Transforming Lives with Every Donation in the Bay Area

Your contributions have a tangible, immediate impact on the lives of those we serve. From providing food and hygiene essentials to supporting health clinics and legal aid, your generosity becomes the lifeline for many in our community.

Impact in the Numbers

In 2023, we completed 77 cleanups, removed over 130 tons of waste, collected 5,450 bags of debris, and rehoused 50 individuals, with a 155% surge in mutual aid days, catalyzing transformative change in Oakland.

A huge thank you to all that have helped us create such an impact on the greater Bay Area. Whether you’re looking to give back, learn more about environmental preservation, or support our cause, there’s a place for you in our community.

Empowering Communities & Partnerships

Your business can play a crucial role in our mission. From joint initiatives to sponsorships,  learn how we can create meaningful change together.

Check out our Volunteer & Event Calendar and join us!

From community cleanups to fundraising events, stay updated and join us in making a positive impact around the greater Bay Area.

Uniting for a Cleaner, Kinder Community

Urban Compassion Project (UCP) connects the Oakland and broader Bay Area community with their unhoused neighbors through weekly cleanups, rebuilding trust while discouraging illegal dumping.

We host weekly resource distributions and partner with people and businesses to connect those in need with clothes, hygiene items, haircuts, and hot meals. We advocate for the communities we engage with and work to link individuals with housing services if requested. We’d love to have you join our mission, here are ways you can help us grow our impact,  

 

Make A Donation

Every dollar you donate helps us remove more waste, house more individuals, and extend our reach to those in need. Join us in creating a safer, cleaner, and more compassionate world.

Become A Volunteer

Volunteering with us means sharing compassion and building bridges. We have remote and in-person volunteer opportunities and are actively growing our team. 

Support Our Wishlist

Our Amazon wishlist has super  essential items that directly support our daily operations and those we serve. This is a great way to contribute and we appreciate the help.

Join Our Newsletter

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Media Highlights

See How We’re Making a Difference One Project at a Time

At UCP, every initiative, big or small, contributes to our overarching mission of uplifting and supporting our community. As we grow and evolve, our website will too. Keep an eye on this space for the latest updates and stories of change.

Housing for all of us.

Support our mission for universal housing through our case management programs.

What are ways I can help out?

Support our mission online or in the community!

Your support—donating, volunteering, sharing—directly uplifts those in need.

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"The work you do is so immensely valuable. Thank you for serving the unhoused and the City of Oakland."

Jasmine Stitt

"The work you do is so immensely valuable. Thank you for serving the unhoused and the City of Oakland."

Jasmine Stitt

"Met at Keep Oakland Beautiful event. Really inspired by the work you do."

Anonymous

"I will send in a monthly contribution. I am not the type who wants to volunteer at this time but at least I can help financially. Thank you. Gage"

Joseph (Gage) Stephens

"Heard Vincent speak at Amy Cheney event. Love the work you do and the spirit in which you do it."

Joan Galvez

"Love what y'all do. It was an honor meeting and recording a podcast with Vincent (Storied: SF)."

Jeff Hunt

"This is to honor Teddy Bear. He seemed to have really turned his life around, and you and your extended community helped make it happen. In solidarity . . . PM"

Phyliss Martinez

"This is in memory of our sister-in-law, Jennifer Cole, who volunteered with your organization."

Graham & Amy L. Huey

"I appreciate everything this organization does to help our community members"

Anonymous

"Thanks for all your hard work"

Anonymous

"Thank you Vincent and team for all your work at Fitzgerald Park. You are saving lives."

Chris Moore

Read the latest news and hear community voices:

Community Cleanup at Grove Shafter Park

Community Cleanup at Grove Shafter Park

A Collaborative Effort for a Greener Oakland A Rainy Day for a Cleaner Oakland Even the rain couldn't dampen the spirits of the dedicated volunteers who gathered...

From unhoused and drug addicted to Oakland Person of the Year

Read about the key moments in Vincent’s life that shaped his mission. Click to step through his story.

A native of Oakland born at Highland hospital, at 6 months old, Vincent was placed into foster care. At age 9, he became unhoused, and would remain that way until he was 33. The whole time, Vincent cycled through the system of countless foster homes, group homes, juvenile halls, and mental health facilities, along with a 19 year drug addiction.

In 2019, after serving 4 years 8 months and 19 day on a 7 year sentence in the California Department of Corrections, Vincent was released, only to find himself unhoused again, with no resources, and afraid that he would find himself battling life on the streets again.

 

Vincent saw the state of his community, noticed the lack of care given to public spaces, and decided that he would focus on making them safer, humane spaces for all. His experience was one that told him that if there was any real chance for change, it would have to start with a model of individual care. So he began cleaning parks, and encampments, spending hours pulling tons of trash and debris out of these areas. He would involve the unhoused in these areas, and never left without making sure they had the tools and equipment needed to continue sustainability efforts themselves. And so was birthed Urban Compassion Project. Vincent’s vision for starting community based projects was to inspire the community in pitching in our public spaces. That everyone, regardless of age, race, sexual identity or economical class, had a safe space to be part of community.

Vincent now brings with him the knowledge he learned as Operations Manager and Benefits manager at The Oakland LGBTQ Community Center. A center that he largely accredits to his personal growth and in helping him express himself through community based work with love and compassion.

Vincent has received commendations from the City of Oakland for his heroism and making the city cleaner, greener and culturally rich. He has also  been awarded Person of the Year by The Coalition for a Better Oakland and received a Jefferson Award in 2021 for his community work. Vincent has a passion for selfless work in society and human rights. He is a champion for at-risk youth and a firm advocate for the rights and just treatment of people of color, as well as the unhoused.

To discuss public speaking engagements and district work and trainings, please contact Vincent at Vincent@urbancompassionproject.org to schedule a meeting.

Photography by Michelle Kilfeather

    People Housed

    Tons of Trash Removed

    Volunteer Participation

    Frequently Asked Questions:

    How will my donation be used?

    Donations are crucial for funding our cleanups, resource distributions, and case management services. Your support helps us provide essentials like food, clothing, and hygiene products, and contributes to our efforts in rehousing. 

    Is my donation tax-deductible?

    Yes, we are a 501(c)(3) charitable organization, your contribution to UCP is tax-deductible.

    Tax EIN 86-2807260

     

    Can I volunteer my time instead of donating money?

    Absolutely! We value the time and skills of our volunteers. There are many ways to get involved, from participating in cleanups to assisting in our administrative tasks. 

    Celebrating Community Support with a Shining Spotlight on Jen Cazeres and Livable Spaces

    Livable Spaces has been a cornerstone in our community efforts, providing unparalleled support in mutual aid and resources. Alongside, Jen Cazeres stands out as our premier donor, whose contributions have filled many hearts with hope and aid. In 2023, her generosity accounted for nearly half of all distributed items, showcasing the strength of collaboration in driving meaningful change. Thank you Jen and Livable Spaces for being such a major impact in our community.

    Discover the transformative work of Livable Spaces and how Jen Cazeres’s expertise as a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization® and Certified Virtual Organizing Professional™ is making a difference in our community and beyond. Explore Livable Spaces and see how organized spaces lead to transformed lives.