We are excited to share with you that the Climate Summit for San Mateo County will feature a welcome by Congressman Kevin Mullin, and the day will include many exceptional speakers and panel members, including San Mateo County Supervisors Corzo and Pine. Summit attendees will have the opportunity to engage with nonprofits, academics, funders, and government agencies working to build climate resilience in San Mateo County.
This year's theme is Adaptation and Equity: Building Power for Community Resilience. Please join us and our co-hosts, Climate Resilient Communities, Nuestra Casa, and Rise South City, on October 11 for this all-day event vital to understanding the full effects of climate change in San Mateo County. If you are interested in sponsoring the Summit, which is free to everyone, sponsorship packages are still available. Please reach out to me, Petra Silton.
~
Meet our new AmeriCorps VISTAs! Deyah El-Azhari, a climate advocate, and Anjali Mishra, an education policy enthusiast, are joining Thrive Alliance to help advance our work in environment and education.
Deyah recently graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder and brings expertise in climate justice and environmental initiatives. Deyah's subject matter expertise will play a vital role in enhancing Thrive's cross-sector collaborations concerning climate change and environmental justice.
Anjali, a recent graduate of the University of Oregon, has a strong background in community organizing, public service, and education policy. Anjali's expertise will strengthen Thrive Action Groups and help us explore the feasibility of education place-based initiatives at Stanford.
We're excited to have them on board. Together, we'll make a positive impact on our community!
Deyah El-Azhari, AmeriCorps VISTA
Anjali Mishra, AmeriCorps VISTA
~
Join us for an enriching experience at our event Cultivating Connections: Exploring Cultural Humility in the Nonprofit CommunityTOMORROW, September 13, 2:00 - 3:30 pm through our Nonprofit REDI Hub. As part of Welcoming Week, which runs from September 8 - 17, we explore cultural humility by talking with leaders of nonprofits that work directly with immigrants. Welcoming Week, an annual campaign led by Welcoming America, brings communities together to celebrate diversity and create more inclusive environments for everyone, including immigrants. Take advantage of this opportunity to support our diverse San Mateo County communities. To attend more exciting events during Welcoming Week, explore the fantastic lineup organized by our partners at Redwood City Together.
We look forward to celebrating with you!
Petra Silton, Senior Director of Programs & Yajaira Ortega, Policy and Equity Manager
Note: Gmail clips large emails. To ensure you don't miss any content, view the full newsletter in your browser here.
For Thrive and Community events, visit Thrive's Event page.
State Policy Updates
2023-24 California State Budget Explained
Policymakers avoided significant cuts to critical services in the 2023-24 California state budget, but additional revenues are needed to make meaningful investments for Californians in the future. Read California Budget & Policy Center's report here.
United Way Bay Area is tracking many of these bills. Check out their resource here.
A Message From the Governor’s Office
Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Reform: Here is a press release on Governor Newsom’s plan to modernize MHSA and build more behavioral health housing.
Right to Safety Resolution: Here is a press release announcing Governor Newsom’s proposal of the Right to Safety Resolution to end America’s gun violence crisis. This amendment would re-envision safety across the country by mandating universal background checks, raising the minimum age to purchase a firearm, instituting a reasonable waiting period for all purchases, and barring civilian purchases of assault weapons.
*Check out the California Grants Portal, a one-stop shop where local jurisdictions, CBOs, and communities can find information on available grants and loans offered by California state agencies.
🏘️ The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors has initiated a comprehensive restructuring of the Measure K sales tax funds allocation. During the 2021-2022 fiscal year, Measure K generated nearly $110 million, with around $9 million dedicated to affordable housing subsidies, underscoring the significant importance of this effort.
Many of you participated in Measure K listening sessions with the County.
Next Steps?
Oct 3: Results of Measure K surveys and listening sessions will be discussed in a study session at the Board of Supervisors meeting.
Oct 17: The Board will instruct staff to solicit work agreements from CBOs, NGOs, and others to accomplish Measure K votes.
Nov-Dec 2023: Nonprofits submit applications to do work for the county.
March 2024: The Board will review proposals for work to be completed by nonprofits.
July 2024: Contracts approved and programs beginning July 2024.
Stay informed by signing up for email updates from the County, including agenda postings and other notifications.
The Housing Leadership Council has published a Measure K report on utilizing those funds to produce and preserve affordable housing.
Housing Element Recap
🏘️ San Mateo County Board of Supervisors revisited the housing element, with the most contentious issue being the rezoning in unincorporated West Menlo Park, adjacent to Atherton and other communities traditionally opposed to housing development.
Several organizations, including Thrive, submitted a letter on July 29 outlining a series of proposed new policies. The letter detailed how the rezoning of West Menlo Park could assist the county in fulfilling its Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing objectives by encouraging housing across various income levels in areas with significant opportunities.
Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA)
🏘️ The Bay Area Housing Finance Authority (BAHFA), established in 2019, addresses the region's affordable housing challenges across nine counties. BAHFA focuses on three key areas: protecting residents from displacement, preserving affordable homes, and creating new affordable housing. In San Mateo County, the Bay Area affordable housing bond could generate $1 billion for renter protection and affordable housing, but it needs your support. Learn more here.
Jackie Speier Foundation Child Poverty Initiative
Congresswoman Jackie Speier hosted South San Francisco's first Child Poverty Summit to address crucial child poverty issues. The summit brought local nonprofits and organizations together to collaborate on solutions and support disadvantaged children and families. Nonprofits and generous funders will play a vital role in this initiative to alleviate child poverty in the community. Jackie Speier Foundation plans to launch an innovation incubator in the future.
Recap of Healthy Democracy: Voter Engagement Brainstorm
Thrive convened San Mateo County nonprofits and partners at our Voter Engagement Brainstorm. The session provided a valuable platform for strategic discussions and planning as we look ahead to the upcoming months. The focus on preparing for the 2024 California primaries was well-received, and the innovative ideas and best practices exchanged will undoubtedly shape our approach moving forward. Preview meeting notes here.
Thrive RISE would like to congratulate and welcome the new Director of the County of San Mateo's Department of Emergency Management, Dr. Shruti Dhapodkar. We look forward to continued collaboration with the department under its new leadership.
~
Thrive RISE co-hosted a Disaster Recovery Workshop on August 11th with SBP, bringing together a diverse group of professionals and advocates who share a common goal: strengthening disaster recovery strategies to ensure the resilience of our beloved San Mateo County. The day was full of informative presentations on services available to community members after a disaster occurs. We are thankful to the Silicon Valley Community Foundation for sponsoring the workshop, and to our Spanish translators, who interpreted the event live via headsets. Lastly, thank you to AngelaCalabro, Claire Balsely, and Joe Boyes for providing these helpful resources.
This month's E&S TAG meeting was a collaborative community brainstorming session to determine the local resources available for heat wave preparedness. We want to thank our "fishbowl" participants with voices including Nuestra Casa, Senior Coastsiders, North Fair Oaks Community Alliance, Climate Resilient Communities, and more!
Experts proposed various heat wave solutions, including air purifiers, swamp coolers, solar batteries, and QR codes for emergency alerts. The crucial solution highlighted was increasing the green canopy through tree planting, which can lower local temperatures and enhance resilience. The need to foster community cohesion through education and collaboration between nonprofits and local governments was emphasized, enabling better preparedness and support for vulnerable individuals during heat waves. A comprehensive approach involving factors like assessing unusual heat patterns, prolonged heat waves, and vulnerable populations, guided by CDC data, is essential for effective response in polluted areas.
Cultivating Connections: Exploring Cultural Humility in the Nonprofit Community
TOMORROW, September 13, 2:00 - 3:30 pm, Virtual
Join Thrive Alliance and Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits (SVCN) in our Welcoming Week program! Welcoming Week is an annual campaign that celebrates the work in communities to become welcoming places for all, including immigrants. Many nonprofits play a key role in working with immigrants to support their integration into their communities. In this session, we will talk with leaders of nonprofits that work directly with immigrants to learn about their strategies for embracing cultural humility, lessons learned through their experiences, and tips and resources to support immigrant communities better.
The Nonprofit Racial Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion Hub (REDI Hub) is a joint effort between SVCN and Thrive Alliance to integrate Racial Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion into the nonprofit community in both Santa Clara County and San Mateo County.
Goals:
Uncover proven strategies and best practices that empower nonprofits working with immigrant communities to integrate cultural humility into their organizations.
Gain insights into concrete steps to center the immigrant community within your organization's structures.
Engage in candid discussions on overcoming obstacles faced while operating in diverse environments and systems.
Wednesday, September 20, 9:30 - 11:00 am, In-Person
Hear what local community organizations are currently planning for voter outreach for the March 2024 primary as a result of the August Voter Engagement Brainstorm session. Our September VEOAC meeting will be an opportunity to help identify what areas of the communities need additional outreach and discuss ideas on other forms of engagement.
We will also receive updates from the San Mateo County Elections Office.
Co-chaired by San Francisco Peninsula People Power, the County Elections Office, and Thrive Alliance.
Join Us at the Second Annual Climate Summit for San Mateo County Adaptation and Equity: Building Power for Community Resilience
October 11, 2023 8:00 am - 6:00 pm, Program 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Spanish translation will be available for all sessions
Learn from communities at the forefront of addressing climate change across the county as we take steps to prioritize community-led planning, build power among community-based organizations, and secure funding for community resilience.
Panels will feature community perspectives and community-led planning models. Breakout session options will cover strategic collaboration among community-based organizations, funding for community resilience, nature-based solutions for climate resilience, school district partnerships and youth leadership, community research partnerships and data, and resilient hub networks.
Whether you are a local government administrator or elected official, part of a community-based organization, working on community engagement for a company, or an interested stakeholder in the county, you will build relationships with others in the county committed to community resilience and learn how to be a part of building power across sectors and communities for climate adaptation and equity.
Join the countywide coalition of Community Organizations Active in Disasters (COAD), Thrive RISE for our September Meeting, where we will receive a demo of a platform to improve access to health and social services in all phases of disaster.
Unite Us will provide a demo of their virtual tool that connects people to health and social services and streamlines case referrals between service providers. Through Unite Us’ national network and software, community-based organizations, government agencies, health plans, and healthcare providers are all connected to better collaborate and meet the needs of the individuals in their communities.
The Unite Us tool is free for community-based organizations to use. Join a growing list of 50+ San Mateo County service providers currently using the platform.
All organizations are welcome at this meeting, regardless of sector or experience in responding to community emergencies. Registration is not required for these recurring meetings. Please save this link as a recurring event on your calendar for the last Wednesday of the month.
The Commission on the Status of Women is seeking community input in two areas: economic stability and child-care. The CSW wants to learn more about the successes and challenges in these two area. Also, if you have a story to share on either topic, they would like to know. The CSW intends to build reports to share at the RISE 2024 Conference and collect your solutions that will go toward recommendations that are created for the Board of Supervisors. The CSW invites you to take the surveys and share these flyers with your community. More information can be found on their Engagement Survey webpage.
In honor of Transit Month, the Association for Commuter Transportation (ACT) is hosting a day of talks on Transportation Demand Management (TDM). TDM strategies provide people with mobility options that enable them to go where they need to go efficiently and sustainably. TransForm's Policy Director, Zack Deutch-Gross, will be part of a full day of thought-provoking talks, joining a panel on TDM and equity at a summit of Bay Area leaders. Register here.
Join San Mateo County Office of Arts and Culture & Arts Commission on Saturday, September 30, 12:00 - 3:00 pm for an exciting and free event at San Mateo’s Central Park Outdoor Stage in a public space for all to enjoy live performances, including dance, music, spoken word and poetry, theatre and more. We invite you to be part of this day to share the joy and delight these diverse, talented artists and organizations bring to our community. Learn more here.
.jpg?upscale=true&width=1168&upscale=true&name=thrive_policy_advocacy_banner%20(1).jpg)
-Sep-08-2023-07-01-24-5211-PM.png?upscale=true&width=1088&upscale=true&name=unnamed%20(1)-Sep-08-2023-07-01-24-5211-PM.png)
-4.png?upscale=true&width=1088&upscale=true&name=unnamed%20(2)-4.png)
