Service Categories: Basic Needs

Basic Needs

Expand Ability

Expandability’s mission is to provide support and services that aim to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities by supporting and developing their abilities through advocacy and meaningful employment. Services currently provided virtually due to COVID-19. A program of Goodwill of Silicon Valley
Key Words: AFN, job search, disability

Archive – A Comcast Employee Was Told to Upsell Internet to Low-Income People. So He Quit.

1/29/21 I didn’t like how Xfinity/Comcast were positioning themselves as caring and helping and doing everything they can. When I was like, that’s not what you’re doing. It’s business as usual……
Xfinity/Comcast got rid of data limits for the first two months of the pandemic. Then, I don’t know why, they just got reinstated. The pandemic didn’t end and school didn’t reopen, but they said, now we’re charging everybody again

Give an Hour®

GAH exists for those who don’t have access to compassionate mental health care. Licensed mental health providers have joined Give an Hour® to change the direction of mental health and volunteer to provide direct services.
Nationally we support: Those currently serving in the military, veterans (regardless of discharge status, deployment status, or era of service), and their families *** Those affected by natural disasters or man-made traumas
Provides free mental health services to those in need by reaching out to partner organizations to identify groups in need as well as partnering with California based mental health associations to offer the opportunity to providers across the state to join us in this effort. Multi-language: Spanish

How to master the vaccine-appointment website- A guide for everyone

2/10/21 Scheduling coronavirus vaccine shots online is causing panic for eligible Americans and the children and grandchildren helping them. That includes me and my parents, hunting for scraps of information on supply and pressing reload at all hours on poorly designed websites. By the time you type in all the required information, available appointments have vanished.
An estimated 42 percent of Americans over the age of 65 don’t even have a wired broadband Internet connection at home, according to a new report. Online vaccine appointment systems are particularly under-serving minority and low-income communities.
2021 has made being a computer whiz a matter of life and death. Shame on America for asking seniors to beta test bad vaccine logistics software.Key Words: Pandemic, COVID-19, Vaccination

As COVID-19 relief vote nears, undocumented immigrants struggle with no aid

3/4/21 There are approximately 7 million undocumented immigrants working in the United States, making up 4.4% of the workforce, according to a 2020 Center for American Progress report. Because of their immigration status, they do not qualify for unemployment benefits if they lose their job.
But it’s not just undocumented immigrants themselves who have faced difficulty receiving aid. There are around 16.7 million people in America who have at least one undocumented family member living with them, according to the Center For American Progress. People in these mixed-status families, such as when some are citizens and some are DACA recipients but file taxes with a family member who doesn’t have a Social Security number, also have struggled to receive benefits.

Asian, Inc.

We empower diversity by creating opportunities in business development, housing and financial education, targeting low- to moderate-income communities of all races.

USCIS – Public Charge Update

3/12/21 USCIS is no longer applying the August 2019 Public Charge Final Rule. As a consequence, among other changes, USCIS will apply the public charge inadmissibility statute consistent with the 1999 Interim Field Guidance. In other words, USCIS is not considering an applicant’s receipt of Medicaid (except for long-term institutionalization at the government’s expense), public housing, or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits as part of the public charge inadmissibility determination. Multi-language: Spanish

Social Stigma associated with COVID-19

A guide to preventing and addressing social stigma –
Target audience: Government, media and local organisations working on the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The current COVID-19 outbreak has provoked social stigma and discriminatory behaviours against people of certain ethnic backgrounds as well as anyone perceived to have been in contact with the virus.

New Stanford research: Why Zoom can wipe you out

2/23/21 COVID-19 pandemic has moved our lives into a virtual space. Why is that so exhausting?
The tiredness doesn’t feel earned. We’re not flying an airplane, teaching toddlers or rescuing people trapped in burning buildings. Still, by the end of the day, the feeling is so universal that it has its own name: Zoom Fatigue.
Stanford researchers find four causes for ‘Zoom fatigue’ and propose simple fixes

Expedited Licensure Process for Refugees, Asylees, and Holders of Special Immigrant Visas (SIVs)

Beginning January 1, 2021, individuals in with refugee, asylee, or special immigrant visa status, who apply for licensure by the Board of Registered Nursing may seek an expedited licensure process. In order to receive the expedited licensure process, individuals must provide evidence of their refugee, asylee, or special immigrant visa status when submitting their application package.

Heart of the Valley Services for Seniors

We can offer friendly phone calls to keep connected, no contact gardening and Household Hazardous Waste Pickup for seniors over 65 years old who live in: Santa Clara, Cupertino, Sunnyvale, Saratoga, Monte Sereno, Los Gatos, Campbell, and the West San Jose zip codes 95117, 95125, 95126, 95128, 95129, 95130.
Call (408) 241-1571</strong >
Service Eligibility We serve adults 65 years of age or older who reside in West Santa Clara County, depending on your zip code. Let’s see if we can help you! There are no waiting lists, or lengthy registration process. If you qualify, you become our client and can begin requesting services at least 7 business days in advance of your need.
See if you are eligible Key Words: Trnsportation

New Hope Chinese Cancer Foundation

Free assistance for Chinese cancer patients in Santa Clara County. New Hope Milpitas office will be open on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning from 10-12 pm. Please call ahead before visiting. Face covering and keeping social distance is required. Patient services, transportation, survivorship classes, and support groups will be conducted online. For inquiries, please contact info@newhopecancer.org or 408-609-3338 Multi-language: Chinese Key Words: AFN

South Bay Mutual Aid

8/3/21 COVID-19 Update
Due to an overwhelming number of requests we are temporarily closing the request form to allow our volunteers to catch up, we will reopen this form in September, thank you for all your support!
We are a coalition of students, workers, and community members organizing mutual aid in the South Bay (Santa Clara County) Monterey and San Benito County. Assistance with groceries, medical and cleaninig supplies, facemasks, transportation to medical appointments, Key Words: COVID-19, Pandemic Multi-language: Spanish

Archive – BUILDING IMMIGRANT POWER FROM CALIFORNIA TO NEW YORK

2/21 CIPC Blueprint for the Nation includes a vision along with concrete policy priorities for five issue areas in New York and California that are critical to immigrant communities: Creating Healthy Communities; Building Political Power and Guaranteed Civil Rights; Ending State Support for Detention, Deportation and Mass Incarceration; Ensuring Economic Justice and Good Jobs; and Quality Education. Key Words: Demographics, legal,

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

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.

SCC Section 8 Rental Assistance Interest List Registration

Online Registration is STILL open! To improve your access to housing opportunities, our new online interest lists are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Joining our interest lists tells us you would like to receive rental assistance in Santa Clara County through the Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8).
The Santa Clara County Housing Authority will never charge you to receive a Section 8 voucher. Multi-language:
Spanish |
Vietnamese |

ARC 2020 COVID-19 Partner Brief

2/1/21 Covid Act Now is a multidisciplinary team of technologists, epidemiologists, health experts, and public policy leaders working to provide disease intelligence and data analysis on COVID in the U.S.
Covid Act Now works in partnership with the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Science and Security, Stanford University Clinical Excellence Research Center, and Grand Rounds. Key Words: Pandemic, American Red Cross

ACEs Aware in CA Training

The Becoming ACEs Aware in California Training is a free, two-hour training to learn about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), toxic stress, screening, risk assessment, and evidence-based care to effectively intervene on toxic stress.
The training is available to any provider, but it is particularly geared towards primary care clinicians who serve Medi-Cal (California’s Medicaid program) beneficiaries.
ACEs Aware Stress Management Resource List

CA COVID-19 Health Equity Playbook for Communities

12/1/20 Strategies and Practices for an Equitable Reopening and Recovery – The COVID-19
pandemic has underscored stark disparities, particularly among Latino communities. This booklet is a part of California’s Blueprint for a Safer Economy includes a Health Equity Metric to help ensure that California’s public health interventions and guidance reach individuals in all communities statewide, especially disproportionately impacted communities.
Blueprintforasafereconomy-sp

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.”

Insurance Advocacy – United Policyholders Roadmap to Recovery

Since 1991 our Roadmap to Recovery program has been improving disaster recovery by providing free insurance and decision-making guidance, tools and resources to people, businesses and communities. The program includes our online library of claim tips, sample letters, reports, instructional videos, professional help directory, and articles written by leading experts in personal finance, construction and the law. Key Words: Wildfire

Guide for Undocumented Immigrants Travelling in CA

8/2020 Everyone in the U.S. has certain rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution, regardless of their immigration status. In order to exercise your rights, you must know what they are and have an action plan for how to respond to potential interactions with immigration or law enforcement officials. This document provides an overview of some recommendations available to the public regarding safe travel protocols. From Immigrants Rising. Key Words: KYR, Know Your Rights

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.

Health Care Advance Directive.- Guide with an Easy-to-Use, Multi-State Form for All Adults

8-26-20 A Guide with an Easy-to-Use, Multi-State Form for All Adults produced by the Commission on Law and Aging, American Bar Association. The form in this guide is a simple version of a Health Care Advance Directive. It allows you to choose someone to make health care decisions for you if you can’t. If you name a health care agent when you are healthy, you will make sure that someone you trust can make health care decisions for you if you become too ill or injured to make them yourself. Multi-language:
Spanish

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

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.

Farmworker Resilience in the Thomas Fire”Disaster Relief Inequities

2018 The Thomas Fire that struck Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties in December of 2017 was at the time the largest wildfire in California history, and was followed by a deadly mudslide when rains washed down the burnt hillsides. Drought and climate change have made wildfires in California larger, more frequent, and more destructive. While most media attention focuses on expensive hillside properties burning, the effects on immigrant families and low-wage workers are devastating but often unseen. CAUSE worked alongside our partners, the Mixteco/Indigena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) and Future Leaders of America (FLA) to respond where our communities were being left behind by the official disaster response. Key Words: Indigenous, immigrant, undocumented

Emergency Preparedness: Plan (ASL)

This 6-minute video from the Arizona DEMA’s Emergency Preparedness series encourages community members to create a plan for what to do in the case of an emergency. It emphasizes the need for separate versions of this plan for different places you spend time (such as home, work and school), choosing a meeting place out of the area as well as nearby, and discussing with your family the steps to take in either an evacuation or staying in place. It gives advice such creating pre-written messages as it may be easier for those who are deaf or hard of hearing to communicate, and checking with local emergency management agency to see if they keep a record of those with access and functional needs.
This video gives a lot of information and details every step of preparing for an emergency situation. Key Words: communication, AFN, Translation, Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Coronavirus, Pandemic, Disaster, Language Access

Sign Language for First Responders (Evacuate)

Simple, 3-minute video that shows first responders key words in American Sign Language (ASL) that would be helpful in communicating with those who are deaf or hard of hearing in an evacuation. Words include emergency, help, wait, go, sit, let’s communicate through writing, etc. Overall a well-done video. She repeats the signs a few times to help ingrain them in your head and points out how signs are different if they are similar to one another. Key Words: communication, Language Access

COVID-19 Guidelines for the General Public

As of April 6, 2022, close contacts in most settings who have been exposed to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 who are asymptomatic are no longer required to quarantine, regardless of vaccination status. California Department of Public Health (CDPH) masking guidance also strongly recommends wearing a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings and when near those at higher risk for severe COVID-19 disease.
Spanish |
Vietnamese |
Chinese |
Tagalog |

San Jose leaders approve recommendations to address COVID-19 health disparities

9/2/20 San Jose leaders unanimously accepted 30 recommendations Sept. 1 from Santa Clara County’s Health and Equity Task Force to tackle growing health disparities in the time of COVID-19.
The recommendations include translating emergency information, contact-tracing, extending rent relief, distributing food and adding additional COVID-19 testing sites.
Councilmember Magdalena Carrasco said as of Aug. 31, more than 170 cases were reported in Santa Clara County, but many residents still don’t know where to get the services they need. Key Words: Equity

USAHello Resources for Newcomers to America

USAHello is a free online center for information and education for refugees, asylum seekers, immigrants and welcoming communities. In the USAHello classroom, we offer our GED classes in English and in manually translated Spanish. Our Citizenship class is in manually translated Spanish, Arabic, Vietnamese and Swahili. The classroom is also automatically translated into several other languages to help newcomers study and learn English at the same time.Multi-language:
Arabic
French
Spanish

Coronavirus shutdowns are hitting Bay Area Vietnamese-owned nail salons hard

9/5/20 While most of the state’s businesses have been able to resume some activity, nail salons have remained largely closed under state and local health orders since the start of the pandemic. In most of the Bay Area, as well as Sacramento and Southern California, where cases remain widespread under the state’s new color-coded reopening system, nail salons are not yet allowed to reopen indoors. For many, outdoor operations aren’t an option.
About 70 percent of California’s nail salon workers are Vietnamese-American, according to a 2019 report, and the pandemic is taking a heavy toll on a small business niche that’s been shut for five months now. The report was released by the UCLA Labor Center and the nonprofit California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative, which advocates for nail salons.

Need money during coronavirus pandemic? How to avoid loan sharks and debt traps

4/2/20 As millions of Americans lose jobs, shifts and other sources of income during the coronavirus health crisis, financial experts worry that people will be preyed upon by loan sharks who stand to profit.
“We saw this during the foreclosure crisis, where people were in distress and scammers took advantage to promise to help people connect to relief for a fee they could not afford” said Kevin Stein, deputy director of the California Reinvestment Coalition, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that advocates for protecting consumers. Key Words: Disaster, Emergency

Healing the Impacts of Racism

This Beginner’s Anti-Racism Toolkit toolkit was created as a response to the powerful uprising of anti-racism activism sparked by the ongoing work of the Black Lives Matter movement and a wave of protests against police brutality and systemic racism in America.
This guide tackles the three main areas of support that we at Collective have seen surface again and again for our clients- a need for healing, processing and making sense of this moment, and taking action toward explicit anti-racism. Key Words: Mental Health

Choices for Children

Need help paying for child care: California Alternative Payment Program (CAPP):
The family must be income eligible and children must be under 13 years of age or have exceptional needs. Our staff assist families in identifying child care and other community services that meet the specific needs of the child and family. Multi-lingual: Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian

Online Traffic Fine Reduction Request

8/15/20 If you have a financial hardship and can show that you are unable to pay the full amount for your traffic ticket, you may request the court to consider your ability to pay. The Judicial Council and eight California Superior Courts are working together to develop a new online option for people struggling with traffic court debt. The “MyCitations” tool allows people to look up their traffic citation, answer a series of simple questions and submit a request to the court for a possible reduction in the amount owed. Users can also request a payment plan, more time to pay or community service.
Spanish

Archive – Be Prepared for Wildfires during COVID-19

A wildfire is an unplanned, unwanted fire burning in a natural area, such as a forest, grassland, or prairie. Wildfires are increasing in size and intensity across the United States, and these trends are expected to continue. As communities expand into natural areas, homes are increasingly situated in or near areas prone to wildfires, called the wild and urban interface. Key Words: American Red Cross, ARC,
Multi-language:
Spanish |
French |
Simplified Chinese |
Traditional Chinese |
Korean |
Vietnamese

Archive – Immigrant Eligibility for Public Programs During COVID-19

3/26/21 This table provides a general overview of some of the federal public programs available to support individuals and families during the COVID-19 crisis under existing law, as well as the recently passed Families First Coronavirus Response Act and the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
We have also included clarification about whether these public programs are taken into account for public charge purposes. Additional information about the public charge regulations is available in this FAQ document from the Protecting Immigrant Families (PIF) Campaign. Multi-language: Spanish