Our commitment to serving East Bay veterans through our Oakland office remains a core part of our mission. In the 12 years we have offered services in East Bay, we had our fair share of difficulty in navigating our way through the many communities that make up this region. Early this year, we moved our East Bay Service Center to a new location in Jack London Square to better reach our veterans. We also took on a new and special project in partnership with CalVet and Alameda County to increase collaboration, care, and expertise among providers serving veterans and their families in Alameda County. We look forward to having a deeper impact in East Bay and lending our extensive experience acting as a bridge between the VA and the community.  

In May 2021, more than a year after the opening of the Edwin M. Lee Apartments, we were finally able to celebrate this wonderful project with our partners. Together with Chinatown Community Development Center, CalVet, Mayor Breed, and Speaker Pelosi, we hosted a Grand Opening celebration in cautious COVID style. The beautiful site, which is now home to 62 veterans and 56 low-income families, deserved to be recognized. Despite never having experienced “normalcy” without COVID restrictions in place, the community is thriving.  

In an effort to resume some normalcy and gather our closest friends together, we hosted our annual Veterans Day fundraiser this year in person. We ditched the hotel banquet and instead gathered supporters in the beautiful courtyard of the Edwin M. Lee Apartments for a lovely outdoor reception. Music, awards, great food, and drinks made for a special occasion that assembled many of us to honor and celebrate veterans in person for the first time in two years. We look forward to meeting again in a similar fashion with our supporters in 2022.  

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