To boost access to COVID-19 vaccines for CalOptima members and their families, CalOptima and the Orange County Health Care Agency are partnering to offer local vaccination events at the CalOptima offices in Orange on the following dates:

Saturday, May 15, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (1st dose)

Saturday, May 22, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (1st dose)

Saturday, June 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (2nd dose)

Saturday, June 12, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (2nd dose)

In addition to vaccine administration, the events feature resource fair booths with information about other supportive services available in the community, including participation by the Social Services Agency, 2-1-1 Orange County, and others. Members are invited to the event via text and offered a $25 incentive to get their first vaccine dose.

CalOptima members can register at www.othena.com and select the CalOptima vaccination site, or if they need assistance with registering/scheduling, they can call the OC COVID-19 Hotline at 714-834-2000.

Members should bring their CalOptima ID Card to the event.

Transportation for CalOptima members can be arranged by calling CalOptima at 888-587-8088.

CalOptima is located at 505 City Parkway West, Orange, CA 92868.

Every Thursday from 10 am to 2 pm, the Consulate of Mexico in Santa Ana will be offering free COVID-19 vaccines.

The pandemic has disproportionately impacted our Latino community. Having a mobile site at the Consulate will allow our community members to get their COVID-19 vaccine in a place they recognize and feel safe.

Thank you to the Consulate, Consul Monica Ochoa, Consul Patricia Lorenzo, and the OC Health Care Agency staff for organizing this weekly mobile vaccine site for our community.

To get YOUR COVID-19 vaccine at the Consulate, you can make an appointment by calling 714-581-4948 or sending an email to documentacionsta10@sre.gob.mx. Walk-ins are also accepted!

The Mexican Consulate is located at 2100 E. 4th Street, Santa Ana, CA 92705.

Last Saturday, the First District team attended a mobile vaccination site at the Quan Am Buddhist Temple in Garden Grove, where Health Care Agency staff distributed over 100 first doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.

As a county, we have made it a priority to reach every neighborhood to ensure everyone gets the opportunity to get their vaccine.

Thank you to the Asian American Senior Citizens Service Center for putting this event together in coordination with the Quan Am Buddhist Temple, Mercy Pharmacy, Hope Community Services, the Vietnamese Cancer Foundation, the Cambodian Family, OCAPICA, and Pacific Islander Health Partnership!

Need a ride to your COVID-19 vaccine appointment?

Call the OC COVID-19 Hotline at 714-834-2000 to schedule a ride with Age Well Senior Services or Abrazar. Public Transportation is also available with OCTA.

Retired Orange County Park Ranger, Michael Curran, is proud to have gotten his COVID-19 vaccine! This photo was taken moments after this 91-year-old First District resident received his second Moderna dose at Kaiser Permanente in Orange. Pictured with him is his youngest son, Mark, who is a Santa Ana resident and business owner.

Michael started working for the County of Orange in 1964 as OC’s First Park Ranger for O’Neil Park. He then worked at Irvine Park followed by Mile Square Park until he retired in 1990. Thank you, Michael, for your continuing dedication to keeping our community safe!

Topics:

1. COVID-19 vaccines at the Mexican Consulate in Santa Ana.
2. Super PODs will be closed to open more mobile vaccine clinics.
3. Free transportation to get vaccinated.

To stay up to date on the latest Orange County news, follow us on social media: @ocgov and @ochealthinfo.

Topics:

1. At-Home Vaccination
2. You have the option to choose your COVID-19 vaccine
3. Vaccination and Health Fair for CalOptima members

To stay up to date on the latest #OrangeCounty news, follow us on social media: @ocgov and @ochealthinfo.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Month, Be Well OC, in collaboration with OC Health and Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services, will be hosting weekly virtual discussions on how various mental health issues impact various communities across Orange County.

For more information, visit BeWellOC’s Facebook page or visit https://bewelloc.org/events/.

On April 27, the Orange County Board of Supervisors renewed Orange County’s contract with Child Guidance Center, expanding the Continuum of Care for Veterans and Military Families program.

The renewal of the Continuum of Care program is an optimistic step that ensures Orange County’s military personnel and their families continue to receive the best possible mental health services long after the pandemic.

Click here to read the full press release.

Last week, the First District team had the privilege of attending Girl Scouts of Orange County 10th annual Voice for Girls 2021 virtual event.

It is inspiring to see this strong community of businesswomen empower our future leaders. The panel of women discussed the role and impact of female affinity groups in driving recruitment, retention, and performance of women in the workforce.

Thank you, Girls Scouts of Orange County, for the invitation. This year’s Voice for Girls was presented by Angels Baseball, and the keynote speaker was Dr. Andrea Bastiani Archibald.

Click here to learn more about the event.

Last week, I had the honor of attending the ribbon-cutting ceremony of The Retreat at Midway City senior living community.

The Retreat offers senior living for those who are 62 and older. This new community consists of 88 apartment homes, providing urgently needed senior-accessible housing in an ideal location, just down the street from Little Saigon and close to many other key destinations that seniors can enjoy.

Special thanks to David DiRienzo, Greg Weiler, and Greg Garmon from Retreat Senior Living, Slater Builders, and everyone else who helped build these senior homes.

Click here to see what The Retreat at Midway City has to offer.

Congratulations to the team at Carnitas Don Julian on the ribbon cutting of their new location on First Street in Santa Ana! Don Julian’s specialties are carnitas, tacos, birria, and ceviche de carne. Support this small business by ordering or picking up some tacos from Don Julian and his son, Sergio!

Last week, the First District team presented a certificate of recognition to CRS Sports and Fitness Academy for their grand opening in Santa Ana! Since owner Coach Camron Carmona relocated, he has been busier than ever! He and his team created a fitness program designed to build confidence and develop the inner champion that lies within every young athlete.

Last week, the First District team presented over 400 certificates of recognition to honor the teachers at the Westminster School District.

Teachers are one of the many unsung heroes of this pandemic. Through virtual and hybrid learning, they have had to adapt and creatively problem-solve to efficiently engage with students in this online environment. Thank you again to all the educators out there for your patience, hard work, and care for our communities!

We rely on our healthcare heroes now more than ever to provide life-saving services to our communities. Since the start of the pandemic, #nurses have been the backbone of the healthcare industry, as they have risked their lives to promote the health of the public while facing unprecedented challenges. 

Last year, the First District team asked nurses across the First District how COVID-19 impacted their lives and their loved ones. You can check out the video here: https://youtu.be/qy65qXG9g7c.

Thank you to our nurses, for your continuous dedication and compassion!

In honor of Mother’s Day on May 9 and Día de las Madres on May 10, I want to thank all the moms, grandmothers, and mother-figures out there who have gone above and beyond to take care of their families.

I also want to take this opportunity to pray for all the mothers who have worked so hard to provide for their families, especially those who have passed away, due to COVID-19. And I want to recognize all the brave mothers, who are doctors, nurses, police officers, firefighters, and essential workers on the front line of this pandemic and have had to give up so much of their time to help those in need.

Last year, the First District team collaborated with women across the First District to express what Mother’s Day means to them. Check out the video here: https://youtu.be/Mvy6fWKAB-A

May 5^th marks the anniversary of the Mexican army’s victory against France in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

Cinco De Mayo has evolved into a commemoration of Mexican culture and heritage, particularly in areas with large Mexican-American populations. Given that Santa Ana has one of the largest populations of Mexican Americans in California, May 5 gives us an opportunity to celebrate them!

Click here for more information on the history of Cinco de Mayo.