humanitarian organizations. Simply pick a particular gift such as a chicken for a family overseas or warm clothing for a local need, then use a debit or credit card to pay for the tax-deductible charitable donation.

Participating nonprofits include three local and three global organizations. Tri-Valley Haven, the George Mark Children’s House (George Mark) and Emeryville Citizens Assistance Program (ECAP) serve adults and children in the Bay Area while UNICEF, Church World Service (CWS Global) and Water Aid address humanitarian crises around the world.

Councilmember Thao told those assembled, “It truly allows for thousands of people to come and actually touch the lives of so many people around the world.” She and her daughter helped heft the huge scissors to cut the ribbon.

All administrative costs of the machines, from construction to installation to operation and even the credit card fees are covered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. “100% of all donations collected will be delivered to the nonprofits displayed in the Giving Machines,” Jay Pimentel, a spokesman for the Church, said.

The annual Temple Hill Christmas Lights and Days of Christmas Concert Series run concurrently with the Giving Machines. The Lights, Concerts and Giving Machines are all part of the Church’s 2021 worldwide campaign to Light the World with Love. Oakland Temple Hill is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., 4780 Lincoln Avenue in Oakland. All are invited to come and enjoy the decorated grounds and to see if there are charities in the Giving Machines they would like to support.

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Oakland Post: Week of February 25 – March 3, 2026

The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of – February 25 – March 3, 2026

Published

2 days ago

March 1, 2026

Oakland Post

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Chase Oakland Community Center Hosts Alley-Oop Accelerator Building Community and Opportunity for Bay Area Entrepreneurs

Over the past three years, the Alley-Oop Accelerator has helped more than 20 Bay Area businesses grow, connect, and gain meaningful exposure. The program combines hands-on training, mentorship, and community-building to help participants navigate the legal, financial, and marketing challenges of small business ownership.

Published

1 week ago

February 21, 2026

Oakland Post

Bay Area entrepreneurs attend the Alley-Oop Accelerator, a small business incubation program at Chase Oakland Community Center. Photo by Carla Thomas.

By Carla Thomas

The Golden State Warriors and Chase bank hosted the third annual Alley-Oop Accelerator this month, an empowering eight-week program designed to help Bay Area entrepreneurs bring their visions for business to life.

The initiative kicked off on Feb. 12 at Chase’s Oakland Community Center on Broadway Street, welcoming 15 small business owners who joined a growing network of local innovators working to strengthen the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.

At its core, the accelerator is designed to create an ecosystem of collaboration, where local entrepreneurs can learn from one another while accessing the resources of a global financial institution.

“This is our third year in a row working with the Golden State Warriors on the Alley-Oop Accelerator,” said Jaime Garcia, executive director of Chase’s Coaching for Impact team for the West Division. “We’ve already had 20-plus businesses graduate from the program, and we have 15 enrolled this year. The biggest thing about the program is really the community that’s built amongst the business owners — plus the exposure they’re able to get through Chase and the Golden State Warriors.”

According to Garcia, several graduates have gone on to receive vendor contracts with the Warriors and have gained broader recognition through collaborations with JPMorgan Chase.

“A lot of what Chase is trying to do,” Garcia added, “is bring businesses together because what they’ve asked for is an ecosystem, a network where they can connect, grow, and thrive organically.”

This year’s Alley-Oop Accelerator reflects that vision through its comprehensive curriculum and emphasis on practical learning. Participants explore the full spectrum of business essentials including financial management, marketing strategy, and legal compliance, while also preparing for real-world experiences such as pop-up market events.

Each entrepreneur benefits from one-on-one mentoring sessions through Chase’s Coaching for Impact program, which provides complimentary, personalized business consulting.

Garcia described the impact this hands-on approach has had on local small business owners. He recalled one candlemaker, who, after participating in the program, was invited to provide candles as gifts at Chase events.

“We were able to help give that business exposure,” he explained. “But then our team also worked with them on how to access capital to buy inventory and manage operations once those orders started coming in. It’s about preparation. When a hiccup happens, are you ready to handle it?”

The Coaching for Impact initiative, which launched in 2020 in just four cities, has since expanded to 46 nationwide.

“Every business is different,” Garcia said. “That’s why personal coaching matters so much. It’s life-changing.”

Participants in the 2026 program will each receive a $2,500 stipend, funding that Garcia said can make an outsized difference. “It’s amazing what some people can do with just $2,500,” he noted. “It sounds small, but it goes a long way when you have a plan for how to use it.”

For Chase and the Warriors, the Alley-Oop Accelerator represents more than an educational initiative, it’s a pathway to empowerment and economic inclusion. The program continues to foster lasting relationships among the entrepreneurs who, as Garcia put it, “build each other up” through shared growth and opportunity.

“Starting a business is never easy, but with the right support, it becomes possible, and even exhilarating,” said Oscar Lopez, the senior business consultant for Chase in Oakland.