The Buzz - July 2021

JULY 2021

ALAMEDA COUNTY SOCIAL SERVICES AGENCY • OFFICE OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS & COMMUNITY RELATIONS • EMPLOYEE NEWSLETTER

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A Message from the Agency Director

wanted to structure this column in a way that I could test your COVID-19 communications knowledge but despite my best efforts, I could not come up with a clever way of doing that. As I look back, we’ve had a very robust COVID-19 internal awareness campaign.

It may have seemed as though you were being bombarded with the same or similar messages: wash your hands, keep six feet of distance and wear a mask, wear a mask, wear mask, and did I cover masking? In this case, repetition worked. I have tried to provide you with the most relevant and useful information and then to remind you, as often as possible, of its relevance.

That said, not even a pandemic could stop the County’s budget preparation and approval process. On June 25, the Board of Supervisors adopted the Fiscal Year 2021-22 budget. The $3.6 billion Final Budget closed a $49.2 million funding gap via a combination of spending reductions and revenue increases which were guided by the Board’s Values Based Budgeting approach. The Social Services Agency’s final budget contains over $870 million in funding and makes strategic investments to strengthen the social safety net, advance foster youth well-being, protect vulnerable seniors and older adults, expand opportunities for employment, and facilitate access to emergency housing in alignment with the County’s Vision 2026.

IN THIS ISSUE 1 Agency Director’s Message 1 Honoring Strength and Resiliency in Our LBGTQ Elder Community 2 Jefferson Award Spotlights One of Our Own and the Staff Who Make it Happen 3 WBA Continues Tradition of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Giveaway Events 4 Doing More With Less: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program Thrives In the Face of

County of Alameda Social Services Agency

Did I mention…wear a mask.

– Lori

Honoring Strength and Resiliency in Our LBGTQ Elder Community WRITTEN BY: Faith Battles, Assistant Agency Director

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Department of Adult and Aging Services

une 15th was recognized as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, and we also celebrated Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) Pride Month in June. Pride Month formally acknowledges the strength and resilience of our fellow community members in their fight to live free and be their authentic selves. Their bravery is an example to all of us and adds to the effort to create equitable communities across this country. Often missing in this discussion is acknowledgement that elders in our community who identify as LGBTQ are underrepresented in our elder population. With that oversight, we run the risk of not clearly understanding the needs of this section of our community, which prevents our system from fully responding to their needs.

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Check out these PSAs created by SSA’s Department of Adult & Aging Services to promote Elder Abuse Awareness Month in June.

Financial Abuse

Self-Neglect

Ombudsman Services

Continued from page 1: Honoring Strength and Resiliency Researchers suggest LGBTQ elders are at high risk for elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation. Some LGBTQ elders hide their LGBTQ identity due to homophobia, which prevents them from seeking resources to support their healthy and safe living. Leadership in the Alameda County Social Services Agency’s Department of Adult & Aging Services recognize the importance of inclusivity in our work in the community and we are working to grow our understanding of our LBGTQ elders. To push this work forward, we are committed to every team member participating in sexual orientation, gender identity and

gender expression (SOGIE) training with thoughtfulness around the elder population.

Capturing data that accurately reflects our LGBTQ elders with thoughtful inquiry, and increasing our knowledge of their unique needs in partnership with community organizations such as Lavender Seniors of the East Bay, are good next steps. To learn more about supporting our LGBTQ elders, consider reading, “Mistreatment of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Elders” published by the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA).

Jefferson Award Spotlights One of Our Own and the Staff Who Make it Happen WRITTEN BY: Sylvia Soublet, Public Affairs Director

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Office of Public Affairs & Community Relations

n 1972, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, U.S. Senator Robert Taft Jr., and Samuel Beard founded the Jefferson Awards for Public Service to establish a prize for public and community service. The Jefferson Awards are given at both national and local levels.

Local winners are ordinary people who do extraordinary things without expectation of recognition. On June 30, 2021, Andrea Ford, Assistant Agency Director of SSA’s Workforce and Benefits Administration, received the prestigious award.

Six years ago Andrea had the idea to find a way to thoughtfully honor recipients of public assistance on Mother’s Day. It is not just folklore that a woman’s purse, pocket book, handbag—regardless of the term—is an appendage of sort. What happens when you can’t afford the basic necessities? That’s the dilemma that Andrea and staff in WBA set out to address when the first Mother’s Day Purse Giveaway was hosted. It has grown into an annual event known as “A Purse of Her Own…” Mother’s Day Giveaway that includes toiletries, clothing, and other items that moms have found useful.

“We are known simply for issuing safety net benefits for the population we serve, so I wanted to humanize our role, and for our clients to see us differently and our staff to see each other differently.”

When reflecting on the effort, Andrea states, “When you think about it, the purse is merely symbolic. It is useful, but more importantly the event clearly says that we see and acknowledge you as a mom and not simply a recipient of public assistance. We wanted to make moms and dads feel special and I know we accomplish that each year with these events.” View the Jefferson Award video here.

Both the Mother’s and Father’s Day events have become traditions that WBA welcomes all to share in by donating new or gently used items for moms and dads to continue making these days special.

event has been amplifying the consequential role of dads over the past 5 years and has grown to include grooming kits, ties, belts, and clothing. And what would Father’s Day be without the obligatory pair of socks?

Congratulations to Andrea Ford and the WBA staff!

Andrea and her team knew they could not overlook dads. In recognizing that, a companion Father’s Day event was born. “A Dad Is…” Father’s Day recognition

Contact Sylvia Soublet for information on donating new or gently used items at ssoublet@acgov.org.

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WBA Continues Tradition of Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Giveaway Events WRITTEN BY: Kim Fogel, Administrative Specialist II

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Office of Public Affairs & Community Relations

ven a pandemic couldn’t dampen the spirit of giving among SSA’s Workforce and Benefits Administration (WBA) staff. Face masks and social distancing were still the norm, but WBA nevertheless celebrated the often-unsung heroes of our community through their annual Mother’s Day Purse Giveaway and Father’s Day Giveaway events. For the guests of honor—parents who are recipients of public assistance, many accompanied by their children—the events provided not only a chance to select and receive practical and pleasing gifts, but also yielded an opportunity to reflect on challenges overcome and hopes for the future.

Eastmont, Enterprise, and North Oakland Self-Sufficiency Centers in Oakland. In its sixth consecutive year, the Mother’s Day Purse Giveaway distributed over 400 purses, sachets, and totes—all filled with essential toiletries—as well as additional makeup and self-care items. At the North Oakland location, donated shoes and clothes were offered as well, to help mothers pull together a fresh new look for a newly reopening world.

Staff at the Eastmont Self-Sufficiency Center also delivered 50 gift bags and snacks to City Team, Turning Point Transitional Housing to help their residents celebrate Mother’s Day. The site houses approximately fifty women and children. In addition to providing shelter, the program assists its residents in becoming selfsufficient. Many of the residents are also SSA clients.

Both events were held at four SSA locations: the Eden Area Multi-Service Center in Hayward, and the

At the Father’s Day Giveaway—now in its fifth consecutive year—gift tables were set up and festively decorated outside or in a large waiting room area at each of the four office locations and were staffed by SSA personnel. Gifts included such items as essential toiletries, shaving kits, and neckties.

Guests were also invited to browse donated clothing and shoes that they might want to wear for their next job interview.

These annual events have become a tradition that clients and staff look forward to each year. All giveaway items are donated by staff; any used items are in excellent condition. And what staff don’t have in their closets, they fundraise and purchase what’s needed. Enthusiasm has even spread to other County departments. “This year was extra special thanks to the generosity not only of SSA staff, but staff in the Auditor-Controller Agency and the Library and Fire Departments who made generous donations to assist in the recognition effort,” according to Andrea Ford, Assistant Agency Director for WBA.

One father with his two sons by his side was brought to tears recalling how he lost his job as a painter and his home due to the COVID-19 disaster and has been experiencing housing insecurity for some time now.

He said the event at SSA not only connected him with some necessities but also programs and services that will help them find permanent housing.

One visitor, upon selecting a shaving kit and a necktie, remarked, “With our state officially reopening, these will help me start each day with a little more confidence, and to set that example for my children as they return to school, playing sports, and spending time with each other outside our home.”

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Doing More With Less: Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program Thrives In the Face of COVID-19 Pandemic Challenges WRITTEN BY: Charles Balderama Sanchez, Administrative Specialist I / VITA Program Coordinator

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Office of Public Affairs & Community Relations

e’re building the plane while flying it.” That was the motto for the 20th anniversary of the Alameda County Social Services Agency’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program. While operating with a considerably different service model this year, VITA staff and volunteers were able to do more with less for some of our most vulnerable community members, thanks to the dedication and commitment of our small-but-mighty tax team.

This year, in the midst of a global pandemic, VITA processed more than 2,100 federal tax returns across three sites in Oakland and Hayward: SSA’s Thomas L. Berkley, Enterprise, and Eden offices. Tax preparers also processed a significant number of 2019 returns for tax filers who were unable to file last year due to the shelter-in-place order. Despite having a skeletal crew of 74 volunteers (less than half compared to the previous years) and many serving in a limited capacity due to health concerns, volunteers produced an impressive 41% increase in returns this tax year compared to the last. In addition to having a smaller team, VITA ran its operations with significantly reduced hours and the temporary closure of the usual fourth VITA site in San Lorenzo at Supervisor Wilma Chan’s office.

At 84 years “young,” Dolores received VITA services for the first time. As a Social Security recipient, she has not been required to file a tax return, but doing so for 2020 ensured that she would receive the federal stimulus payments to which she is entitled. Check out Dolores’ interview here.

few options for tax help. Many of the clients whom our volunteers assisted repeatedly expressed heartfelt gratitude for the VITA program and staff, further fueling our volunteers’ commitment and participation.

Even though regular VITA operations were reduced, SSA expanded the program in collaboration with the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office to provide no-cost tax consultation services to incarcerated tax-filers at Santa Rita Jail. Through a remote hotline system, VITA volunteers were able to assist over 100 individuals with the completion of their tax returns in order to obtain the economic impact (or stimulus) payments they were entitled to but had not yet received. With the help of the VITA volunteers, clients reported receiving their payments within two weeks of filing their returns and were truly appreciative of this service.

VITA volunteers returned over $7 million dollars in state and federal refunds and credits to County residents this tax season—an incredible feat and one that was truly appreciated by clients. Since many of our local community partners (such as public libraries and AARP) who typically provide no-cost tax preparation services were either temporarily shut down or provided online services due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this left many seniors and those without computer access with very Check out this video interview with 28-year-old Robbie, who has been a longtime VITA customer and came for his appointment 3 days before reporting to army basic training.

As retiring VITA Program Coordinator Jacqueline Jacobs always says, “Service is the rent we pay for the privilege of living on this earth.” And no group embodies this better than SSA’s VITA staff and volunteers. After a long day at work, these volunteers still find the energy to show up in the evenings and on weekends to serve our community.

CONTACT THE BUZZ Send comments to Sylvia Soublet • ssoublet@acgov.org Content and Design Editor: Andrea Wong

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