We are proud and grateful to announce the following new grants and funding partnerships:

Bank of the West: Bank of the West provided continued support to Opportunity Junction in the form of a grant to the Administrative Careers Training Program. Bank of the West’s corporate philanthropy program seeks to respond to economic challenges and promote healthy neighborhoods in the communities served by the bank, funding nonprofits working in a number of areas, including job training and employment.

Read more: New Grants

When you commit to making a small donation every time one of our interns secures a job and rings the bell, you reward the hard work of motivated Contra Costa job seekers that are launching careers that lead to financial security for themselves and their families.

Become a part of their success stories today by joining the Bell Ringers Club!

Read more: Every time the bell rings, a participant earned a job!

An Excel Wizard With Kindness to Spare

The Opportunity Junction family tree has many branches. Everyone from our staff to our Board of Directors to our participants helps make us the organization we are. One group that we couldn’t function without is our dedicated and selfless volunteers. We’ve had countless wonderful people volunteer their time and expertise to help OJ’s participants over the years, people like Mike Carroll. Mike, who teaches Microsoft Excel at our Technology Center, has made an immense contribution to Opportunity Junction.

Read more: September 2021 Volunteer Spotlight: Mike Carroll

Class 65 of the Administrative Careers Training (ACT) program graduated from training on Friday, September 24^th, celebrating over Zoom with friends and family.

Pittsburg City Council Member Juan Banales served as the Special Guest Speaker.

Read more: Administrative Careers Training Class Graduated on September 24

Vickie started over and gained a new career

Vickie Ore started over in her career after nearly 20 years in the grocery industry the only way she knew how: by jumping in head first. “I was petrified to leave what I knew so well, but I also believed this was my opportunity to learn something new and launch my new career,” she shares.

When a friend told her about Opportunity Junction’s Administrative Careers Training program, she applied and began right away That was February, 2020. Vickie had no idea at the time that her leap of faith into change would be exacerbated by the pandemic and the shutdown that followed.

Read more: September 2021 Featured Alumna: Vickie Ore

After two years of partnering with Mt. Diablo Adult Education in Concord, and a year of navigating state regulations, we have launched our own expansion Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Training program in Antioch! Our program provides training as well as extensive social support services and ongoing career advancement support for healthcare careers. This month, we are thrilled to add CNA training to our Antioch office where we have been offering Administrative Careers Training since our launch in 2000.

Read more: Certified Nursing Assistant Expansion Launches in Antioch

We are proud and grateful to announce the following new grants and funding partnerships:

Ahlsten Foundation: Last year, the Ahlsten Foundation provided its first funding to Opportunity Junction, an unrestricted grant which the organization used to address critical needs. This year, they increased their contribution significantly. The Ahlsten Foundation is committed to providing vulnerable people with the resources they need to live healthy and productive lives, and we are proud to continue our relationship with them.

Read more: New Grants

We have an exciting opportunity, and we need your help to collect matching funds from the John Muir Community Health Fund. They want to help us develop sustainable funding to support healthcare job training, and have offered us a $20,000 matching grant to do so.

Read more: Matching Funds Available Now -- for a Limited Time!!

Linh: CNA Alum, Back Stronger than Before!

Linh Luangrath graduated in Class 2 of Opportunity Junction's Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program in Spring 2020. She was quickly hired by Hillendale Home Care in Walnut Creek, working hours that aligned with her family's needs. Because she had earned her CNA certification, she was offered an excellent starting wage. When the COVID-19 pandemic swept the nation, though, Linh faced a tough decision.

Read more: July 2021 Featured Alumna: Linh Luangrath

Dear OJ Supporters and Partners,

Each year, when the end of June brings our fiscal year to a close, I take the opportunity to reflect on the past 12 months. The hardest part, always, is keeping it brief.

Read more: OJ Year in Review: Perseverance and Adaptation