Note From Our Executive Director

Dear Thrive Community,

This month, we join our LGBTQ community in celebration and observance of Pride Month. I remember just four fast years ago in June, we gathered at the ribbon cutting for the San Mateo County Pride Center, and today this vibrant center has a host of events that our community can participate in to celebrate Pride Month. And later this month, many of our nonprofit partners and friends will be observing Juneteenth, and we will be sharing information in our Thrive Weekly newsletter so that you can join too.

In that spirit, we are proud to be joining the 21 Day Social & Racial Equity Challenge adapted for our local community by the San Carlos Community Foundation, and encourage you all to participate. We will be partnering with the foundation for a post-challenge community conversation this summer. To add your name to the challenge and access the materials for daily activities and reflections, visit their compiled resources here

This morning, I spoke on behalf of Thrive at a press conference organized by local partners in an effort to continue our work in advocating for resources for nonprofit providers (watch the Facebook Live recording here). In the words of Michelle Vilchez, Co-CEO of Innovate Public Schools, “There is growing concern that the State’s current plan does not provide a quick process to get funding directly to the nonprofits on the frontline supporting children with vital afterschool, weekend, and summer programming. Public schools cannot solve the academic and mental health crises on their own -- the state must invest directly in community-based organizations that are ready to help meet the enormous needs in the wake of the pandemic. We’re committed to helping meet this need.” Join their request to invest directly here.

Finally, as we wind down the fiscal year, Thrive says goodbye to two key staff members while welcoming new team members. Sara and Doug, we will miss you and carry your important work forward. Yajaira, we are so glad you have joined our growing team! We will also be welcoming new board members in the new fiscal year and honoring those outgoing board members who have helped guide our work during these turbulent and interesting times. Read more in our letter below, and keep a look out in future newsletters to learn more about the newest additions to our Thrive team!

In Community,

Georgia D. Farooq

Happy Pride Month!

June is Pride Month, when the world's LGBTQ communities come together and celebrate the freedom to be themselves. In honor of Pride Month, many of the cities in San Mateo County will be flying the Progress Pride Flag throughout the month of June to express their support and solidarity to all of our LGBTQ community members. By flying the Progress Pride Flag it highlights that your city is a leader in the fight for equal rights, and that you will continue to protect and expand the rights of everyone in your area.

To download Progress Pride Flag symbols or for PRIDE visibility information & resources please visit the LGBTQ Commission of San Mateo County website. For information on upcoming San Mateo County Pride Celebrations, check out Star Vista's page!

Fiscal Year 2021-2023 Recommended Budget

The Fiscal Year 2021-23 Recommended Budget is now available on the County's Budget, Policy, and Performance website. This budget includes FEMA and C.A.R.E.S. Act funds anticipated to be received in FY 2021-23. Funds from the American Rescue Plan are not currently budgeted and are expected to be added through September Revisions.

Thrive Highlights

Advocacy

CBO Funding Request to Continue Combatting Learning Loss

Last month, the Peer Learning Series Planning Committee, along with the support from more than 20 local education leaders, sent a letter to SMC superintendents, trustees, and principals requesting that a portion of the AB86 funding go to CBOs as they continue to support expanded learning for the most at-risk youth. This letter was born from last month's Children & Education TAG Peer Learning Series event, where we discussed funding opportunities, and how to apply for them. More information about the letter can be found here, and you can access the full letter here.

Eviction Moratorium Extension

California's Eviction Moratorium, established in its most recent form by SB-91, is set to expire on July 1, 2021. The Silicon Valley Community Foundation's leadership, Thrive and SVCN are calling on the Board of Supervisors of both San Mateo and Santa Clara to extend the eviction moratorium until December 31, 2021. Click here to view the letter, calling for an extension, that was signed by over 40 community leaders.

Thrive's Partner impact!Award for 2020

Thrive is excited to announce that the Foster City Chamber Board of Directors has awarded us with the Partner impact!Award for 2020. The Partnerimpact!Award recognizes organizations and agencies that have been dedicated to serving the community through collaborative efforts and have had a noticeable impact. Thrive would like to thank the Foster City Chamber Board of Directors for awarding us with this amazing honor in recognition of our work within the community. A replay of the event is available on YouTube.

Thrive Alliance & JLL Help Digital Solutions Provider Donate Office Furnishings

Through combined efforts, Thrive Alliance and JLL were able to help Q2 donate their office fixtures, furniture, and computer equipment to Thrive member nonprofits for re-use. To read more about this impactful story click here.

So Long Sara

The Thrive team is sad to share that our Policy & Advocacy Associate, Sara Abu-Ghazaleh, will be moving back to Jordan. We want to honor her work with Thrive by giving her the opportunity to share what the work has meant to her. Sara will be missed by Thrive and the San Mateo community.

Before arriving in the United States I worked on various civic & political participation projects to integrate Syrian refugees into their new communities in Jordan and to empower women to help them be part of the political life there. Now, being an immigrant myself and having served as a Policy & Advocacy Associate at Thrive, I’ve seen from the other side how civic engagement is crucial to maintain community cohesion and governing.

Working at Thrive with a focus on civic participation has not only helped me blend into this community but also helped me engage others who might feel they are outsiders, as I felt when I first came to the County, by referring them to essential resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through an immigrant lens, I helped convey the importance of participating in the 2020 Census. I myself felt encouraged to let the Bureau know about the new Arabic-speaking family living in San Mateo with two children under five and their needs.

Although I’m not eligible to vote - yet - I took part in voter outreach, educating people on how, where, and when they can vote so they can help create change. I’ve learned about new community challenges and possible solutions and to how to use my voice in issues that affect my community. This couldn’t have happened without the belief of Thrive and its partners in the importance of including immigrants and other community member's voices in shaping democratic practices and creating equitable opportunities.

I’d like to thank my beloved team and leadership at Thrive and I encourage everyone to continue speak up in community matters. We are not just numbers. We all want to be well-represented and to have our issues be addressed.

Welcome New Thrive Members!

Thrive Program Updates

COVID-19 Community Action Teams

Getting press is not always easy, no matter how newsworthy you think your story is. To help nonprofits obtain media coverage in support of their activities, Thrive hosted a panel of media representatives to talk about best practices for engaging with the media. We had reporters, editors, and founders from The Daily Journal, Half Moon Bay Radio, Ding Ding TV, El Tecolote, and the EPA Center for Community Media. The conversation gave our partner nonprofits an opportunity to build relationships with local media and to learn how to get media coverage to inform our diverse communities in San Mateo County about COVID-19 vaccines and precautions.

Civic Participation

The Voter Education & Outreach Advisory Committee (VEOAC) meetings are addressing best practices and how to coordinate efforts to reach out to parolees who are newly eligible to vote, supporting the Voting Accessibility Advisory Committee (VAAC) on allocating funds to improve access at Elections Central and updates on current legislation and outreach efforts. Open to everyone!

Environment & Sustainability

Seven local youth climate action organizations presented their program goals and projects with one another and Thrive’s E&S community at our May meeting. The value of these monthly meetings was evident as many organizations working towards the same goal of getting youth involved in climate action met one another for the first time. San Mateo County youth’s work to fight climate change is inspirational. Watch the recording and read the summary.

The fight to reduce local single-use plastics continues. Thrive is happy to announce a partnership with the newly evolved coalition project, Reusable San Mateo County, which grew out of Circular SMC.

Thrive Job Board

Looking for new job and volunteer opportunities in the Silicon Valley nonprofit sector? New candidates to join your team? Check out Thrive's Job Board. It's free for Thrive members; there is a small fee for nonmembers. Click here to become a member.

If you don't receive the Job Board but would like to, sign up here. Questions? Email Letisha Manual, Thrive's Marketing Associate.