Community rallies in support of imperiled Oakland youth foundation

OAKLAND, Calif. - A West Oakland nonprofit organization dedicated to investing in underserved youth has rallied robust community support after it was revealed the foundation would lose its funding amid city budget cuts.

The Family First Foundation – co-founded by NFL quarterback and Oakland native Josh Johnson – has worked since 2011 to provide opportunities and aid to youngsters in Oakland. However, KTVU reported in early April that the foundation is set to lose its city funding this year after the city made big cuts for several nonprofits due to budget constraints. 

The news came as a blow to Johnson, who previously told KTVU that he has been supporting the foundation out of his own pocket for years.

"It was a partnership that we took on together with the city in hopes that we will work together," he said.

Soon after the news broke, Northern California boxing promoter Westside Promotions announced it will put on a boxing match and silent auction in Redwood City on April 17 to benefit the Family First Foundation.

"We have some really exciting things being donated by some huge names in boxing," said Westside Promotions Marketing Director Rayana Ragan. "It’s been a long desire of ours to get involved with the youth of our community, so it just kind of came across my desk that there was the opportunity to get involved with Family First, so I reached out and basically just said ‘we want to help you, we want to help promote what you guys are doing.'"

Ragan said she believes in the importance of youth activities.

"To see a kid light up like that…when they find something that they’re passionate about…there’s no reason to take that away from them and I think that’s a huge disservice," she said.

The conviction is one she shares with Family First Foundation program director and Josh Johnson's brother LaRon.

"It changes their life when they come here," LaRon Johnson said. "I grew up in Oakland. You know what’s out there. You know what’s around. It’s easy for us to slip into it. But if we have things to get our mind off that, these typse of programs help these youths. I’ve seen a lot of youths grow going through these programs."

The next big step for the foundation is an Oakland City Council meeting later this month, when they’ll try to make the case for some level of financial priority in city’s budget status.

"We just want to go in there and kind of talk to the city council on how we feel about the budget cut, and why we feel there shouldn’t be a budget cut for the youth so we can keep our community alive," LaRon Johnson said. "I feel like if we cut youth programs, where are our youth going to go?"