Volunteers packing grocery bags and boxes at the Basic Needs Center.
We are the Community Action Team (CAT) at UC Berkeley’s School of Public Health. Our team includes members of diverse student, faculty, and staff groups. We aim to maximize the wellbeing of all our communities affected by the COVID-19 pandemic by tapping into the UC Berkeley School of Public Health’s individual and collective wellspring of activism, expertise, and commitment to collaboration. We will serve to link members of our CAL community to specific community-identified needs that we facilitate and aim to be a clearinghouse to opportunities for action.
If you are affiliated with UC Berkeley, please join us by writing to engagesph@berkeley.edu. Community organizations are also encouraged to write us at engagesph@berkeley.edu to share ways that we can mobilize efforts to help meet their current priorities.
Actions and Opportunities
Prospective volunteers have two methods of being involved with our efforts:
- All are encouraged to look through the principal domains below and find opportunities that best suit your skills and abilities.
- For UC Berkeley students, staff, alumni or faculty looking for additional opportunities with CAT community partners, please sign up for our weekly mailing list to be matched with additional opportunities to provide community support.
Bringing the skills and abilities of the UC Berkeley team to supporting the needs of vulnerable communities around us. These are needs identified by our community partners.
See opportunities below:
- Blood Drives
- Supporting Basic Needs
- Alameda County Community Food Bank
- Berkeley Mutual Aid Network
- The C-19 Help Squad
- Cal COLA Mutual Aid / Fund – Volunteers Form
- California Volunteers
- Call the Elderly (Background check required)
- City Hope Grocery Delivery
- Driving for The Health Trust
- East Bay Disability Ally
- East Oakland Collective Shopping List on Amazon
- Meals on Wheels of Alameda County
- Meals on Wheels San Francisco
- Oakland at Risk Matching System
- SF Marin Food Bank
- Silicon Valley Strong
- Donate:
Utilizing our skills in qualitative and quantitative research, data sharing and analysis, and multicultural and multilingual skills in supporting efforts to address COVID-19.
See opportunities below:
Responding to the calls of organizers, activists, and community-based organizations that are asking for support advocating to public officials. This is an ideal way to get involved if you have limited flexibility, limited time availability, or want to work remotely in a no-exposure context.
Click here for a link of active petitions, call scripts, and template emails to advocate to local representatives: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1X297IBl61KkH3DPgV-VSdI4Hz4j0KgpLiW4Gt_9xrZA/edit#gid=1240712088
Additional opportunities include:
- If you are a UCB student, staff or faculty member who has signed up by writing to EngageSPH@berkeley.edu, you will receive a regular email listing additional opportunities to join other Cal Bears to provide support to health care providers.
- For other Cal or non-Cal affiliated individuals, please see additional opportunities below:
Community Resources
The Community Action Team has assembled a list of resources for those needing additional information on the COVID-19 crisis. Our team is dedicated to providing accurate and current information to all communities.
- COVID-19 Status in the Bay Area (English)
- COVID-19 Status in the Bay Area (Spanish)
- Covid-19 Resource Toolkit
- COVID-19 Resources for Undocumented Immigrants
- Half Assed Disabled Prepper Survival Tips for Preparing for a Coronavirus Quarantine
- Mapping vulnerable populations
- Spanish language COVID-19 resources
- Preparing for Coronavirus Crisis: As Organizers, It’s Time To Do What We Do Best
- Public Health Awakened and Spirit of 1848 COVID-19 Resources
- Tools for Public Health and Community Action
- Cal COLA Mutual Aid / Financial Emergency Fund – Requests Form
- Climate Justice Alliance Calls for a Just Recovery Response to COVID-19 that Centers the Most Vulnerable
Community Support Groups and Wellness - Coronavirus: Wisdom from a Social Justice Lens podcast from HealingJustice.org
- Coronavirus Resources for Artists, Creative Workers & Organizations
- List of mutual aid pandemic disaster care
- List of resources for artists
- List of resources & solidarity work for various sectors (restaurant workers, co-ops, tech, mutual aid networks, etc.)
- Mutual Aid Sources from Big Door Brigade
- Shared Resources for RN Community of Care
Ongoing Efforts and Achievements
- CAT Youtube Channel
- For the Good of Us All: Addressing the Needs of Our Unhoused Neighbors During the COVID-19 Pandemic
- Medical Experts Warn of Looming Blood Shortage During Coronavirus Pandemic
- On the COVID-19 Front Line and Hurting: Addressing the Needs of Providers for Youth Experiencing Homelessness in Berkeley and Alameda County
Contact Us
Our team of knowledgeable volunteers is dedicated to serving communities and providing help during times of crisis. If you are an organization in need of immediate assistance, please reach out to the Community Action Team at EngageSPH@berkeley.edu.
- Co-Leads: Coco Auerswald, Audrey Cristobal, Quin Hussey, Grace Turkis
- Students: Amia Nash, Aminta Kouyate, Andrea Jacobo, Brie Martin, Brigid Cakouros, Chris Rubeo, Guz Gomez, Jamon Franklin, Julea Vlassakis, Kira Jeter, Maddy Kane, Melissa Leanda, Phoebe Miller, Sarah Ferrell, Aminta Kouyate, Tatyana Roberts, Taylor Young, Brie Martin
- Staff: Emily Chow, Jessie Heminway, Karen Weidert, Maria Hernandez
- Faculty: Hildy Fong Baker, Sandi McCoy & Steve Shortell
- Alumni: Annie Chang