Santa Ana small business, Inbox Graphx, designed and created some amazing #MaskUpOC face masks, featuring Ollie the Orange!

On Monday, for National Nonprofit Day, Inbox Graphx generously donated the face masks to a local nonprofit, Girls Inc. of Orange County, who will be distributing them to the girls in their program.

Thank you, Inbox Graphx, for your donation!

Last Friday, Orange County Public Health Officer, Dr. Clayton Chau, and I helped accept a donation of 25,000 masks from the Asian American Senior Citizens Service Center and their partner organizations for senior facilities throughout Orange County.

This donation will go a long way in protecting our seniors, especially those in underserved communities. Every action we take to safeguard the health of others makes an impact in our fight against COVID-19.

Special thanks to Southern California Council of Chinese Schools, Taiwanese Chamber of Commerce in Orange County, Condor Outdoor Products Inc., and the Chu-Hwa Color Guard for your donations and Assemblyman Phillip Chen for your support!

There’s a new pop-up pantry in the King St. neighborhood in Santa Ana!

Shoutout to Griselda Corrales and her son, Juan, for hosting a pop-up pantry in their neighborhood! And thank you to all the local neighbors who have already donated!

Stop by if you need a little something extra or can spare a donation.

Last Friday, Santa Ana community leader, Marta Rodriguez, hosted a back-to-school supplies distribution for Santa Ana’s Willard Neighborhood.

The District 1 Team donated items in support of the drive, which provided kids of all ages with supplies like pens, paper, shirts, and even frisbees.

Thank you to leaders like Marta across the county who are doing what they can to support and uplift our communities!

COVID-19 has negatively impacted mental health in our communities – and nobody understands that better than our youth. Incredibly talented students from La Quinta High School in Westminster produced an animated short video that has been selected by Each Mind Matters’ Suicide Prevention campaign.

These students’ incredible work will be featured on the Los Angeles Angels Baseball social media, in-stadium signage, and commercials during game broadcasts.

Last Thursday, the Orange County Health Care Agency and Be Well OC announced the launch of the “What You Feel is Real” mental health outreach campaign that encourages Orange County residents impacted by COVID-19 to care for their mental health by reaching out and seeking support.

The pandemic has not only threaten our economy but also negatively affected many people’s mental health and created new barriers for people already suffering from a mental illness.

Increasing access and awareness to mental health services helps ensure we are getting vital care to those most in need, especially to our non-English speaking communities.

For immediate mental health support, please visit www.ocgov.com/covid or call the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Warmline at 877-910-9276.

Last week, the Orange County Mosquito and Vector Control District reported the first human West Nile virus infection in Orange County – a child under the age of 18 years.

Check out this video that the District 1 Team created with OC Vector Control last month to brush up on what you can do to protect your family and yourself from mosquitos this summer. And make sure to visit www.OCvector.org for more information.

On August 18, 1920, the 19^th Amendment was ratified, granting American women the right to vote.

This milestone in U.S. history came after decades of protests spearheaded by leading figures like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.

Today, 100 years later, we honor and celebrate the inspiring contributions women have made throughout the years, paving the way for our future generations.

The County of Orange is still accepting applications for the countywide SafeDineOC program!

If you own a restaurant, you could be eligible for a $1,000 grant to help cover COVID-19 related expenses – like protective equipment for employees or for necessary reconfigurations.

Visit SafeDineOC.com for more details and to submit your application today!

One of the criteria public and private elementary schools must meet when submitting a waiver for in-person instruction, is adequate testing for their students and staff.

Last week, the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved a plan, authored by Supervisor Doug Chaffee and I, that will allow schools to use county-run testing sites to facilitate their waiver application process. Schools’ reopening plans are based on guidance from the California Department of Public Health.

You can read more about it here.

On Monday, I was invited by Supervisor Don Wagner to attend a meeting with the United Indian American Association to celebrate India’s 74th Independence Day, which was observed on August 15th.

I was honored to help celebrate this momentous day with our Indian-American community here in Orange County!