Alma Núñez has been a camper with Camp Núñez since 2018. Alma was a shy student when her mom heard about Camp Nuñez. Alma’s mom thought that attending camp would help Alma with her self-esteem. During camp, Alma was able to meet new friends, and learn new skills. Alma returned to camp in 2019 and was excited to come back to camp in 2020.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, Camp Nuñez was canceled and Alma was disappointed she was not going to be able to attend. Although our students were unable to attend camp, we still made sure to stay in touch with them and their families. Since we couldn’t host a camp, we were able to provide printers to the students. We reached out to Alma’s mom to see if she was in need of a printer for school. Her mom was delighted to hear from us because transitioning to online school was hard for Alma. She had a hard time getting used to the new normal. When Alma came to pick up the printer, she asked when the camp would return. With a broken heart, camp staff told her it was not known at this time because the pandemic was still an ongoing issue.

When she received the printer, we asked Alma what she was going to use the printer for. She answered that it would be used for her school work. We spoke to her mom a month after they had received the printer, and she said it has come in handy for the whole family.  The family has used the printer to help Alma with school work and projects. Alma’s mom has also been able to utilize it for printing her resumes and some activities for Alma’s younger brother. We will continue to check in with the family to inform them of the latest news about camp, and the possibility of Alma returning to camp in the future.

Miguel came into our Healdsburg Day Labor Center back in October 2019 after arriving in the United States. He settled with family and friends in the Town of Windsor. He came seeking a better opportunity in life to support his wife and children in Mexico. After months of searching for work, a family friend informed Miguel about the Day Labor Center. Workers are given the opportunity to earn a fair wage through honest work. He visited our center in 2019 to inquire about work opportunities. He did not know that months later he would have to travel back to Mexico to stay with his family during the COVID-19 pandemic.

When Miguel returned in March 2021 he came with the hopes of getting a stable job, after months of coming in and seeking work. He was able to build a rapport with the employers that sought his skills on a daily basis. Every morning he would come to the center and participate in the weekly COVID education classes prior to getting his COVID-19 vaccine. With the rapport Miguel established and getting vaccinated, we were able to help Miguel get a job at the center. He was hired on May 2021 in a full-time position helping a painter. Miguel was aware that this job was temporary but he was delighted to get the opportunity to have a stable income. With the stable income, he was able to send money to his family in Mexico and still provide a comfortable living situation for himself here.

On October 18, 2021, Miguel came back to the Day Labor Center to register on the worklist hoping that we could provide him with work. He informed the staff at the Center that due to the weather conditions his job was placed on hold and that the employer will give him another opportunity to come work for him for the upcoming season. Miguel is hoping to travel back to Mexico to spend the holiday season with his family.