'Just Us & Peace' Event Recap

In September 2020, open. became a primary non-profit partner of the Social Justice League (SJL) as a pledge to take action against racial injustice and inequality by building connections, sharing resources and unlocking value in our communities through local grassroots initiatives. The Social Justice League is a burgeoning community of socially conscious individuals passionate about impacting their communities and creating real change. The values and vision of SJL aligned seamlessly with open. and it was only natural for us to join their movement.

One of the biggest issues facing minorities and the lower and middle-class right now is food insecurity.  Hunger is a nationwide crisis that has been exacerbated by the pandemic and is currently affecting around 50 million Americans. With parents out of work, school meal programs suspended, and increasingly long lines at food pantries more and more kids and adults lack access to needed nutrition. We spoke with teachers, administrators, and community leaders in LA to understand how big of an endemic food scarcity is for inner-city kids.  Food is a necessity and a lack of access leads to difficulty paying attention in school, diminishing energy and motivation for physical activity, and stunted mental and physical growth.  We listened to the community on what their needs are and acted accordingly so we could deliver the most value to those in need.     

Just Us & Peace: South LA 

September 27, 2020

open. and SJL teamed up with two community influencers in Joe Moses (rapper) and Keone Kela (MLB pitcher), both from South LA, as neighborhood ambassadors so they could communicate best what their community needs.  With that insight, we hosted a multi-purpose community event in South Central LA to serve over 500 families from the area. We helped raise $27,000, which was all used for direct community impact, such as services and products free for the community: voter registration, census services, covid-19 testing, haircuts, food and drinks, PPE masks & health supplies. Plus swag from local partners such as the LA Clippers, Gatorade, and Cote Quest, among others.

Every $1 raised was distributed across a variety of direct, local services which maximized the value made in the community. We were able to hire barbers, nail techs, restaurants, food trucks, and other local vendors to provide their products/services free to the event attendees.   

 

Just Us & Peace: National Hunger Relief

November 21, 2020

In our most ambitious event to-date open. joined the Social Justice League, Impact6, and Farmlink to organize a Thanksgiving national food drive in 9 major, metropolitan cities to provide essentials to families in need. These essentials included: food (produce, turkeys, and hot meals), personal protective equipment, clothing, and additional supplies to families in need. Our organizations were able to create a grassroots movement by activating our networks to setup locations in: Los Angeles (Two sites - Watts & Crenshaw), Oakland, San Francisco, Portland, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta, Washington DC & Brooklyn. 

Ken Marshall helping lead food distribution at the Watts location of the National Hunger Relief effort.

Ken Marshall helping lead food distribution at the Watts location of the National Hunger Relief effort.

Overall 9-City Impact:

  • Served over 10,000 families across the country

  • 100,000 lbs of Groceries

  • 15,000 Bombas Socks

  • 2,000 open. PPE Masks & Handwipes

  • 3,000+ Earbuds for Virtual Learning

  • 2,000 Custom Reusable Grocery Bags

  • 1,000 Locally Catered Hot Meals

  • 500 Kids’ Swag Bags

  • Georgia Voter Registration through People’s Uprising

  • Safe Door-to-Door Grocery Drop-offs to Senior & Handicapped Residents

Andrew Schleichercommunity event, food insecurity, national hunger relief