Kehillah Alum, Emma Goss '11, tells us about her latest project, working with Oakland R&R

My name is Emma Goss, I’m a Kehillah graduate from the class of 2011. You may have received an email from me last week sent from my Jewish service program email (GiveOaklandSomeRR@Gmail.com). I wanted to let you, and everyone at Kehillah know about the work I’m doing with Serve the Moment, a Bay Area Jewish service program dedicated to helping our neighbors in need that have been challenged by the pandemic.

As a Serve the Moment Corps member, I’m partnering with Rogers & Rosewater, an Oakland nonprofit organization that provides more than 200 unhoused people with hot meals, hygiene kits, and other necessities to improve the quality of their lives.

“Give Oakland some R&R” is the name of the donation drive I kicked off Friday, July 9 with a launch event held in Jack London Square.

Held at Broadway Plaza in the park, it was a fun social event with homemade treats, to thank people who pledged to donate, take in on-site donations, and teach people about Rogers and Rosewater/Serve the Moment. Would love to see the momentum continue!

Over the following five weeks we are asking for your support for “Give Oakland some R&R,” to help us reach a goal of 400+ donated items by July 30th, 2021.

These items we are requesting can be new or gently used:

• Socks
• Tents
• Sleeping bags
• Flashlights

These items we are requesting should be new:

• Batteries
• Packaged bottled water
• Earplugs
• Hygiene kits (or separate toothbrush, toothpaste, wipes)