Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency (BOSS)

06/22/2026

What Have You Been Carrying?

June is Men's Mental Health Month.

Nationally, men account for nearly 80% of su***de deaths, and Black men remain among the least likely groups to seek mental health support. Financial pressure, grief, trauma, violence, fatherhood, loneliness, and the expectation to always "hold it together" can all take a toll.

Yet too often, the conversation begins only when someone reaches a breaking point.

Maybe the better question isn't, "What's wrong?"

Maybe it's:

What have you been carrying?

Put some of the weight down.

If you or someone you love needs support:

• 📞 Call or text 988
• 🧠 Therapy for Black Men → therapyforblackmen.org
• 🌿 BEAM → beam.community
• 🤝 BetterHelp → betterhelp.com

Because being strong shouldn't mean carrying everything alone.

06/21/2026

This week, Harrison House celebrated fathers and father figures with burgers, hot dogs, links, potato salad, and one important tradition:

🧁 Unlimited cupcakes for the dads.

Because fatherhood isn't about being perfect.

It's about showing up.

Across BOSS, we see fathers building new routines, reconnecting with family, securing housing, finding employment, and creating brighter futures for the people they love.

This Father's Day, we're celebrating the dads, grandfathers, mentors, and father figures who continue showing up, one day at a time.

💚 Here's to the fathers of the BOSS family.

06/20/2026

Much of the public conversation happens after violence occurs.

But what about before?

Community Violence Intervention programs, hospital-based intervention efforts, trauma recovery services, youth engagement, and survivor support programs are helping communities reduce violence before it happens.

The evidence continues to grow.

The question is whether we will continue investing in what works.

This month, we're reflecting on the role all of us play in creating safer communities.

💚 Read the story. Join the conversation. https://www.self-sufficiency.org/post/what-does-safety-require

06/16/2026

06/16/2026

"If not for BOSS, I'm not sure how I would have achieved what I have, and many others," Fiani Johnson—The Araminta Ross Foundation

06/15/2026

When violence happens, the impact extends far beyond a single incident.

Families grieve.
Children lose parents.
Survivors navigate trauma.
Communities carry the weight for years.

The conversation about violence must include healing, survivor support, victim compensation, trauma recovery, housing stability, and opportunities that help people move forward.

Because recovery doesn't happen overnight.

And neither does prevention.

💚 Read our latest blog exploring what communities need to heal and thrive: https://www.self-sufficiency.org/post/what-does-safety-require

06/14/2026

"Lives are in the line. We are all we got and we need to start acting like it." Daryle Allums

06/13/2026

This summer, Oakland is celebrating one of its greatest. Join BOSS and the Oakland Ballers for Family Fun Sunday on July 19th as we honor number twenty-four, Rickey Henderson.

Bring your family, bring your friends, and stop by to meet the BOSS team at Raimondi Park. Because baseball is better when community is part of the lineup. Get your tickets today, and we'll see you at the game.



Haven for Black Healing

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

06/13/2026

Homelessness is often reduced to numbers and headlines. But behind every statistic is a person trying to hold onto hope.

BOSS was founded more than 50 years ago with a simple belief: everyone deserves dignity, safety, and the opportunity to rebuild. Today, that work continues through housing, workforce development, trauma recovery, and community support.

Our PBS Visionaries episode shares stories of resilience and what becomes possible when people are met with opportunity instead of judgment.

🏡 Watch. Share. Help create more hopeful futures.

💚 Join the Work.

🔗https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_UujsNQpnns

06/12/2026