Back-to-School Campus Beautification Week
August 4th-8th, 2025
Location: 24 Oakland schools are signed up to host volunteers for this event.
Description: Support Oakland educators get ready for the first day of school! Volunteers will help clean up campuses, set up bulletin boards, organize materials, and decorate classrooms.
See below to sign up! Make sure to scroll to see all schools that still have availability.
10th Annual Asian-Pacific American Read-In Week
April 28 – May 2, 2025
Location: 18 Oakland schools are signed up to host volunteers for this event.
Description: To honor Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month and Oakland’s vibrant Asian community, the Oakland Ed Fund is hosting the 10th Annual Asian-Pacific American Literature Week. This event celebrates the contributions of Asian-American authors, students, families, educators, and community members.
Elementary schools are welcoming guest readers to share Asian-American stories with students. We invite volunteers to share their connection to Oakland and Asian-American literature. The Ed Fund will provide the books and handle event logistics.
11th Annual Latine Read-In Week
October 7th- 10th, 2025
Location: 14 elementary schools across Oakland
Event Description: Join us in celebrating Latine Heritage Month and Oakland’s vibrant Latine community at the 11th Annual Latine Literature Week! This special event highlights the voices and stories of Latine authors while honoring the contributions of students, families, educators, and community members.
Elementary schools across Oakland will welcome guest readers to bring Latine stories to life in classrooms. Volunteers are encouraged to share not only the books, but also their personal connection to Oakland and the importance of Latine literature.
The Oakland Ed Fund will provide the books and coordinate all logistics—all you need to bring is your enthusiasm for reading and community!
Sign up today and inspire the next generation of Oakland readers!
Oakland Grown: Student Art and Music Festival
October 25, 2025
Location: Oakland Museum of California, 1000 Oak St, Oakland, CA 94607
Event Description: We are seeking volunteers to support our 2nd annual Oakland Grown Festival!
Volunteers will receive FREE entry to the festival, which also includes access to the museum.
There will be a virtual Orientation Session on Thursday, October 23rd 5:30-6:00pm (Google meet information will be emailed after signing up for a shift).
February 10th-14th, 2025
African-American Read-In
Join our Black History Celebration as a guest reader for African-American Read-In Week. Our team will provide the books and share tips before the event.
Special Event Volunteer Opportunities
Join us in making a difference by volunteering for our special events! We host a variety of events throughout the year, such as read-ins and campus beautifications, at schools across Oakland.
How to Sign Up:
- Sign Up for an Event: Browse our upcoming events below and choose one that interests you.
- Register as a Volunteer: Complete the volunteer registration form if you haven’t already.
Career Awareness Fair at Oakland Tech High School
A vital opportunity to introduce 9th grade scholars to diverse and impactful careers across many fields. Join us in sharing your professional journey through an engaging presentation.
When: Wednesday 11/5/25 12:30-2:00pm
Where: 4351 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94611
Further Information and Resources
To support OUSD staff in preparing to welcome students back for the new school year, we host a Back-to-School Campus Beautification Week the week before school begins. Volunteers directly contribute to creating a welcoming environment for students and staff returning to school by decorating bulletin boards, arranging classrooms, cleaning up school gardens, and more.
To celebrate diversity in literature and highlight representation, we host three Read-Ins every year. Hundreds of volunteers read-aloud as special guests to share a lifelong love of reading with schools across Oakland.
Learn more about the next Read-In.
2024-25 Event Schedule
- Latine/x Read-In, Oct 7 – 10, 2025
- African American Read-In, Feb 23 – 27, 2026
- Asian Pacific American Read-In, May 5 – 8, 2026
For questions about our Adopt an Oakland School program, please learn more here or email osv@oaklandedfund.org.