September 2023 E-Newsletter

Eden I&R Staff Retreat

Last week, the Eden I&R /211 Alameda County team gathered for Leadership team meetings and a staff retreat. A Board happy hour kicked off events with a few of our newest Board members meeting with our Leadership team to help onboard and welcome them. Next up was our

staff-wide retreat. It was a day filled with training exercises, team bonding, and fun, with many colleagues meeting each other for the first time since the pandemic began. The week wrapped with 1:1 training for our Leadership team facilitated by consultant Alejandro Vilchez, a seasoned leader in violence prevention, youth engagement, and organizational development.

Eden I&R Board members meet up.

Eden I&R / 211 Alameda County staff members.

National Preparedness Month

September is National Preparedness Month! The 2023 theme is "Take Control in 1, 2, 3". The campaign focuses on preparing older adults for disasters, specifically those from communities disproportionally impacted by the all-hazard events. Ready.gov has many resources available to help you plan for when disaster strikes.

To prepare for local emergencies, sign up for AC Alert to receive important information in the event of a local emergency or critical incident near you and provide information on what protective actions you may need to take. Visit acalert.org or download the Everbridge app and search for 'Alameda County' on your smartphone.

Prepare U Community Classes

Thanks to the Bay Area Urban Areas Security Initiative, Eden I&R and Independent Living Resources of Solano & Contra Costa Counties (ILRSCC) partnered together to offer five free preparedness classes to community members this month. The trainings were hosted virtually by Eden I&R's Disaster Preparedness Coordinator, Lars Eric Holm, and Ron Halog, the Emergency Preparedness Coordinator for ILRSCC. The first class covered Personal Emergency Preparedness, the second was about Agency Emergency Preparedness, the third was about ICS (Incident Command System) for community members, and the fourth and fifth classes will discuss COOP (Continuity of Operations) training.

To stay up to date on future classes/trainings or have Lars Eric come to your organization to give a presentation on disaster preparedness, contact him at 510-727-9516 or leholm@edenir.org.

New COVID-19 Vaccines

On September 12th, the CDC recommended that everyone ages six months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine at least two months after their last dose. To help educate community members, the Alameda County Public Health Department has a guide online filled with important information. The guide includes information on where to get vaccinated, what vaccines are available, and how to schedule an appointment. It also provides answers to frequently asked questions about the vaccines. You can view the guide here.

To further prepare for the winter, you can now also order four free COVID-19 test kits per household through COVIDtests.gov.

Free ESL Classes for Immigrants, Refugees, and Asylees

Lao Family Community Development has partnered with Laney College to provide an 8-week certificate program to prepare immigrant, refugee, and asylee community members for success in trade education. This free course offers books, materials, career coaching, and job placement. Please see the flyer below for full details and registration options. If you or someone you know is interested, you can register here for the next session, October 16th through December 7th.

Job & Volunteer Openings

We are pleased to announce a new job link on our website where you can see and apply for any postings Eden I&R is directly hiring for. You can also register to be notified of any future openings as well! Check out our open roles here and below.

211 Community Resource Specialist (CRS): Under the direct supervision of 211 Contact Center Managers, the CRS will address clients' concerns over the phone and through text and provide needs assessment and referral. Learn more.

Volunteers: As an Eden I&R / 2-1-1 Alameda County volunteer, you can help connect people to valuable resources in the community. Get involved.

Board Service: If you are interested in board service, please contact Eden I&R’s Executive Director, Alison DeJung, at adejung@edenir.org. You can learn more about the volunteer role here.

A Berkeley woman called 211 looking for housing, medical, and food referrals. She had a visual impairment, and her only income was Social Security Disability. The caller stayed at a hotel one night, but her money ran out, and she needed a place to stay. 211 staff provided her with several referrals, including Senior Homeless Services, North County BACS, Ashby Health Center, CityTeam Ministries' food pantry, University of California Berkeley food pantry, Berkeley Food Pantry, and East Bay Food Not Bombs.



Read more 211 call examples.

211 By the Numbers - August 2023

211 Alameda County:

6,037 conversations handled

12,712 referrals provided

Additional August & Year-To-Date 211 stats

Demographics:

74% female

29% single mothers with minor children

53% living with disabilities

Average Call Length:

6:41 minutes

Average Wait Time:

1:51 minutes

Services Database:

91 agency record updates

309 program record updates

Housing Database:

36 units added

1,435 records updated

Website page views:

50,086

Website Sessions/visitors:

15,292

AHIP (AIDS Housing Information Project)

AHIP (AIDS Housing Information Project) offers housing and human services resource referrals to People Living with HIV/AIDS via a designated phone line and through one-on-one, in-person assistance at clinics and AIDS Service Organizations.

Last month, AHIP provided 444 housing referrals and 24 referrals to services. AHIP completed 4 permanent housing placements. Year to date, AHIP has provided assistance to 14 unduplicated clients.

"I appreciate everything that you're doing and all the resources that 211 has and trying to get people back on their feet."

Partner Spotlight - Crisis Support Services of Alameda County (CSS)



September is Suicide Prevention Month, and we are highlighting the Crisis Support Services of Alameda County as our partner spotlight. Founded in 1966, Crisis Support Services of Alameda County offers a broad range of counseling, education, and prevention services in a safe environment. CSS’ 24-hour crisis hotline responds to more than 65,000 calls each year. Services include ongoing therapy groups, school-based counseling, supportive services for seniors, suicide prevention for youth, and community education.

To learn more, or if you or someone you know needs help, visit their website.

Donor Spotlight - Walter & Elise Haas Fund

We are so grateful to the Walter & Elise Haas Fund for their continued support of our agency, especially for their significant contributions towards our Disaster Preparedness program. We are able to educate and help our community thanks to their generosity. The mission of the Walter & Elise Haas Fund is to help build a healthy, just, and vibrant society in which people feel connected to and responsible for their community.

You can learn more about their vital work by visiting their website.

www.edenir.org