Catholic Charities East Bay: 90 Years of Keeping East Bay Families Housed

CCEB has served Alameda and Contra Costa County since 1935. Here's what their housing, mental health, and immigration programs need from donors who want to see impact.

Catholic Charities of the East Bay has been showing up for the East Bay's most vulnerable families since 1935. That is nine decades of rent relief, mental health services, immigration legal aid, family preservation, and youth counseling — in a region that has grown from a mid-century industrial economy into one of the most expensive housing markets in the world, while somehow still leaving hundreds of thousands of families behind. Last year alone, CCEB kept 483 East Bay households housed through emergency rent relief, distributed 64,000 pounds of food, and opened 1,093 new immigration cases (CCEB data, 2025). Givelink, a Transparent Giving Platform that connects donors to verified U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofits with photo proof of delivery, partners with CCEB to connect donors who want to give something specific to the families CCEB serves. Here is the full picture.

Key Takeaways

• 483 East Bay households stayed housed through CCEB rent relief last year (CCEB data, 2025).
• 64,000 pounds of food distributed to families and seniors in crisis.
• 1,093 new immigration cases opened — CCEB provides legal services regardless of faith.
• CCEB serves everyone regardless of religion, race, or background — open to all.
• Givelink donors give 60% more times per year than traditional platform donors (Givelink data, 2026).

What CCEB actually does — the full scope

CCEB's work touches three major areas: housing stability, mental health and family support, and immigration legal services.

Their housing programs help households facing eviction stay housed — covering back rent, security deposits, and utility assistance for families in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties who are one crisis away from losing everything. For families averaging under $27,700 in annual income, a $1,200 rent relief intervention is the difference between staying housed and becoming unhoused.

Their mental health division serves children, youth, families, and caregivers through counseling, restorative practices, and case management — including support for youth and families impacted by community violence. Last year, 74 families who lost loved ones to homicide received counseling through CCEB.

Their immigration legal services help neighbors on the path to citizenship — family-based visas, green cards, DACA applications, and representation for unaccompanied minors.

"If we can track a package, we should track impact."

A donor who gives specific goods to CCEB — hygiene supplies for a family that just avoided eviction, school supplies for a child in a crisis counseling program — sends something the case manager can place in a family's hands the same week.

What CCEB needs from donors right now

Program	Items Needed	Who They Reach
Housing Stability	Hygiene kits, cleaning supplies, bedding	Families avoiding or recovering from eviction
Mental Health	Art supplies, journals, activity books	Youth in counseling programs
Youth Services	School supplies, backpacks	Children in family services
Food Distribution	Shelf-stable food, canned goods	Families and seniors in food crisis
Immigrant Services	Notebooks, pens, printing paper	Clients navigating legal processes
General	Hygiene basics, winter layers, socks	Any client across programs

Why this matters in 2026

SNAP benefit disruptions during the 2025 federal government shutdown created immediate food crises for hundreds of East Bay families who rely on CCEB's distribution programs. Federal immigration policy changes have simultaneously increased demand for CCEB's legal services at a time when funding is uncertain. CCEB's 90-year track record and local infrastructure make them one of the most resilient human services organizations in the region — but individual donor support for specific goods remains a critical complement to their institutional funding.

Givelink in action with CCEB

A donor in Berkeley gave hygiene kits and school supplies through Givelink to CCEB's Alameda County programs. Twelve days later, a photo arrived: the supplies organized for distribution at CCEB's Oakland office. She gave again the following month. Browse CCEB's wishlist on Givelink and give something a family in the East Bay will receive this week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Catholic Charities East Bay need most from donors?

CCEB's most consistent in-kind needs are hygiene kits, cleaning supplies and bedding for families avoiding eviction, school supplies for children in mental health programs, and shelf-stable food for their distribution programs.

Does Catholic Charities East Bay serve non-Catholics?

Yes. CCEB serves everyone who qualifies for their programs regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or background. Their mission is explicitly ecumenical and inclusive.

Is Catholic Charities East Bay a legitimate nonprofit?

Yes. CCEB is a verified 501(c)(3) organization (EIN: 94-2677202) operating since 1935, nationally accredited, and one of the largest human services providers in the East Bay. Their Givelink profile displays Charity Navigator evaluation data.

Give a family in the East Bay something specific this week

Browse CCEB's wishlist on Givelink and give something that arrives in the hands of someone CCEB is already serving.

Stay Human.

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Panos Kokmotos is Co-Founder and COO of Givelink.