Biweekly Third District Update

Riverside County COVID-19 Update

Riverside County children between 5 and 11 years of age can now get the Pfizer vaccine. Those under 18 should be accompanied by a parent or adult to get vaccinated. The amount of the vaccine to be administered will be one-third the dose used for adults. For more information on the Pfizer vaccine for children between the ages of 5 and 11, visit https://bit.ly/3qluuAk.

For information on the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccine boosters, visit https://bit.ly/3CfPPOR, and for more information on the Pfizer vaccine booster, visit https://bit.ly/3oeWfcO.

Riverside County’s COVID-19 case rate has started to increase again. As of Wednesday, Nov. 10, 2021, Riverside County’s case rate per 100,000 residents is 15.2, and our positivity rate is 5.2 percent.

Help keep our community and your family safe by getting your COVID-19 vaccine. The County of Riverside is vaccinating residents ages 5 and up.

To make an appointment to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, call 2-1-1 or visit www.ruhealth.org/covid-19-vaccine. You can also schedule an appointment at a Community Health Center by calling 800-945-6171. If you are unable to leave your home for medical reasons, you can be vaccinated from the comfort of your home by calling 833-422-4255 or visiting myturn.ca.gov. Vaccine clinics located in the Third District can be found using the following link: https://bit.ly/3qqC9gL.

Daily updates on the county’s COVID-19 cases are posted at www.rivcoph.org/coronavirus and on Facebook at @countyriversidedepartmentofpublichealth and Twitter at @RivCoDoc. For state updates, visit www.cdph.ca.gov, and for national updates, visit www.cdc.gov.

Local Food and Gift Drives for the Holiday Season

Looking to bring a little cheer into peoples’ lives this holiday season? Below you will find local gift and food drives for those in need.

• SAFE Family Justice Centers have a goal of providing Thanksgiving meals to 100 families who have experienced abuse. Drop off or mail any items to any SAFE Family Justice Center from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. Items needed by Nov. 12, 2021! Nonperishable donation ideas include boxed stuffing mix, instant mashed potatoes, canned turkey gravy, gravy packet mix, canned yams and marshmallows, etc. You may also provide a $25+ gift card. Please do not donate perishable items. To make a donation, visit safefjc.org/donate. To find a SAFE Family Justice Center near you, visit safefjc.org/contact-us. 
• The Riverside County Office on Aging is collecting gifts for seniors between Oct. 1 and Dec. 3. Gift ideas include toiletries, adult coloring books and coloring pencils, adult activity books (crossword puzzles, word searches, etc.), hand sanitizers, flashlights, batteries, winter hats, socks, scarves and blankets. Place new, unwrapped gifts in a collection box near you. To find a local collection box, call 760-578-1593. For questions regarding gift donations, volunteering or becoming a collection site, contact Jared Katchmar by calling 760-637-1009 or 760-863-7887 or emailing JKatchmar@rivco.org. If you would prefer to make a donation by check, you can make it out to the Riverside County Foundation on Aging and send it to P.O. Box 2099, Riverside, CA 92516.

Riverside County and Partners Offer Programs for Moms

Being a mother can be stressful and overwhelming. Luckily, Riverside County and its partners offer several programs that provide resources and assistance to mothers.

• Mamás y Bebés is a program offered in English and in Spanish. It is a mother’s wellness group for women who are pregnant or have children between the ages of 0 and 12 months. Join them for virtual discussions where you will learn how to deal with stress in a healthy way, gain tools to strengthen your relationship with your baby and decrease overwhelming thoughts and feelings. After you complete the program, you will receive free diapers and a $50 Target gift card. For more information, call Gloria Lopez at 909-982-8641.
• Nurse-Family Partnership is a home visitation program for first-time mothers and their families. Over a two-and-a-half-year period, a nurse will help the new mom make her home safe for her baby and provide referrals for healthcare, childcare, job training and other support services. This program is for first-time mothers who are 28-weeks pregnant or less and are eligible for WIC at some point during the pregnancy. To learn more about this program, call 800-794-4814 or email MCAHRivcoReferrals@ruhealth.org.
• Black Infant Health aims to decrease the high rates of infant and maternal mortality among Black mothers and babies using a group-based approach and client-centered case management. This combination helps women enhance life skills and learn proven strategies to reduce stress, build social support and empower them to make changes to improve birth outcomes. This program is for Black women 16 years old and older who are pregnant or parenting up to six months postpartum. To learn more about this program, call 800-794-4814 or email MCAHRivcoReferrals@ruhealth.org.
• Adolescent Family Life Program addresses the health, social, educational and economic challenges of pregnant and parenting adolescents and their families. Through home visitation, this program provides the adolescents with the resources to obtain needed services, increase social and emotional support, increase educational attainment and improve pregnancy planning. This program is for male and female individuals ages 21 and younger who are pregnant or parenting. To learn more about this program, call 800-794-4814 or email MCAHRivcoReferrals@ruhealth.org.

Extra Funding Available for Utility Bills

The County of Riverside’s Community Action Partnership has received federal funding for their Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). Applicants may qualify for up to $3,000 to assist in paying for your utility bills. This funding is in addition to their standard LIHEAP funding, so even if you have already received LIHEAP, you may still be eligible for additional assistance!

For more information or to make an appointment, call 951-955-4900.

Scams Target Senior Population, Part 5

Taken from “CARE: When Trust is a Weapon,” by the County of Riverside Department of Public Social Services

As the population of older adults increase in Riverside County, we see more and more scammers trying to trick this population. This article is part five of a series on fraud that targets older adults. This week’s article focuses on Home Repair Fraud.

Many homeowners have contractors show up on their doorsteps uninvited. These contractors say they are doing work in the neighborhood and noticed that your house needs repairs. They’ll offer to fix your roof, repave your driveway or perform other repairs or renovations for what sounds like a great price. When this happens, be wary: the smiling fix-it man or woman at your door might be an unscrupulous contractor or an outright con artist out to fleece you with a home improvement scam.

Con artists prey on vulnerable homeowners. If your house has been damaged by a storm or natural disaster, a scammer may show up and try to persuade you to sign over the payment from your insurance company. Some crooks seek out older homeowners with memory or cognitive problems, hoping to con them into paying multiple times for the same work.

Some warning signs to keep in mind:

• Beware of contractors who stop by because they happen to be in your neighborhood. The good ones are usually too busy to roam around in search of work;
• Be skeptical of contractors who say they can offer lower prices because they use surplus material. That might mean they overbilled a previous customer or didn’t finish the work.

When looking to make repairs on your home, DO:

• Verify contractors’ licenses with the Contractor’s State License Board (CSLD). Check for the status, scope of work approved under the license and the names of the workers under that license;
• Insist on seeing references. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends asking past customers detailed questions, including whether the project was completed on time and if there were unexpected costs. The FTC also suggests asking the contractor if you can visit a job currently in progress;
• Require a bid in writing and compare at least three bids from multiple contractors before agreeing to any work;
• Get a written contract before you pay any money and before the work starts;
• Read the fine print.

When looking to make repairs on your home, DO NOT:

• Pay cash. The FTC recommends using a check or credit card or arranging financing;
• Put down a big deposit. Contractors can only ask for 10% or $1,000, whichever is less, up front;
• Automatically take the lowest bid. Some contractors cut corners to come in lower than competitors, according to the Better Business Bureau (BBB). The FTC recommends that if one contractor’s estimate is significantly less than those of competitors, ask why.
• Let the contractor arranging financing for you. The FTC warns that you might be tricked into signing up for a home-equity loan with hefty fees or a high interest rate, or one in which the lender pays the contractor directly, giving the contractor little incentive to finish the job or do it properly.