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I N THE NEWS
Water Well Gives Kings County Family Normalcy
For Carl and Karen Mendez, the journey to clean and reliable water has been a long and tiring one. Their home is located in northeast Kings County, in the outskirts of Hanford. Like many homes in the countryside, the Mendez family depends on a water well for their daily water needs.

Unfortunately, in May of 2014, in the midst of the drought, Carl and Karen’s well went dry. In his efforts to seek immediate relief, Carl worked with a local contractor to increase the depth of their well, which gave them a total of 10 more feet but only 12 inches of water. This alone was a very costly endeavor and left Carl worried about the future of his family’s wellbeing. “How long was the water going to last?” Carl asked himself constantly. For years, they did their best to use water very scarcely, only for the necessities. Eventually, however, their water well dried up again. Read more.
Gov. Newsom Visits Valley School & Signs Water Bill
On February 13, Governor Newsom visited Riverview Elementary, a small school in Fresno County, where he signed AB 72 & 73, early action budget bills that provide urgent assistance for communities that have contaminated and unsafe water, and to support communities impacted by wildfires. "Governor Newsom’s visit to Riverview was his first visit to a school in the Central Valley," said Elizabeth Brasfield, Community Development Specialist for SHE. "He was able to witness firsthand how many schools throughout the Valley deal with water contamination, and his sincere desire to learn more speaks to his commitment to the water crisis here."
 
The emergency drinking water bill, AB 72 sponsored by State Senator Melissa Hurtado of Sanger, will provide $131 million in one-time funds to pay for bottled water, emergency supplies and technical support to water districts. "The bills he signed in front of the school children will allow us to assist schools like Riverview with an urgent need for alternative water sources almost immediately, said Elizabeth.
Resident Services Updates
$2,000 for Garden Buds Program
On February 15, Self-Help Enterprises received a $2,000 grant from the Whole Kids Foundation to fund our Garden Buds Program, a garden-based educational component of the after-school program at Highland Gardens apartments in Visalia. The funds will help support 26 garden beds, where children (K-12 grade) will be involved in garden-based learning activities twice per week. The children will have assigned garden beds that they are responsible for planting and caring for. They will learn to identify vegetables and fruits, plant according to season, proper plant depth and soil prep and how to compost, harvest, and use tools. This program incorporates STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) learning practices, which are essential to the development of critical thinking and creativity among children and young adults. Ultimately, using the fruits and vegetables they grow, children will also have the opportunity to prepare healthy, kid-friendly recipes.
 
Through the Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant program, schools and non-profit organizations like SHE are able to turn outdoor spaces into powerful, hands-on learning gardens that connect kids with food, spark their curiosity and support classroom curriculum.
World Read Aloud Day Celebrates Dr. Seuss's Birthday
Children and parents from Goshen Village I and II came together to listen to readings of Dr. Seuss Books in celebration of World Read Aloud Day and Dr. Seuss's Birthday. Special thanks to SHE staff, Joi Edwards and Roberto Garcia, and our partners CSET and the Family Health Care Network for reading to the children and for providing valuable information to the families. Children concluded the day with enjoying one or two slices of cake! World Read Aloud Day encourages children and adults to celebrate the power of words. This global literacy movement is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write belongs to all people. World Read Aloud Day asks everyone to celebrate the day by grabbing a book, finding an audience, and reading out loud.
Be Part of the 2019 Rural Communities
Water Managers Leadership Institute

Self-Help Enterprises invites community water board members and staff, water leaders, and residents from rural communities to participate in the 2019 Rural Communities Water Managers Leadership Institute . The Leadership Institute will consist of trainings, workshops, and educational tours focused on building and maintaining long-term water management expertise in rural communities.

Water planning is important to ensure that water sources are available over the long-term and during drought periods. However, disadvantaged communities have been under- represented on the boards and committees of regional water management and planning programs, such as the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act (SGMA) and the Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) program. Through the Leadership Institute, water managers from disadvantaged communities will gain the skills and knowledge necessary to effectively participate and represent their communities in these regional water management programs. To date, the Leadership Institute has trained more than 50 new water leaders in rural communities from Merced County to Kern County.

The program is free of charge and is scheduled for March 2019 through August 2019. Sessions will be held one Saturday per month. For more information and/or to apply to the Institute, click here . If you have any questions, please contact Eva Dominguez at (559) 802–1 634 or [email protected].
Upcoming Public Events
Gateway to HomeOnwership:
Program Orientation
Date: Tuesday, March 12, 2019
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Cost: Free
Location: Self-Help Enterprises, 8445 Elowin Ct.,
Visalia, CA 93291

Attend an orientation to learn about available housing programs. Learn about:
  • Homeownership Education Program
  • Self-Help Housing
  • Homebuyer Assistance
  • Housing Rehabilitation
  • Financial Management/Credit Repair
Gateway to HomeOnwership:
Program Orientation
Date: Tuesday, March 19, 2019
Time: 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Cost: Free
Location: Sierra Vista Clinic, 9001 S. H St., Bakersfield, CA 93307

Attend an orientation to learn about available housing programs. Learn about:
  • Homeownership Education Program
  • Self-Help Housing
  • Homebuyer Assistance
  • Housing Rehabilitation
  • Financial Management/Credit Repair