Community Partnerships

Sited on the banks of the Oakland Estuary, we are fortunate to be a part of Oakland, and are constantly working towards building enduring connections with the community that we represent.

Community partnerships are a key part of the Oakland Strokes mission. Our partnerships are led by those already working within the Oakland community, and we are delighted to contribute to the longstanding work of local youth organizations in providing high quality supervised physical activity in the local area and at Oakland Strokes venues.

Programs

STEM to Stern

STEM to Stern is a national program in partnership with our sport’s governing body, USRowing. Oakland Strokes is a partner club of STEM to Stern, which works with local middle schools to make rowing programs more accessible, diverse, and competitive. The STEM to Stern program was started in Milwaukee, WI at the Milwaukee Rowing Club as a way to eliminate the barriers of participation and to increase representation on the team. The main barriers to rowing include transportation, swimming lessons and club fees. By creating ways to address these barriers, students are able to participate, regardless of where they are from.

This innovative program includes Strokes coaches leading practice sessions that cover rowing basics on the water, allowing students to gain familiarity and experience on the same rowing equipment used by our high school competitive teams. The “STEM” part of STEM to Stern includes students working with collegiate student-athletes from UC Berkeley, so the young athletes can get exposure to further science, technology, engineering and math skills. Additional information can be found on the program website.

Community Youth Non-Profits

Oakland Strokes coaches, athletes and volunteers can also be found partnering with a number of established community non-profits, including We Lead Ours (WELO), a organization providing children with enrichment programs that use hands-on learning experiences to nurture life skills, East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC), dedicated to developing the social and leadership capacities of youth so that they achieve excellence in education, career, and service to their communities.

In these cases, we work closely with their leadership to establish programs that meet the needs of the people that they serve, ranging from regular open air drop-in sessions to structured weekly physical education using Oakland Strokes provided rowing equipment and coaching staff. 

MORE INFORMATION

We are always delighted to discuss new ways to work in our community, whether locally or at one of the Oakland Strokes locations. If you are interested in finding out more about ways to partner with Oakland Strokes, please reach out to Carla Jourdan.

SUPPORT

The Oakland Strokes Rowing Club is a 501c3 nonprofit organization. If you are interested in sponsoring or contributing to our work, please contact Dana Hooper, our Executive Director.