Dear Friends & Neighbors,

Happy New Year! I wish you and your loved ones a safe, healthy, and prosperous 2024. The new year is a time to reflect on the past year and plan for new beginnings.  I am proud of the work my team and I have done in 2023 to serve you, the Second District and the County as a whole.

We:

• Resolved issues and concerns of thousands of constituents who contacted our office for help.
• Kicked off an innovative initiative to help keep families and seniors housed.
• Hosted a total of 4,000 people at two major Health and Community Resource events to ensure Medi-Cal recipients understand the potential changes to their health benefits.
• Partnered with the city of Anaheim and Workforce Development to host a Job Fair attended during which many folks received an on-site job offer.
• Partnered with the Garden Grove Unified School District and First 5 to host a Kid Builder Community Resource event to help families with children 0-5 prepare for kindergarten.
• Hosted the first major Housing Forum in over 20 years, in collaboration with all five Housing Authorities in Orange County, to explain the housing voucher process.
• Hosted an Interfaith Leadership conference with 15 faith organizations to discuss major issues facing Orange County and collaborate on solutions.
• Provided 250 iPads to community organizations that serve low-income seniors and veterans.
• Held the first-ever street vendor workshop with the Environmental Health Department to inform community vendors about state laws, food safety and how to obtain a health permit.
• Co-hosted the first major Climate Resiliency Investigative Hearing to discuss mitigating the impacts of climate change and the move towards sustainability in Orange County.
• Donated funds to help with the restoration of the beautiful Plaza Park fountain in the city of Orange.
• Hosted the first town hall with the El Modena neighborhood, an unincorporated community, to hear resident concerns and provide better representation within the area.
• Co-hosted a free Health & Vaccine Clinic.
• Sponsored students to participate in the YMCA Youth and Government Model Legislature and held a Bill Hearing Night that provided a space for students to debate their legislative bills among community members.
• Supported numerous non-profits and organizations that serve diverse populations.

During my first year, I also championed a number of initiatives including:

• Additional park and open space
• Expanding the system of care in how the unhoused and mentally ill are served
• Expanding services based on equity
• Better access to healthcare
• Shedding light and increasing transparency within government

I have enjoyed working closely with the leadership from the five cities within the district I represent, as well as my colleagues on the many boards I serve on, to address critical issues that affect our communities. I have met with many community members, businesses, non-profits,  and leaders who have told me their concerns include caring for their families while the cost of food keeps increasing, keeping our neighborhoods safe, improving the delivery of quality healthcare, reducing the number of people living on the street and preserving cultural heritage within our communities. I am dedicated to doing everything I can to continue championing for these items. We look forward to working with you in the New Year to continue making our community thrive.

From our team to yours, we wish you peace, health and joy in 2024!

Sincerely,

Vicente Sarmiento
Supervisor, Second District
Orange County Board of Supervisors