Meet Deborah Starks: “EOC never changed — they were there for me.”

For longtime East Oakland resident Deborah Starks, 68, community means everything. 

Born in Arizona and a former UC Berkeley administrator, Deborah was never someone who expected to need help. But after a series of serious health challenges—including multiple surgeries, hospitalizations, and living with severe osteoarthritis—everything changed.
 
“It was really hard at first,” Deborah shared. “I wasn’t used to depending on anybody. But now I’m really appreciative and grateful—and I know how to ask for help.” 

That help came from East Oakland Collective. Deborah first learned about EOC in 2019, when a neighbor received meals. At the time, mobility issues made it difficult for Deborah to get around. When the pandemic hit, and her health worsened, EOC became a lifeline. Deborah now collects groceries from EOC weekly. 

“With SNAP cuts, the lines have gotten longer,” Deborah explained. 
“Even before food stamps were stopped, every year the lines just got longer and longer.” 

Through EOC’s food distribution and Senior Coffee Hour, Deborah found more than nourishment—she found connection.
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“They are my friends—really, my family,” she says. 
“They call me, I call them, and they always make sure I have what I need.” ​

That care now reaches three generations of Deborah’s family, including her grandchildren—Nyron (10), Bryson (7), and Kiera (4)—who benefit from EOC’s school lunches, backpack giveaways, clothing support, and holiday programs. 

​After four years of repeated hospitalizations, Deborah says the consistency of EOC has mattered more than she can express.
 
“They were a lifesaver. My whole life had to change—but EOC never changed. They were there for me. That’s the constant.”