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Contra Costa marks Community Action Month; Opportunity Junction and workforce programs highlighted
Summary
The Board of Supervisors recognized June as Community Action Month and heard testimony from Economic Opportunity Council chair and Opportunity Junction graduate Harriet Davis describing workforce training results and the role of Community Services Block Grant funding.
At its June 24 meeting the Board of Supervisors recognized June as Community Action Month and received presentations on local anti-poverty services administered by the county's Employment & Human Services Department (EHSD) and its Economic Opportunity Council (EOC). Supervisors praised Opportunity Junction and other community partners for job-training and wraparound services that county officials said helped thousands of residents gain employment and access services.
Key points: - Scott Thompson, Interim Community Services Director for EHSD, told the board that in 2024 the county's community action program, working with 11 nonprofit partners, served 15,986 individuals through services that include housing assistance, job training, mental-health supports and food security. He highlighted job-readiness training and child-care supports. - Desiree Medlin, EOC chair, advocated sustained funding for community-action agencies and expanded programs such as Head Start, child care and living-wage pathways. - The board recognized Opportunity Junction, which presented graduate Harriet Davis who described the organization's administrative-careers training program and how wraparound supports (groceries, hot lunches, internship placement) helped her secure a full-time job with benefits.
Why it matters: The County administers federal Community Services Block Grant (CSBG) funding through EHSD and the EOC; supervisors and speakers framed the spending as a relatively small federal investment that yields outsized returns by stabilizing families and moving participants into work and care networks.
Public reaction: Several supervisors recounted local examples and thanked providers and graduates. The board took no formal action beyond the proclamation and recognition.
Ending note: Supervisors asked staff to continue partnering with the EOC and community organizations to maintain and expand community-action strategies.
