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It Takes A Village Carnival

Annual Event EST 2016

The MPeters Foundation hosted our annual It Takes A Village Carnival at McClymonds High School. Following a three year hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic, the carnival returned to West Oakland to provide an opportunity for safe, free summer time fun for children and families. Although numerous carnivals and festivals visit Oakland each year, financial hardship and/or a lack of transportation leads many families to miss out on these experiences. It was our hope that they could leave their worries behind as they enjoyed a Saturday filled with fun and fellowship.

Over 300 children attended the carnival to enjoy food and rides. Many parents expressed gratitude to organizer’s and volunteers for hosting an event that was free and easily accessible within the center of the community, stating that they look forward to this event each summer and know that it will be an opportunity for safe, family-oriented fun. We would like to thank our donors and sponsors for their contributions and look forward to continuing to host this event.

E-Football Kickoff

April 29, 2023

The MPeters Foundation hosted our first annual E-Football Kickoff event at McClymonds High School in the hopes of providing a caring, inclusive environment for children and young adults with special needs who are interested in learning football fundamentals. Children and young adults from ages 3 to 25 attended the event and learned techniques such as bag drills and tackling along with other simple drills and passes.

Children with health conditions and impairments such as autism are frequently excluded from team sports such as football, basketball and soccer due to unique social, environmental, coordination challenges. Despite these difficulties, only a few simple modifications and accommodations are required to make the game enjoyable for them. Over 35 children and families attended to participate in a day of fun. The MPeters Foundation hopes to continue to host this event and collaborate with other local organizations and families to provide more frequent opportunities for all children, and particularly differently-abled children, to participate in team-sports.

2nd Annual Coat Giveaway

January 28, 2023

The MPeters Foundation hosted our second annual coat giveaway at McClymonds High School. Our goal was to provide 500 coats to Oakland youth in an effort to ensure that they have coats to keep them warm and protected throughout the winter months. We also hoped to alleviate the financial and mental stress that many local families face as they confront rising living costs and are often forced to make the difficult decision to purchase food, or clothing for their children.

With the help of our sponsor Schnitzer Steel, we were able to raise over $7000, which was used to purchase winter jackets. Approximately 350 families attended the event and were able to select their preferred coat colors and styles. Ultimately, the MPeters Foundation distributed 700 coats to youth living throughout Oakland.