Orange County Communities Organized For Responsible Development

ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITIES ORGANIZED FOR RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT (OCCORD) IS A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION THAT BRINGS TOGETHER WORKERS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO ORGANIZE AND ADVOCATE FOR GOOD JOBS, STRONG NEIGHBORHOODS AND AN INCLUSIVE DEMOCRACY IN ORANGE COUNTY. WE PROVIDE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TRAINING TO LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS AND WORKERS, AND WE TRAIN RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS ON COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, PARTICIPATORY RESEARCH, NONPARTISAN POLITICAL REFORM, AND LAND USE PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY.

ORANGE COUNTY COMMUNITIES ORGANIZED FOR RESPONSIBLE DEVELOPMENT (OCCORD) IS A COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION THAT UTILIZES COMMUNITY ORGANIZING AND POLICY RESEARCH AS STRATEGIES TO BUILD LEADERSHIP AND A COLLECTIVE VOICE. WE PURSUE POLICY CHANGES THAT LEAD TO AN INCLUSIVE ECONOMY, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN EDUCATION, AND RESPONSIVE DEMOCRACY. WE PROVIDE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT TRAINING TO LOW-INCOME RESIDENTS AND WORKERS, AND WE TRAIN RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS ON COMMUNITY ORGANIZING, NONPARTISAN POLITICAL REFORM, AFFORDABLE/FAIR HOUSING INITIATIVES, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT POLICY, COMMUNITY-DRIVEN EDUCATION AND PROVIDE NATURALIZATION IMMIGRATION SERVICES. OCCORDS ANAHEIM AND SANTA ANA PROGRAMS DEVELOP LEADERSHIP AND BUILD ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURES TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS AND STAKEHOLDERS IN NONPARTISAN POLITICAL REFORM, AFFORDABLE/FAIR HOUSING INITIATIVES AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DECISIONS THAT AFFECT THEIR LIVES. THROUGH STRATEGIC, COALITIONAL OUTREACH, WE TRAIN LOCAL AND REGIONAL GROUPS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY, AND THROUGH TARGETED, NEIGHBORHOOD-BASED OUTREACH, WE TRAIN NEW LEADERS AND BUILD SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZATIONAL INFRASTRUCTURE IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.IN 2021, WE CONTINUED TO LAUNCH OCCORD'S LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. OUR SEVEN-MONTH TRAINING PROGRAM EMPOWERS COMMUNITY MEMBERS BY HELPING THEM UNDERSTAND HOW TO CREATE CHANGE AROUND ISSUES THAT AFFECT THEM AND THEIR COMMUNITIES. PARTICIPANTS LEARN HOW TO EXAMINE THROUGH A LENS OF OPPORTUNITY AND OPPRESSION, LEARN TOOLS FOR DEVELOPING POWERFUL COMPREHENSIVE CAMPAIGNS AND ADDRESS ISSUES ON PUBLIC POLICY IN ORANGE COUNTY AND BEYOND. WE HAD 32 COMMUNITY MEMBERS PARTICIPATE AND GRADUATE FROM OUR PROGRAM. IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, OCCORD LED IMPORTANT COVID-19 ADVOCACY AND OUTREACH WORK. OUR COMMUNITY MEMBERS WERE SICK AND DYING AT MUCH LARGER RATES. WHEN THE COVID-19 VACCINES BECAME AVAILABLE, OUR COMMUNITY EXPERIENCED A HIGH VOLUME OF VACCINE HESITANCY, AND LOW VACCINATION RATES. OCCORD LED VACCINE OUTREACH AND EDUCATION WORK BY ADDRESSING VACCINE MISINFORMATION AND HESITANCY THROUGH OUR SOCIAL MEDIA. WE SHARED INFORMATION GIVEN TO US BY HEALTH OFFICIALS AND ADDRESSED COMMUNITY MEMBERS' QUESTIONS DURING OUR LIVE VIDEO SESSIONS. OCCORD ALSO HOSTED VACCINATION CLINICS IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS/STAKEHOLDERS. OCCORD ALSO ADDRESSED HOUSING ISSUES THAT RESULTED FROM THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. WHEN HOUSING INSECURITY BECAME AN ISSUE IN OUR COMMUNITY, WE BEGAN TO HOST VIRTUAL HOUSING INFORMATIONAL SESSIONS TO INFORM RESIDENTS ABOUT THEIR RIGHTS AS TENANTS AND RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS. OCCORD STAFF AIDED MANY RESIDENTS THROUGH RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM APPLICATIONS, WHICH PROVED VERY SUCCESSFUL. ULTIMATELY, WE WERE ABLE TO HELP MANY RESIDENTS AVOID HOMELESSNESS AND CONTINUE TO HAVE SHELTER THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.OCCORDS CITIZENSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES NATURALIZATION ASSISTANCE AND CIVICS CLASSES, AS WELL AS TRAINING AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ENABLING IMMIGRANT WORKERS AND RESIDENTS TO BECOME FULL PARTICIPANTS IN THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. WE WORK WITH LOCAL AND REGIONAL ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES TO THEIR MEMBERS AND CONSTITUENTS. IN 2020, OCCORD LAUNCHED 1-ON-1 CLIENT SERVICES TO HELP INDIVIDUALS NAVIGATE THE NATURALIZATION PROCESS. ALL OF OCCORDS CITIZENSHIP SERVICES WERE PROVIDED FREE OF CHARGE TO PARTICIPANTS. ADDITIONALLY, OCCORD CONTINUES TO OFFER CITIZENSHIP PREPARATION CLASSES. MORE THAN 82 RESIDENTS WERE HELPED WITH APPLICATIONS.