February 2016 Newsletter

Alameda County, California sent this bulletin at 02/11/2016 04:05 PM PST
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February 2016

ALL IN for Thriving Communities

Thank you to everyone who attended our Social Innovation Fair on Friday, February 5, 2016 at Laney College.  We had a strong turnout of over 250 community residents, public employees, and nonprofit organizations who spent the day designing solutions to support a robust and sustainable local economy. Read on for more information on each Challenge Track's action plan. 

Audience 1

Join us at our monthly meetings to stay up to date on each Challenge Track's progress!

Our next meeting is Thursday, March 17, 2016 from 11am-1pm. 

Food Recovery

Goal

Develop a state-of-the-art food recovery system


Solutions

  • Create a map of the food recovery ecosystem
  • Build a county infrastructure for food recovery
  • Outreach and education
food recovery

The Food Recovery Challenge Track 

Youth Employment

Goal

Provide 200 youth with career pathway jobs in the local economy


Solutions

  • Develop a youth-centered employment app that includes career building tools, an effective referral service, real-time job postings, and recruitment practices
WC speaking

County Supervisor Wilma Chan challenges participants to get their sneakers on as we race towards solutions

CalFresh

Goal

Enroll 100% of eligible Alameda County residents in CalFresh


Solutions

  • Build partnerships in the community to dispel the myths and stigma surrounding CalFresh enrollment
  • Build partnerships with local farms and design CSAs tailored to specific populations
  • In-reach with Medi-Cal enrollment
CalFresh food

        The amount of healthy food you can   buy with $16

Living Wage Advocacy

Goal

Pass a fair wage statewide


Solutions

  • Support statewide ballot initiatives to increase the minimum wage to $15/hr
lunch

Attendees continuing their discussions during the lunch break

Food as Medicine


Goal

Provide food prescriptions for 500 moms and seniors


Solutions

  • Develop an app for clinicians and patients to use
  • Set up a food delivery system for prescriptions
Silvia (cropped)

ALL IN Vice-Chair, Silvia Guzman discusses the importance of community engagement

Affordable Housing

Goal

Increase the use of housing vouchers


Solutions

  • Create and formalize local partnerships with landlords
  • Training and workshops for tenants to navigate getting housing
  • Workshops on retaining housing for tenants
housing

The Affordable Housing Challenge Track

SSI Advocacy


Goal

By June 15, achieve at least $21 increase in SSI benefit 


Solutions

  • Rally at the capitol
  • Reach out to local state representatives for support
Challenge Track leaders

Challenge Track leaders pitch their tracks

Local Entrepreneurship


Goal

Support 50 new local entrepreneurs from concept to launch in one year


Solutions

  • Adapt existing entrepreneurship curriculum for high schools and teach through clubs, elective classes, and projects in math and economics classes
  • Develop a regional "how-to" resource guide for entrepreneurs just starting out
  • Encourage local businesses to mentor new entrepreneurs  

Early Childcare Advocacy

Goal

Increase funding to early childcare programs


Solutions

  • Convene all players by June to determine if funding should come from legislation or a ballot initiative