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Bold Steps for Children Newsletter
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The 10th Annual Santa Clara County Children's Summit is only a few weeks away! If you haven't had a chance yet, please register now and join us for this year's Summit on Friday, February 24, from 7:30am - 2:15pm at Microsoft in Mountain View.
Our theme is "The Fierce Opportunity of Now," and we have exciting workshops planned, as well as two dynamic keynote speakers:
James Shelton, President of the Chan Zuckerberg Education Initiative, and
Tia Martinez from Forward Change Consulting, a leader in work to end the school-to-prison pipeline.
To get more details and register, visit
https://childrenssummit2017.eventbrite.com. If you need financial support to attend, please reach out to me at
[email protected].
I look forward to seeing you at the Summit!
Warm wishes,
Dana Bunnett, Director
Kids in Common
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Kids in Common wants every child safe, healthy, successful in learning,
and successful in life!
Kids in Common advocates for policies, partnerships, and investments that improve children's lives in Santa Clara County.
The cornerstone of our work is
the Children's Agenda, a county-wide initiative working to create measurable, positive changes for Santa Clara County children and families.
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FEATURES
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Santa Clara County C
hildren's Summit
The Fierce Opportunity of Now
The 10th Annual Santa Clara County Children's Summit invites community leaders to forge new partnerships and work across boundaries to achieve goals of the Children's Agenda: Every child safe, healthy, successful in learning, and successful in life. Don't miss this year's amazing line-up of speakers and workshops, and presentation of the Bold Steps for Children Award.
Date: Friday, February 24, 2017
Time: 7:30am - 2:15pm
Location: Microsoft Silicon Valley, 1065 La Avenida Street, Mountain View, CA
Registration: You can get more details and register for the Summit by clicking here.
www.kidsincommon.org
ScholarShare Scholar Dollars
Grants for Student Enrichment Programs
The ScholarShare Scholar Dollars grant program is awarding $300,000 to California's K-8 public and charter schools in 2017, which can support extracurricular and enrichment programs, such as new science lab equipment, band uniforms, tutoring programs and more. Based on school size, this grant can offer $5,000 to $25,000 in critical funds.
For More Information: Schools can learn more and register from February 1-22, 2017 at www.MyScholarDollars.com.
www.MyScholarDollars.com
Housing Stability and Wellness Grants
Destination: Home is pleased to announce up to $240,000 in funding available to to nonprofit corporations to enhance and increase housing stability for chronically homeless households participating in permanent supportive housing programs. Funding is available to service providers to incubate and implement programs that will increase housing stability, wellness, and promote meaningful daily activities for clients participating in permanent supportive housing programs. Proposals can include developing peer support networks, mentors and advocacy, wellness, and social activities. Funded agencies will be receiving client referrals in partnership with the County of Santa Clara's Care Coordination Project.
For More Information: Applications are due on Friday, March 3 at 5pm. You can get more details and the application by clicking here.
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COMMUNITY EVENTS
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Early Math Adds Up
The Early Math Adds Up forum, hosted by Silicon Valley Education Foundation and Strong Start (SCCOE), will present research findings and practical solutions to raise awareness of the importance of building the STEM education pipeline early and giving all students an early start for later success. The featured keynote speaker is Greg Duncan, Distinguished Professor, UC Irvine School of Education. The forum will also include research and practitioners' panels.
Date: Friday, February 10, 2017
Time: 9:30am - 12:00pm
Location: Google-Tech Corners TC2 - Blade Runner Room, 803 11th Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA
For More Information: You can get more details and register by clicking here.
Supporting Male Engagement
Positive father/male caregiver involvement provides significant benefits for children and families and plays a crucial role in the prevention and early intervention of child abuse and neglect. Please join us for this important professional development opportunity. This training includes a discussion of the research that connects father involvement to family strengthening, an overview of the organizational change process as it relates to becoming more inclusive of fathers, and specific guidelines for implementing father-friendly practices. Participants will learn to enhance an organization's father friendliness, develop strategies to conduct effective outreach to fathers, use specific tools for engaging and supporting fathers, and access resources about evidence-based practices.
Date: Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Time: 9:00am - 3:30pm (registration for this course: 8:30 - 9:00am)
Location: FIRST 5 Santa Clara County, 4000 Moorpark Avenue, Community Room (Suite 100), San Jose, CA
For More Information: You can get more details and register by clicking here.
La Cultura Cura Philosophy Training
La Cultura Cura is a healing-centered transformational health framework offered by the National Compadres Network. The Probation Department is sponsoring (2) three hour sessions on February 28, 2017. Both sessions will be the same, so it is only necessary to attend one. This is a great, quick overview being offered that precedes additional curriculum facilitator training that will follow later in 2017. This includes training, such as Xinacthli (gender specific for girls), El Joven Noble (for young men), Cara Y Corazon (family strengthening) or Raising Children with PRIDE (teen fathers).
Date: Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Time: 8:30 - 11:30am & 1:30 - 4:30pm
Location: Social Services Agency Auditorium, 333 W. Julian Street, San Jose, CA
For More Information: Visit their website for additional information by clicking here. You can register for either the morning or afternoon session by clicking here.
HIP Conference 2017 - Healthy Innovative Practices: Creating Health Through Innovation
The Healthy Innovative Practices Conference, a partnership between the Santa Clara County Public Health Department and Kaiser Permanente, will focus on new, "hip" innovative ways to live a healthy life by focusing on new technology and inventions around healthy food, physical activity, and health equity. This conference will feature keynote speaker, Lt. Commander Dr. Rashid Njai, (PhD, MPH), a Lieutenant Commander in the US Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps and Health Scientist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). He will share his experience with cross-sector collaboration to address social determinants of health. Featured sessions will include: Institute for the Future - Food Futures Lab; DataKind - Using Data to Improve Health; and Innovative Practices in Health Panel Featuring SOMOS Mayfair, Microsoft, and Youth Speaks.
Date: Thursday, March 2, 2017
Time: 8:00am - 12:30pm
Location: Microsoft Training Center, 1065 La Avenida, Building One, Mountain View, CA
For More Information: Space is limited and pre-registration is required! You can register now by clicking here. Attendance is limited to two people per organization. All registrants will be sent a confirmation email with a finalized conference agenda and directions to the event. If you have questions, send email to the Center for Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention at [email protected], or call (408) 793-2700.
Middle School March Madness Basketball Tournament - Alum Rock Union School District
This tournament is a positive family activity with a college-going theme, featuring 16 teams (8 boys' teams and 8 girls' teams) and college information tables, with free admission to all games. A limited number of team slots are available.
Dates & Times: Friday, March 3, 2017, 4:00 - 8:00pm;
Saturday, March 4, 2017, 10:00am - 6:00pm;
Sunday, March 5, 2017, 9:00am - 7:00pm.
Location: W. C. Overfelt High School, 1835 Cunningham Road, San Jose, CA
For More Information: Send email to Esau Herrera, Tournament Director, at [email protected]. You can also check out the flyer by clicking here.
Second Harvest Food Bank's 2017 Hunger Action Summit
This summit will bring together engaged community leaders and hunger advocates to discuss the intersections of hunger and other community issues, including education, health, and housing. You will also learn more about the face of hunger in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. Economist and Professor at Northwestern University, Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach, will give the keynote address. Her recent work has focused on tracing the impact of major public policies, such as the Food Stamp Program and early childhood education on children's long-term outcomes.
Date: Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Time: 8:00am - 1:15pm
Location: Santa Clara University, Locatelli Center, 500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, CA
For More Information: Register now by clicking here. If you have questions, send email to [email protected].
Funding Your Impact
The annual Funding Your Impact Summit offers a wide range of topics including trends in non-profit funding, social media fundraising, outcomes and evaluations and donor engagement within ethnic communities. The half-day summit offers informative breakout sessions and networking opportunities for attendees to broaden their knowledge and to meet other like-minded professionals.
Date: Friday, March 17, 2017
Time: 9:00am - 2:00pm
Location: Microsoft Silicon Valley Conference Center - 1065 La Avenida Street, Mountain View, CA
For More Information: www.svcn.org
Project Cornerstone's 2017 Asset Champions Breakfast
The 2017 Asset Champions Breakfast will celebrate the 2017 Asset Champions chosen from nominees from across Silicon Valley. Project Cornerstone will also announce the results of the recent Countywide Developmental Assets Survey Data that includes data from youth in over 200 schools in Silicon Valley. And we have a special keynote address by Ruby Bridges, Civil Rights Icon. Please join community members, business leaders, school staff, Project Cornerstone volunteers, and local political leaders for this wonderful event. Early bird tickets go on sale starting November 1, 2016.
Date: Friday, March 24, 2017
Time: 7:00 - 9:00am
Location: Santa Clara Convention Center, 5001 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, CA
For More Information: Visit www.projectcornerstone.org.
HIP Conference 2.0 - Healthy Innovation for the Future Generation
This second part of the HIP Conference celebrates National Nutrition Month and is a partnership between the Santa Clara County Public Health Department and Kaiser Permanente. The conference features special keynote speaker, Dr. Susan Lynch, an Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of California San Francisco, Director of the Microbiome Research Core, and acting Associate Director of the Microbiome in Inflammatory Disease Program. Dr. Lynch will present her human microbiota research and its connection to a healthy lifestyle. Other featured speakers will include Carol Danaher, MPH, RDN - Early Childhood Feeding Practices, and Jennifer Gacutan-Galang, MPH - Nutrition Education for School Age Children.
Date: Thursday, March 30, 2017
Time: 8:00am - 12:00pm
Location: Sobrato Center for Non Profits, 1400 Parkmoor Avenue, Cupertino Room A, San Jose, CA
For More Information: You can register now by clicking here. If you have questions, send email to the Center for Chronic Disease and Injury Prevention at [email protected], or call (408) 793-2700.
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NEWS, REPORTS, AND TRAINING
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NEW!
New Data on Children with Special Health Care needs
Kidsdata.org has just released a wide-ranging dataset on children with special health care needs in California counties and cities. The new datasets include local estimates covering demographics, insurance coverage, impact on families, and quality of care. You can read the blog post by
clicking here.
NEW! Helping Kids Whose Moms Are in Jail
Read this important opinion piece, "County needs to help kids whose moms are in jail," by Judge Len Edwards, co-chair of the Children's Agenda Vision Council, and Susan Ellenberg, SJUSD Trustee and member of the Vision Council. Go to the article on the
Mercury News website by
clicking here; you can also read
Dana Bunnett's follow-up letter to the editor by
clicking here.
Barriers to Child Care for Foster Families
Children Now developed a brief,
Meeting the Child Care Needs of Foster Families - A Policy Roadmap, to inform policymakers about the barriers that foster families face when trying to access child care. This is part of Children Now's effort to enhance access to child care for California's most vulnerable children and to work with allies in 2017 to build a bridge to child care for foster children in California. You can read the brief by
clicking here. You can read more about building a bridge to child care for foster children by
clicking here.
Local Control Funding Formula Budget Accountability
As part of our implementation efforts around the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF), Children Now is developing a number of "LCFF Toolkits" to support local advocates and school district leaders. The first toolkit is designed to aid and encourage districts to be as transparent as possible about how they are allocating funds in their district budgets.
Oral Health News
Children Now, in partnership with UCLA School of Dentistry and First 5 LA, released a brief earlier this month that details opportunities to expand dental care access for kids by providing additional support to Federally Qualified Health Centers. You can review the brief,
Strengthening Dental Care for Children Utilizing California's Federally Qualified Health Centers, by
clicking here. You can review the news coverage on
New American Media by
clicking here.
Scholarships for Dreamers!
TheDream.US, the largest college access and success organization for DREAMers, is offering scholarships of up to $25,000 to Bay Area high school and community college graduates looking to attend one of our Bay Area Partner Colleges: Sonoma State, California State University East Bay, San Francisco State, San Jose State, University of California Santa Cruz, and University of California Merced. DREAMers who meet DACA eligibility criteria or have applied for TPS status may apply. Interested students should visit
www.thedream.us, email
[email protected], or call 1-(855) 670-ISTS (4787) and ask for the TheDream.US National Scholarship Program. You can check out the information sheet by
clicking here.
The deadline is March 8, 2017.
Children Now's 2016-2017 California County Scorecard of Children's Well-Being
On November 15, Children Now released their County Scorecard, an interactive online data tool that provides snapshots of children's well-being in each of California's counties. The Scorecard, along with the accompanying informational videos, illuminates children's issues by region so that local leaders can prioritize - and work together to improve - children's health, education, welfare, and economic well-being. You can review the Scorecard and related resources by
clicking here.
New Grant Opportunity for Schools and Communities to Improve School Climate
Children Now, Public Counsel, and PolicyLink led advocacy efforts to secure funding for a new grant program, administered by the State Department of Education, to help local school districts to improve school climate and mitigate the school-to-prison pipeline. Grant funds are to support the planning, implementation, and evaluation of evidence-based, non-punitive programs and practices to keep the state's most vulnerable pupils in school. You can get more information by
clicking here
.
Resources for Health Coverage Enrollment
California has made tremendous progress in providing all kids with health coverage, regardless of their immigration status. This reflects our state's values of opportunity and inclusion. For Medi-Cal's 50th anniversary last month, Children Now created informational materials to help enroll the remaining uninsured kids and to recognize the federal, state, and local initiatives and policy reforms that have helped us get this far. You can get Children Now's new enrollment poster (available for free in English, Spanish, and Chinese) and health coverage timeline by
clicking here.
2016 Truancy Report Released
The Attorney General's In School + On Track 2016 report was recently released; you can view the press conference by
clicking here
. The 4th edition of this annual report raises awareness about the critical importance of elementary school attendance. You can review the report by
clicking here
.
Health4AllKids - Medi-Cal Enrollment Update
The Health4AllKids law to expand health coverage to all income-eligible children in the state regardless of their immigration status took effect in May 2016. Since then, over 133,000 undocumented children have newly enrolled in comprehensive Medi-Cal health coverage. For more information, see Children Now's infographic by clicking here. You can also send email to Isabel French, Communications Manager, at [email protected], and visit the Children Now website at www.childrennow.org.
Understanding Bullying and Cyberbullying
Did you know that over 28% of students aged 12-18 have reported being bullied, and over 43% have witnessed or experienced cyberbullying online? In response to this issue, OnlineSchools.org has created a new resource for bullying and cyberbullying in schools. You can review this resource by clicking here.
Poverty and Child Health in the United States
Almost half of young children in the United States live in poverty or near poverty. The American Academy of Pediatrics is committed to reducing and ultimately eliminating child poverty in the United States. Poverty and related social determinants of health can lead to adverse health outcomes in childhood and across the life course, negatively affecting physical health, socio-emotional development, and educational achievement. You can read this first ever AAP policy statement on poverty by
clicking here.
Kids Make Strides in Health Coverage But Over 1.5 Million Suffer Trauma
The 2016 California Children's Report Card has just been released, providing a close look at the current status of California kids. It assigns a letter grade ("A" though "F") to each of 31 areas key to children's well-being, including early learning, health, and K-12 education, to help state leaders make informed policy choices and make kids our top priority. The Report Card shines a spotlight on areas where California is not doing enough for kids. Unfortunately, in the area of childhood trauma the state received a Report Card grade of "D-", the report's lowest grade. California kids fared better in areas where lawmakers have focused attention and resources, such as preschool (B-) and health insurance (A-). In 2016, we want our state leaders to give kids all the support they need to grow up healthy and succeed! You can read the Report Card by clicking here.
Respect 360 eTraining
If you were unable to attend The Respect Institute's recent in-person trainings in Silicon Valley, no worries! You can get trained online to implement the Respect 360 Toolkit and/or Journal Program at your own pace by
clicking here.
You can also send email to Jessica Baker at [email protected] with questions or to inquire about partial scholarships.
Social and Emotional Learning and School Climate Resources
There has been a lot of attention recently on the importance of developing healthy school climates and fostering social and emotional learning in schools. If you are interested in resources for strengthening relationships, increasing student engagement, improving school climate, integrating SEL into professional development, or bridging Restorative Practices and Trauma-Informed approaches within your schools or organizations, visit the Scoop.it! page by
clicking here.
ONLINE TRAINING: Helping Parents to Feed Well so Children Can Eat Well
Parent educators can improve their knowledge of how child development influences child eating, learn how to help parents teach their child to be a healthy eater, and learn how to support parents in having enjoyable family mealtimes. You can view the four 30-minute videos created by Childhood Feeding Collaborative of Santa Clara County by clicking here. For more Information, send email to Carol Danaher at [email protected]
, or call (408) 793-2708.
Child Abuse Prevention Resources for Schools
Please share this important information with parents, teachers, and school administrators about Kidpower's abuse, bullying, abduction, and other violence prevention resources for schools. You can check out this resource by clicking here.
WEBINAR: Social and Emotional Learning
Supported by music and videos, take-home activities, and stories kids relate to, the developmentally appropriate Second Step lessons have helped teachers instill social-emotional skills in their students for over 20 years. Interested in putting the Second Step program to work for your students? Attend one of the sessions from Committee for Children to hear directly from their experts. You can see a list of live webinars and register by
clicking here.
FIRST 5 Obesity Prevention Efforts
The California State Association of Counties (CSAC) profiled FIRST 5 Santa Clara County's efforts to prevent early childhood obesity. Through a blog post and video, CSAC highlights how FIRST 5 programs are making healthy habits fun! You can read the blog by
clicking here; you can watch the YouTube video by
clicking here.
School Discipline Consensus Report
Released by the Council of State Governments Justice Center, this report presents a comprehensive set of consensus-based and field-driven recommendations to improve conditions for learning for all students and educators, better support students with behavioral needs, improve police-school partnerships, and keep students out of the juvenile justice system for minor offenses. You can read the report by
clicking here
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COMMUNITY RESOURCES
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Stanford Pediatric Weight Control Program
Concerned about a child's weight? Based on nearly 20 years of Stanford's research, the Pediatric Weight Control Program
has a success rate of over 80% in helping children and teens achieve age-appropriate weight reduction. Parents lose weight too! Classes are held at 4100 Bohannon Drive, Menlo Park, CA. To hear more about our program from past participants, watch this video by
clicking here.
FEBRUARY CLASS! Personal Safety Workshops
Kidpower's Public Workshops for ages 3 years to adults offer personal safety skills training that is relevant to the ages and life situations of the students. These dynamic, upbeat workshops teach skills such as boundary setting, advocacy, stranger safety, safety with words (spoken or online), help-seeking, and de-escalation. There are multiple workshops for different child age groups coming soon. Classes fill-up quickly, so let Kidpower know right away if you're interested!
Featured Workshop: Kidpower Safety and Self-Defense Workshop for ages 6-12 with their adults,
which will be held in Palo Alto on Saturday, February 11, from 9:00am - 1:00pm. Older children together with their adults practice personal safety skills for handling every day emotional and physical safety problems and self-defense skills for stopping emergencies.
For More Information: You can see the public workshop schedule and register by
clicking here. For questions, call (800) 467-6997 Ext. 1#, or send email to
[email protected].
Financial Aid Season Is Here! Support the 2016 Cash for College Campaign
Starting on October 1, 2016, through the March 2, 2017 Cal Grant deadline, students and families can attend FREE Cash for College workshops throughout San Jose/Silicon Valley to learn about financial aid options and get help completing their 2017-2018 financial aid applications: the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or California Dream Act (CADAA) and Chafee for Foster Youth applications. Bilingual assistance is available in Spanish and Vietnamese.
For More Information: For a list of workshop dates, see the Cash for College flyer by
clicking here, or visit the website at
www.cash4college.csac.ca.gov.
Silicon Valley Medical-Legal Partnership Expands Hours, Locations, and Eligibility
The Silicon Valley Medical-Legal Partnership provides free legal services to children and youth up to age 21 to address legal issues that affect health. Legal issues that can be addressed include accessing special education services in school, guardianships, substandard housing, school expulsions or suspensions, emancipation, custody and paternity questions for teen parents, immigration questions for people up to age 21, and more. Children and youth are eligible for this program if they are patients of Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, including all clinics.
Locations:
(1)
VHC Bascom - 750 S. Bascom Avenue, Suite 230, San Jose, CA;
Mondays from 4:00 - 7:00pm.
(2)
VHC Downtown - 777 E. Santa Clara Street, 2nd Floor, San Jose, CA;
Wednesdays from 2:00 - 5:00pm.
(3)
VHC Gilroy - 7475 Camino Arroyo, 2nd Floor, Gilroy, CA;
2nd and 4th Thursdays from 2:00 - 4:00pm.
For More Information: Families may call the intake coordinator at (408) 350-7260 to speak with the intake coordinator, who is bilingual in Spanish. Families may also ask their medical provider at SCVMC to make a referral to the program. Visit the legal assistance website by clicking here.
FREE Workshops to Prepare for the DMV Driver License Written Exam!
The Licencias.us project provides culturally sensitive instruction in Spanish to motivate and prepare adult undocumented immigrants to secure a California Driver License as they continue on the road towards citizenship.
The class is conducted in Spanish only, and participants must be 18 years of age or older to attend. A Social Security Card is not required to get a DMV license.
For More Information: Visit www.Licencias.US for the most current schedule of classes, which run September - November 2016. You can also register by sending a text message to 408-800-4458 with your name, cellphone number, and workshop dates that you will attend.
Freshest Cargo Mobile Farmers' Market
The Freshest Cargo Mobile Farmers' Market is a "farmers' market on wheels" that addresses issues related to lack of access to fresh, locally-grown produce in food desert communities in the Bay Area. We source produce directly from local farmers to sell at sites across the Bay Area. We keep prices low and offer the Market Match incentive, which matches CalFresh spending at our market up to $20 a day, to spend on fresh produce! You can get the updated route schedule by
clicking here.
UnBEETable Quality at Your Local Farmers' Market - CalFresh EBT Welcome!
Most Santa Clara County farmers' markets now accept CalFresh/EBT cards. You can swipe your EBT card at the market info booth and get CalFresh tokens to spend at the market. For every CalFresh dollar you spend at participating farmers' markets, you will receive a dollar-for-dollar match FREE up to $10 to spend on fruits and vegetables through the Market Match incentive program. Market Match makes farmers' market produce more affordable for families.
For More Information: You can view a list of all farmers' markets in the County, along with those that accept CalFresh and participate in Market Match, by
clicking here.
Better Health Pharmacy offers free medications to any patient in need. The pharmacy targets patients who cannot afford their medications, including those who 1) have insurance but cannot afford the co-pays or deductibles, or 2) do not have insurance. The pharmacy is a new initiative of the Santa Clara County Public Health Department, and is open
Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 4:00 - 8:00pm, and on Saturdays from 9:00am -1:00pm.
Location: 725 East Santa Clara Street, Suite #202, San Jose, CA
For More Information: You can access the full inventory on the pharmacy website at BetterHealthRx.org, or by calling (408) 794-0564.
Catch Up on the Latest SJUSD News!
San Jose Unified School District Trustee, Susan Ellenberg, publishes a quarterly newsletter to keep constituents and stakeholders abreast of important district news, as well as her thoughts on current issues related to education and equity.
For More Information: You can read the most recent edition by clicking here.
CalFresh Application Assistance: Same Day Service
Community members now have faster access to CalFresh Benefits at 5 locations (listed below) around Santa Clara County! Eligibility workers are stationed at 6 Emergency Assistance Network Agencies (EANs) alongside Food Bank representatives to assist people with CalFresh. In 1-2 days, community members can be screened, apply for CalFresh and have their County interview. If approved, a client could pick up their EBT card on the same day at the Social Services Agency or the next business day at the EAN agency.
Locations:
(1) InnVision, Palo Alto - 33 Encina Avenue, Palo Alto, CA; Wednesdays, 9:00am - 4:00pm; drop-ins only.
(2) St. Joseph's Family Center - 7950 Church Street, Gilroy, CA; Mondays, 9:00am - 4:00pm; for an appointment, call (408) 842-6662.
(3) Sunnyvale Community Services - 725 Kifer Road, Sunnyvale, CA; Mondays, 9:00am - 4:00pm; for an appointment, call (408) 738- 4321.
(4) Community Services Agency of Mt. View & Los Altos - 204 Stierlin Road, Mountain View, CA; 1st and 4th Thursdays, 9:00am - 4:00pm; for an appointment, call (650) 968-0836.
(5) West Valley Community Services - 10104 Vista Drive, Cupertino, CA; 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, 10:00am - 7:00pm; for more information, call (408) 255-8065.
(6) Salvation Army -
359 N. 4th Street, San Jose, CA; Thursdays, 8:00am - 3:00pm; for an appointment, call Food Connection at 1-800-984-3663.
English as a Second Language Classes
These ESL classes are offered at no charge. If you are 18 years or older, you can join the classes to learn reading, spelling, and literacy. The classes are open entry, so you can start at anytime.
Dates and Times: Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:00 - 11:30am and/or Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:00 - 7:30pm
Location: 749 Story Road, Suite 10, San Jose, CA
For More Information: Call (408) 213-0961.
Calling All Youth-Based Program Agencies
Pacific Housing, Inc. is looking for partnerships
with youth-based program agencies to provide services for residents of affordable housing in East San Jose.
For More Information:
Visit
www.pacifichousing.org
. Send email to
[email protected] or call (916) 638-5200, x205.
Join The Children's Movement
Children Now is the leading nonpartisan, umbrella research, policy development, and advocacy organization dedicated to promoting children's health, education, and child well-being in California and creating national policies that support child development. Children Now also leads The Children's Movement of California, a grassroots network of more than 1,300 business, education, parent, civil rights, and faith-based, community and multi-ethnic organizations, as well as thousands of individuals, working together to make children a priority in public policy-making.
For More Information: Visit
www.childrennow.org. Main office: 1404 Franklin Street, #700, Oakland, CA 94612; (510) 763-2444.
10 Steps to a Healthier You!
 A FREE, three-class series for parents and caregivers about implementing a positive, healthy lifestyle into home environments. Classes are for residents of Santa Clara County, and are held at various dates, times, and locations throughout Santa Clara County year-round.
For More Information: To sign up for the free three-class series or to host the free classes at your site, call Healthier Kids Foundation at (855) 344-6347. You can get more details about the program by clicking here.
Eastside Elite Basketball League
If you want a basketball program for your child, this program offers both non-competitive and competitive programs. The Co-Ed Non-Competitive League is for 6 - 9 year olds with little or no basketball experience who would benefit from participation in a structured program with a focus on skills development, basketball fundamentals, and structured game time. The Eastside Elite Competitive Basketball League is for 10 - 16 year olds with emphasis placed on good sportsmanship and skills development.
For More Information:
For program details and fees, call Eric or Rhonda at (408) 794-1060.
FOR EDUCATORS: Embrace the Core Website and Communications Toolkit
The Embrace the Core website and Communications Toolkit are designed to help educators cut through the noise and communicate to parents about California's Common Core State Standards in their classrooms. Teachers, principals, district leaders, after-school program administrators, and anyone else who regularly fields questions from parents can use the posters, sample letters to parents, talking points, and various other resources to drive those conversations.
For More Information: Visit the website at www.embracethecore.org. You can get to the toolkit by clicking here. If you have questions, send email to Neha Singh Gohil, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, at [email protected].
Good. To Go. Is in San Jose!
Good. To Go. (G2G) is a community-based marketing campaign aimed at increasing San Jose residents' purchase of "fun, fast, and fresh" items such as fresh produce and kid-friendly 'grab n go' snacks at participating G2G outlets: Healthy Corner Stores, Fresh Cart mobile produce vendors, and PCFMA farmers' markets. To find G2G locations in San Jose, visit our online interactive map by
clicking here
. To stay up to date on events, new products, and program updates, be sure to "Like" our
G2G Facebook page
.
For More Information:
To learn how to spread the word about G2G within your network and become a G2G brand ambassador, please contact Misha Taherbhai at
[email protected] or call
(408) 513-8716.
New Teacher Intern Credential Program: Education Preparation for Inclusive Classrooms
In Fall 2014, the Inclusion Collaborative started an education specialist credential program focusing on inclusion: Preliminary Early Childhood Special Education, Preliminary Moderate/Severe Special Education, and a Clear Education Specialist Induction Program. Classes are held in the evenings and occasionally on Saturdays. These are alternative pathways to acquiring a teaching credential, allowing students to earn their credentials while interning with a school district. Education Preparation for Inclusive Classrooms (EPIC) accepts new students every two years, so if you are interested in one of the three programs, plan to apply for Fall 2018.
For More Information: To learn about the program, see the FAQ page by clicking here. For additional professional development opportunities and resources, visit the Inclusion Collaborative website by clicking here.
FREE Kids' Vision and Dental Screenings
Healthier Kids Foundation FocusFirst and DentalFirst programs are conducting FREE (donor-funded) vision and dental screenings for children ages 6 months - 18 years old. Vision screenings are performed with a high-optic digital camera, and dental screenings are performed by a licensed dentist, Monday through Friday, at your school, church, daycare center, community center, after-school program, or community-based organization. For dental screenings, all children will receive a FREE toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss. Healthier Kids Foundation staff will help parents with any follow-up as needed.
For More Information: This program is done on a first-come, first-serve basis. Schedule your screenings by calling Sunny Ochoa at (408) 564-5114, Ext. 206, or send email to
[email protected].
GED Preparation Classes
These classes target older youth, ages 17 - 24 years. An assessment of a student's basic skill level will determine placement. Classes include both lecture and computer-based learning. The GED program is open-entry/open-exit during the school year.
Date: Monday through Friday
Time: 8:30am - 11:40pm
Location: 749 Story Road, Suite 10, San Jose, CA
For More Information: Contact Mariah Artley at (408) 213-0961, Ext. 27, or Caroline Sailor at Ext. 30.
FutureArtsNow!
This program hosts weekly Open Dance Sessions at the Edenvale Community Center for $3/session. Youth and young adults are invited to come and hone their Hip Hop dance skills during our weekly sessions inside the Edenvale Dance Studio/Gym.
Date: Every Wednesday and Thursday
Location: Edenvale Community Center, 330 Branham Lane, San Jose, CA
Youth Facing Expulsion
If you know of youth facing expulsion, Legal Advocates for Children and Youth may be able to connect you with a free lawyer to represent your child in a school expulsion hearing.
For More Information:
Call (408) 280-2416.
Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) Dollars
Looking for resources to help advocate for Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) dollars to support early learning and development? Children Now can help!
For More Information: Check out Children Now's new campaign with resources by
clicking here. Sign up for The Children's Movement of California to receive more talking points, tips, and tools that will be released over the coming weeks and months by
clicking here.
CalFresh (Food Stamps) Outreach and Application Assistance
Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties can do pre-screening, answer questions, and help clients complete applications for CalFresh benefits. Application assistance can be arranged for weekdays, weekends, and evenings at community locations throughout Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.
For More Information: Call Second Harvest's Food Connection, 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, at (800) 984-3663, or visit
www.shfb.org/getfood.
Free Food for Low-Income Families
Free food resources are available to low-income families through Second Harvest Food Bank of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Our region's Family Harvest, Produce Mobile, Pantries and Prepared Meal programs can accept more participants. Food distributions and meal programs are available weekdays and on weekends at community locations throughout Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties.
For More Information: Call Second Harvest's Food Connection, 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, at (800) 984-3663, or visit
www.shfb.org/getfood
.
For All of Our MFCCs and Other Professionals Under the Board of Behavioral Sciences
Kidpower is now certified as a Continuing Education Provider under the California State Board of Behavioral Sciences!
For More Information: Visit
www.kidpower.org.
Kaiser Permanente Child Health Program
Did you know that Kaiser Permanente in California insures low-income children who are not eligible for Medi-Cal or Covered California through its Child Health Program? With all of the confusion surrounding the Affordable Care Act (ACA), many mixed status and immigrant families do not know that the program is an option for their child. The Child Health Program is pleased to offer a quality option in California that gives children the healthcare they need for just $0, $10, or $20 per child, per month, for up to three children, depending on the family's income. Additional children are covered at no extra premium. There are also no co-pays (no charge) for services at Kaiser Permanente facilities.
For More Information: Send email to Maury Rosas at
[email protected]. You can also get additional details, including eligibility guidelines and how to apply, by
clicking here.
PARENT PROJECT
This 12-week program, which offers classes throughout Santa Clara County, is specifically designed for parents with difficult or out-of-control adolescents. Parents learn specific prevention and intervention strategies for destructive behaviors.
For More Information: Visit
www.ParentProject.com; call (408) 808-3794; or send email to
[email protected].
Silicon Valley Kids Climate Club
This club offers children (and adults) important lessons about conserving energy and water, recycling trash, and finding new food sources. Supervisor Dave Cortese started the Kids Climate Club to introduce children in 3rd through 12th grades to simple tips they can use to help protect the environment.
For More Information: If you would like Supervisor Cortese to give a presentation to your school or youth group, call
(408) 299-3050,
or send email to
[email protected]
.
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VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
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Become a reading mentor for two Kindergarten or 1st grade students today at Dorsa and San Antonio Elementary Schools in East San Jose. There are mentoring sessions available Monday through Friday, between 8:30am - 1:30pm. Your commitment of just one hour per week will improve their reading readiness, increase their confidence and self-esteem, and instill in them a love of learning.
For More Information: If you are interested in the program or would like to receive more information, email the Family Literacy Coordinator, Keishla EchevarrÃa, at
[email protected]
or call (408) 347-7892, ext. 305.
Be Part of the Santa Clara County Youth Task Force
You can be a voice for the children and youth of Santa Clara County! Make a difference by applying for and joining the Santa Clara County Youth Task Force (YTF), which is composed of young people, ages 14 - 18, and is the official youth-led commission for the County of Santa Clara. The YTF strives to improve children's lives by reviewing and analyzing policies and programs that impact children and youth, providing informed advice to local policy-makers and supporting community service activities throughout the county. If you are a high school-aged youth who resides and goes to school in Santa Clara County, you can fill out an application and be appointed by your Board of Supervisors Representative. YTF members are non-paid volunteers, and the time commitment is approximately 15 - 20 hours per month.
For More Information: If you want to be an important voice to policymakers and decision-makers in Santa Clara County, apply for YTF by clicking here.
Make a Difference...BE A MENTOR
There are two great mentoring programs in the East Side Union High School District. See how you can be part of these game-changing opportunities for our students, especially those who deal with some very challenging circumstances.
(1) Bright Futures' mentors support highly challenged freshmen at Yerba Buena High School and WC Overfelt High School to set and achieve meaningful goals for their future. Join them on a journey of self-discovery!
For More Information:
Call (408) 218-3963, or send email to [email protected]. Visit www.BrightFuturesSJ.org.
(2) iMentor pairs juniors and seniors at James Lick High School with college-graduate mentors to help them successfully make the leap from high school to college. The time commitment is just one email per week and one two-hour in-person meeting per month. If you have time for one Happy Hour a month, you have time to be a mentor! You can sign up for an orientation/training by clicking here.
For More Information: Send email to Nate at [email protected]. Visit www.iMentor.org.
Be an Educational Surrogate for Foster Youth
Would you like to help students in foster placement, but are unsure how to help? The Santa Clara County Office of Education Foster Youth Services Coordinating Program is recruiting volunteer Educational Surrogates, and providing all necessary training.
For More Information: If interested, please contact Shannon McIntosh, SCCOE Foster Youth Services Liaison at (408) 453-6998, or send email to [email protected].
The Beat Within Is Seeking Volunteer Facilitators
Since 1996, The Beat Within has been committed to its mission to provide incarcerated youth in the juvenile justice system and beyond with a one-of-a-kind forum where they can write about the things that matter to them, explore how they have lost connection with those things they value, and consider how they might re-connect to positive situations in their lives through the power of the written word and visual art. Volunteer facilitators are needed to support this transformative work inside Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall every Thursday evening from 7:00 - 9:00pm.
For More Information: Send email to the Program Director, Lisa Lavaysse, at [email protected].
Be a Child Advocate!
Child Advocates of Silicon Valley is recruiting volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASAs) to work one-on-one with foster children and be a mentor and their voice as they navigate the dependency system. We train and support our CASAs as they work to support foster children.
For More Information: To learn more and sign up for an introductory session, visit
www.bemyadvocate.org.
Volunteer to Become a Certified Car Seat Technician
In the Bay Area, 4 out of 5 car seats are installed incorrectly. ACCESS (a service of the Good Samaritan Hospital Auxiliary) hosts free car seat fitting inspections. Join ACCESS in our efforts to ensure infants and children are safe in their vehicles. Training is provided at Good Samaritan Hospital, 2425 Samaritan Drive, San Jose, CA.
For More Information: Call Shannon Hickok at (408) 559-2395, or send email to
[email protected]. You can also visit the ACCESS website by
clicking here.
Join the LPC Council of Santa Clara County
The Local Early Education Planning Council (LPC) of Santa Clara County is seeking individuals who are interested in applying for membership to the Council. Funded by the California Department of Education and housed at the Santa Clara County Office of Education, the mission of the LPC is to assess, represent, and promote the early care and education needs of children and families in the community. Applicants must work or live in Santa Clara County, and exhibit a strong commitment to advocating for increased quality childcare services; an ability to make information-based decisions; and excellent leadership skills.
For More Information:
If you are interested in submitting an application, send email to Michael Garcia at
[email protected]
, or call
(408) 453-6649.
Volunteer with Junior Achievement
Inspire students at local elementary schools with Junior Achievement! Junior Achievement prepares youth for economic success through a short series of age-appropriate lessons about entrepreneurship, financial literacy, and work readiness. You can volunteer to work in schools and teach these lessons (the teacher will be in the classroom to provide support.) The dates, times, and locations are flexible, including any school or after-school program (i.e. public, private, charter, etc.) There is a one-hour mandatory training.
For More Information: Send email to Amanda Lopez, District Manager, Silicon Valley, at
[email protected]
, or call (408) 217-7906.
Be a Mentor for Elementary School Children
Collaborative Community Program (CCP) is seeking mentors for children at Washington Elementary School in downtown San Jose. Mentors meet with children in Kindergarten through 5th grade on Thursdays from 3:30 - 5:00pm at the Biblioteca Latinoamericana Branch Library.
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COLUMN: THE BEAT WITHIN
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The Beat Within is a San Francisco-based non-profit that has been committed since 1996 to providing incarcerated youth inside Santa Clara County Juvenile Hall with a weekly writing and conversation workshop every Thursday evening. Below is another piece written by an incarcerated youth that was featured in their award-winning publication,
The Beat Within.
As Time Passes By
As time passes by,
In this room with plain walls and no phone calls,
It feels like I haven't seen cars and stars in years,
I cried and whined over your infidelity,
But you never showed clemency,
For the love we once had,
I was mad at the world for what you put me through,
Even when the homies told me to be through with you,
As time passes by, I realized I let so much time go down the drain,
For someone who would never die for me,
But said they loved me,
And would choke the love out of me, little by little,
I tried, I cried, but you were never only mine,
Love wasted my time and almost one year now,
To get rid of my pain, the rain,
A reminder of my story,
You were never about sincerity,
So now I'm gone.
-Bad Boy, Santa Clara
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