Desley Brooks, Sports Agent Aaron Goodwin & The Goodwin Family Foundation Once Again Make Holidays Bright for 1500 Oakland Families (OAKLAND) -- Last year they adopted 1000 families for Thanksgiving.  This year Oakland City Councilwoman Desley Brooks, Sports Agent Aaron Goodwin and The Goodwin Family Foundation are looking to make the Holidays bright for 1500 Oakland families this Thanksgiving.  Many of our friends and neighbors are finding it difficult to make ends meet, said Goodwin.  Every day we hear stories about people losing their homes; unemployment rates rising, and that things may get worse before they get better, he went on to say.   Brooks said “Aaron and I hope to make the holidays bright by providing the turkey baskets with all the trimmings for 1500 Oakland families”.  Brooks said they had to turn people away last year and that is why they increased the number of families to be served to 1500 this year. To be eligible to receive a Holiday basket you must be: 1) an Oakland resident; 2) with children under 18 years of age; 3) during the last 30 days have a family income that does not exceed 200% of the Federal poverty level. (See chart below.)

Income: Total gross monthly income cannot exceed 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL)	200% FPL Poverty Guideline Chart
	Family Size	Monthly Income Level
	1	$1,805
	2	$2,429
	3	$3,052
	4	$3,675
	5	$4,299
	6	$4,922
	7	$5,545
	8	$6,169
	For Each Additional Person Add	$624

You are also eligible if you are a:

1)      Current CalWORKs Household
2)      Non-Custodial Parent of children in CalWORKS household
3)      Household with children under 18 with household incomes under 200% of the Federal Poverty Level
4)      Families in a reunification process

You MUST bring or fax proof of residency, family size and income to the following locations NO LATER THAN NOVEMBER 10, 2009, to sign-up.  Failure to provide all of the required documentation will make you ineligible for a basket.  Only one Holiday basket per household.


Councilwoman Desley Brooks      Arroyo Viejo Recreation Center
1 Frank Ogawa Plaza, 2nd Floor           7701 Krause St.
Oakland, CA  94605                             Oakland, CA  94605
(510) 238-7006                                    (510) 615-5755
(510)986-2650 (fax)                            (510) 615-5882 (f)

Rainbow Recreation Center         New Beginnings Missionary Baptist Church
5700 International Blvd.                      1028 W. Grand Avenue
Oakland, CA  94621                            Oakland, CA  94608
(510) 615-5751                                   (510) 836-1916 
(510) 636-1562 (f)                                

First A.M.E. Church                          Manzanita Recreation Center
3701 Telegraph St.                               2701 East 27th Street
Oakland, CA  94609                             Oakland, CA  94606
(510) 655-1527                                    (510) 535-5625  
(510) 655-1521 (f)                               (510) 533-4068 (f)

Muhammad’s Mosque #26           The Mario Juarez Selling Team
5100 Foothill Blvd.                               4030A International Blvd.
Oakland, CA                                        Oakland, CA
(510) 436-0206                                   (510) 532-1111
                                                            (1-800) 706-2281 (f)

Word Assembly Baptist Church   East Oakland Youth Development Center
9507 Macarthur Blvd.                          8200 International Blvd.
Oakland, CA  94695                            Oakland, CA  94605
(510) 633-2801                                   (510) 569-8088
(510) 633-2805 (f)                              (510) 632-6942 (f)

“In times like these, we can weather any storm if we all pull together” said Goodwin.