We are very pleased to announce that Anthony A. Ahkoi has been selected as the new Food Pantry Manager for Prescott-Joseph. Anthony replaces our former Food Pantry Manager, Michael Starkey who moved back East.

In addition to managing the food pantry activities, Anthony will also coordinate the West Oakland Disaster Preparedness Initiative. We are very pleased to have Anthony as part of our team!

Front Row: Antionette Garner (ARS Family Advocate), Rosalinda Camarillo (ARS Program Specialist II - Bilingual), Doniece Hill, (ARS Family Advocate)

Back Row: Spring Washam (ARS Program Coordinator), Zakkiyyah Nazeeh (ARS Clinical Director), Danielle Bendorf (ARS Family Advocate)

We are very pleased to introduce the new Another Road to Safety team who joined the program in February 2007. They bring a wealth of skills, experience, enthusiasm, and dedication to our West Oakland families!

We welcome them to our team!

Download the PDF

20% of the children and 37% of the adults in West Oakland have asthma. Children in West Oakland are seven times more likely to be hospitalized for asthma than any other children in California. The Oakland-Berkley Asthma Coalition reviewed hospitalization rates for Alameda County in 1999-2001 and found a 28% increase in West Oakland over data collected by RAMP in 1994-1996. The rate of African Americans in Oakland is 1235 per 100,000 for children 0-14 years compared to a California State wide rate of 111 per 100,000. The second highest rate is in Latinos.

Data from the Department of Health Services of the State looking at ER Visits, Hospitalizations and medication purchases show that generally speaking, Zip Code 94607, ranks very high for events reflecting severe asthma and/or poor access to preventive care, and ranks very low for events reflecting the standards of care (such as maintenance medication purchases).

The demographic composition of West Oakland is 64% African Americans, 16% Latinos, 9% Asian/Pacific Islanders. Poverty is a serious problem, 71% have incomes less than $30,000 and 50% have incomes less than $11,399. Almost half (45%) of residents 25 years and older do not have high school diplomas.

West Oakland is a Community affected by air pollution from the intersection of multiple freeways. In the area 10,000 diesel trucks per day move in and out of the Port of Oakland with diesel emissions from ships going into the Port and non-vehicular diesel emissions from construction sites in and around West Oakland.

This community is disproportionately affected by asthma and is historically underserved. A survey of providers serving patients in this community shows that only one provider is located in the heart of West Oakland, West Oakland Health Center. This institution lacks an allergist, a pulmonologist and a pulmonary function laboratory. Over 70% of residents in West Oakland are covered by MediCal.

The West Oakland Asthma Coalition has been in existence since 2001 and is very active in the community, particularly with asthma education in the schools and at the pre-discharge clinic at Children’s Hospital Oakland (CHO). We have shown in consecutive years how effective 1:1 education by dedicated educators and follow up can be with re-hospitalizations rate of 4% in 2005-2006 and 8% in 2006-2007.

There are so many diseases that we can not control but asthma is a controllable disease. We can drastically reduce medical costs, absenteeism and morbidity by managing asthma. Just last week, concern has been expressed by OUSD about the absenteeism of children at Prescott Elementary due to asthma. Nikala is a typical 8 year-old who often finds herself out of medication. Her grandmother, who is her primary caregiver frequently, does not have money for bus fare to take her to CHO out patient clinic.

While we are working on improving the environment, we can reduce current barriers of cost, distance to clinics and inadequate medical care by providing a well-equipped clinic with asthma expertise on board. This will ensure that even poor patients can receive the health care they require. A mobile clinic can provide follow up care, case management services and education about asthma management.

The solution is the Breathmobile™ concept that has been operational for years in Los Angeles County, governed by a partnership of LA County, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of American, LA County School District and University of Southern California.

In my opinion, it is inexcusable to have a disease like Asthma that is controllable and not do something about it. We have the ability to bring this disease under control and drastically reduce the cost to our community. The first step is to create a mobile clinic to serve our community.

You are cordially invited to a reception for Frances Dunham Catlett.

On July 7, 2007 at 2:00-4:00PM.
At the Prescott-Joseph Center, we will dedicate one of the
front parlor rooms to her.

This is the second room dedicated to an outstanding Bay Area
Artist. The first front parlor room was dedicated to
Claude Clark in December 2000.

We are very pleased that Frances has accepted this honor.

St. Patrick / Prescott-Joseph Center
Summer Activities Camp
July 2 – Augest 10, 2007
Monday - Friday

Indoor Soccer Skill Camp
1 – 4 PM
Ages 8-11 yrs.
Boys & Girls
30 Students
eld at Fr. Howard Center, St. Patrick Campus

Basketball Skill Camp
9 – 12 PM
Ages 8-12 yrs.
Boys & Girls
30 Students
Held at Fr. Howard Center, St. Patrick Campus

Theater Camp
10 – 2 PM
Ages 8-18 yrs.
Boys & Girls
15 Students
Held at Sr. Thea Bowman Theater, Prescott-Joseph Center
No acting experience necessary.
Experienced Coaches and Theater Director

Youth can sign up for only ONE activity.

Your are cordially invited to come and tell your story of the good old years of living in West Oakland, picnics at Defremery Park, the school days, the happenings on 7th Street, family things, important and simple things and events, places and people that contributed to our traditions and cultural values and anything else that is cause for remembering how it was. We do not want to forget and we should keep the memories alive because it is part of our history. These Stories will be remembered and shared with other seniors who lived in West Oakland before the 1950’s.

DATE: June 9th, 2007
TIME: 2:00p.m. - 4:30p.m.
PLACE: Prescott-Joseph Center for Community Enhancement, Inc.
920 Peralta Street, Oakland CA 94607

Tea and Coffee, Breads, Cookies, Jams, and Fruit will be served.

Space is limited to 15 guests. A 10-minute story would be great. Please call and make your reservations.
(510) 208-5651 (510 835-8683

This well attended event held at the Lake Merritt Hotel was very successful in every way. 148 people attended. Supervisor Keith Carson was among the attendees which included Chet Hewitt, Director of Alameda county Social Services agency, Mark Friedman, Director of Every Child Counts, and Harold Jones, Deputy Executive Director of External Affairs, Port of Oakland.

Attendees felt the venue could not have been more perfect. The food and service were magnificent. Marlena Shaw and her band were very enjoyable. Queen Thurston and Ellen Wyrick Parkinson were honored as Community Persons of the Year for years of service to the West Oakland community. Frances Dunham Catlett was honored as artist of the year.

Mayor Ron Dellums issued a proclamation naming April 26, 2007 as Washington Burns M.D. day. Supervisor Keith Carson presented a proclamation naming April 26, 2007 as Prescott-Joseph Center Day. Harold Jones of the Port of Oakland presented Executive Director, Washington Burns, a Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Contributions To the Health and Well Being of West Oakland Children.

Frances Dunham Catlett

Frances Dunham Catlett, 98 year old painter still actively painting, was featured in the Prescott-Joseph Center’s All Women’s Show for 2007. She was recently honored as artist of the year by Prescott-Joseph Center.

One of the front parlor rooms at the Prescott-Joseph Center will be named The Frances Dunham Catlett Art Room. The Claude Clark Memorial Art Room honors the late famous African American artist Claude Clark who lived in Oakland.

The dedication ceremonies for Frances Catlett will take place Saturday, June 9, 2007 at 4:30pm.

If so, the West Oakland Food Pantry is the place for you! The pantry is a program of the Prescott-Joseph Center and opened in August of 2006. Our activities include a large monthly distribution of food boxes, support for various programs at the Center such as snacks and lunches for the Saturday reading program, and providing food to people on an as needed basis.

We Need Your Help! — Please Consider Making a Donation
Every month we buy food to give to people in need who live in West Oakland. We purchase food at the food bank, partner with sustainable and community agricultural groups, buy wholesale, look for sales, and most importantly accept donations.

If you can, here are some suggested items for donation:

* Canned food — vegetables, meats, soups, fruit, sauces
* Fresh produce — oranges, melons, corn, broccoli, greens
* Frozen food — meats and other protein sources
* Dry goods — cereal, pasta, rice
* Drinks — juice, soy milk, health shakes

Please contact us at 510-835-8683 or mstarkey@prescottjoseph.org for more information.

Through Women’s Eyes

Featuring

Frances Dunham Catlett

aka Mrs. Matt Crawford

The show is up Thursday, March 1 through Thursday, May 3, 2007.

We invite you to attend our

Free Public Reception and Book Signing

Friday, March 16, 2007

6:00 - 8:00 pm

Painters:

Susana Aragon
Carol Brighton
Corinne Innis
Mary Risala Laird
Jessica Raphael
Julia Storrs
Sylvia Sussman
Orlonda Uffre

Through Women’s Eyes

Featuring

Frances Dunham Catlett

aka Mrs. Matt Crawford

Thursday, March 1 through Thursday, May 3, 2007

Free Public Reception and Book Signing

Friday, March 16, 2007

6:00 - 8:00 pm

Prescott-Joseph Center for Community Enhancement
920 Peralta Street
Oakland, CA 94607
(510) 835-8683
drburns@prescottjoseph.org

Painters:

Susana Aragon
Carol Brighton
Corinne Innis
Mary Risala Laird
Jessica Raphael
Julia Storrs
Sylvia Sussman
Orlonda Uffre