Open Gate Inc

Through Open Gate, low-risk parolees, probationers and formerly incarcerated individuals gain the skills to reenter society and their community through education and vocational training. Our participants enter local community colleges and the California University system to gain Associate and Bachelor Degrees, or enter training courses in skilled trades leading to full-time employment, a living wage and a fulfilling career. With our low recidivism rate, our participants learn to become successful on the outside of the prison walls.

Open Gate, Inc. creates a welcoming and structured environment that sees the dignity and potential in our clients and strives to encourage and facilitate each client to reach his or her best possible future.
What’s your goal? We will help you.

What are the benefits of joining the program?

SUCCESS!!! Research has shown that students who participate in learning communities succeed at a higher rate than students taking stand-alone classes.
Students will receive the following:

Registration and enrollment assistance
Academic, financial and personal counseling
Tutoring and academic support
Career exploration workshops
Business attire for interviews/work
Field trips and/or cultural and civic enrichment activities

Ronald Rosenberg Story
My name is Ronald Rosenberg and I am 66 years old.

This is a picture of my mother, who is 94 years old, and my sister Barbara. My sister is disabled and I look after them both.

I was in prison for life and was released in 2013. My mother had to see me sentenced and incarcerated for decades and it broke her heart.

On March 26th 2015, my mother and sister saw me graduate from The ATLAS program at College of Alameda.

My mother said that she waited 66 years to see her son graduate and it was worth it.

I graduated with a GPA of 2.96 which is good for a man of almost 70 years old.

I am president of Open Gate Club and act as a mentor and guide to the younger students who need an father figure, they need an old guy like me . They call me Old Guy but they respect me and listen to me.
I have been offered a job as a forklift instructor with the ATLAS program and I will be earning a good wage for my skilled work.

The main thing is that at the age of 66, I made my mother proud.

Florence Cooper Story
My name is Florence Cooper and I am 48 years old. I graduated from the ATLAS program with a GPA of 3.5 and am very proud to call myself a graduate.

I spent ten years in Avenal State prison, and I am disabled because of an accident- I lost an arm and have constant phantom pain and damage to my neck, head and legs. I am homeless, on parole, and have no family in California.
My situation looks hopeless and that's what I thought too until I met Denise and Mildred at the parole center where I was spending my days.
They told me about Open Gate, they met me off the bus and sat with me as I enrolled and started class. There were many times I felt like giving up, especially as I had no experience with computers, but my professor, Bob Grill worked with me patiently until I got it. It is a lot harder with one hand.
The ATLAS program and class accepted me for who I am . There were days I felt I was not clean enough to show up for class as is it hard to stay fresh when you are sleeping on grass but my teachers and other students supported me and I passed everything! I never felt judged because of my situation or my disability. I learned to operate a forklift with one hand- that was my best achievement. Dan, Valerie , Denise and Mildred believed in me and I did it! Now I am registered with an employment agency and am waiting for my first skilled job.

Michelle Beacham Story
My name is Michelle Beacham and I am 31 years old. I am a graduate of College of Alameda ATLAS program with a GPA of 3.5, a member of the Sheriff of Alameda's Operation My Home Town Education Committee, a founding member of the College of Alameda Sisterhood, a tutor, mentor, and counsellor, a wife and aunt - and a four times felon.

Now I am on my way to being a skilled, educated woman able to make a decent living and I am a valued, productive member of our community.

If it wasn't for Open Gate I wouldn't have made it- they believed in me and did not judge my past mistakes. They saw me for whom I am and supported me as I supported my Open Gate /ATLAS cohort.
ATLAS is a wonderful, supportive program and is particularly effective for students with 'a background ' as the ATLAS counsellors really works with us to get jobs. As a woman, I am proud of my achievements and very grateful to ATLAS and Open Gate.

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MAKE A DONATION Thank you for your support! We are actively seeking meetings with individuals and Foundations interested in funding our work. For specific questions please Contact Us.	Upcoming Events Spring 2017 Enrollment @ Chabot College Classes start on January 17. Contact us now to register.