Wishing You The Best This Thanksgiving! | |
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As we gather around our tables with family and friends, my team and I would like to extend warm wishes to each and every one of you this Thanksgiving. In a year that has presented its share of challenges, it's days like these that remind us of the strength and resilience of our community.
We are grateful for the opportunity to serve you, and we recognize the importance of coming together to celebrate the spirit of gratitude.
This Thanksgiving, let us reflect on the values that bind us as a community — compassion, unity, and the shared commitment to making District 4 a better place for all. As my team and I express our deepest appreciation for your trust and support, we also look forward to continuing our collaborative efforts to enhance the well-being of our neighborhoods.
May this holiday season bring you joy, warmth, and the company of those you hold dear.
Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving filled with laughter, love, and the simple joys that make our community so special.
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Christmas In The Park Opens Friday! | |
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One of my favorite San José traditions is Christmas in the Park and today my team and I decorated our District 4 tree with ornaments made by students from District 4 schools! Be sure to come to Plaza De Caesar Chavez Park on Opening Night this Friday at 6PM for some holiday cheer!
Don't miss great performances by kids from all our community on District 4 Night at Christmas in the park, mark your calendars for December 14th!
For more information visit the Christmas In The Park Official Website
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Berryessa Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair | |
This weekend we jumped into the Holiday Season with The Berryessa Holiday Arts & Crafts Fair at the Berryessa Community Center. It’s always a great place to get some shopping done early with fantastic hand made items from lots of local makers. | |
With winter fast approaching, it's important to be ready for the possibility of storms causing flooding in your neighborhood. Do what you can to prepare before the rain comes by checking out Valley Water's Flood Ready Website. | |
SJFD Wants You To Have A Safe Holiday | |
San Jose Fire Department urges you to be safe this holiday season by following a few safety guidelines to minimize the risk of Christmas tree fires. Get more information here. | |
I had a great time at the Grand Opening of the 26th Downtown Ice skating rink in San Jose! Great fun for the whole family. See sjdowntownice.com for details | |
Serve on a Civil Grand Jury | |
Bioblitz Nature Exploration Event | |
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Along our creeks and in our parks live a huge variety of wildlife, from water bugs to birds, snakes to elk. We look for all of them at a BioBlitz. Essentially, we play PokeMan, but we seek out nature. iNaturalist, a mobile phone app, is the tool that we use to record our observations and share them with scientists. Also, on the iNaturalist website, you can search for and learn more about nature around the world.
See what we've found in the South Bay, along with other events conducted by our partner BioBlitz.club.
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Donate A Gift Card For The Holidays! | |
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Giving $25 can provide one child from a low-income family with a gift of their choice!
AACI is collecting gift cards and monetary donations through December 15, 2023, to provide holiday gifts to children of our most marginalized clients, including children of refugees and survivors of domestic violence. Every $25 will provide a child with a gift card to purchase the gift of their choice this holiday season!
This year, there are over 800 children on our list, and you can help guarantee that every child receives a gift this holiday season. Your gift enables the families we serve to feel the magic of the holidays with their little ones amidst these difficult times.
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Scholarships for STEM Students | |
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Calling all future STEM leaders! I'd like to share some useful information about scholarship opportunities from Amazon for students in District 4.
Amazon AHEAD program
AHEAD (Amazon, Hardware, Embedded, Artificial Intelligence, Design) is a fully-funded STEM opportunity for students ages 11-18 to participate in a six-month enrichment program bringing the magic of STEM to life. The AHEAD program is designed to increase diverse representation in STEM.
Students participating in this program must reside in the Los Angeles, San Francisco Bay area, or Washington, D.C. (DMV) metro areas. Selected applicants will attend this innovative program delivered by iD Tech, the world’s top STEM educator, and will be immersed in hands-on learning through a custom curriculum enhanced by Amazon.
AHEAD program dates: January -June, 2024
Application deadline: November 27, 2023
AHEAD Scholars will be notified via email by December 8, 2023
https://www.idtech.com/amazon-ahead
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Amazon Future Engineer Scholarship
Applications are open for the Amazon Future Engineers scholarship program, awarding $40,000 for high school seniors interested in studying computer science in college with a paid internship at Amazon. Amazon awarded 400 scholarships to students across the country this year, 70% of which came from underserved communities. Amazon is committed to reaching 2 million students from underrepresented communities across the U.S. with real-world virtual and hands-on computer science project learning.
Students can apply here: https://www.amazonfutureengineer.com/scholarships
Applications will close on December 15 at 1pm pacific/4pm eastern.
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Boys & Girls Clubs of Silicon Valley | |
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Join us for the Gift Drive
December 7th • 4pm–6pm
Alviso Club
5040 N First St, San Jose
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Gift: Donate new, unwrapped gifts suitable for children and teenagers of all ages at participating club locations on December 7. Fill out the Joy Drive participation form to show your interest!
Donate: Be part of the magic by donating to support youth this holiday season.
Volunteer: Help collect and sort gifts at the Joy Drive or fill out a holiday card for a child at a participating location of your choice.
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Annual District 4 Pajama Giveaway | |
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Help us keep kids warm by donating for our Third Annual District 4 Pajama Giveaway
The District 4 tradition continues this year as we once again partner with local schools to deliver warm pajamas to kids for the holidays. We had an incredible response to our request for donations during our pajama drives during the last two years, delivered pajamas to nearly 150 kids last year, and are asking for your help through pajama donations this year.
Pajamas are a way for kids to express themselves, keep them cozy and warm, make them feel secure, and even lower risk of cold or flu. Donating a pair of pajamas will make a world of difference for a child in your neighborhood during the frigid winter months.
We request new with tags or new in package pajamas in any kids’ size 5-18, or adult sizes small through XXL for older kids. They can be footy pajamas, night gowns, two-piece pajamas, flannel, plaid, plain, with popular characters, for boys or girls or gender neutral.
Please bring or have your donations shipped to the Berryessa Union School District office, c/o District 4 Pajama Program, 981 Ridder Park Drive, San Jose, CA 95131.
E-commerce sites such as amazon.com, target.com and Costco.com make it simple to purchase and have pajamas delivered directly, but you can personally drop off if you prefer. Feel free to attach a holiday greeting note to your gift for the recipient.
You may also contact the Council District 4 office at 408-535-4904 if you need guidance with your donation or if you want to make a cash or gift card donation to the District 4 Pajama Program instead.
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We invite youth under 18 who live or go to school in Santa Clara County to submit to the Santa Clara County Youth Anthology: "Dreams for the Future" at HERE. We are collecting poetry and art submissions until March 31st at 11:59 pm. All submissions will be reviewed by the Youth Poets Laureate team for physical publishing and will potentially be featured in a county mural. Please contact Poetry Ambassador Sage Cobb at sagecobb42@gmail.com with questions. | |
How To Report A Crime Anonymously | |
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Reporting crimes, regardless of their magnitude, is vital for maintaining public safety and promoting a secure community. By reporting both minor and major crimes, individuals contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the local crime landscape. This valuable information assists the police department in strategically allocating resources and determining where to increase patrols or improve surveillance. Detecting patterns of criminal activity becomes more feasible with a higher volume of reported incidents, enabling law enforcement to respond effectively and implement proactive measures to deter crime. Ultimately, reporting crimes empowers communities to actively participate in making their neighborhoods safer and more resilient against criminal activities.
Click the link below to report a crime. Hopefully you don't have a crime to report right now, but you might want to click the button and bookmark the page it takes you to.
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Volunteer In Your Community | |
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Volunteer Opportunities:
If you are interested in volunteering, we are always in need of volunteers for a wide array of events that take place in District 4! Please consider helping out your community and joining us!
Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Angela Pedrigal, at angela.pedrigal@sanjoseca.gov for more information.
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Let's Be Friends!
Get the latest from me and my staff on Instagram, Nextdoor, Facebook, and Twitter.
We post everything from emergency notifications and district specific updates to council meeting breakdowns and inside looks at life at City Hall. Got recommendations for businesses, schools, or local heroes we might want to highlight? Send us a DM!
We welcome all your feedback as comments on our posts, direct messages in our inbox, phone calls to the office. Click the links above or the icons below to connect with us.
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Easily Access City Services | |
San Jose 311 is your gateway to City Services from vehicle blight abatement, graffiti removal, reporting fireworks, illegal dumping, pot holes, and more.
click here to get started.
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Rebates up to 90% for Your Building Upgrades! | |
Through the San José Energy Efficient Business Program, your business can receive rebates when you make certain energy-saving upgrades. These significant rebates (80-90% off!) help make the projects more affordable, and when you combine the rebates with your lower monthly energy costs, the upgrades can quickly pay for themselves.
click here to get started.
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Who's making a big difference in our community? A great teacher, business owner, a police officer who goes beyond the call of duty. Maybe there's someone spending their free time organizing creek clean-ups or blanket drives for the unhoused... If you've got someone special in your neighborhood, let us know by nominating them to be a District Hero! | |
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Office of Councilmember David Cohen
200 E. Santa Clara St
San José, CA 95113
(408) 535-4904
district4@sanjoseca.gov
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