Community Partnerships

Back To School Closet Event
Since 2010, the Community Services Department (CSD) and the San Pablo Youth Commission has supported San Pablo families through the annual Back to School Closet Event. From March-August each year, the San Pablo Youth Commissioners begin a Collections Drive, with the support of San Pablo Rotary and families of Lamorinda, to collect new and gently clothing and items to distribute back to San Pablo families in need, at no cost. Around the beginning of the school year, the Commissioners turn a San Pablo facility into a “store” so that San Pablo families can “shop” for free new and gently used clothes, shoes, toys, school supplies, sports equipment, accessories, and books donated by West County Reads.   In 2019 the event had grown to serve 800 youth and families.

With the help of generous community partners, the San Pablo Youth Commission was able to continue their Back to School Closet in 2020.  Commissioners and staff reimagined the Back to School Closet to serve select San Pablo Beacon Community School students with items to help them this school year.  Through partnerships, Commissioners were able to provide over 250 bundles of shirts, pants, coats, or shoes, new books, and community resources to students most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In 2022, Commissioners were able to support San Pablo students and families with the help of generous partners including Families of Lamorinda, Read Aloud, San Pablo Beacon Community School Directors, San Pablo Senior Advisory Board, San Pablo Police Department Volunteer Association, San Pablo Rotary, Travis Credit Union, and West County Reads.  From September through the first week of November, 300 San Pablo students in need, who attend a San Pablo Beacon Community School or Richmond High School, received personalized bundles of shirts, pants, coats, or shoes, new books, and community resources. 

Youth Summit
The San Pablo Youth Commissioners empower youth to become leaders in their community.  Since 2012 the Youth Commissioners host an annual Youth Summit Event, to support community engagement and youth leadership by facilitating activities to provide insight and suggestions for youth in San Pablo.

Unable to do an in-person event in 2021, Commissioners promoted COVID-19 vaccination information in San Pablo.  By creating banners with vaccination facts posted around the city, partnering with Helms Middle School to support youth vaccination clinics, and teaming up with Contra Costa County Youth and Young Adult Ambassadors to share resources during the Helms Vaccination Event, the Commissioners stretched their creativity and voice to encourage youth COVID-19 vaccinations in our City.   

Family Giving Tree
The Family Giving Tree is a non-profit agency based in Milpitas.  Through community kindness, generosity, and volunteerism, the Family Giving Tree fulfills exact holiday wishes and provides backpacks filled with STEM-based school supplies, to Bay Area families in need. The Youth, School, & Community Partnerships Division has partnered with the Family Giving Tree since 2010.

In August of each year, Staff works with the San Pablo Beacon Directors at each San Pablo school site, along with Richmond High School staff, to provide Family Giving Tree backpacks to those most in need.  Since 2010, the Family Giving Tree has provided San Pablo students with 5,180 backpacks!

Over a period of four months every year, San Pablo Staff outreaches to Community School students (through our Beacon Director’s), and San Pablo Senior clients to collect holiday wishes. The names and the holiday wishes are then uploaded into the Family Giving Tree Database. Since 2010, the Family Giving Tree has provided San Pablo with 5,350 youth gifts and 1,640 senior gifts!

From 2016-2019, the City of San Pablo hosted a Family Giving Tree Holiday Event for San Pablo Community School Youth and families. The event allowed families to pick up their Family Giving Tree student wishes, while enjoying pictures with Santa and Mrs. Claus, holiday arts & crafts, holiday snacks, and chances to win raffle prizes. Due to COVID-19, the Family Giving Tree Holiday Event has been postponed until further notice. 

Family Giving Tree 2021Holiday Drive Update: 

For the 11^th consecutive year, the City of San Pablo partnered with Family Giving Tree, an organization that works to fulfill the specific wishes of low-income, underserved children in the Bay Area. San Pablo Staff reached out to students recommended through local Beacon Community Schools and San Pablo Senior Center clients to collect holiday wishes. In total, 300 San Pablo youth and 200 seniors received their holiday gifts through this partnership. From December 13^th – 21^st, City Staff distributed the senior gifts and Beacon Directors, at each of our local public schools, distributed the student gifts.  In addition, West County Reads donated new books to each gift recipient, Family Giving Tree provided each youth an “essential kit” that included a mask, toothbrush, toothpaste, and hand sanitizer, the West Contra Costa Public Education Fund donated 75 gift cards worth $150 each that were distributed to each school, and Lamorinda families donated 60 youth masks.

Thank you to Family Giving Tree for their continued commitment to serving the San Pablo community, and to partners who contributed to the distributions.  It would not have been possible without support from the West Contra Costa Unified School District, Bay Area Community Resources, West County Reads, the West Contra Costa Ed Fund, and the San Pablo Police, Community & Economic Development, and Community Services Departments.