The Big Idea:

We teach the way of Jesus to young people in East Oakland.

We offer a year round youth program free of charge to help 1st through 8th graders grow spiritually, socially and academically.  We offer recreation, tutoring, spiritual teaching, music and lunch in a safe and healthy environment.  Read more about our youth program here.

In conjunction with our youth program we offer a Youth Internship program, giving local 16 to 25 year olds a chance to be mentored and develop leadership skills while serving as leaders to the children in the program.

We offer a basketball team for young men ages 16-25, teaching life skills such as discipline, unselfishness and teamwork.  In 2011 we helped organize a new league, the Oakland Independent League, along with some like minded non-profit organizations and churches in East Oakland.

We host a Discipleship House for young men, offering a safe and healthy environment with opportunities for mentoring, Bible study, prayer and more in a positive community environment

We are getting ready to launch a Mentoring Program, pairing up mature adults with young people form East Oakland for life changing support and encouragement.

Our Philosophy:

Shalom means wholeness or completeness. In the Christian Scriptures the word is used to indicate the presence of peace, salvation, safety and friendship. We work for more Shalom in East Oakland.

We are a member organization of the CCDA (Christian Community Development Association), and as such we value an incarnational approach, living in the neighborhood and forming long term friendships.  We encourage, resource and empower people from our neighborhood to participate in the work of renewal.

We are inspired by the call of Jesus to active discipleship, and we believe God can transform lives.  We hope to lovingly and gracefully help people take their next steps towards following Jesus in every dimension of life, believing that God's Spirit can bring about a spiritual formation that affects every part of life.

We operate in the flatlands of East Oakland, along the Avenues between the 580 and 880 freeways.  East Oakland is notorious for violence, crime, prostitution, illegal drugs, failing public schools and poverty.  We choose to believe that all people were made in God's image, are loved dearly by their Creator and have many talents and abilities to contribute in the Kingdom of God.  Read more about East Oakland here. We currently host our youth programs at 7721-7723 MacArthur Boulevard.