Rebirth at Middletown

Bright sunshine and green grass greeted a steady stream of volunteers recently at Middletown Trailside Nature Preserve. They arrived by the hundreds with shovels in hand to plant upwards of 3,000 fresh Ponderosa Pine seedlings. Their beloved county park, ravaged by fire in 2015, will soon once again be full of lush green trees. It’s a dream come true for the community and for CHD staff, who have been and continue to provide ongoing disaster relief in Lake County. Those efforts include hiring nearly 300 temporary laborers to clear the charred land at Trailside Park… in preparation for this very day!

CHD’s disaster relief efforts in Lake County are provided in partnership with La Cooperativa Campesina de California and with funding from the National Dislocated Worker Program.  

The March 25th volunteer reforestation event at Trailside Nature Preserve was hosted by the Rotary Clubs of Lake County.

 

 

 

CHD Expands Immigration Help to Ukiah

Grant funded services for Lake and Mendocino counties

Plans are underway to expand CHD immigration and citizenship services to Lake and Mendocino counties, two northern California regions where affordable assistance for immigrants is sparse and undocumented residents are considered most at risk. A new two-year, $250,000 grant from the state Department of Social Services will fuel the outreach effort.

“It’s an uncertain time for immigrants all across the country, but the State of California remains committed to assisting immigrants with pathways to legal residency and citizenship,” says Differding. “We’ve had great success over the years in other northern California regions, such as Sonoma and San Joaquin counties, and are thrilled to expand our reach to help more people.”

CHD has tentative plans to open an immigration and citizenship office on the campus of Mendocino Community College in Ukiah and will conduct a series of monthly workshops throughout Mendocino and Lake counties. The non-profit agency will assist a minimum of 260 people, focusing primarily on securing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and citizenship through the naturalization process.

 

 

Lakeport Flood Victims Find Homes at Konocti

No one would argue that its been a tough few years for Lake County. Prolonged drought left many farm laborers and others out of work. Then came unprecedented fires, including the devastating Valley Fire. The blazes made hundreds more homeless and unemployed. And to top it off, recent pounding rain caused flooding in Lakeport. More than 40 people of very low income were forced from their homes at the Willow Point Resort. Through it all, nonprofits such as CHD have stepped in to help…providing food, clothing, housing and temporary jobs. This week, in fact, many of those flood victims will move out of the shelter and into their own apartments at the closed Konocti Harbor Resort. With state and local funding, CHD has arranged temporary housing for Lakeport’s most in need at the once stunning concert venue on the shores of Clear Lake…