Orange County is making it easier for disabled veterans to do business with the County.

Last Tuesday, the Board unanimously approved the Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise Preference Policy, to grant preference to small businesses owned by disabled veterans when awarding hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts issued by the county government.

Effective January 1, 2020, veteran businesses that meet the following qualifications will be provided preferred consideration in county solicitations:

• Business must be at least 51% owned by one or more disabled veterans
• Daily business operations must be managed and controlled by one or more disabled veterans
• A home office must be located in the US
• A disabled veteran: 1) is a veteran of the U.S. military, naval or air service; 2) has a service-connected disability of at least 10 percent, and 3) must reside in California

Click here to learn more.

On Sunday, I sponsored this year’s OC Drive-Thru Health Fair, hosted at Concorde Career College in Garden Grove. Doctors and volunteers from the Vietnamese Physicians Association of Southern California (VPASC) were able to serve hundreds of residents with flu shots, cholesterol, and glucose testing, colon cancer screening, and consultation with doctors.

During the COVID-19 crisis, many patients have encountered barriers to accessing critical healthcare. Events such as this one help lessen that negative outcome.

Today, the First District Team and Saddleback Church distributed nutritious food to 1,100 Orange County families at the monthly food distribution event. As the economic toll of the pandemic drags on, these kinds of resources will continue to be essential for many residents.

If you need ongoing support, you can apply for other programs like CalFresh through the County of Orange Social Services Agency at https://www.ssa.ocgov.com/calfresh/apply/calfresh

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, the First District Team has directly distributed 20,000 masks, 3,000 units of bread, and 300 blankets to a range of organizations, from local nonprofits to neighborhood associations.

These donations have supported our broader efforts to combat COVID-19 like promoting mask usage with #MaskUpOC, providing financial assistance to small businesses through the District 1 Grant Program, facilitating direct food assistance for families with Saddleback Church, and aggressively expanding our COVID-19 testing capacity through Super-Sites in Anaheim and Costa Mesa.

Thank you to all of the staff and donors who made this assistance possible!

Thank you to everyone who came out to donate at last week’s American Red Cross blood drive!

There are many ways to help our community during this pandemic. One of them is by donating blood. Public health professionals agree that maintaining an adequate blood supply is vital to public health.

If you’re a healthy individual, consider joining us for our next blood drive.

Event Date: October 15

Time: 10 am - 4 pm

Event Location: Santa Ana College

This Thursday, the Orange County Community Investment Division is hosting a virtual job fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Don’t miss out on this safe and secure way to find a job.

Click here to register and find a job that’s right for you.

Orange County restaurants can apply for up to $5,000 in reimbursements for qualified purchases to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Click here to apply before October 15, in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, and Chinese (Simplified & Traditional).

It’s easier than ever to get a free flu shot!

With COVID-19 still spreading, don’t risk contracting the seasonal flu. Get your free flu shot at Mile Square Park, October 17, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Click here for more details.

Internet access is essential to creating digital equity for Orange County’s diverse populations.

WiFi on Wheels pilot service is part of the Internet Access Initiative: Bridging the Digital Divide. The project will include WiFi extension at libraries and WiFi hotspots for check out. For the pilot, one vehicle will provide broadband for up to 150 users each within a 300-yard radius, and will be parked at pre-designated locations each week.

OC Public Libraries' WiFi on Wheels pilot program kick-off: 

Event Date: October 20

Time: 4 am - 7 pm

Event Location: Westminster Library

Kiwanis Club of Santa Ana does so much for kids in our community.

Last week, I recognized outgoing president Eric Rivas, a recently retired Santa Ana Police Department Sgt., for his years of personal service and dedication to Santa Ana youth. Now, Eric will be serving as Lt. Governor for Kiwanis Cal-Nev-Ha District Division 4, covering 13 clubs in Orange County.

Throughout the pandemic, the Kiwanis have continued to find ways to provide vital education, recreation, and other services. Thank you for all you do!

Last week, I spoke at the Garden Grove Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee. It was great to have a chance to talk about what Orange County has been doing to support small businesses during the pandemic. Thank you to the committee for inviting me to speak.

1 in 8 women in the United States will develop breast cancer in their lifetime. It’s the most common kind of cancer for women, but if caught at the localized stage, the 5-year survival rate is 99%. That’s why education matters.

Click here to learn more about early detection.