Our Stories

The cure for racism is ACTION. Fresno EOC is a Community Action Agency (CAA) and was born from the Civil Rights Movement. The Economic Opportunity Act (EOA) and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 were passed by Congress and CAAs were formed across the nation. The Economic Opportunity Act stated in part: “It is, therefore, the policy of the United States to eliminate the paradox of poverty in the midst of plenty in this nation

Education Journey The story of a local Head Start student has come full circle. A young woman who graduated from Fresno EOC Head Start 0 to 5 in Sanger back in the year 2000 is now employed by Head Start in Madera County as an Area Manager. Evelyn Moctezuma-Cruz received her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education from Fresno State in May. She created a TikTok video, showcasing her academic path which went viral. Watch

Fresno EOC program helps Fresno residents lower their energy bills The scorching hot temperatures in the Central Valley have many of us uncomfortable and in some cases, unsafe! Fresno has seen long stretches of triple digit temperatures this summer. It can put people at risk for heat-related illness and pose problems for those with health conditions. This heat has us cranking up the air conditioner, and it could send utility bills skyrocketing! While fall is

Fresno EOC Foster Grandparent Program National Grandparents Day is celebrated on the first Sunday after Labor Day. This year, it falls on September 12. We are taking the opportunity to recognize some very special volunteers in Fresno EOC Foster Grandparent Program. The program currently has 60 volunteers ranging in age from 60 to 91 years of age, affectionately referred to as grandma or grandpa. They provide mentoring and emotional support to underserved infants, children, and

Fresno EOC is taking on a whole new vibe on the first Thursday of each month! It is one of ArtHop’s newest venues in the downtown area, offering a beautifully landscaped outdoor plaza, where the public is invited to enjoy the work of local artists. The agency held its third ArtHop event on September 2. Hanford resident, Travis Brooks, was the featured musician. The acoustic guitar player blended jazz and blues with folk and rock,

QUEER ECOLOGY The LGBTQ+ Resource Center is getting a wild and colorful new look. Staff members and volunteers are painting a 29-by-11 foot mural inside the Fresno EOC LGBTQ+ Resource Center’s conference room in Downtown Fresno. The art is titled “Queer by Nature.” The staff wanted to create a lush, green space in the resource center to make it feel more organic and inviting. Outreach Coordinator Emily McKay Johnson says the theme stems from queer ecology.

BACK TO SCHOOL The school year is off to a great start for Fresno EOC Head Start 0 to 5 with new safety measures in place. The kids are back on campus at Washington Head Start in Selma, after a year of virtual learning. This year, COVID-19 safety is included in their lesson plans. Classes started August 16, 2021, with masks and stricter sanitizing requirements than ever before. Esperanza Silva is the Teacher Director of

Fresno EOC hosted ArtHop once again in our 1900 Plaza Courtyard. For August, two of our own staff exhibited their talents. Antonio Aguilar (Human Resources) and his wife, Adreana, performed live music for everyone who came through. And Valeria Pedroza (Urban Tobacco Education) exhibited her modern cultural artwork as well as her crafts. In addition, Marcus Esparza exhibited his creative photography. Special thanks to 411 Broadway Ales & Spirits and Café EOC Catering for the

Over the summer, Fresno EOC Street Saints and Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) are hosting Youth Leadership Development Summer Workshop Series. Each of the four hands-on workshop sessions in July and August, held at the Sunset Community Center, will focus on a different aspect of community leadership, such as getting to know the different Transform Fresno projects in the community, how to grow your own food at home, and learning about environmental justice. Fresno EOC Street

In this webinar, we discussed the importance of getting clean air vehicles in the hands of lower-income earners and providing equity in disadvantaged areas. We shared how our agency is moving forward in clean air initiatives, providing electrical vehicle rebates and charging stations. We are excited to be actively engaged in helping residents gain access to EVs through Transform Fresno—a Transformative Climate Community initiative. This partnership with Valley Clean Air Now (Valley CAN) allows eligible

Last year, as schools shutdown across the country, our Summer Meals for Kids program received additional funds during the pandemic to provide meals while the schools were closed. As schools are opening this fall, and we near the end of summer, our Summer Meals and Food Express Bus will go back to pre-pandemic schedule, which serves kids meals during summer and winter breaks. As we look back, we have seen thousands of kids and provided