Bay Area

Interfaith Council of Alameda County Takes Action on Homelessness Crisis

The Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC) is leading a concerted effort alongside city, state, and county officials to tackle the urgent issue of homelessness in our community. For the past six years, ICAC has run the Safe Car Park program, providing resources and a safe place to sleep for unhoused neighbors and families living in their vehicles.

Published

2 years ago

August 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Founding ICAC President Pastor Ken Chambers, left, and Dr. Kenneth Anderson, first vice president of the state Baptist Convention and pastor of Williams Chapel Baptist Church, pose in front of the trailers that need renovation. Photo by Kevin Hicks, Hicks Media.

By Pastor Candace Chambers

Special to The Post

The Interfaith Council of Alameda County (ICAC) is leading a concerted effort alongside city, state, and county officials to tackle the urgent issue of homelessness in our community.

For the past six years, ICAC has run the Safe Car Park program, providing resources and a safe place to sleep for unhoused neighbors and families living in their vehicles.

The Safe Car Park program has become a beacon of safety in communities. ICAC has also received 25 trailers from the State of California through the city of Oakland. Funding did not accompany the trailers, so a GoFundMe campaign has been raising funds to make the trailers livable, aimed at providing immediate relief and short-term housing options.

“The Interfaith Council is committed to working hand-in-hand with local authorities and community partners to address homelessness comprehensively,” stated Pastor Ken Chambers, founding president of ICAC. “Our goal is to not only provide immediate support but also to implement sustainable housing solutions that will make an impact.”

ICAC holds monthly community meetings and recently hosted Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao and the new Oakland chief of police, Floyd Mitchell, at their July meeting at the Williams Chapel Baptist Church in Oakland.

“I’m really getting acclimated with the City of Oakland and how we as a police department can partner better with our constituents, community, and our businesses,” said Mitchell.

“ICAC has saved so many people because of the Safe Car Park program,” said Thao. “We know that when you’re dealing with everyday issues including putting food on the table or finding a job, the last thing you should have to worry about is your safety when you’re asleep at your most vulnerable phase.”

Thao also confirmed that the $450,000 approved resolution by the City Council included the new approved budget to expand the Safe Car Park and Trailer programs.

The next community meeting will take place on Thursday, Sept. 12 from 1-2:30 p.m. at the Oakland Temple Visitors Center at 4766 Lincoln Ave., Oakland, California 94602.

Discussions centered on enhancing collaboration between civic leaders, faith-based organizations, and grassroots initiatives will be continued. All are welcome to attend in-person and virtually.

Building Equity Discipline and Respect for our Communities (BEDROC) and ICAC will provide a shower and laundry truck for the community in collaboration with Williams Chapel Baptist Church at 1410 10th Ave, Oakland, CA 94606 on Aug. 13 from 12-3 p.m.

For more information on how to contribute or participate with ICAC, please visit interfaithAC.org where you can donate and become a member. To donate to upgrade the trailers, please go to https://www.gofundme.com/f/transform-trailers-to-housing.

If anyone is in need of emergency overnight parking, please visit our website or call 510-239-8832.

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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

1 week 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

2 weeks 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.