Oakland budget cuts threaten nonprofits and social services
Oakland is cutting $2.6 million in funding for 13 community organizations that provide housing, health and other social services as officials attempt to balance the city's budget.
One of the impacted organizations is SOS Meals on Wheels of Alameda County.
"The stories that we're hearing from our drivers, from our volunteers, from our staff who speak to our clients on the phone everyday there's just so much uncertainty," said SOS Executive Director Charlie Deterline.
At the end of January, the Oakland City Administrator informed city council and the mayor that his office was giving contractors 30 days notice that their contracts will be terminated.
The other impacted organizations include Building Opportunities for Self Sufficiency (BOSS), Centro Legal de la Raza, Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ), Case 4 Cannabis, Downtown Oakland Association, Eden I&R, Fam1st Foundation, Friends of Peralta Hacienda Park, Oakland Parks and Rec Foundation, Roots Community Health, Trybe, and the Unity Council.
Deterline told CBS News Bay Area he is hearing from concerned clients like 88-year-old Jonn Hutchinson.
"What I read and see on the TV, what's going on right now, people like me, I'm scared to death," said Hutchinson about the loss of funding.
Hutchinson is a home bound senior. He says he relies on the Meals on Wheels for not only food, but social interaction. He looks forward to his delivery each week.
"So he stands down there, talk through the screen and gives me the food, and I get a chance to see the dog and talk to him," said Hutchinson about the person who usually delivers his food. "It's the only contact I have with people. A blessing."
Deterline took the opportunity to be honest, but still try to ease Hutchinson's concerns.
"We might have some struggles, we're going to need a lot more support, but we're not going anywhere," Deterline told him.
Some city council members say they had no notice or conversations about the decision.
"I was shocked and I was severely disappointed that there would be this unilateral action taken by our city administrator," said District 4 Councilmember Janani Ramachandran.
Ramachandran believes the administrator shouldn't have cut grants that were already in progress.
"Right now we're exploring our options to see if any of these can be reversed, but the city administrator does have a lot of authority to unilaterally do these options based on some of the powers given to him by council. So really it's just encouraging those communication lines to be open," she said.
Oakland relies heavily on community based organizations to handle services that help people experiencing homelessness, youth programs, and programs for seniors.
Deterline says they still have funding from the city for the transportation of their meals, but that's it.
"So the staff that onboards and enrolls clients and does assessments to see how their quality of life is and other help they may need," explained Deterline regarding what will no longer be funded. "Our administrative team, the purchasing of the food, the making of the meals, the packaging that the food goes into, none of that has any support from the city of Oakland anymore if this cut funding doesn't come back."
Deterline knows the services they provide are literally a lifeline for people. When he's not visiting with and delivering food to seniors, he's fighting to figure out how to keep the organization afloat, through grants, volunteers and donations.
"Some things may change but we're not going anywhere," said Deterline.
