Service Categories: Emergency-Prep-Response

Emergency Prep & Response

Our Post-Covid Lives Shouldn’t Go Back to ‘Normal’ – They Should Go Back Better

4/2/21 Op-Ed By Susan Ellenberg
Covid-19 stripped down our support structures and shone an unforgiving light on the pre-existing gaps in services for our county’s families, specifically as they relate to health, food and internet access.
Those gaps are holding our community back and it is our collective responsibility to not only bridge those gaps but take us further together.
Key Words: COVID-19, Pandemic, Equity

South Bay Vietnamese Americans wrestle with COVID-19, lack of information

12/15/20 San Jose alone is home to more than 100,000 Vietnamese American residents as of 2010 and has the largest population of Vietnamese Americans of any city outside of Vietnam. Santa Clara County as a whole has roughly 140,000 residents of Vietnamese ancestry. Yet, little is known about how COVID-19 has affected the Vietnamese American community in Santa Clara County.
The county has not published specific information about the community. Its data portal, which provides information on coronavirus case and death rates for different racial groups, does not include a breakdown of different Asian American subgroups, a category that includes Chinese Americans, Indian Americans and Filipino Americans.

Amid anti-Asian violence, San Jose’s Vietnamese residents embrace COVID-19 vaccines

4/2/21 Despite a fear of anti-Asian violence hanging over their heads, some Vietnamese residents lined up as early as 4 a.m. to get a COVID-19 vaccine at a new mobile clinic this week ” a chance to defend themselves against a virus that’s disproportionately infecting them.
“We initially expected around 700 people but now there’s about 1,000” said Asian American Center of Santa Clara County CEO MyLinh Pham. She organized a mass vaccination event in the heart of the city’s Vietnamese community within the span of a few days after getting 475 doses – but had to find a few hundred more after running out in the early afternoon.

FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Update

FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.  The COVID-19 incident period ended on May 11, 2023. FEMA will continue to provide funeral assistance until Sept. 30, 2025, to those who have lost loved ones due to this pandemic.

The death must have occurred in the US, including the US territories, and the District of Columbia.
The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19. The applicant must be a US citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after 1/20/20.  There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a US citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.

There is no on line application.  Once you have phoned in, supporting documentation can be emailed, faxed or mailed.  ***COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Line Number 844-684-6333 | TTY: 800-462-7585 ***
FEMA Funeral Application Video   
FAQ   Multi-language:  Spanish |  Chinese |  Vietnamese |  Portuguese |  Creole |  Bengali   Russian     Arabic  

Key Words: Pandemic

Santa Clara County To Launch Mobile COVID Vaccination Unit After Receiving $200K Donation

3/29/21 SCC officials and the chief executive of San Jose-based Bloom Energy on Monday announced a $199,000 donation to the Valley Medical Center Foundation to cover the purchase cost of a mobile COVID-19 vaccine unit.
The vaccination unit will target residents who are homebound, elderly and disabled as well as residents that live in the county’s underserved areas that have been hardest hit by the pandemic. Key Words: Disaster

Equal Justice Works

Facilitating Fellowships for public interest lawyers and law students to serve at legal services organizations across the nation to increase equal access to justice for communities in need.
Educating law students and lawyers about options to manage their student debt and advocating for loan repayment assistance programs (LRAPs) and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF).

California’s reopening plan includes no equity benchmarks for hard-hit communities

4/11/21 California began a 10-week countdown to a full reopening last week, with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s bold proposal to lift nearly all coronavirus restrictions by June 15. But the ambitious plan contains no specific protections for vulnerable populations, sparking fears the state is about to repeat mistakes that devastated the Latino community last year.
The omission was surprising, considering that Newsom’s announcement was triggered by the delivery of 4 million vaccine doses to disadvantaged neighborhoods, a key goal that the state had set to address inequalities in the state’s inoculation efforts. In recent weeks, Newsom and other state officials have referred to equity as the “north star” of the pandemic response.

For immigrants, IDs prove to be a barrier to a dose of protection

4/11/21 The life-or-death race to get as many people vaccinated as possible before the coronavirus spawns more viral mutations, like the one that emerged in Brazil, started slowly but has accelerated as many of those crossing the finish line possess the wherewithal and inclination to navigate a mazelike system. As the nation nears the point where supply soon outpaces demand, the unvaccinated will increasingly be people who are reluctant or who are rebuffed by barriers blocking their way. Key Words: COVID-19, Pandemic

How the Bay Area failed Latino residents during the COVID crisis

3/14/21 Case rates for Latino residents are nearly four times higher than for White residents, analysis shows. Why?
Public health leaders’ centerpiece strategy, the nation’s first and strictest stay-at-home orders instituted one year ago, proved ill-suited for a population whose members often live in crowded housing and have no alternative to working outside the home. And local and state governments were slow to muster the focus and resources that might have made a real difference, even as community advocates pleaded for more action.
Key Words: Pandemic, Coronavirus

Their East San Jose neighbors were dying. So frustrated community leaders formed their own COVID task force

3/14/21 Magdalena Carrasco’s frustration was boiling over. More than a third of Santa Clara County’s first coronavirus deaths had swept through just four ZIP codes in the East San Jose community where she had grown up.
She wasn’t surprised by the outsized toll on the City Council district she represented: While office workers stayed home, traffic had hardly eased in East San Jose as residents went to their shifts as cooks, cleaners and grocery store employees.
Yet as of mid-May, the two testing sites in East San Jose were open only by appointment on weekdays, and many Spanish speakers still didn’t know what to do if they got sick on the job.
Key Words: Pandemic, Coronavirus

Recording of Discussion on Accessibility of Red Cross Disaster Services

3/15/21 American Red Cross (ARC) provides disaster relief services all day, every day, where ever needed, so people can have clean water, safe shelter and hot meals when they need them the most. The purpose of ARC is to meet the immediate disaster-caused needs of individuals, families, and communities. This session addresses the mission and services of American Red Cross and how those service look amidst COVID a concurrent disaster. This session will also address inclusive practices, and discuss functional and access needs for individuals and families seeking supports and how ARC can accommodate.
This training is part of the first-ever Disaster Resilience Awareness by Disability Rights Texas.
Key Words: AFN, disabilities

Asian Americans face attacks during pandemic

3/15/21 Stop AAPI Hate began tracking violence and harassment against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders on March 19 last year.
From then through the end of 2020, Stop AAPI Hate received a total of 3,292 complaints from all 50 states and Washington, DC, according to a Stop AAPI Hate news release. The coalition, which had previously reported a lower number of complaints for 2020, said some incidents that took place in 2020 were not reported until earlier this year.

5 lessons COVID-19 has taught us for the next pandemic

3/16/21 The pandemic that launched the nation’s first and most ambitious experiment to slow the spread of COVID-19 ” stay-home orders for 7.6 million Bay Area residents ” is easing. It’s left behind shattered lives, economic upset and widened racial inequities, but also valuable lessons which could strengthen our future response to outbreaks of deadly contagion. “Despite these enormous hardships, we have so many reasons for hope and a better future now” said Dr. Dan Lowenstein, executive vice chancellor and provost of UC San Francisco.

After months of pressure from advocates, detained immigrants in California now eligible for vaccine

3/16/21 California public health officials say that people in federal immigration detention in facilities located in the state will now be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, KQED reports. State health officials said in an announcement that individuals “who reside or work in a high risk congregate residential setting, such as an incarceration/detention facility” which would include people in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody, would now be prioritized for the vaccine.

Archive – What Santa Clara County renters, landlords should know about evictions

3/16/21 Renters affected by the pandemic likely took a sigh of relief when, early this year, California lawmakers extended the statewide ban on evictions for those facing financial hardships until the end of June. The law also created a rental assistance program to help lift lower-income renters out of rental debt. The program started taking applications this week.
The application does not ask for or require proof of citizenship. Multi-language: Spanish ***
List of Organizations Helping Renters with Applications
Key Words: Undocumented

PG&E power shutoffs could become more frequent

3/23/21 SAN RAMON, Calif. (AP) ” A federal judge overseeing Pacific Gas & Electric’s criminal probation said Tuesday that he is considering requiring the utility to be more aggressive about turning off its electricity lines near tall trees, a plan that could double the number of power outages for some Northern California counties over the next decade.
The proposal outlined during a two-hour court hearing is the latest effort to prevent the utility’s equipment from sparking more deadly wildfires by reducing the likelihood that trees could fall into the utility’s long-neglected electrical equipment.

United Peace Collaborative

We focus on making the maximum positive effort for our community. Our members and volunteers provide the momentum that helps us affect change. Using data driven models, we provide solutions that make a long-lasting difference. Build a stronger Chinese/Asian Community in SF & elsewhere. Assist seniors, women, children, and the disabled. Tasks: Educate Asians about basic rights as Americans, inform people what are reportable crimes, give info and resources to people who have needs.

Archive – Oakland clinic offers Mayan interpreter for COVID-19 vaccinations

3/19/21 This month, La Clinica de La Raza began offering the community-targeted vaccination service at 32 locations across the Bay Area, including ASCEND Elementary School on East 12th Street, where Latinos who speak Mam, K’iche ‘and Q’eqchi’ can get translation help from appointment to inoculation on Thursdays.
There are over 22 different Mam dialects spoken primarily by people of Guatemalan and Mexican descent. According to a recent UC San Francisco study, Mayan people with Guatemalan roots are the fastest-growing ethnic group in Oakland.

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.

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

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

Archive – San Jose – Digital Inclusion Partnership

12/31/23 Website gone

2/21 The CA Emerging Technology (CETF) has been funded to work with communities throughout San José to close the digital divide through expanding device access, digital adoption and literacy skills. Digital Inclusion Partnership in collaboration with the CETF is a non-profit organization that provides statewide leadership to accelerate the deployment and adoption of broadband to unserved and underserved communities and populations in California. Key Words: DIGITAL LITERACY

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

‘I Will Not Stand Silent.’ 10 Asian Americans Reflect on Racism During the Pandemic and the Need for Equality

6/25/20 Today, as the U.S. struggles to combat a global pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 120,000 Americans and put millions out of work, President Donald Trump, who has referred to COVID-19 as the “Chinese virus” and more recently the “kung flu” has helped normalize anti-Asian xenophobia, stoking public hysteria and racist attacks. And now, as in the past, it’s not just Chinese Americans receiving the hatred. Racist aggressors don’t distinguish between different ethnic subgroups”anyone who is Asian or perceived to be Asian at all can be a victim. Even wearing a face mask, an act associated with Asians before it was recommended in the U.S., could be enough to provoke an attack. Key Words: Hate Crimes

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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

Returning Home After A Wildfire

8/28/20 Safety Tips from the CA DEPT of FORESTRY and FIRE PROTECTION – Once a wildfire has burned through an area, many dangers could remain. Firefighters and utility workers begin restoring fire damaged areas as soon as they can. Making the area safe for the public can take multiple days. Stay out of the evacuation area until fire officials tell you it is safe to return. It is extremely important to be aware of the hazards and know what to look for when the evacuation order is lifted.

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

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.

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

Archive – Tzu Chi Providing Care and Support After Northern California’s Lightning Complex Fire

9/4/20 The CZU fire in the southern Bay Area was one of three major fire sites in the Bay Area. Minjhing Hsieh, Executive Director of Tzu Chi’s Northwest region, visited the Santa Cruz County shelter for the first time on August 27th alongside volunteers Grace Chen and CM Yung. Volunteers learned more about the shelter from the site manager, Mark Larson, who told them that the area is 110 acres, has 71 cabins, and a parking lot that can accommodate 150 RVs. On August 20, nearly 500 evacuees occupied the shelter, of which, about two hundred people lived in the cabins, and about three hundred lived in 130 RVs. Key Words: Disaster

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

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

San Jose Rental Assistance Program

Program for qualified SJ residents who are behind on rental payments due to loss of income related to COVID-19. Financial assistance may cover expenses such as rental payments, utilities, and housing deposits from April 2020 through December 2020.
Financial assistance available through Catholic Charities. To apply please call:
Vietnamese: (408) 757-8044 and/or (408) 757-6661.
Spanish: (408) 757-7703 and/or (408) 757-7591.
All other languages and general inquiries: (408) 758-0011.
Applications will be accepted through a lottery system.
For more information about eligibility, please call the rental assistance program at (408) 758-0011
Multi-lingual: Spanish, Vietnamese

Next Door Solutions (NDS) – Domestic Violence

The premier domestic violence agency in Santa Clara County. We are the only stand-alone domestic violence agency and the largest provider of these services. 24/7 HOTLINE for victims of domestic violence (408) 279-2962 Multi-language: Spanish, Vietnamese

MENTAL HEALTH – WomenSV (Domestic Violence Support)

We work one-on-one with survivors to help them find the means to break free from abuse and go on to build healthier lives for themselves and their children. We assist with safety planning, provide court and attorney accompaniments and connect survivors to resources and help available to them, based on their specific needs. We educate the community, train providers and empower survivors to break the cycle of abuse in middle-to-upper income areas so that every woman and child can exercise their fundamental human right to be free and safe in their own home. Key Words: SCC, legal, Los Altos