Sunnyvale Community Services

TO ADMINISTER AND COORDINATE SERVICES FOR LOW INCOME INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, ELDERS AND DISABLED.

SUNNYVALE COMMUNITY SERVICES PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, FOOD AID, CASE MANAGEMENT, REFERRALS, AND OTHER SERVICES AT NO CHARGE TO CLIENTS. THE ORGANIZATION'S CLIENTS ARE THE HOMELESS, WORKING POOR, AND SENIORS OR DISABLED PERSONS LIVING ON FIXED INCOMES. THE ORGANIZATION SERVES ALL ETHNIC, RACIAL, LANGUAGE, AGE, AND ABILITIES GROUPS.IN FY2020-21, WE PROVIDED ONE OR MORE SAFETY NET SERVICES TO 10,492 (UNDUPLICATED) INDIVIDUALS, A 53% INCREASE IN SIX YEARS. * FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE: SCS PROVIDES EMERGENCY FINANCIAL AID FOR RENT, UTILITIES, CAR REPAIRS, MEDICATIONS, AND OTHER URGENT NEEDS. LAST FISCAL YEAR, WE ASSISTED 6,843 INDIVIDUALS WITH FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TOTALING $3,821,654.* FOOD AND IN-KIND ASSISTANCE: SCS OPERATES MULTIPLE PROGRAMS TO HELP LOCAL LOW-INCOME CHILDREN, ADULTS, AND SENIORS STAY PROPERLY FED. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE:PRODUCE DAYS - SCS PROVIDES AN AVERAGE OF 860 HOUSEHOLDS (2,000 PEOPLE) WITH FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FROM SECOND HARVEST OF SILICON VALLEY EACH WEEK (EVERY OTHER WEEK DURING THE PANDEMIC).MONTHLY GROCERIES - SCS PROVIDES MORE THAN 1,100 HOUSEHOLDS WITH BAGS OF GROCERIES EACH MONTH.HOME FOOD DELIVERY - LAST YEAR, SCS VOLUNTEERS DELIVERED HEALTHY GROCERIES TWICE A MONTH TO OVER 230 ELDERLY AND DISABLED INDIVIDUALS. IN 2020, WE ADDED SIX PREPARED MEALS FROM LOAVES & FISHES TO EACH DELIVERY, TOTALING OVER 1,300 MEALS EACH MONTH.EMERGENCY FOOD - THROUGH THE PANDEMIC, PREPACKED BAGS OF HEALTHY AND EASY-TO-PREPARE FOOD HAVE REMAINED AVAILABLE ON REQUEST, INCLUDING BAGS SPECIFICALLY INTENDED FOR THOSE TWO LACK ACCESS TO KITCHEN FACILITIES. 1,362 CLIENTS RECEIVED THESE BAGS IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR. KIDS' HEAD-TO-TOE PROGRAM - IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING 1,851 STUDENTS WITH BRAND-NEW BACKPACKS FILLED WITH SCHOOL SUPPLIES AND GIFT CARDS FOR NEW SHOES IN 2020. THIS PROGRAM GAVE KIDS AND THEIR FAMILIES EXTRA HEALTHY FOODS DURING SUMMER MONTHS WHEN SCHOOLS WERE CLOSED.HOLIDAY PROGRAMS - DURING MONTHLY FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS LAST NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER, SCS PROVIDED MORE THAN 2,000 HOUSEHOLDS (5,361 INDIVIDUALS) WITH SPECIAL HOLIDAY FOODS, PLUS GROCERY STORE AND DEPARTMENT STORE GIFT CARDS SO THAT CLIENTS COULD BUY ADDITIONAL FOOD, PRESENTS FOR CHILDREN AND/OR NEEDED HOUSEHOLD ITEMS.* INTENSIVE CASE MANAGEMENT: SCS PROVIDES CASE MANAGEMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO NEED MORE THAN ONE-TIME ASSISTANCE, INCLUDING PEOPLE WITH HEALTH-RELATED ISSUES OR WHO ARE CHRONICALLY HOMELESS.* BENEFITS ASSISTANCE: SCS STAFF CONDUCT OUTREACH AND INITIAL SCREENING TO CONNECT CLIENTS WITH PUBLIC BENEFITS PROGRAMS AND SERVICES.* HOMELESS SERVICES: THE WORKFIRST SUNNYVALE PROGRAM, OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH DOWNTOWN STREETS TEAM, HELPED 76 HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WITH JOB TRAINING AND HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES.* COMMUNITY NAVIGATOR PROGRAM: SINCE 2018, SCS HAS TRAINED 59 RESIDENTS TO BE LOCAL LEADERS IN OUTREACH, COMMUNITY SERVICE, AND LOCAL ADVOCATES ON HOUSING, VOTER RIGHTS, AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS.* DISPLACEMENT SUPPORT: SCS ALSO RESPONDS QUICKLY TO UNEXPECTED NEEDS. EACH YEAR, SCS WORKS WITH THE CITY OF SUNNYVALE TO ASSIST RESIDENTS WHO ARE SUDDENLY DISPLACED DUE TO FIRE AND OTHER DISASTERS. IN OCTOBER 2020, SCS WAS ASKED TO ASSIST OVER 30 CHRONICALLY HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE UNSAFELY ENCAMPED IN A LOCAL PARK. SCS JOINED WITH THE COUNTY AND OTHER SERVICE AGENCIES TO DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT A TEMPORARY SHELTER PROGRAM INCLUDING FOOD, CONNECTIONS TO BENEFITS, ASSISTANCE WITH HOUSING SEARCHES, AND CASE MANAGEMENT.* OTHER ASSISTANCE: SCS PROVIDED DIAPERS, REFURBISHED BICYCLES, BIKE LOCKS AND HELMETS, HYGIENE KITS, AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS.COVID-19 RESPONSEAS THE LOCAL SAFETY NET PROVIDER, WHEN COVID-19 HIT, SCS QUICKLY PIVOTED TO ADJUST ALL OUR SERVICES.* DEMAND FOR ALL OUR SERVICES SURGED STARTING IN MARCH OF 2020 AND CONTINUED THROUGH THE FISCAL YEAR. SCS HAD TO CEASE IN-PERSON CLIENT MEETINGS, BUT WE CONTINUED TO "MEET" WITH CLIENTS USING AN INTERCOM SYSTEM. OUR CASEWORKERS ENGAGE WITH CLIENTS VIA TELEPHONE, FAX, TEXT, AND THE INTERNET TO EXCHANGE NECESSARY DOCUMENTS. * OUR ELEVEN YEARS OF EXPERIENCE WITH DRIVE-THROUGH FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS HELPED US ADAPT DURING THE PANDEMIC. BUT MANY OF OUR REGULAR VOLUNTEERS WERE OVER 65 YEARS OF AGE OR OTHERWISE AT HIGH RISK FROM THE CORONAVIRUS, SO THEY COULD NO LONGER SAFELY COME ONSITE. CORPORATE GROUPS ALSO HAD TO CANCEL THEIR VOLUNTEER SHIFTS. AN OUTSTANDING EFFORT BY OUR REMAINING VOLUNTEERS, OUR STAFF MEMBERS, AND EMPLOYEES OF THE CITY OF SUNNYVALE ENSURED THAT WE DID NOT MISS A SINGLE MONTHLY FOOD DISTRIBUTION-NOT EVEN THE ONE SCHEDULED FOR THE DAY AFTER THE SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDER TOOK EFFECT. WE ALSO SHIFTED OUR BACK-TO-SCHOOL AND HOLIDAY DISTRIBUTIONS TO A DRIVE-THROUGH FORMAT.* SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC, MORE THAN 1,400 HOUSEHOLDS HAVE CONTACTED SCS TO INQUIRE ABOUT ELIGIBILITY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, PRIMARILY FOR RENT. WE ALSO REGISTERED OVER 300 NEW FAMILIES FOR OUR FOOD PROGRAMS AND EXPANDED OUR CAPACITY TO DELIVER GROCERIES DIRECTLY TO THE HOMES OF VULNERABLE PEOPLE WHO NO LONGER FELT SAFE COMING TO OUR FACILITY FOR FOOD DISTRIBUTIONS. VOLUNTEERS DID PROJECTS AT HOME, CONDUCTED GIFT CARD DRIVES, AND SENT US THEIR STIMULUS CHECKS. * NOW THAT EVICTION PROTECTIONS ARE EXPIRING, AND THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN CONTINUES, WE ARE BRACING FOR MORE OF OUR NEIGHBORS TO COME FOR ASSISTANCE, AND FOR ONGOING NEED FOR FINANCIAL AND FOOD AID FOR THE THOUSANDS WE HAVE ALREADY HELPED SINCE MARCH 2020.