Archives: Resources

Santa Clara County Coroner’s Office

Services Provided ***Information relating to unattended, unusual, violent, or accidental deaths ***Autopsy reports relating to unattended, unusual, violent, or accidental deaths ***Private autopsies (cost associated), when requested by the legal next-of-kin and approved by the on-call Medical Examiner ***Community education classes and presentations ***Decedent identification and notification of next-of-kin
Request for Indigent Internment
Key Words: Cremation, Funeral

Valley Connection Call Center (Testing & Vaccination Appointments)

2/4/21 The County’s website
provides information and links for making vaccine appointments with providers across the county.
In addition, SCC residents without internet access or who need additional assistance can make appointments for the County Health System vaccine sites through the Valley Connection Call Center at 408-970-2000. The Call Center is open Monday through Friday from 7am to 9pm and Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 4:30pm. Multi-language: English, Spanish, Vietnamese, and other languages .Key Words: Pandemic, COVID-19

The Impact of the Coronavirus on Food Insecurity in 2020

Update: October 2020 – Feeding America analysis of how food insecurity may increase in 2020 due to COVID-19 for the overall population and children at the national, state, county, and congressional district levels.
In 2020, the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
threatens the lives and livelihoods of people
throughout the world. Decisions are being made that
weigh economic cost against the lives of people in the
United States, and no matter the outcome, the most
vulnerable members of society are in position to fare
the worst. Key Words: Report

Immigration Policy Tracking Project

2/21 This “TrumpTracker” Immigration Policy Tracking Project catalogues every known Trump-era immigration policy from January 2017 through the end of the administration.
Entries describing Trump policies contain the official source documents, are catalogued by date under “view all policies,” and are searchable by subject area, agency affected, type of action, and other categories.
Biden administration actions that affect or rescind Trump-era policies are prominently noted under the individual policy entries. An overview of Biden announcements appears on the summaries page.

Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC )

LSPC organizes communities impacted by the criminal justice system and advocates to release incarcerated people, to restore human and civil rights, and to reunify families and communities. We build public awareness of structural racism in policing, the courts, and the prison system, and we advance racial and gender justice in all our work. We do not provide direct services or take on individual legal cases. However, we are able to provide informational manuals and referrals to other legal services.
Love Without Borders: An International & Interstate Family Law Manual (2018) (also in Spanish)

Season of Sharing forms and guidelines – Revised

11/21 Assistance from the Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund is available to low-to-moderate income families with dependent children, senior citizens (55+), disabled individuals, veterans, victims of domestic violence, pregnant women in their 2nd or 3rd trimester, and transitioning emancipated foster youth who have a critical need and who reside in the counties of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano, or Sonoma.
Housing Assistance and Critical Family Needs assistance is provided in the form of grants that are paid directly to the supplier of services, such as a landlord. Applicants do not receive direct grants. Multi-language:
Spanish

Archive – SJ passes mandatory $3-an-hour pay raise for grocery workers

2/9/21 Thousands of San Jose grocery store workers will soon receive a $3-an-hour boost on their paychecks, as San Jose became the latest city to pass a new ordinance compelling large grocers to offer their employees hazard pay for their high risk of catching COVID-19 at work.
The San Jose City Council voted 7-3 Tuesday night for a new ordinance temporarily requiring corporate grocery stores, chain supermarkets and retail stores that sell groceries and employ at least 300 people nationwide to pay workers an additional $3 an hour on top of their regular wages. The ordinance will last for 120 days after it goes into effect. Small businesses and franchises with less than 300 employees are exempt.

Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the US

2/11/21 Key Statistics on Immigrants in the US ted in One Useful Resource
The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) today published the latest version of its perennially popular resource, Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States, which features a wealth of data about the U.S. immigrant population as well as current and historic migration to the United States. Key Words: Disaster

Free File Alliance Tax Assistance

The Free File Alliance is a nonprofit coalition of industry-leading tax software companies partnered with the IRS to help millions of Americans prepare and e-file their federal tax returns for free. Free File is the fast, safe and free way to do your federal tax return online. Free File Alliance member companies provide brand name tax software options at no cost.

DIGITAL SECURITY for Protesters & Activists

Equality Labs is an Ambedkarite South Asian organization that uses community research, political base-building, culture-shifting art, and digital security to end the oppression of caste apartheid, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and religious intolerance. Through these methods, we provide practical tools for communities to make new interventions in longstanding systems of oppression of South Asian caste oppressed, queer and religious minority communities in the US, and in our home countries, from India, Nepal, Pakistan, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Trinidad, Guyana, Suriname, and Afghanistan. Membership includes Dalit (formerly known as “Untouchable” people), Adivasi (indigenous people of South Asia), Bahujan, Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh, and Christians.
Equality Labs has created videos, quickquides, and a curriculum for digital security which is accessible as well as extensive.

How Biden Can Restore Humanitarian Protection at the Border

1/5/21 Asylum seekers represent a small fraction of the people who come to the United States each year, yet previous administrations have feared their arrival.
This crisis-based mindset has fueled ever-increasing brutality at the border, with family detention eventually metastasizing into family separation. But despite the Trump administration’s torturous and cruel policies, people have continued to seek protection at our border. Keu Words: Immigrants, Immigrants

Human Trafficking: Coordinating a California Response

6/20 In this report, we examine what is known about the extent of the problem in California and find that little
authoritative data exists to explain where and how frequently this crime occurs across our state. We also explain how labor trafficking is a form of human trafficking that often is hidden, sometimes in plain sight. But that the
consequences of this crime are severe for the men and women forced to endure exploitative work, whether in
a home, a restaurant, a building site, or a factory. The Commission recommends California create an entity to
coordinate anti-trafficking activities statewide, as other states have done, and suggests remedies to enhance our
understanding of this crime and our ability to fight it.

REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions

After the May 7, 2025 deadline, Federal agencies, including DHS and TSA, may only accept state-issued driver’s licenses and ID cards as identification to access federal facilities – including TSA airport security checkpoints – if it was issued by a REAL ID compliant state (meaning the license or card must include the REAL ID compliant star marking). Additional questions may be sent to the Department of Homeland Security at REALID@hq.dhs.gov

Civics Questions and Answers (2008 version) English/Spanish

Beginning on April 19, 2021, USCIS is administering only the 2008 civics test to N-400 applicants at their initial interview appointment, regardless of their filing date. USCIS will no longer offer the 2020 civics test at the initial interview, but will continue to provide study materials for the 2020 test for those applicants who are eligible to choose between the 2008 or 2020 civics test at their re-exam or N-336 hearing.
Spanish

KIND Report- Concrete Steps to Protect Unaccompanied Children on the Move

2020 The KIND (Kids in Need of Defense) Blueprint for the protection of unaccompanied children provides guidance on how the U.S. government
should uphold its responsibility to treat these children humanely and in accordance with the law and this country’s ideals. Their unique vulnerabilities require a legal and policy framework that provides enhanced procedural safeguards and protection mechanisms essential to helping unaccompanied children overcome daunting obstacles to relief. Key Words: Advocacy

GUIDE TO ALLYSHIP

An open source starter guide to help you become a more thoughtful and effective ally. Anyone has the potential to be an ally. Allies recognize that though they’re not a member of the underinvested and oppressed communities they support, they make a concerted effort to better understand the struggle, every single day.
Because an ally might have more privilege and recognizes said privilege, they are powerful voices alongside oppressed ones.

Mental Health Stigma in the Muslim Community

2012 Report – The possibility that cultural normative beliefs may be mislabeled or unidentified due to cultural insensitivity also need to be addressed, particularly insofar as such mislabeling may lead to both the unnecessary stigmatization of those who, in fact, do not have psychiatric problems, and the failure to help individuals who do need it. Further, anti-stigma interventionists must take care to not inadvertently undermine strengths of Muslim attitudes toward mental illness, potentially including less blame placed on patients (at least in some contexts) and greater hope regarding prognosis.

DHS Statement on the Suspension of New Enrollments in the Migrant Protection Protocols Program

1/20/21 DHS announced the suspension of new enrollments in the Migrant Protection Protocols (MPP) program. Effective January 21, the Department will cease adding individuals into the program. However, current COVID-19 non-essential travel restrictions, both at the border and in the region, remain in place at this time. All current MPP participants should remain where they are, pending further official information from U.S. government officials. Multi-languagel:
Spanish
Key Words: Asylum

How Joe Biden’s immigration plan works, and what it would mean for California

President Joe Biden on his first day in office sent Congress an extensive immigration proposal that could have big implications for California, which is home to the largest undocumented immigrant population in the nation.
The plan, known as the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2021, would provide a pathway to citizenship to the 11 million unauthorized immigrants living in the United States. About 2 million of them live in California.

Senate Democrats introduce legislation to grant Temporary Protected Status to Venezuelans

1/25/21 Democratic senators introduced legislation to grant Temporary Protected Status, or TPS, to Venezuelans in the U.S., saying the actions former President Donald Trump took on his last day in office to shield Venezuelans from deportation fall short.
Biden said during the presidential campaign that he would extend TPS protections for Venezuelans. TPS can be granted by Congress or through a presidential executive order. Key Words: Immigration, law,

Amid Covid Health Worker Shortage, Foreign-Trained Professionals Sit on Sidelines

1/27/21 As hospitals nationwide struggle with the latest covid-19 surge, it’s not so much beds or ventilators in short supply. It’s the people to care for the sick.
Yet a large, highly skilled workforce of foreign-educated doctors, nurses and other health practitioners is going largely untapped due to licensing and credentialing barriers. According to the Migration Policy Institute think tank in Washington, D.C., some 165,000 foreign-trained immigrants in the U.S. hold degrees in health-related fields but are unemployed or underemployed in the midst of the health crisis.
Many of these workers have invaluable experience dealing with infectious disease epidemics such as SARS, Ebola or HIV in other countries yet must sit out the covid pandemic.

SJ Airport Help for People with Disabilities

12/21/20 Mineta San José International Airport Introduces Sunflower Lanyard Program to Ease Travel for People with Disabilities – By wearing the lanyard, travelers with invisible or less visible disabilities identify themselves as being in possible need of extra assistance or service. Offered in conjunction with the California State Council on
Developmental Disability (SCDD). Key Words: AFN

Immigration Data Matters

This useful online guide links users directly to the most credible, high-quality data on immigrants and immigration in the United States and internationally. The easy-to-use publication includes more than 250 data resources compiled by governmental and authoritative nongovernmental sources. Key Words: Demographics

DOJ Rescinds Trump ‘Zero Tolerance’ Rule That Separated Thousands of Migrant Families

1/26/21 The Justice Department on Tuesday rescinded a Trump-era memo that established a “zero tolerance” enforcement policy for migrants crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally, which resulted in thousands of family separations.
Acting Attorney General Monty Wilkinson issued the new memo to federal prosecutors across the nation, saying the department would return to its longstanding previous policy and instructing prosecutors to act on the merits of individual cases.

An equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccine must include noncitizens

1/26/21 On Dec. 14, 2020, with the initiation of COVID-19 vaccine distribution, the nation saw its first glimmer of hope during the pandemic. However, that sense of hope is not necessarily shared by a vital segment of the population: noncitizens. Noncitizens work in high-risk, essential industries but have been overlooked in the pandemic response. To protect both the lives and livelihoods of all people in the United States, it is critical that noncitizens are equitably included in COVID-19 vaccine distribution. Key Words: Undocumented

Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies

The only U.S. disability-led organization with a focused mission on equal access, disability rights and full inclusion of people with disabilities, older adults, and people with access and functional needs before, during, and after disasters and emergencies.
Disability Rights in Shelters and in Disaster/Emergency Response |
Sus Derechos en un Desastre |
Disaster Hotline: (800) 626-4959
Spanish Key Words: AFN

Protecting Immigrants When Decriminalizing or Legalizing Marijuana

9/9/20 Though federal legal reforms may be the only way to completely eradicate the immigration consequences of marijuana-related conduct and convictions, reforms at the state level can nevertheless help stop the arrest-to-deportation pipeline. Drawing from our experience with state and municipal efforts across the country, this resource, jointly produced by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), the Immigrant Defense Project, and the Drug Policy Alliance, lists best practices for municipalities and states looking to decriminalize in a way that lessens the immigration-related harms of marijuana criminalization.

Archive – The Effect of COVID-19 on Immigrants and Nonimmigrants Abroad

9/3020 Tens of thousands of people remain in immigration detention despite the high risk of COVID-19 transmission in crowded jails, prisons, and detention centers that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) uses to hold noncitizens. The pandemic led to the suspension of many immigration court hearings and limited the functioning of the few courts which remain open or were reopened. Meanwhile, Congress left millions of immigrants and their families out of legislative relief, leaving many people struggling to stay afloat in a time of economic uncertainty.
This report seeks to provide a comprehensive overview of the impact of COVID-19 across the immigration system in the United States.

Delays, Barriers Plague Santa Clara County’s Quarantine Subsidies

12/8/20 With applications for financial help taking weeks and months to process, if at all, the county’s would-be beneficiaries face an impossible choice. Amid a staggering surge in Covid-19 filling up hospitals and prompting economically devastating lockdowns, Healing Grove Executive Director Brett Bymaster says an untold number of mostly poor, mostly Latino people are choosing to go back to work to avoid homelessness.

Update: Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

On July 16, 2021, a Texas judge issued a ruling partially ending the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. While USCIS can accept first-time applications, this decision prevents USCIS from approving or processing them. Therefore, if you choose to submit a first-time application, you will not get a response on this application or be refunded for the $495 application fee. You should consult with an accredited representative or lawyer if you have additional questions about submitting a first-time application.

Archive – Food Replacement After Power Shut Down for Wildfires

9/27/20 PG&E has partnered with local food banks to provide food replacement options if we need to turn off power to prevent wildfires during severe weather. During or immediately after a PSPS event, consider reaching out to one of these food banks for support

SafeChat Silicon Valley

SafeChatSV is a confidential online chat platform for people that have experienced or are experiencing domestic violence or intimate partner violence to connect with an advocate for support.
SafeChatSV is a collaborative project of domestic violence organizations in Silicon Valley. Trained, confidential advocates are available to provide emotional support, connection to resources, and education around domestic violence and relationship abuse. Multi-language: Spanish, Vietnamese

Civil Rights Victory in Texas is a Model for Environmental Progress Nationwide

12/11/20 In a win for civil rights and environmental protection in Texas, the state has agreed to guarantee access to information and opportunities for Spanish-language and other non-English dominant communities to participate in decisions that affect their environment and health, including the siting of polluting facilities and infrastructure.

THE ANTI-OPPRESSION NETWORK

The Anti-Oppression Network is a coalition of individuals, grassroots groups, and community organizations dedicated to grounding our work towards liberation in the principles of decolonization, anti-oppression and intersectionality.
The aim of the Network is to provide resources, support, solidarity, and mutual aid in helping individuals, collectives, community organizations and society as a whole re-evaluate, unlearn, disrupt and transform cycles of oppression, and develop meaningful strategies for more effective, long-term, and sustainable organizing.
Key Words: Canada, Indigenous, tolerance, racism

Surgeon general- Immigration status should not be barrier to receiving COVID-19 vaccine

12/20/20 Surgeon General Jerome Adams encouraged undocumented immigrants across the U.S. to get vaccinated for COVID-19 when shots become available, saying during an interview on Sunday that it is a public health priority to see as many people vaccinated as possible.
Speaking on CBS’s “Face the Nation,” the nation’s top doctor said that a person’s immigration status should not serve as a barrier between them and a COVID-19 vaccine.

California students rush to apply for DACA for the first time in 3 years

12/22/20 With the door to apply for DACA open for the first time in more than three years, hundreds of high school and college students in California are rushing to apply, fearful it will be slammed shut again.
“We’re on a mad dash to put out as much educational content for folks as possible” said Juliana Macedo do Nascimento, the state and local policy manager for United We Dream, the largest immigrant youth-led organization in the country. “We know that this window is open, but we don’t know for how long.”

CA Notify Contact Tracing

You have the power to help your friends, family and community Add your phone to California’s exposure notification system to get COVID-19 exposure alerts and to protect those around you. Once you activate CA Notify, it does all the work. All you do is keep your Bluetooth on. You will only receive alerts if you were in close contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19. Your privacy is protected as your identity is not known and your location is not tracked. Frequently asked questions Key Words: Pandemic, Multi-Language: Spanish Vietnamese Tagalog Chinese Russian Korean

Free COVID-19 Contact Tracing Course

2022 In this free, 7 hour virtual course, students will learn about the science of SARS-CoV-2 , including the infectious period, and why contact tracing can be effective. How contact tracing is done, including how to build rapport with cases, identify their contacts, and support both cases and their contacts to stop transmission. Also cover several important ethical considerations around isolation, and quarantine. Identify some of the most common barriers — along with strategies to overcome them. English with Subtitles: Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Chinese (Simplified), Italian, Portuguese (Brazilian), Vietnamese, Korean, German, Russian, Turkish, English, Hebrew, Spanish, Nepali  Key Words: Pandemic, Coronavirus

Coronavirus Advice for Consumers

AVOID CORONAVIRUS SCAMS with advice from the FTC: learn how to tell the difference between a real contact tracer and a scammer. Legitimate tracers need health information, not money or personal financial information. *** Don’t respond to texts, emails or calls about checks from the government. Here’s what you need to know.*** Ignore offers for vaccinations and miracle treatments or cures. Scammers are selling products to treat or prevent COVID-19 without proof that they work.

Multi-language COVID-19 Videos and Quickguides

Disinformation during COVID-19 is more than just fake news ” it can mean life or death in terms of how people take care of themselves and their loved ones. We designed these cards to be shared widely through social media and encourage you to share them, but as a set. Sharing just one card out of the whole set could lead to confusion. Multi-language:
, in English, Hindi, Punjabi, Tamil, Malayalam, Telegu, Bengali, Urdu, Marathi, Nepali, Kannada, Burmese, Key Words: Indian, international

ACTION: Stop AAPI Hate Reporting Center

We encourage all who have witnessed or experienced micro-aggressions, bullying, harassment, hate speech, or violence to help us document. The more information we have, the better we can respond and prevent further incidents from occurring.
Submit an Incident Report Form in:
English,Chinese-Traditional, Chinese-Simplified,
Korean, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Khmer, Punjabi, Tagalog, Hmong, Hindi
Key Words: Hate Crime, Asian

Wellbeing & Suicide Prevention Resources for the LGBTQ+ Community

11/20 The County of Santa Clara Behavioral Health Services department has released a new resource for members of the LGBTQ+ community. This two-sided flyer lists 25 different places to get support, including counseling, medical care, crisis lines, and peer support. Multi-language: English,
Spanish,
Chinese, and Vietnamese. Key Wprds: SCC, therapy,

RedRover Animal Rescue

RedRover helps animals rescued from disasters or neglect, domestic violence victims seeking safety with their pets, and animals with life-threatening illnesses. We use innovative solutions to prevent cruelty. Links to pet friendly hotels and shelters.

CA Legislature Passes First-in-the-Nation COVID-19 Farmworker Relief Package

8/31/20 the California Legislature for the passage of his first-in-the-nation Farmworker COVID-19 Relief Package. Each of the relief package’s three bills received strong, bipartisan support, and are”together”a bold effort to protect the health, safety, and access to state services for agricultural workers in California, as well as the nation’s food supply. With increasing evidence of disproportionate outbreaks of COVID-19 among farmworker communities, the bills now head to the Governor’s desk for consideration.

Promising Alternatives to Detention in the Era of COVID-19

Oct/2020 The impacts of COVID-19 have been far-reaching for people in migration-related detention or at-risk of being detained. Amidst the many issues of concern that have been highlighted by the IDC (International Detention Coalition), there are also a number of promising responses and practices that demonstrate how alternatives to detention (ATD) can be utilized to reduce public health concerns, while supporting compliance with human rights standards and the provision of, and access to essential services.
This Briefing Note was informed by data made available between April-August 2020. Multi-language:
Spanish |
French |
Arabic |

AirNow Interactive National Air Quality Map

AirNow is your one-stop source for air quality data. Our recently redesigned site highlights air quality in your local area first, while still providing air quality information at state, national, and world views. A new interactive map even lets you zoom out to get the big picture or drill down to see data for a single air quality monitor.
AirNow reports air quality using the official U.S. Air Quality Index (AQI), a color-coded index designed to communicate whether air quality is healthy or unhealthy for you. When you know the AQI in your area, you can take steps to protect your health.

Wi-Fi Hotspots for San Jose Library Members

As part of the SJ Access initiative, you can check out a Wi-Fi hotspot device with your SJPL membership. Not a Library member, yet? Get a library card
This service is FREE and available to adults (18+) living in Santa Clara County.
Hotspot devices are subject to availability and can only be requested by calling a participating location (see list). Key Words: Communication, internet, connect

CBP Refuses to Tell Congress How it is Tracking Americans Without a Warrant

10/23/20 The CBP is buying location data harvested from ordinary apps installed on peoples’ phones.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is refusing to tell Congress what legal authority the agency is following to use commercially bought location data to track Americans without a warrant, according to the office of Senator Ron Wyden. The agency is buying location data from Americans all over the country, not just in border areas. Key Words: KYR, Privacy, ICE, Deportation, immigrant

A Muslim prayer app was doing more than reminding users to pray. It was selling their info

11/20/20 Users of the popular Muslim prayer app Muslim Pro are posting negative reviews and taking to Twitter to discuss their disappointment after a news report revealed the app was selling users’ information to companies and government agencies. An investigation and report by Vice’s Motherboard found that the app sold location data and other personal information to a third-party broker called X-Mode. X-Mode later sold that same data to defense contractors that provide information to agencies like the U.S. military.

Staying Strong Against COVID – Helpline for everyone working in Healthcare settings

A 24 hour hotline providing non-judgmental, confidential support and referral for ALL workers in healthcare
settings, including clinicians and support staff. (510-420-3222)
Volunteers are trained in Psychological First Aid for crisis and disaster support, with an emphasis on COVID, Serves callers from throughout California. A joint project of the Alameda County Psychological Assoc, Crisis Support Services of Alameda and Alameda County Behavioral Health. Also supported by Contra Costa Behavioral Health and the CA Nurses Assoc.

USCIS Fee Rule Halted in Its Entirety in Response to Litigation Filed by AILA and Sidley Austin LLP

9/30/20 AILA applauds the Court’s expeditious order to set aside USCIS’s unprecedented attempt to dramatically raise fees prior to November’s Presidential Election. The DHS’s Fee Rule, which would have doubled or tripled application fees for many essential immigration benefits, was set to go into effect on October 2, 2020. Not only did Judge White carefully identify that DHS leadership did not have the authority to issue the rule, Judge White recognized that the government pushed to increase fees arbitrarily without considering important concerns identified by plaintiffs and thousands of commenters in opposition to the rule, including the negative impact the rule would have on low-income immigrant populations and those seeking asylum.
Current Fees 10/16/20

Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI)

CAPI is a 100% state-funded program designed to provide monthly cash benefits to aged, blind, and disabled non-citizens who are ineligible for Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) solely due to their immigration status. The Welfare Reform Act of 1996 (P.L. 104-193) eliminated SSI/SSP eligibility for most non-citizens. As a result, most immigrants who were not receiving SSI/SSP in August 1996 are no longer eligible for SSI/SSP. The amount of CAPI benefits is equivalent to the amount of SSI/SSP benefits.
CAPI recipients may be eligible for Medi-Cal, CalFresh and In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), but they must file for each benefit separately. There is no automatic eligibility link between CAPI and these other programs.

ALA (LA Homeshare for Seniors)

We are a group of passionate individuals committed to supporting homeless and at-risk seniors with affordable housing, resources and services.
One-third of Los Angeles’ 1.2 million older adults are facing housing instability today and that number is expected to double in ten years. With your support, ALA will be able to profoundly impact this crisis and give seniors in Los Angeles secure home environments and the affordable housing they need and deserve.
Key Words: LA,

Disaster Food Stamps  (D-SNAP)

Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (D-SNAP or Disaster CalFresh) gives food assistance to low-income households with food loss or damage caused by a natural disaster. D-SNAP uses different standards than normal SNAP. If you would not normally qualify for SNAP, you may qualify for D-SNAP. Disaster Calfresh Eligibility
Current SNAP clients may also request replacement benefits for food that was lost in the disaster and bought with SNAP benefits.
Disaster Relief is not subject to Public Charge.

La Mesa Verde (LMV)

Families join La Mesa Verde through our 11-month introductory garden course. La Mesa Verde provides the necessary supplies for an organic backyard garden to 50 new low income families a year, including two 4’x 8′ garden beds, organic soil and compost, drip irrigation, and organic seeds and seedlings. Families participate in monthly garden workshops taught by Master Gardeners and LMV members, which include both sustainable garden practices and critical analysis of the food system. By participating in La Mesa Verde, families develop gardening practices that increase overall health and well-being, and join a supportive, organized community.

CDC Social Vulnerability Index

Social vulnerability refers to the potential negative effects on communities caused by external stresses on human health. Such stresses include natural or human-caused disasters, or disease outbreaks. Reducing social vulnerability can decrease both human suffering and economic loss.
CDC Social Vulnerability Index (CDC SVI) uses 15 U.S. census variables to help local officials identify communities that may need support before, during, or after disasters.

Who is most at risk from wildfires?

75 communities throughout California live in areas of severe risk from wildfires. This map highlights the relative social vulnerabilities which impacts how well they may be able to respond and recover. With this map you can:
Click on communities to learn about their social vulnerability.
Search for specific addresses, so you can gauge the level of wildfire risk.
Physical vulnerability to wildfire uses McClatchy’s analysis of wildland-urban interface areas (WUI’s), areas with populations of more than over 1,000 with 90% of residents living within Very High Fire Severity Zones. Social vulnerability was determined by using 5 factors from the CDC’s index; pct of people living below the poverty line, aged 65 yrs. old and older, pct of housing in structures with 10 or more units, pct of households with no vehicles, and pct of non-institutionalized populations with a disability. Data used for this map can be downloaded here.

NorCal Resist COVID-19 Assistance for Undocumented in Central CA

10/20/20 Waiting list closed
Help us provide emergency aid during COVID-19.
As workplaces shut down, asylum seeking and undocumented families are left without income as they are unable to access unemployment or disability insurance systems. NorCal Resist is currently providing necessities, such as rent assistance, groceries, diapers, school supplies, medical bill assistance, and legal support, to hundreds of families living in Placer, Yolo, El Dorado, Nevada, Yuba, Sutter, Colusa, Butte, Shasta, and Sacramento counties.

SCC Office of Immigrant Relations (OIR) Newsletter: September 2020

10/31/20 Santa Clara County joins more than hundreds of communities across the Us to celebrate Welcoming Week 2020. For this year’s theme, “Creating Home Together,” the OIR hosted virtual events during the week of 9/9/20 – 9/12/20
Activities included FREE virtual legal consultations, guided family wellness activity in English & Spanish, three panel discussions with guests focused on immigrant resiliency, immigrants as essential workers, and honoring immigrant contributions. We will also be sharing resources for #DREAMERs and immigrant youth. AND we will be hosting a virtual art gallery which will highlight the work of immigrant artists.

CA Same Day Voter Registration

Same Day Voter Registration, known as Conditional Voter Registration in state law, is a safety net for Californians who miss the deadline to register to vote or update their voter registration information for an election.
Eligible citizens who need to register or re-register to vote within 14 days of an election can complete this process to register and vote at their county elections office, polling place, or vote center. Their ballots will be processed and counted once the county elections office has completed the voter registration verification process.
Visit caearlyvoting.sos.ca.gov for a list of early voting locations where you can complete the Same Day Voter Registration Process.
Need to register on Election Day? Use our polling place lookup tool to find your local polling location.

Maintaining effective U.S. labor standards enforcement through the coronavirus recession

9/3/20 Evidence from the Great Recession of 2007″2009 indicates that high levels of unemployment weaken the labor market power of those low-wage workers who remain employed. Minimum wage violations increased dramatically during the Great Recession, disproportionately impacting Latinx, Black, and female workers. We anticipate the coronavirus recession will result in increased violations, yet as high unemployment adds to workers’ desperation to maintain any job, the likelihood that low-wage workers will file complaints with an enforcement agency will decrease.

St. Joseph’s Family Center in Gilroy

CARES Act Funding – Apply by 9/30/20. The City of Gilroy, in partnership with St. Joseph’s Family Center, is providing Community Development Block Grant CARES Act funding (CDBG-CV) towards a rental assistance program for extremely low income people.
Spanish
Ongoing programs: Drive-thru grocery distribution Mondays – Fridays from 8:00am – 2:00pm **** One time emergency rental and utilities assistance **** Transportation resources for homeless. Services are typically limited to families /individuals who meet low-come requirements and living in Gilroy or San Martin, CA. Multi-language

Silicon Valley Independent Living Center (SVILC)

To qualify, one must:
***Be a person with a significant disability or impairment, which limits ability to function independently in home, community, environment, or work
***Be able to benefit from services to achieve a greater level of independence; and
***Live or work in Santa Clara County, or a county that does not provide independent living services that SVILC provides.
Complete the Intake process to receive SVILC’s services. Please email info@svilc.org or call (408) 894-9041 to begin this process.
For anyone who relies on electricity for life sustaining equipment, call SVILC at 408-894-9041 or email us at PSPS@svilc.org to get on our Public Safety Power Shutoff contact list,
Multi-language: Spanish, Vietnamese

San Jose legislator Zoe Lofgren pushes for immigration reforms amid COVID-19

9/25/20 Rep. Zoe Lofgren called for immigration reform this week during a congressional hearing examining the role of undocumented immigrants in the essential workforce.
The San Jose Democrat said essential workers, such as those working in agriculture or food processing, have risked their lives by continuing to work in-person throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
“Many immigrant essential workers are undocumented and live under the constant threat of removal” she said. “Many others are protected by temporary programs, such as the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or the Temporary Protected Status, but they too live in fear as a result of the (Trump) administration’s efforts to terminate these programs. They deserve better.”

How California can recover from wildfires without leaving its most vulnerable behind

9/11/20 “While people claim that disasters do not discriminate, there are human decisions that make some populations more vulnerable than others” said Michael Méndez, an assistant professor at the University of California, Irvine, who co-authored the article. “The big picture is understanding that systemic racism and cultural norms determine who is a worthy disaster victim.”

How California’s farmworkers are banding together to survive the pandemic

9/24/20 A COVID-19 relief package for California’s farmworkers landed on Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk last week. Legislators describe the bill as the first of its kind, and it addresses a wide array of issues, from workplace enforcement of COVID-19 guidance to the expansion of rural telehealth services across the state. But, as the novel coronavirus continues to tear through farmworker communities, such measures may not be enough.
Interviews with farmworkers throughout the state reveal a safety net stretched to the limit: Desperate parents are calling relief and advocacy groups for basic needs like diapers for their babies, quarantined farmworkers sick with COVID-19 are relying on colleagues for deliveries of food and other supplies, and some workers have lost their jobs after calling for better safety measures in the fields and packing plants where they work.

Archive – COVID-19 infections among Latinx seeing sharp decline in SCC

9/28/20 After data busted the myth that COVID-19 was “the great equalizer” and made it clear the disease has had disproportionate affects on Santa Clara County’s Latinx population, public health officials say rates finally are starting to decrease in the hardest hit communities.
“The rates among the Latinx community were really soaring in July. They were across the county but particularly steep in the Latinx community and to some extent in the African American community” said Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody. “We are now seeing the rates decline not just across the county but most steeply among the Latinx community.”