Serving Seniors delivers meals to any senior
Serving Seniors has announced the temporary closure of all 15 of its congregate dining sites throughout San Diego County effective immediately. The nonprofit organization has rapidly transitioned to delivered meals for all clients to continue meeting the needs of the thousands of low-income and homeless seniors who rely on meals as a primary source of nutrition to survive.
To support the large number of homeless seniors who visit the Gary and Mary West Senior Wellness Center – the organization’s flagship dining site located in Downtown San Diego on Fourth Avenue – Serving Seniors’ staff are offering pre-packaged to-go meals and transitioning clients to meal delivery options. To-go meals will also be available at all other dining congregate sites until all clients can be fully transitioned to meal delivery service.
The transition is critical in light of California Governor Gavin Newsom’s mandate that all people over the age of 65 should stay home and self-quarantine. Free meals from Serving Seniors are available to anyone aged 60 or over, regardless of income. If you are a senior in need, or know of a senior in need, you can sign up to receive meals by calling 619 235-6572 and selecting option one, or reaching out via email at [email protected]. While recipients have the option of making a donation for the meals, nobody is turned away if they do not have the means to do so.
“It is our utmost priority to keep everyone associated with Serving Seniors healthy and safe, while also ensuring that we meet the needs of our senior clients who need us now more than ever,” said Serving Seniors CEO Paul Downey. “We are working diligently to provide meals to as many seniors as possible for the weeks and months to come. Whether you’re a brand-new client, or a longtime client, we will be able to get you the nutritious meals you need.”
The mission of Serving Seniors is made possible through the generous donations of the community. Now, more than ever, Serving Seniors is relying on donations to continue providing resources to vulnerable seniors throughout the county. To learn more on how you can help, or to make a donation, please visit servingseniors.org today.
Feeding San Diego sets up emergency food banks
Feeding San Diego hosted a press conference earlier today, Tuesday, March 17, to announce additional emergency food distributions to help meet the increased need throughout San Diego County. Amid the progression of the novel coronavirus, Feeding San Diego is maintaining its operations and striving to minimize disruption to hunger-relief services while implementing new methods of food distribution, including drive-thru and drop-and-go models to ensure appropriate social distancing. Closures of schools, businesses and partner sites have resulted in significant gaps in food assistance, which Feeding San Diego is monitoring closely and launching additional food distributions based on community input and the needs of specific populations.
“We’re in a crisis. We have a global health crisis that’s all over the news. But it’s much bigger than that. It’s creating a job crisis, a people crisis, and a food crisis,” said Keith Maddox, executive secretary-treasurer of San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council.
A central food distribution will be held at Central at the Labor Council at SDCCU Stadium, 9449 Friars Road in the Northeast Lot on March 21 at 10 a.m. Listings of available emergency distributions will be updated daily and published at feedsandiego.org/coronavirus.
San Diego Blood Bank issues urgent plea for donations
School closures and work-from-home policies have resulted in canceled blood drives. San Diego Blood Bank collects more than half of its blood supply on bloodmobiles. An additional strain on the blood supply is expected in the coming weeks. See all coronavirus-related travel and exposure deferrals.
“The U.S. is on the verge of a serious blood shortage that will lead to blood rationing and triage. We need healthy people to come out to donate immediately,” said David Wellis, CEO, San Diego Blood Bank. “Supplies are dropping to critical levels. We are confident the San Diego community will rally around this urgent need.”
It is important to note:
- Donor safety measures are in place: SDBB has been in close communication with San Diego County Health & Human Services Agency, and they are advising SDBB on proper protocols amid coronavirus mandates. Surfaces are being cleaned between donations and donors are being screened upon arrival.
- Locations are convenient. San Diego Blood Bank has six donor centers and will be posting active blood drives for the following day on social media. Appointments are encouraged so we can ensure proper staffing at locations. Walk-ins are welcome.
- There is no research evidence that donating blood impacts your ability to fight infection later. While white blood cells needed to fight infection slightly decrease for a short time after donation, abundant cells remain in the event of an infection. Furthermore, donated cells are regenerated post-donation.
- Individuals are not at risk of contracting COVID-19 by receiving donated blood. Respiratory viruses are not known to be transmitted by blood transfusion, and there have been no reported or suspected cases of transfusion transmission of this virus.
“It’s safe to donate blood,” said Admiral Brett P. Giroir, M.D., Assistant Secretary of Health, “Part of preparedness includes a robust blood supply. Healthy individuals should schedule an appointment to donate today to ensure that blood is available for patients who need it.”
According to Doug Morton, COO, San Diego Blood Bank, “It’s important to note that blood collection activities are not ‘mass gatherings,’ rather they are controlled blood drives conducted using appropriate infection control mechanisms intended to assure the safety of the products, donors and staff. San Diego Blood Bank is highly regulated and is following best practices, such as properly cleaning surfaces between donation.”
All blood types are needed and people who have never donated before are encouraged to donate. To make an appointment, visit sandiegobloodbank.org/GiveLife or call 619-400-8251. Donors must be 17 years or older, weigh a minimum of 114 pounds and be in general good health.
Affordable housing ballot measure moves forward
San Diego City Council Rules Committee recommended changes to the draft ballot language for the “Homes for San Diegans” bond measure, the next crucial step toward putting the initiative on the November 2020 ballot.
Homes for San Diegans proposes a $900 million housing fund for the construction of up to 7,500 homes for families and individuals who lack secure housing, including veterans, families, seniors, transitional-aged youth, and people living with disabilities. This measure would also allow San Diego to gain its fair share of state and federal matching funds.
Following today’s vote, the Rules Committee directed the City Attorney’s Office to conduct all necessary legal analysis and draft general obligation bond measure language, considering the input received from the committee members and the public.
Lots of San Diego companies suddenly have women on their
boards Women added to boards
A Voice of San Diego review found more than a dozen San Diego companies have added a woman to their board of directors within the last year following the passage of SB 826, which requires publicly held companies based in California to have at least one woman on their boards. The law’s first set of requirements kicked in Jan. 1.
Less than a year ago, San Diego still had more than 20 companies with no women on their boards. Many of those company boards have since brought on a woman.
The Secretary of State’s office released a new statewide report on companies’ progress complying with SB 826. But the report isn’t necessarily a great window into how many companies actually have a woman on their board of directors; rather, it simply documents companies that have filed a 2019 Corporate Disclosure Statement, which includes a question about their board makeup.
Only 330 of 653 companies filed a statement, and of those, only 282 reported themselves as in compliance with the law. But many companies that actually do have at least one woman on their board appear to have not filled out the form.
San Diego-based Qualcomm and Jack in the Box, for example, don’t appear to have filed their forms, according to the report. Yet both have multiple women on their boards.
