SAN DIEGO VOAD
March 2021 Meeting Minutes
Attending: Valerie Brown – Chair, Joann Kling – Treasurer, Terri Sorensen- Co Secretary, Paul Carr – Co Secretary, John Chavez – FEMA Val. Additional: 18 partner organizations (see below)
Presenting: Luis Santos-Serrano, SBA
Small Business Disaster Loans. (Physical disaster) reapply for physical disaster loan (had recently expired Dec 2020) 7/16/2021 is the new expiration date on loans for capital (indicated for small businesses, nonprofits).
Presenting: Bixi Howe, Red Cross, regarding TEP associate training.
In the new RC Non-congregant sheltering model, where evacuees meet at Temporary Evacuation Points (TEP) to be vetted and assigned hotel rooms across the county, Red Cross is in need of volunteers to help with the intake portion of this process. Volunteers would be trained by RC and then during an emergency contacted to see availability to meet and staff at designated TEP location. TEP intake would be gathered using a RC App for data collection.
Once evacuee’s are vetted, assigned and re-located at hotel, RC also provides feeding by utilizing trained feeding volunteers to arrive in 3 feeding shifts to work with a RC site manager and the hotel staff who provide list of evacuee names and room numbers. Food may be delivered from local vendors, restaurants, caterer’s etc. or may need to be picked up by Feeding Volunteer depending on the emergency and availability of the food distributor. This would be a two hour shift per meal in most cases.
Terri Sorensen, liaison for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: I have been working with Red Cross helping to provide church volunteers for the Evacuee Feeding program over the last year. Twice our members were activated during 2020. Red Cross Training is a virtual 27-minute overview of program. Once the initial overview training is held, then Red Cross sends me a registration link which I forward to those interested in registering with RC and continuing training. Once a volunteer completes their registration the link directly takes them to a 42-minute ( RC specific) Shelter Overview training video on You-tube. Then the volunteer lets me know they completed training and I place them on a “Ready to Activate List” in case of emergency and RC calls us.
Stephen Egbert, with the same church, activated Christmas Eve 2020: Evacuees were sheltered in hotels in Temecula. Was given an assignment, met RC site manager there, received food and list, served and talked with evacuees and left after about 2 hr shift. Red Cross has adapted well under COVID restraints.
John Chavez, FEMA -Val Update
US & Mex Border Alliance Mission: Fact finding mission to determine impacts of the migrant workers coming across the borders. Declaration was covering the virus. Utilizing the emergency sheltering plan. They want to have emergency protective measures working through the virus to make sure it does not get out of hand. We are region nine, covering Cal and AZ, with FEMA, State and other Social Agencies including HHS and others, attending. US and Mexico alliance is holding bi-weekly calls with orgs like ours that are assisting.
Some are on the ground already working and are doing well. If John reaches out to you please respond and let him know what you can help with.
Volunteers: FEMA has group that is receiving queries from agencies that want to volunteer at border counties. Currently Steering those groups to Hands-On San Diego. https://www.
Also looking for similar support sites for volunteers to help in Imperial, Yuma and Tucson areas. as well. Doing what they can to support and get non- governmental agencies from VOAD to assist. Please listen to the following agencies that are working it and their reports.
Kate Clark, Senior Director of Jewish Family Services (JFS)
Response agency supporting new arrivals in county.
In 2018 – we saw 24K asylum seekers. JFS have been involved in respite shelter assistance since then.
Pre-pandemic, JFS operated a congregate shelter site, but now in pandemic, they are operating out of non-congregant hotel rooms.
After our country’s administration changed, efforts were ramped up to assist those coming through ports of entry. Also helping those presenting for humanitarian parole and judicators. Last group asylum seekers released from Homeland of Security. Different groups of people are currently helping.
JFS – 2 Volunteer opportunities to assist with:
Logistic Support -creating donation bags, new clothing and items, personal basic needs items for stay in hotel room etc.. Sorting donations, backfilling donation room, packaging foods, providing three meals a day at hotel sites with grab and go bags.
Airport Escort- Serve as an airport guide, go to airport, walk family through process of going to ticket agent all the way to walking to gate. (This is for those currently being cared for in respite shelters. These people remain in care till cleared by public health to travel to final destination.)
**Need: All call for volunteers to assist with efforts.
website: https://www.jfssd.org/helpnow
Jesse, Hands on San Diego: Local Volunteer Center. Created resource page of volunteer opps with JFS. If any other agencies doing work by the border contact her. link in chat and address.
Curtis Hsing, Tzu Chi Foundation: Work with SD Mexicali and Tijuana in the SD area. Built school in Tijuana 18 years ago. Currently rebuilding it. Working with FEMA/Red Cross to help support the border situation.
Cathleen McMurran, Hope: No report opening up to deployments again, doing vaccination clinics.
JoAnn Kling, Fired Up Sisters: No report
Jane Roome, Southern Baptist Relief: New Kitchen trailer being built will be here in September. Serve 3-5,000 meals out of old trailers. New smaller size of food truck designed to feed 200 for 3 meals a day. 20 ft long. Self-contained with propane and generator.
Natalie Obaldia, Cal Volunteers: Work with food banks throughout the state. Partner with Volunteer Match.
Victor Roosen, SDG&E: No Update. AFN working group to meet next Wed., 24th, re: Regional Public Safety Shutoff and Best practices for those needing assistance.
Kevin White, Assist Dir. Emergency Services/ Salvation Army: participated with last round of PSPS events assisted with 39 individuals to get housing and or hotels, great partnership. Resetting the ship and monitoring facilities through Covid.
Erin McCann, Nick Thomlison, SD OES: New disaster prep guide for those needing assistance. covers AFN communities. good plan and info in this guide to help those needing asst or time during evacuation as well as preparedness tips. Took in consideration of AFN needs. Have 10,000 of those in warehouse. if anyone would like copies of that let them know email in chat. online version pdf on the ready.gov website is also available in 11 different languages.
Alicia Saake, Feeding San Diego: Change from last month in Covid environment the newest way to get meals is large scale rotation of distribution. The support is still needed as the serve 1000 households per week. Lego land and Pechanga are current sites.
Janice Mclaughlin & Stephen Egbert, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: Recently held county wide Amateur Radio Simplex exercise.
Jason Torbensen, PB Interfaith: Working on ways to communicate within congregation. Many would like to donate time and energy but need to know where to go to look for what is needed.
Valerie Brown – suggested the following county volunteer organizations to help with matching those wanting to volunteer with current and local events and opportunities. Websites included below to find volunteer opportunities in your area, or list your own event and request for volunteers.
211 – https://211sandiego.org
Just Serve – https://www.justserve.org
Hands On San Diego – https://www.handsonsandiego.org
California Volunteers – https://www.californiavolunteers.ca.gov
Volunteer Match – https://www.volunteermatch.org/
United Way – https://uwsd.org/
Lisa Dumolt, Catholic Charities: Still promoting Emerge Prep guide thru Listos California Grant. Which was extended thru April. Keeping emergency prep out in front and partner with as many none profits as possible. SD oasis, Chicano org and Neighborhood House. PSA in Imperial Valley & SD (Entravision/Univision) Trying to figure out how can people request the material to be delivered.
Candace Powell, ARC: – Encourageing partner orgs to take ARC up on Training for TEP or Feeding Evacuees.. please contact! Currently assisting with material supplies to migrant shelters with cots and comfort kits. MACAL in Imperial valley, comms training for ARC volunteers. Mostly these are our training months to get ready for next emergency.
Paul Carr, Team Rubicon: Mostly down in Imperial Valley, talking with food banks and fire week long operation in Santa isabel sin chainsaw training and fire mitigations.
Brett, International Relief Team(IRT): No Report
Roger McCullough, Victor Ashburn, SW REACT: Currently helping a second team stand up for Chula Vista, National City, South Bay areas. Also, ramping up to do emergency messaging during disaster so victims can communication with family members. http://www.swreact.com/ to help anyone who needs assistance with communications. request for service.
**Don’t forgot to join us at next month’s meeting – April 20, 2021 at 10 a.m.
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