Community Non-Profit Partners

FACES of the East Bay

Family Art Culture Education Spirituality

Our Mission

The mission of FACES is to provide holistic, integrated programs and services that enhance and empower individuals and families throughout the Easy Bay. FACES programs and services are offered through artistic and cultural activities and are designed to:

  • Promote the adaptation of a healthier more nutritious lifestyle by providing fresh foods and vegetables to the community;
  • Improve family relationships and stability;
  • Provide and strengthen educational skills;
  • Offer exposure to non-denominational universal spiritual principles that support, guide and inspire wise and productive decision-making

FACES uses art, culture, education, and spirituality to promote programs and services that empower and uplift the lives of individuals and families. FACES addresses the concerns and issues of the dynamic multicultural East Bay community by encouraging citizens to be actively engaged in creating harmonious urban environments that improve the lives of all people.

The FACES Story

In 1998, the leaders of East Bay Church of Religious Science established FACES as a 501c3 California non-profit benefit corporation. It was envisioned that it would serve as the social service and community benefit arm of the church. The goal was for FACES to provide programs and services to uplift, empower and enhance the lives of disadvantaged community members. Since its inception FACES has mobilized and collaborated with city, state and federal agencies and commissions; community-based arts, health, and social change organizations; educational institutions; public and private funders; the service groups of faith-based organizations and talented individuals. These collaborations have engaged FACES in offering creative, innovative, whole systems programs bringing together an array of resources that meet the needs of the community. As a result, FACES has succeeded in establishing a reputation for offering quality innovative trainings, workshops, and service programs. The following list provides an example of the many was that FACES has achieved its mission and served the community:

Click on the bars below for more information

FACES hosted Breaking Bread Together events to promote fellowship. These events were held in the kitchen then flowed out into the Fellowship Hall where they became monthly opportunities to get to know one another. The overflow pantry was an opportunity to being fresh foods and vegetables into our neighborhoods to promote the adaptation of a healthier and nutritional lifestyle. Going on 10 years strong, the Overflow Pantry has given out 1000s of bags of fresh produce and staples. The pantry is managed by our volunteer Food Angels who hand out bags on the 1st & 3rd Wednesdays.

The collaboration between FACES and StopWaste has funded our efforts to provide healthy food to the community. Through this collaboration we have expanded our ability to store and transport fresh food.

On location, FACES adopted The Hidden Garden to create an urban gardening program based on spirituality and healthy food consciousness. This garden connects children and others with the spirituality of nature. The aim is to create urban gardens that focus on the creativity of spirit and to understand the natural order of life by understanding the nature order of nature sustaining itself.

FACES provided monthly Family Fun Nights to promote building healthy families. Our program used music, creativity, and art to connect families together coupled along with workshops on spiritual education. We sponsored a Girls Rites of Passage Program for 12-17 years old girls. The program focused on developing self-esteem, critical thinking and decision-making skills, cultural awareness and healthy lifestyle choices.

As a community service FACES worked with King Estates Middle School in Oakland to bridge services between the community and Foster youth who were struggling in citizenship. FACES partnered with the members of the East Bay Church Religious Science to provide mentorship, lunch and after-school engagement workshops. In our theme to strengthen bonds FACES held monthly workshops on Building Healthy Families to foster positive communication geared at creating family unity, family togetherness and community connectivity.

Through the years FACES has hosted various children programs. Staying in line with our commitment to Culture we hosted After-school Music Lessons taught by local artists. In addition to the creative instruction, FACES held leadership forums for teens. Through the holidays we also hosted Theater Camps, Summer Camps and Winter Arts Camps focusing on dance, art, and vocal instruction. Each year FACES sponsors a community cultural celebration of Nguzo Saba (the principles) of Kwanzaa. This celebration takes one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa and creates a family focused event of dance, music, poetry, history, and community dedication.

As a New Year renewal process, FACES hosted a series of workshops on building health and wellness practices through our Jump Start Your Life Empowerment Workshops. This series invited masters from the area to share their gifts and strategies for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

FACES engaged local realtors, lenders, non-profits and City agencies to make presentations at the First Time Buyers program. These monthly orientations assisted first time home buyers through the entire process of purchasing their own home.

FACES created the Building Healthy Family Training Program to teach community-based organizations how to use culturally relevant and responsive strategies to meet the needs of urban families. Topics included:

  • Using client culture to understand family dynamics
  • Service delivery to support family cohesion
  • Strategies for addressing societal issues and challenges.

FACES acted on its commitment to building community health by creating Together We Can Heal the Heart. This was a series of diversity workshops which focused on healing racial wounds and rage.

In an effort to address the concerns of racial inequities as brought up by the death of Oscar Grant, FACES joined a collaboration with the SHIFT Network’s Summer of Peace, to hold open forums and became ambassadors for peace. Through this collaboration FACES became Community Peacekeepers for Oakland.

FACES also held diversity training, funded through the San Francisco Foundation, to build cross-cultural relationships. These workshops gathered various people from the Bay Area’s multi-cultural community. The directors of FACES were active participants in helping to bridge the gap between Oakland city officials and the organizers of and participants in the Occupy Oakland movement.

From its inception, FACES has always held a strong commitment to family reunification. During the years, we have interfaced with many programs. In our partnership with the Maximizing Opportunities for Mothers (Moms) our educators provided training to begin the healing process between moms and their children to reconnect and build a healthy environment. These trainings provided services and resources to support parents in healing the effects of emotional separation.

Coupled with the MOMS partnership, FACES created the Reuniting Families Project. This project created a loving space for children. It helped them to process the grief, anger, and frustration created by having to live without the love and guidance of a parent. The project focused on positive communication, family counseling and also hosted family bonding events.

Our Board of Directors

Rev. Ona Afrae

Practitioner

Rev. Ona Afrae

Ona has been an EBCRS Practitioner since 2009. After witnessing several transitions of young adult family members, Ona has actively sought out coping strategies to comfort the loss of children. “Grief can be paralyzing, yet the healing of God is more powerful than any experience”.

Gloria Eagles, RScP

Practitioner

Gloria Eagles, RScP

Gloria Eagles, RScP has been a Licensed Practitioner for 15 years, dedicating her practice to service. Acknowledging the presence of God in all creations. She is currently available to see clients.

Evelyn Wesley, RScP, Emeritus

Practitioner

Evelyn Wesley, RScP, Emeritus

Evelyn Wesley, RScP, Emeritus became a licensed Religious Science practitioner in 1998. She has taught classes, presented workshops, worked with the World Ministry of Prayer and is the current president of FACES of the East Bay. Evelyn Wesley, RScP, Emeritus is currently available to see clients.

Lenel de Emma

FACES

Lenel de Emma

Lenel de Emma is a retired owner and director of childcare programs who has also supported many families, the elderly and disabled community as a Care Consultant and licensed insurance agent. For 15 years or more she has enjoyed participating in the activities of FACES.

Mutima Imani

FACES

Mutima Imani

Mutima Imani is a Social Justice Visionary, Master Trainer and Facilitator working to Heal the Heart of Humanity by providing 21st Century Tools for Personal/Professional Development and Transformation.

Brenda Byes

FACES

Brenda Byes

Brenda Byes is a retired entrepreneur and businessperson. She joined the FACES Board to use her volunteer energy to assist in meeting the needs of the community. She became a board member when FACES experienced a transition in leadership.

Kwame Nitoto

FACES

Kwame Nitoto

Kwame Nitoto has been with FACES for over 10+ years.

Mark Yarbough

FACES

Mark Yarbough

Mark Yarbough has been with FACES for over 2+ years.

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