A Bold Commitment to Justice, Equity, and Collective Action
As changes are being implemented, uncertainty and fear fill the air, affecting the lives and livelihoods of many in our community. It is now, more than ever, that our communities need collective support. Now is the time to act, advocate, and amplify the voices some seek to silence.
This moment isn’t new to us. For over 100 years, we’ve brought people to the table—businesses, nonprofits, governments, and community members—working together to solve our region’s most pressing challenges. Whether facing housing crises, economic instability, or disasters, we’ve been there. Today, we recommit to our mission of dismantling the root causes of poverty to build an equitable Bay Area where all people have the opportunities and resources to thrive. And we continue to let our values guide us.
These are our values:
- Respect: We honor the dignity, capabilities, and lived experiences of every individual.
- Integrity: We will speak and act in alignment with our values and the needs of our communities.
- Accountability: We take responsibility for our actions, ensuring they reflect our mission and vision.
- Equity: We are committed to addressing systemic inequities and co-creating a society where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
We believe in these values for ourselves and, explicitly, all others.
Roughly 85% of the people we serve come from marginalized communities, 64% identify as female, and 19% speak a primary language other than English. We serve adults 65 years of age and older, transitional-age youth, children under 18, individuals experiencing homelessness, individuals with disabilities, immigrants and refugees, veterans, and active-duty military personnel.
The Bay Area we boldly serve is a collective of diverse experiences, perspectives, and voices. This is why we have programs like 211, which offers support in multiple languages; Free Tax Help, which provides no-cost tax assistance regardless of status; EFSP, which provides food and shelter in times of extreme hardship; and SparkPoint, which helps build financial stability and enables people to pursue the American dream. We provide all these services regardless of race or gender.
We have stood, and will continue to stand, with those who have been historically and persistently marginalized, as well as those who are still systemically impacted by poverty in our region.
We stand as a bulwark against policies and narratives that erode dignity, opportunity, and human rights.
We Are Here and Will Not Shy Away
As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us, the moral arc of the universe is long, but it bends toward justice. We recognize that this bend doesn’t happen on its own—it requires action, persistence, and courage. We will stand up for justice now as we have done in the past, even when it is difficult or unpopular.
Join Us
We invite you to stand with us and with each other in our vision of building a more equitable Bay Area. Let’s lock arms and lock hearts. Together, we can continue addressing the root causes of poverty, advocating for equitable access to resources, and co-creating a region anchored in the shared values of respect, integrity, accountability, and equity.
We’re ready. Are you?
