Breeanna Decker
Senior Initiative Officer, Hope SF
Why do you do what you do?
As a fourth generation Oakland native, I have always felt the responsibility of helping to build healthy communities right here in my backyard. Well-known author Ernest, J. Gaines wrote about the “morality of connectedness,” that it is each person’s responsibility to give back to the community that helped raise them. This has been a guiding principle for me as much of my career has been filled with doing just that.
What drew you to the foundation?
When I first began studying philanthropy and the impact foundations have in some of the most underserved communities, I knew I wanted to work in philanthropy. Prior to the pandemic, when President Obama hosted his inaugural My Brother’s Keeper Convening in Oakland, there were so many partners and organizations involved and the San Francisco Foundation was always a constant partner. I had been following the work of the San Francisco Foundation for over 10 years and their bold mission to mobilize resources to address poor economic and racial conditions in communities that mean the most to me is what created the strong desire to be a part of SFF.
How would you describe your role?
I lead our HOPE SF work which is a partnership between the Mayor’s Office and SFF to address the housing crisis and financial stability of families in Bayview/Hunter Points, Sunnydale, and Potrero Hill with an explicit anti-displacement and anti-racist framework. I manage Place to Prosper, a guaranteed income pilot for 75 HOPE SF families. Additionally, I oversee our Small Grants Program aimed at raising the capacity of community-based organizations and HOPE SF resident voices to build durable power in underserved communities.
What inspires you?
I am inspired by the opportunity to help build healthy communities that I always wanted to see when I walk out of my house. This work is both personal and professional to me as I am apart of mobilizing resources that can change conditions for my family, friends, and community.