East Oakland Pop-Up Care Village at Elmhurst Park
LavaMaeˣ hosted this Pop-Up Care Village on May 28th, 2021
LavaMaeˣ Pop-Up Care Village brings Radical Hospitality® to East Oakland offering showers, haircuts, COVID-19 vaccinations, and more!
Nearly 50% of people experiencing homelessness in Alameda County reside in Oakland, with East Oakland having a significant concentration. At the same time, East Oakland has a strong community of organizers and service providers who work hard to uplift and serve all residents, no matter housed or unhoused.
With our work rooted in Radical Hospitality®—meeting people wherever they are with extraordinary care—and our belief in grassroots collaboration, LavaMaeˣ worked with the City of Oakland and community organizer Aiyahnna Johnson to host a Pop-Up Care Village to bring critical hygiene and wellness services to Elmhurst Park.
“We were connected to Aiyahnna by the city, because she was already utilizing Elmhurst Park to bring food to her neighbors in need.” says Scarlet Corona Ortega, the Pop-Up Care Village Coordinator for LavaMaeˣ, “With the trust she built within her community, and the outreach she provided before and during the event, the event became a huge success!”
Getting the right service mix
For this particular event, LavaMaeˣ aimed to secure a diverse mix of service providers to deliver care to our guests with COVID-19 precautions in mind. At the event guests could shower at the LavaMaeˣ trailer, pick up new clothing and shoes, get a haircut, eat a fresh meal, get their COVID-19 vaccinations, receive eye checks and referrals, seek out employment opportunities, inquire about mental healthcare, and access animal care.
“Guests were definitely hungry and thirsty,” LavaMaeˣ staffer Annie Stickel says, “It seems there is a lack of food and water sources in the community, and guests were extremely grateful.”
Uplifting the community with Radical Hospitality®
Thanks to the hard work and dedication of our event partners, volunteers, and staff, our guests received the extraordinary care and compassion they deserve. Many guests were individuals and families who were experiencing homelessness, were formerly unhoused, have just been recently evicted, or were on the brink of losing their current housing situations.
“Almost everyone I talked to said they were born and raised in the neighborhood, and want to remain a part of it.” Says Annie, “We received a lot of gratitude, with guests asking us to come back and saying how happy they felt at the event. At the end, there were even a few guests who helped us break down and load the truck. They felt the power of the community, and wanted to be a part of it.”
Event impact
62% of guests felt they had increased access to opportunities after the event
59% felt they had an increased positive outlook on the future after the event
59% felt they had an increased sense of community
How To Help
To support our Pop-Up Care Villages, here is how you can help.
You can also host your own Pop-Up Care Village in your own community, we’ll teach you how. You can sign-in to LavaMaeˣ Connect to download our Pop-Up Care Village Toolkit, and contact us to get started!
Experience The Pop-Up Care Village!
Special thanks to
