Our Mission at Urban Compassion Project

At Urban Compassion Project, we are committed to the health, welfare, and empowerment of the unhoused. In building relationships, and bridges to services, we encourage humanity with compassion, and empathy, while promoting community.

We clean the trash that threatens the health and safety of community members and provide wrap-around services for the unhoused. We build community between the unhoused and housed community members and seek to encourage humanity with acts of kindness, compassion, and empathy.

City of Oakland Contract

At the end of 2023 we have been making progress with securing a contract with the City of Oakland to manage 50 hygiene sites throughout the city in 2024. Our responsibilities in this contract include regular maintenance, site selection, outreach, and scheduling mobile shower units. The annual contract is valued between $150K to $200K. However, Oakland requires us to fund the initial program costs and then submit monthly invoices for reimbursement. This presents a challenge, as we currently operate with little funding and will need a boost of support to start the program off right. Despite this, we’re strategizing ways to scale up and meet these requirements.

As we reflect on the past year, our hearts are filled with immense gratitude for the extraordinary community of volunteers, businesses, and key donors who have generously contributed their time, skills, and collaborative spirit to our cause. Your dedication to cleaning and beautifying our community has not made a tangible difference in our encampments, parks, and waterways but also fostered a stronger, more connected community. The total income we took in for 2023 was $172,757 and with your help UCP conducted 133 mutual aide days (an increase of 155%), rehoused 50 individuals, and removed 130.8 tons of bagged waste!  

In January of 2021, Vincent Williams III created Urban Compassion Project in response to the rampant illegal dumping throughout the city of Oakland, primarily where unhoused people were staying. Having experienced long stretches of homelessness himself, Williams wanted to see his unhoused neighbors better connected to the local community while helping to create a healthier, cleaner environment. In a short few months, Williams has already created a regular weekly cleanup that partners Oakland residents with the unhoused in their community to dispose of trash, debris and large items across different locations in the city.

This work connects people who are unhoused with their housed neighbors, building trust and community, while empowering those who are unhoused to care for their spaces around Oakland. Additionally, by cleaning up illegal dumping and helping people who are unhoused to maintain their spaces, Urban Compassion Project discourages continued dumping—the less trash in an area, the less likely people are to add trash to it

While living on the street or out of cars, 20% of those experiencing homelessness nationally reported to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development that they had a serious mental illness. Additionally, unhoused individuals are up to six times more likely than the general population to have serious long-term health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and HIV/AIDs.

In a remarkable journey of hope and renewal, Darlene and her son Kai have moved from vulnerability to stability, embodying the profound impact of our collective support. 

Darlene’s story, once marked by the challenge of living without housing and a critical moment of intervention to protect her during her pregnancy, has evolved into a narrative of strength and positive change. Today, Darlene and Kai are thriving members of a community that stood by them in their time of need.

Urban Compassion Project wants to acknowledge a few of our invaluable partners:

Uptown Downtown Community Benefits District, Keep Oakland Beautiful, Lake Merritt Lodge, PG&E, Livable Spaces, and Utility Construction Services, Rebuilding Together East Bay, Jeweld Legacy Group, whose collaboration has been instrumental this year in our shared vision of a cleaner, greener, and more vibrant community.

Celebrating Community Support with a 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 Living 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.