CHD Receives $188,000 Immigration Grant

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Farmworkers, family and others across 11 counties to gain assistance

Today, California Human Development (CHD) learned it will receive $188,000 to provide immigration services across 11 northern California counties in 2017. The funding comes from the State of California, Department of Social Services and allows important grant-funded work that began last year to continue. CHD is a non-profit organization waging the War on Poverty across northern California for 50 years and providing expert immigration assistance to farmworkers and others of low income for over 30 years.

“This is great news!” says Christopher Paige, Chief Executive Officer. ‘State funding is essential to continue our work and I’m proud to say CHD is uniquely positioned to deliver these life-changing services, especially to farmworkers in rural communities.”

The state identified “hard to reach” communities as an area of focus for the 2017 funding.  CHD’s outreach serves severely impoverished farmworkers and others in Lake, Mendocino, Butte, Del Norte, Sonoma, Solano, San Juaquin, Yolo, Yuba and Sutter counties. The goal is to serve hard-to-reach individuals who are eligible for a variety of legal immigration pathways, but have not applied.

Services made possible through the new funding will focus on assisting applicants to become citizens, DACA, and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA), which is currently on-hold pending the outcome of the presidential election and a new appointment to the Supreme Court. DAPA would provide legal status for the parents of American-born children and other U.S. citizens, while DACA helps foreign-born teens and young adults primarily raised in the U.S. to obtain legal status.

During 2017, CHD will provide education and outreach to over 1200 people in its service area and will provide legal expertise and direct services to 499 people, assisting them to receive DACA, DAPA (pending approval), naturalization, and other immigration pathways such as U-Visas for victims of violent crimes.

CHD is one of 80 non-profit organizations to receive nearly $25 million in immigration funding from the state during 2017. For more information visit:  www.cdss.ca.gov/immigrationservices/PG4818.htm

End of Harvest Fiesta Celebrates Farmworkers

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Music, dancing, food and free health services to honor those who harvest Sonoma County’s bounty, November 5

As farmworkers throughout Sonoma County wake early and work late to complete the 2016 Harvest, California Human Development (CHD) is finalizing plans to celebrate!  CHD’s 37th Annual End of Harvest Fiesta is slated for November 5th from 10am to 3pm at Luther Burbank Center for the Arts in Santa Rosa. A traditional event with a rich history, the End of Harvest Fiesta celebrates the men and women who plant and harvest Sonoma County’s bounty.  Cultural music and dancing, authentic Mexican food, free health and community services, passports and documents to matriculate from the Mexican Consulate and Farmworker of the Year Awards create a fun and value-filled tribute to Sonoma County’s field and vineyard workers.

“Sonoma County is recognized around the world for high quality agricultural products and the men and women who work the fields and vineyards of our county are essential to this well-deserved reputation” says Chris Paige, executive director for California Human Development.  “The annual End of Harvest Fiesta shines a light on their contribution. It’s a chance to say ‘thank you’ and to celebrate together at the culmination of yet another outstanding season of harvest,” adds Paige.

The End of Harvest Fiesta features traditional family fun, such as Ballet Folklorico, a gigantic piñata celebration, face painting, raffle prizes and much more. Additionally, the Fiesta provides a wealth of free community services, including Bi-National Health Week services such as flu shots and medical screenings. Mexican citizens living in Sonoma County will also have the opportunity to conduct business with officials from the Mexican Consulate. The event is free to festival goers and is provided by California Human Development in honor of Sonoma County farmworkers and their families.

WHAT:         37TH ANNUAL END OF HARVEST FIESTA

WHEN:         NOVEMBER 5, 2016, 10AM – 3PM 

WHERE:        LUTHER BURBANK CENTER FOR THE ARTS

50 MARK WEST SPRINGS ROAD, SANTA ROSA 

TICKETS:      NO COST

 

 

Bi-National Health Week = Care for All

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Bi-National Health Week is in full swing in Sonoma County, offering a series of free health fairs that deliver important health services to those who often go without.

Now in its 16th year, Binational Health Week addresses health disparities of the Latino community living in the U.S. and Canada.  Services are provided through a collaboration of the governments of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, along with thousands of agencies and volunteers working with the Health Initiative of the Americas—a program of UC Berkeley School of Public Health. Major support in Sonoma County is provided by the Department of Health Services.

The fairs offer varying services, such as flu shots, vision and dental screenings, blood pressure checks and stroke and diabetes checks. Fairgoers can also learn about Medi-Cal, health insurance, driver’s licenses and insurance, food stamps and more.

Anyone, regardless of immigration status, who is in need of health services is invited and encouraged to attend.

UPCOMING FAIRS:

October 9, 2-6pm:  St. John’s Parish, 217 Fitch Street, Healdsburg
Sponsor:  Alliance Health Center

October 15, 11am-3pm: Lola’s Market, 440 Dutton Ave., Santa Rosa
Sponsor:  Santa Rosa Community Health Centers

October 23, 10am-2pm: Mary Agatha Furth Center, 8400 Old Redwood Hwy, Windsor
Sponsor:  Latinos Unidos del Condado de Sonoma, Town of Windsor & Alliance Clinic

November 5, 10am-3pm: Burbank Center for the Arts, 50 Mark West Springs Rd., Santa Rosa
Sponsor:  California Human Development

November 10, 7:30am-4:30pm: Flamingo Conference Resort, 4th Street and Farmer’s Lane, Santa Rosa
Latino Health Forum, “Racism and Discrimination, Impacts on Health”
Sponsor:  Latino Service Providers