We know Pastor Raymond Lankford as someone who has given his full dedication and generosity to the Oakland and East Bay community for decades. He's helped people get health care, campaigned for affordable housing, helped hundreds of children find foster homes (including several in his own home), and been there for many many families experiencing the loss of loved ones and other tragedies. I met Pastor Lankford because of his work helping Black men and women displaced by fire find temporary and permanent housing.

Now, he and his family urgently need our help. Their home of over 12 years burned completely in December. It was the current home of Raymond and his wife Ronna, along with two of their children and two grandchildren. No one was hurt, but the family lost all of their possessions - clothes, furniture, jewelry, toys, work records and computers, family photos, and everything else. Please join me in contributing to help them find a place to live, have the basic essentials of a home, and move forward through their loss.

Above: Raymond and Ronna on a recent anniversary trip with some of their kids and grandkids. Many of these family members and other extended family lived some of the last 12 years in the home that was just lost.

Below: Pastor Lankford comforting a victim whose family had lost their home in a major fire in Oakland in 2017.