| May 22, 2018 |
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Volume 3 Issue 21 |
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| News and Updates |
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| Homelessness: Orange County Adds 4 Dozen Homeless Beds with Housing Grants |
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Orange County is adding another four dozen beds for the homeless.
The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved agreements Tuesday that will dedicate $4.5 million in mental health funding for 48 new bridge housing beds for homeless individuals struggling with mental illness and substance abuse.
“We’re putting our mental health dollars to work addressing homelessness,” said Orange County Supervisor Andrew Do, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “Orange County continues to expand capacity, but these are merely stopgap measures. We need more permanent housing, and we need it equitably distributed among Orange County’s cities.”
Over the next three years, two respected Orange County non-profits, Grandma's House of Hope and Friendship Shelter, will help homeless individuals and families access mental health care, substance abuse treatments, necessary medical care and other services while finding long-term housing. The program is funded with county funds from the Mental Health Services Act.
“The goal of bridge housing is to help people access wraparound services while they search for permanent housing,” said Supervisor Andrew Do, who spearheaded the effort to open Orange County’s first year-round homeless shelter.
Accountability: Requires Sustained Effort by Participants
The Homeless Bridge Housing program is available to homeless adults, couples and families that are diagnosed with a serious and persistent mental illness. To stay enrolled in the Bridge Housing program, participants must make a sustained effort to secure housing – with progress tracked and documented to ensure accountability.
“For people that want help, we will continue to provide access to services,” said Supervisor Do.
The County of Orange continues to follow through on its commitment to address homelessness. Earlier this month, the county approved $1.6 million for supportive housing services for homeless individuals that were removed from the Santa Ana Riverbed and Civic Center. |
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| Chairman Andrew Do Advocates in Sacramento |
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Last week, Chairman Andrew Do traveled to the State Capitol to attend the California Association of Counties (CSAC) Legislative Conference and meet with state legislators.
Both Chairman Do and Supervisor Lisa Bartlett met with State Senator Jim Beall, as well as others, to provide an update on Orange County’s progress in addressing homelessness and providing more comprehensive mental health services for its residents.
Chairman Do also gave a presentation to the CSAC Health and Human Services Committee on the County’s efforts to clear the two largest homeless encampments in the County, the Santa Ana Riverbed and the Santa Ana Civic Center. Collaboration and sharing best practices across county governments allows for strategies to be implemented in other areas of the State facing similar challenges.
Orange County is committed to being a leader in addressing homelessness and continues to keep up the momentum in creating effective, compassionate solutions. |
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| Garden Grove Strawberry Festival and Parade this Weekend |
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Come out and enjoy food, fun, and time with the family this weekend at Garden Grove’s annual Strawberry Festival.
The 60th Annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival is a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds for the community - over $6.5 million since its inception in 1958. This year fourteen non-profits received a combined total of over $150,000. The Festival also benefits many non-profit groups whose food and game booths collectively raise over $100,000 more. The board awards scholarships to local school students, underwrites parade participation for school bands, and treats over 2,000 special needs kids to a day of free rides and food.
Appropriately, this year’s theme is “Celebrating 60 Years of Fun and Funding Charities.” The festival - the second largest city festival in the Western United States - will be held Memorial Day weekend Friday, May 25 through Monday, May 28, at the Village Green between Main Street and Euclid Avenue in downtown Garden Grove. Last year’s attendance was over 300,000.
Highlights include:
- Friday, May 25th 6pm - Official Giant Strawberry Cake Cutting Ceremony @ the Showmobile (Acacia and Main streets) - free cake is served to over 2,000 people,
- Saturday, May 26th 6am - 5K Strawberry Run,
- Saturday, May 26th 10am – Parade with film and TV celebrities, floats, bands, equestrians and characters,
- All weekend - 35 carnival rides, 5 contests, over 200 food and sales booths, games, music and live entertainment in the amphitheater and Showmobile, and
- Contests include the Berry, Berry Beautiful Baby Contest, Redhead Roundup, Strawberry Idol Karaoke, and Tiny Tots King and Queen.
For more information visit http://strawberryfestival.org/. |
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| DISTRICT STAFF |
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Chris Wangsaporn
Chief of Staff
Veronica Carpenter
Deputy Chief of Staff
Tara Campbell
Communications Director
Ofelia Velarde-Garcia
Policy Advisor
Chris Gaarder
Policy Advisor
Manning Pham
Administrative Assistant
Joyce Rivero
Executive Secretary
Matt Haines
Communications Specialist
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| Stay Updated! |
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