Over seventy people attended the grand opening celebration of Belle Haven Action’s (BHA) offices at 907 Newbridge Avenue in East Palo Alto, California. Cecilia Taylor, Executive Director and CEO made some remarks acknowledging the six year history of the organization. BHA began with housing advocacy for homeless seniors in the Belle Haven community. The organization continued to shape the Belle Haven neighborhood with housing application assistance, and then expanded to transportation initiatives around safer circulation for pedestrians and drivers.
The Belle Haven neighborhood historically has suffered from air quality issues and BHA expanded their work to include climate resilience projects like the distribution of air purifiers and air pollution. They encourage civic engagement and outreach with current and future voters and successfully registered a number of new resident voters.
The organization also focuses on health and wellness initiatives and has conducted COVID-19 testing and vaccine outreach. They also advocated and introduced a program to get breakfast for schoolchildren who were commuting by bus to schools outside the neighborhood. In 2024 Belle Haven Action wants to acquire/obtain/purchase a Mobile Health Clinic until a permanent facility is built in and for the Belle Haven neighborhood.
In addition to these projects, Belle Haven Action has led leadership and legacy initiatives which have included naming a park for a local hero, Mr. Karl E. Clark, dedicating a storyboard to Mr. Clark’s history of service to the country and the community, and supporting racial justice efforts through support for the California Reparations Task Force and partnerships with other Black-led organizations like the NAACP.
A link to the event slideshow is below:
Also shown were the presentations from the Partnership for Climate Justice in the Bay summer fellows from Stanford Students Edward Apraku
and Shefali Doshi
Elected officials in attendance were Millbrae Vice Mayor Maurice Goodman, Sequoia Union School Board Member Vice President Shawneece Stevenson, and Menlo Park Fire Protection District Board Member Robert Jones. Menlo Park Mayor Jen Wolosin, and East Palo Alto Mayor Lisa Gauthier.
