OCTOBER 7, 2020 NEWSLETTER
Welcome to the "CAPK in Action" Newsletter. Look for it in your e-mail box twice a month to learn more about the work Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK) is doing in Kern County and beyond.

Our communities are facing a global pandemic, dramatic job losses and growing need for food, housing assistance and other critical support in 2020. CAPK has stepped up to help. Our average monthly food distributions have increased from an average of 1.6 million pounds a month to 2.5 million pounds. Our 2-1-1 Resource and Referral line has seen a more than 50 percent increase in calls for help, and we have launched several new programs designed to address immediate needs create by the pandemic.

Learn about some of our exciting efforts below.
Rental and Housing Assistance
Saving Homes.Saving Families
Many families in Kern County face fiscal crisis as COVID-19 has closed businesses and caused a crisis in the global economy. Kern County, City of Bakersfield, the Bakersfield-Kern Regional Homeless Collaborative, the Bakersfield Homeless Center, the Kern County Housing Authority and CAPK have partnered to provide rental and mortgage assistance to families who have lost jobs or face serious medical bills. More information is available through 2-1-1 and an application can be submitted at the link below.
Consecha Sana
Keeping Farmworkers Safe
CAPK has launched the Housing for the Harvest Program in Partnership with Kern County to assist farm laborers who test positive for COVID-19 to shelter safely in place. Clients will shelter for 14 days in a hotel and CAPK will deliver three meals a day, provide transportation, wellness checks, laundry services and financial assistance. Have agricultural workers facing this disease call 2-1-1 today.
Fueling our Communities
Restaurant meals for Farmworkers and Seniors
SoCalGas funded a new program this summer that connected restaurants in the company's service area with farmworkers and seniors. More than 2,800 fresh meals have been delivered directly to seniors homes and nearly 2,000 meals have been shared with farmworkers harvesting grapes in the heat. Thanks to SoCalGas and the Kern Economic Development Foundation for letting CAPK be a part of bring great food to the community.
Food delivery to Seniors
Sheltering at Home
The Food2Door program is another CAPK partnership with the County of Kern. It provides a 70 pound box of produce, protein and other staple foods to Kern County seniors age 65 and older once every month. The goal is to make sure that this group of people, the age group which has been impacted most dramatically by COVID-19, can shelter in their homes and not feel the need to visit the grocery store for food. Working together we can help slow the virus and reopen Kern County.