Local
A benefit for North Bay Fire Victims -The LGBTQ Community Responds
Gather for an evening of great wine, food and entertainment as we raise funds to support relief efforts to benefit the local LGBTQ youth and the migrant farmer/undocumented immigrant communities that survived the northern California wildfires.
The benefit will feature a three-hour hosted bar with Sonoma & Napa Valley wines & vodka cocktails, appetizers, musical entertainment including Donna Sachet, and a silent auction of wine, restaurant certificates & more! All at Gough House – a beautiful Victorian mansion in Pacific Heights.
You’re invited to participate as Sponsors, Hosts & VIP Guests:
$1000 Lord of the Valley (Sponsor recognition on event signage, printed program, by MC, on RWF website/social media & bottle of wine & host gift.)
$500 Master Vintner (Host recognition on event signage, printed program, by MC, on RWF website/social media & special host gift.)
$250 Grapevine VIP (VIP recognition on event signage, printed program, by MC & wine country gift.)
$100 Redwood Friend (Three-hour hosted wine & vodka bar, appetizers, entertainment & silent auction.)
TICKETS at: https://rainbowfund.givezooks.com/events/wine-country-rising
Sponsors & Hosts to date: Rainbow World Fund, Out in the Vineyard, Gary Virginia, Donna Sachet, Michelle Meow, Mark Vogler, Krewe de Kinque, Olivia Brion Winery, John Newmeyer.
The Plaza Building Grand Opening & Fire Relief Fund Benefit
|
NEW PLAZA BUILDING GRAND OPENING IN GUERNEVILLE ON NOVEMBER 4TH & 5TH at 10:00 AM
16215 Main Street, Guerneville, CA 95446
A Percentage of Proceeds Benefit the North Bay Fire Relief Fund
Guerneville has a new merchant building with a wonderful compliment of offerings for the community and tourists! Owners Keri Y.K. Yhu and
Paul Bydalek did an excellent job remodeling the old Mercantile building on the corner of Main Street and Armstrong Woods Road. While they never thought it would take as long as it did to navigate the permit labyrinth, they never gave up and finished the building in time for two of the shops to open for Memorial Day weekend. Now that all the businesses are open, a grand opening is planned for the weekend of November 4th and 5th, with a ribbon cutting by the Russian River Chamber at 11:00 AM on November 4th. Each of the businesses will be donating a percentage of their proceeds to the North Bay Fire Relief Fund. Each of the businesses will also donate an item to a raffle basket, with free tickets given to anyone who makes a purchase in any of the businesses. The drawing will take place at 4:00 PM on Sunday and the winner does not need to be present to win.
mission is to create and provide high quality, socially-and environmentally conscious products that spread harmony and joy to their users while supporting local artisans, natural living, and a healthier planet. They carry a wide selection of locally-made, eco and people-friendly products, including our own 100% natural and luxurious bath and body care products, as well as fine jewelry, chocolate delicacies, organic robes AND MORE for the ultimate pampering experience. Owners are Brett and Alisa O’Loughlin. The Forest to Sea Nature Store, operated by the nonprofit organization Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, provides fun and educational nature-related items that represent the magnificent natural and cultural resources in the Russian river area, with all proceeds benefiting State Park volunteer programs. Michele Luna is the executive director of Stewards and Annie Cresswell is the administrative director. The store is staffed mainly by volunteers with staff support.
Postal Outlet Plus provides the Lower Russian River Community with retail pack and ship services including private mailboxes, copy-scan-fax, notary services, and professional printing services. They are also an authorized ship center for UPS, FedEx, DHL, and USPS. Keri Y.K. Yuh and Paul Bydalek are the owners of the building and Postal Outlet Plus.
Equality Vines Tasting Room is the world’s first cause wine portfolio dedicated to equality for all people. For every bottle of wine sold, Equality Vines makes a donation to an organization dedicated to the fight for equality, with each line of wine supporting a different equality cause. The Love Wins line of wines supports LGBTQ non-profits, the Suffrage Series supports women’s rights, and future series will support other equality causes. The first wine in this special series, Love Wins Cuvee, honors Equality Vines Co-Founder Jim Obergefell and his late husband John Arthur for their legal fight that ended with the 2015 landmark Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges, bringing marriage equality to the entire United States.
|
Many Sonoma County Residents Affected by Fires Now Eligible for CalFresh Disaster Benefits
Sonoma County residents and workers impacted by recent fires may be eligible for Disaster CalFresh benefits to provide funds for food purchases under temporary regulations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (also known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP).
Wednesday, October 25 through Wednesday, November 1, Disaster CalFresh applications will be taken at three County of Sonoma Human Services Department Economic Assistance offices. The CalFresh program issues a benefit amount, based on household income, to an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. The card can be used like a debit card at participating food outlets and farmers markets.
These Economic Assistance offices will take Disaster CalFresh applications in-person, Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (Additional hours may be added):
- 2550 Paulin Drive, Santa Rosa
- 520 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, and
- Human Services South County Center, 5350 Old Redwood Highway, Petaluma.
To request information about new or current CalFresh, Medi-Cal or CalWORKs benefits, call (844) 719-8808. After November 1, residents may continue to apply for regular CalFresh during regular County business hours and online at www.mybenefitscalwin.org/.
Disaster CalFresh benefits are available to many residents, regardless of immigration status, who lived or worked in Sonoma County during the fires that started on October 8, 2017, who:
- Lost a home or business
- Lost income (such as not being able to go to work)
- Lost food (such as experiencing a power outage of four hours or more)
- Had disaster-related expenses that will not be reimbursed (such as repairs, temporary housing, or evacuation expenses)
Income limits are temporarily increased under Disaster CalFresh (see chart below). Residents who are under or near these income amounts can contact Economic Assistance, as certain deductions may make them eligible for help.
Household Size | Monthly Income Limit | D-CalFresh Allotment |
1 | $1,700 | $192 |
2 | $2,049 | $352 |
3 | $2,397 | $504 |
4 | $2,755 | $640 |
5 | $3,133 | $760 |
6 | $3,510 | $913 |
7 | $3,858 | $1,009 |
8 | $4,207 | $1,153 |
Each Additional Person | +$349 | +$144 |
Proof of identity and an in-person interview are required to complete an application. Identification may be a driver’s license or other picture ID. If a picture ID is unavailable, utility bills or other similar documents are accepted. Applicants must also bring a document that verifies that their home address or work location was in the disaster area prior to October 8, 2017 (such as utility bills, insurance bills, paystubs, etc.).
In addition, temporary regulations also allow Sonoma County households may use SNAP/CalFresh EBT cards to purchase hot foods and hot foods ready for consumption temporarily through November 15, 2017.
Some households affected by fires already receiving CalFresh, Medi-Cal or CalWORKs will automatically receive up to the maximum Disaster CalFresh amount based on their household size on their EBT cards. For info: 1-844-719-8808.
LGBTQ Seniors Meetings Info and Support
All LGBTQ seniors are welcome to attend the “Aging Gayfully” classes at Finley Senior Center in Santa Rosa (Wednesdays 10 am – noon) and Sebastopol Area Senior Center (Wednesdays 2:30-4:30 pm). While SRJC classes are officially cancelled this week, I am still meeting with those who feel the need to connect with their peers and be supported during this challenging time.
Vintage House in Sonoma is “closed until further notice” (probably due to power outages) so I may not be able to hold my “Aging Gayfully” class there this Thursday morning and we are still waiting to see if the Sonoma Valley LGBT Seniors Group can have our scheduled monthly discussion group there on Friday morning at 10 am. If we can, we invite LGBTQ seniors in our area who have been affected by the fire to join us. If not, we will be meeting in the banquet room of the Palms Grill (Sonoma Highway at El Vernano Blvd.) at noon for lunch and discussion.
Also I would encourage use of the LGBTQI Elder Resource Center (http://www.sebastopolseniorcenter.org/lgbtqi-elder-resource-center) and for LGBTQI seniors to feel comfortable contacting our Sonoma County Adult and Aging Services as their staff have received multiple LGBTQ cultural competency trainings and are eager to make sure LGBTQ seniors are not lacking in services, especially during this critical time.
How You Can Support LGBTQ Youth in Sonoma and Napa Counties
To mobilize for disaster response and relief, LGBTQ Connection works closely in partnership with its sibling programs across local nonprofit, “On The Move”. After news of the numerous fires ravaging throughout Napa and Sonoma Counties, the organization focused its efforts to support the North Bay’s most vulnerable youth, including foster parents, transitioning foster youth, homeless youth, youth transitioning from other systems of care, Latino and immigrant youth and LGBTQ youth.
Following the Napa and Sonoma wildfire disaster that began on Monday, October 9, 2017, service delivery and relief efforts for LGBTQ Connection have included:
- Providing safe spaces: LGBTQ Connection Centers in Napa and Santa Rosa have remained open, offering a safe meeting place for staff, clients and community members.
- Emergency, Basic Needs: LGBTQ Connection is providing the coordination and distribution of basic need essentials including food, water, clothes, shoes, hygiene products, bedding, kitchenware and emergency gift cards.
- Street Outreach: LGBTQ Connection staff have been, and will continue, to be present on the streets of Napa and Sonoma Counties working with the homeless youth population. Their aim is to both locate youth that have been displaced, offer resources and services and to educate them on the importance of wearing protective masks during the time when the air quality is exceptionally poor.
- Supporting Displaced families: Youth who have been displaced, evacuated, or have lost their homes have been supported with immediate basic needs, assistance and referrals for shelter and housing resources.
- Power and Communication Resources: Several households have lost power and/or the ability to communicate with others. LGBTQ Connection is supporting youth with free Wi-Fi access, charging stations and access to free phone usage to communicate with loved ones.
- Information, Referrals and Case Management: LGBTQ Connection is providing comprehensive referrals and case management to community members to ensure individuals and families are accessing resources for shelter, basic needs and financial assistance.
- All services are available bilingually in English and in Spanish and the organization has put in extra effort to coordinate translation services for emergency alerts and community-wide information and resources.
In order to address the comprehensive and urgent needs of youth affected by wildfires, LGBTQ Connection requires additional funding to support the purchase of emergency food, supplies and gift cards in order to have the flexibility to meet youths’ individual needs. Donations may be made at http://onthemove.
LGBTQ Connection is also asking our LGBTQ friends and neighbors to reach out and tell us what you need. If you or someone you know has been displaced by the fires and are in need of support, resources, or advocacy, we are here for you. Please contact program manager Jessie Hankins with requests at jessie@lgbtqconnection.org. We will also continue to visit shelters over the next week to do what we can to ensure that all people accessing the shelters are being welcomed and accessing what they need.
VOICES/ LGBTQ Connection Needs Your Help
Dear Community,
As we and our communities wake up from a third night of terrible fires and shifting winds, we are thankful that so many of you have reached out to offer love and support. We continue to mobilize and connect with and support our staff, program participants and communities. Here is updated information about On The Move’s programs, services, needs and relief efforts:
Programs & services: Several of our centers are open today with modified hours, as community gathering spots, with food, free WiFi, and phone charging stations, for any community members who comes by:
VOICES Napa / LGBTQ Connection / On The Move main building
780 Lincoln Avenue, Napa
9a-3p
Innovations Community Center
3281 Solano Avenue, Napa
9a-3p
VOICES Sonoma / LGBTQ Connection
714 Mendocino Ave, Santa Rosa
12p-3p
Our other locations remain closed at this time.
Donations: Our VOICES center in Napa (780 Lincoln Avenue) is a collection sites for donations for our community members. Here is a list of their requests, please only bring donations during open hours:
Phone Chargers
Dust/smoke face masks (type N95 preferred)
Pre-Packaged, ready to eat food
Grocery/Walmart/Target gift cards
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Shampoo
Conditioner
Body wash
Combs
Brushes
Deodorant
Pads/tampons
Flashlights
Candles
Camping stoves
Mini propane for camping stoves
Diapers
Financial donations are very important and allow us to be responsive to ever-changing needs. Donations can be made to:
Napa Valley Community Foundation’s disaster fund:
http://www.napavalleycf.org/
Community Foundation Sonoma County’s resilience fund:
http://www.sonomacf.org/
Both funds go directly to community members served by organizations like ours.
We will continue to update you as the situation progresses. Thank you for being a caring part of our community.
SoCo Human Services Department Partial Closure
Some offices of the Sonoma County Human Services Department will be closed Wednesday, October 11, due to the effects of the devastating fires in Sonoma County. Services are still available in-person in some offices to clients who need emergency benefits and online options continue to be available. Check for updates on this website or by calling 2-1-1. Human Services employee social workers are going to the evacuation shelters to help residents with social services.
Open to the public as of this morning, Adult and Aging, including Veterans Services Office, 3725 Westwind Blvd., Santa Rosa. Phone 565-5900.
In addition, some offices’ phones are now repaired and working, though others are not functional.
Open Wednesday, 8 a.m.– 5 p.m.
Human Services Department offices for in-person support, including immediate, emergency help with CalFresh EBT cards for food benefits or Medi-Cal:
- Economic Assistance, 520 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa. Phones are down.
- Employment and Training, 2227 Capricorn Way, Santa Rosa. Phone: 565-5800.
- Human Services South County Center, 5350 Old Redwood Highway, Petaluma. Phones are working: 565-5511.
- The Family, Youth and Children’s Division, 1202 Apollo Way, Santa Rosa. Phones are working.
- Adult and Aging, including the Veterans Services Office,is offering its usual services at 3725 Westwind Blvd., Santa Rosa. General: 565-5900 and the IHSS Payroll line, 565-2852.
Closed offices are:
- Economic Assistance, 2550 Paulin Dr., Santa Rosa. Power is out in most of the County Center.
- The Valley of the Moon Children’s Home near Kenwood is closed. It was evacuated early Monday to ensure the safety of the foster children and youth in temporary care.
“In this extraordinary countywide emergency, our staff is doing its best to be a resource for clients and community members in need of services,” said Human Services Department Assistant Director Diane Kaljian. “Our hearts go out to all those who are being affected by these ongoing fires, including many members of our staff. We also appreciate all those Human Services employees who are working at the emergency shelters to provide assistance to residents.”
Details regarding Human Services programs and benefits availability are as follows:
Economic Assistance
Due to the emergency situation, the phone lines are not in operation at the Paulin or 520 Mendocino offices. Clients can apply on online and in-person at 520 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa, Employment and Training, 2227 Capricorn Way, Santa Rosa, or the Human Services South County Center, 5350 Old Redwood Highway, Petaluma, between 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. The phones are working in South County (565-5511) and Capricorn (565-8500).
- Sign up in-person for newemergency CalFresh or Medi-Cal if you need immediate food or health care from a doctor. Ask for expedited benefits.
- Current clients who need to recertify CalFresh or Medi-Cal should go online to Mybenefitscalwin.org, and log-in to update their information. Medi-Cal emergencies include immediate need for medication or having a doctor’s appointment within 24 hours. Please call our offices only if you cannot access mybenefitscalwin.org on the Web.
- To replace a lost or missing EBT Calfresh card, visit an open office for a replacement.
- General Assistance applications will not be taken at this time.
Adult and Aging (including the Veterans Services Office)
Open and phones are functioning.
- Several phone lines are now working: the general number 565-5900 and the IHSS Payroll line, 565-2852.
- In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) clients may need to call emergency services to help get to an emergency shelter. IHSS care providers may not be available to provide assistance to vulnerable children, people with disabilities and frail older adults.
- Council on Aging Meals on Wheels were delivered on Tuesday and will be delivered on Wednesday. Four dining sites will be open Wednesday. Check the Council on Aging website ( http://www.councilonaging.com/) or Facebook Pagefor locations and information. Petaluma People Services Meals on Wheels and dining sites continue to be open, as are meals provided by Coastal Seniors.
Employment and Training
Open to serve SonomaWorks (CalWORKS) clients and those in need of emergency CalFresh or Medi-Cal, including EBT Cards.
- Current clients who need emergency checks and warrants need to visit in-person at Economic Assistance, 520 Mendocino Ave., Santa Rosa.
- Joblink can answer questions about unemployment insurance for those whose jobs were affected by the fire: https://sonomawib.org/ or call 565-8079.
Family, Youth and Children’s Services
Phone lines are now working.
- This office will be open to assist foster children and youth and to support foster families.
- Foster children and youth from the Valley of the Moon Children’s Home are housed safety outside the areas of fire danger.
LGBTQ Connection to Hold Training in Sonoma Valley October 11
- Learn about LGBTQ identity, terms & issues.
- Hear personal experiences from a panel of local LGBTQ people.
- Take away practical best practices for what you & your org can do to better reach & serve LGBTQ people.
- Have opportunities for discussion, questions, & comments.
Who is this for? Providers who are interested in improving their reach & understanding of LGBTQ youth who work in Sonoma Valley serving youth.
For info or to RSVP, register here: http://lgbtqconnection.
Special Notice: Our workshops typically reach capacity at 40 people and fill up within a week of opening registration. There is a waiting list for those that do not sign up in time. If you can, please share with your Sonoma Valley Networks.
Sonoma County Studies Disaster Response, Rolls Out New Tools for Public
Major natural disaster threats on the North Coast include earthquakes, floods, wildfires and landslides. All of which allow for less immediate advance planning than hurricanes, which is what makes it so important that residents take preparedness seriously, officials say.
Here’s what Sonoma County emergency coordinators recommend:
– Sign up for SoCoAlert at socoalert.com to learn about emergencies and evacuation orders as they happen directly from first responders.
– Have an emergency evacuation plan.
– Purchase a NOAA weather radio to get alerts about storms at the same time emergency responders do.
– Practice taking cover beneath sturdy furniture and holding on in case of an earthquake, and teach children how to do it.
– Prepare an emergency supply kit with at least five days worth of food, water and medical supplies. Don’t forget about emergency pet supplies.
– Consider signing up for Community Emergency Response Team training, which teaches enrollees how to respond in emergencies. For more information on signing up, contact your local fire department.
Hamill’s department looks at every major disaster as an opportunity to learn, and to improve the county’s own disaster plan.
“We can play Monday morning quarterback all we want, but one of the things I will be looking for in the coming months is what didn’t go so well, and what did go well, so we can learn from those best practices and adopt some of those things here in Sonoma County that are applicable,” he said.
At last year’s conference, he said, the 2015 Valley fire, which ravaged more than 76,000 acres of Lake County, destroyed almost 2,000 structures and killed four people, was a major topic.
This year’s focus will be the response to the Oroville Dam failure and resulting evacuation of nearly 188,000 people in Butte County.
“So Houston got something like 40 inches of rain in 48 hours, that’s pretty unprecedented for out here, but there are some things that we can take and learn from that, like how they conducted their evacuations and their emergency notifications and their care and shelter of their populace.”
Most of the steps Sonoma County has taken to prepare for natural disasters are available for the public to explore online at sonomacounty.ca.gov/FES/Emergency-Management, including interactive maps that emergency coordinators and first responders use to show emergency shelters, assistance centers, medical care locations, dump sites and other services as they become necessary and available during disasters.
One of the newest services the county offers is SoCoAlert, an emergency message system that allows first-response teams to send cellphone users notifications ranging from evacuations orders to advisories on drinking water contamination. To sign up, go to socoalert.com.
The site also offers tips on preparing home survival kits and best practices for communicating during a disaster, when phone lines can be jammed and cellphone towers knocked out — something emergency coordinators learned after Hurricane Katrina hit.
“You may not be able to call, but a text message will go through,” Hamill said.
It’s also good to have an out-of-state contact who can act as a coordinator when local phone lines are jammed.
“The local phone exchange may be impacted, but someone in Washington or Florida may not be impacted,” Hamill said. “So if everyone calls Uncle Joe in Reno, Nevada, then Uncle Joe is the one who coordinates that (everyone) is safe, everyone’s checked in.”