Rubicon’s Participant Advisory Board (PAB) provides essential participant input and feedback on many aspects of our work. From being a part of interview panels for job candidates to joining strategy committees for new programs and events, PAB members have regular and ongoing opportunities to engage with and improve Rubicon’s work. Learn more about the PAB’s work here, then continue reading below to meet members of Rubicon’s 2022 Participant Advisory Board and learn about the work they are doing in the community.
Alex
Joined: October 2019
Why I joined the PAB: It’s my passion to help the community and Rubicon represents that and gave me the opportunity to exercise my passion in a positive way.
My favorite project I’ve been a part of: My favorite project was going out and helping feed the homeless. It was awesome recruiting some other people here and helping them get their life back on track, letting them know what was offered here and how much they can make a difference—letting them know that there is still hope. I’m 65 years old, and I feel I have a great rapport with the community and partnerships that I have known for over 40 years. I feel they listen to me. My voice matters in the Richmond communities.
What I’m looking forward to next: I’m looking forward to making some changes with helping raise funds to house the homeless. I’ve gained good relationships with some realtors and landlords that are willing to partner with Rubicon and help and get some of our homeless housed. My goal is to get a system going that is supported by leadership to help rid our city of the poverty that many of our participants are living in!
Darcy
Joined: January 2022
Why I Joined the PAB: I joined PAB to engage and connect with our communities, be a voice for change, participate in leadership development and to better serve the mission and vision of Rubicon Programs.
My favorite project I’ve been a part of: sitting in on, and participating in, interviews for staff positions.
What I’m looking forward to next: Working within the PAB to implement change in the community and within Rubicon so that the Rubicon mission of eliminating poverty in the East Bay can be carried out in a renewed and strengthened manner.
Darease
Joined: 2019
Why I joined the PAB: I joined when I found out how they help the community and that I will be playing a big role and involved in a lot of decision-making opportunities for Rubicon and other programs and events.
My favorite project I’ve been a part of: My favorite project that I have worked on is feeding the homeless, bringing them food, hot meals, hygiene kits etc. Also, when the holidays come around, we give out dinners and presents to the families that are in need.
What I’m looking forward to next: What I am looking for next is something big, as in us having more sponsors, people recognizing us, knowing who we are and what we do for the community and for Rubicon.
Gail
Joined: March 2018
Why I joined the PAB: I joined P.A.B because of the opportunity to participate in work and a mission that I truly believed in. Most of all, it allowed for me to be a voice of impact, making contributions to processes and improving some areas of services to our community. I’ve always wanted to ensure that I was heard and that the voice of our community and participants were heard. I believed that poverty excluded many folks in our community. Bringing their voices to the forefront actually works to eradicate poverty in our communities.
My favorite project I’ve been a part of: I like working on initiating new projects to improve the opportunities of our participants. Serving on the interview panels allows for me to guide the organization in a way that is impactful. I enjoy connecting with community partnerships to share resources with our participants!
What I’m looking forward to next: I really would like to develop a program where we can help all of our participants obtain better employment, and implement a housing project where we can begin raising funds to help them connect these two important pathways. This focus will make great strides for our participants’ success and for the organization’s fundraising efforts. When our participants can visualize change based on their contributions, they will move on to evoke change in the greater challenges of their communities. I want to influence our communities to fall in love with making a difference!
Rena
Joined: September 2021
Why I joined the PAB: I benefited so much from the services Rubicon offered. When I was told about the role that PAB members play, not only with Rubicon, but within the community… I just wanted to be a part of that.
My favorite project I’ve been a part of: Participating with grocery donations during the holidays to help families who are less fortunate have food to share with their families during the holiday season. It feels good to be able to help people.
What I’m looking forward to next: I’m looking forward to being able to serve in my community and help make change.
Ricardo
Joined: May 2021
Why I joined the PAB: I joined P.A.B. in order to see what I can do to serve people in my community better who are affected by the same issues I have faced. I joined in order to see and learn and share my experiences to better understand the issues around my community that have plagued us for too long.
My favorite project I’ve been a part of: The most recent favorite project and board I was a part of centered around getting services in the hands of those who need them by having them complete workshops and gain literacy that will help build them into a better situation. This project also focused on the Impact Coaches at Rubicon and their role in all of this and how they can be best utilized in serving every individual they have the pleasure of meeting. This was such an amazing and great project to work with other members of P.A.B. who have helped me along my way directly or indirectly. It was very humbling and really was such a refresher to have them respect and compliment my ideas. I really feel as if the input I gave along with all the other members that worked on this project really made a difference.
What I’m looking forward to next: I am looking forward to a lot of things with P.A.B. The upcoming projects we will be working on are focused around employment, and I really am excited to see what the other members provide as far as ideas to realize the objective we are all working towards.