Oakland’s Pregnant & Parenting Teens Receive Education & Support at Cal-SAFE Fruitvale Academy

October 23, 2008 (Oakland, CA) — Alameda County Office of Education announced today the reopening of the successful California School-Age Families Education (Cal-SAFE) program in the Fruitvale/San Antonio neighborhood. The Grand Opening Reception will be on Wednesday October 29th from 3:00-5:00 pm and will be held at the Fruitvale Academy, 2640 International Boulevard East, Oakland, CA 94601 in the Fruitvale Gateway Building.

The Fruitvale Academy is part of the California School–Age Families Education Program (Cal-SAFE), a teen-parent program providing academic instruction and support services for expectant and parenting teens and their children. Cal-SAFE/Fruitvale Academy’s goal is to enable motivated students to complete their high school education, to secure gainful employment, and ultimately, to become fully reliant. In partnership with Even Start, an early childhood development program, parenting teens also get the human development and life skills necessary to cope with their new roles as parents as well as learn how to provide a safe and caring environment for their young children.

The grand opening is spearheaded by Sheila Jordan, Superintendant of the Alameda County Office of Education in collaboration with Brighter Beginnings and The Unity Council.

“Young women are dropping out of high school without completing their essential general education. Once out of the educational system they feel isolated and don’t receive basic support and life skills to move ahead. We have worked on the Cal-SAFE program for over eight years and after many moves, are proud to bring it back to young mothers in the Fruitvale district. We are committed to growing the capacity of the community and with programs like these we pave the way to enriching people’s lives” -Sheila Jordan, Alameda County of Education Superintendent.

For further information, call 510-670-7725.

About Brighter Beginnings: Brighter Beginnings reaches out to vulnerable, low-income families, providing home-based support and center-based services to promote healthy births and the development of babies and young children. Each year the non-profit organization serves over 2,200 low-income families in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties. Funded historically by government grants, Brighter Beginnings has recently expanded its appeals for private donations to add essential services for families in critical need. A professional management staff with decades of experience in non-profit family support groups supervises 50 paid staff members in three East Bay locations - Oakland, Richmond and Antioch. Additional information is available at www.brighter-beginnings.org or by calling 877.427.7134.

About The Unity Council: The Unity Council (also known as The Spanish Speaking Unity Council) was founded in 1964, incorporated in 1967 and received 501(c) (3) tax-exempt status in 1968. Over the years, it has been a non-profit community development organization committed to enriching the quality of life of families in the Fruitvale District of Oakland. Its primary focus has been to create a healthier and safer community for families and residents. The economic and social decline experienced by the neighborhood in the last two decades has been halted, and today an economic and social renewal of the Fruitvale community is clearly underway. The Unity Council has been the catalyst in the rebirth of the Fruitvale area, most notably through its community revitalization strategy including the development of the Fruitvale Village. The Fruitvale Village is a nationally recognized leading smart-growth initiative, consisting of mixed commercial, retail and residential uses adjacent to a major transit hub, the Fruitvale BART station, as well as the revitalization of Union Point Park, one of the Bay Area’s prized open spaces. The Unity Council also implements and manages a comprehensive array of programs which address economic, social, and physical development for children, seniors, workers, and families. For more information, go to: www.unitycouncil.org.