Community Event Spotlight
Options at Oakland’s 7th Annual Community Block Party
Options Recovery Services was proud to serve as a co-sponsor of this year’s event at DeFremery Park in West Oakland.
On Saturday, May 30th, Options Recovery Services joined community partners, neighbors, and families at DeFremery Park in West Oakland for the 7th Annual Oakland Community Block Party — one of the East Bay’s most anticipated free community gatherings of the year.
Hosted by the Alameda County Public Defender’s Office under Public Defender Brendon Woods, the annual block party has grown into a cornerstone community event since its first edition in 2016. This year’s gathering drew hundreds of attendees from across West Oakland and the broader East Bay for an afternoon of live music, food, family activities, and direct access to vital resources and services.
The Options Recovery Services table at DeFremery Park, ready to welcome the community.
As a co-sponsor of the event, Options Recovery Services set up a resource table staffed by Housing Director Barbara Madieros and volunteers Kelly Garza and Scott St. Clair. The team engaged with community members who were curious about recovery services, whether for themselves or someone they care about, and shared information about the full range of programs Options offers across the East Bay.
More than 40 organizations turned out at DeFremery Park to connect East Bay residents with resources, services, and community.
Beyond connecting with individuals and families, the day offered a valuable opportunity to network with fellow community organizations. Options connected with a coalition of like-minded partners including Five Keys, Baywell Health, Bay Area Community Services (BACS), Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY), Rubicon Programs, La Familia, BOSS (Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency), Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ), Oakport, Brotherhood of Elders Network, and the Oakland Public Library, among many others. These are organizations that share our commitment to equity, reentry, and removing barriers to success for East Bay residents, and conversations at events like this one open doors to collaboration that can extend and deepen the services we collectively provide.
Connecting with neighbors and fellow advocates throughout the afternoon.
Options was featured among the co-sponsoring organizations on the official event tote bag.
The Public Defender’s Office also offered on-site criminal record repair through its Clean Slate Unit, know-your-rights immigration trainings, a free health and vaccine clinic, book giveaways, a bicycle raffle, and activities for kids including face painting and a bouncy house. DJ Rack 12 kept the energy high throughout the afternoon.
It was a genuinely good day. Great weather, great food, and a park full of neighbors looking out for one another. For an organization that has served people in recovery and reentry across the East Bay for nearly three decades, being part of a moment like that is exactly where we belong.
If you or someone you know is looking for support with substance use disorder, Options Recovery Services is here. Learn more about our programs and how we can help.