santa clara county measure bYES ON EOPPORTUNITY TO WORK

SAN JOSE

san jose measure e

california prop 55

2016 SACRED HEARTVOTER GUIDE

california prop 58

THE GIVING HEARTSACRED HEART COMMUNITY SERVICE FALL 2016

INSIDE directorʼs message 2 the truck stops here 3 fundraise for the heart 3 perspective from the heart 4 2016 voter guide 5 pack-a-back 2016 6 practicing mindfulness 8court rules on immigration 9 10+ years commitment 10 help la mesa verde grow 11toward a better bus system 12 community building legacy 13 housing is a human right 14 volunteer connect 15 voter outreach 16 en español 17-32

PACK-A-BACKOn August 12, the Learning Center at

SHCS was a bustling school supply store where 3300 children eagerly

picked out a brand new backpack and filled it with all the supplies they will

need to start the school year off right. [CONTINUED ON PAGE 6]

A C O M M U N I T Y U N I T E D T O E N S U R E E V E R Y C H I L D A N D A D U L T I S F R E E F R O M P O V E R T Y

THE GIVING HEARTSACRED HEART COMMUNITY SERVICE . 1381 SOUTH FIRST STREET . SAN JOSÉ CA . 95110408.278.2160 . WWW.SACREDHEARTCS.ORG

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

MY ADDRESS HAS CHANGED MY NAME IS MISSPELLEDI RECEIVED DUPLICATE COPIES PLEASE REMOVE MY NAME FROM YOUR MAILING LIST

b y t h e n u m b e r saverage apartment rent in San José second quarter 2016;

percentage of Americans who support requiring communities to ensure 20% of housing is affordable to families earning less than $50,000/year;

support for expanding housing for low-income families with children;

households in Santa Clara County that earn less than $50,000;

rank of Santa Clara County in US for number of homeless (est. 6556 in 2015).Sources: City of San José Department of Housing, How Housing Matters Survey John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, American Community Survey, Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey.

[74%][$2,503]

[27%][80%]

[9th]

Over 3300 students descended on Sacred Heart in August to select backpacks and school supplies

c r i t i c a l n e e d sVolunteersDiapers [sizes 4-6]Infant formulaBlanketsSleeping bagsPop-top canned foodsBackpacks [adult sized]Men’s underwear [new, L-XXL]Men’s shoes & work bootsHygiene items [full-sized shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc.]Art supplies [new, gently used]

upcoming eventsPhone Banking for Measure ASept-October: Tues/Wed/Thurs: 6-8:30pm, Sat: 9am-noon [p16]Dia de los Muertos CarnivalOctober 22: 5-8pmElection DayNov 8Holiday Program Reg DayNov 4: 9amThanksgiving DistributionNov 21/22/23

photo by marco lillo

see page 5 for details

get out VOTEtheVOTER OUTREACH FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Sacred Heart believes

that EVERYONE should

be able to live in a

safe, healthy, and

affordable home.

Help us call Santa

Clara County voters

between now and

NOVEMBER 8.

TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYSTHURSDAYS from 6-8:30PM

SATURDAYSfrom 9AM-12PM

YES ON MEASURE AFor additional information on how to get involved contact Mathew Reed at mathewr@sacredheartcs.org.

santa clara county measure a

16

The Truck Stops Here!

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95110

BOARD OF DIRECTORSJason Rodriguez . President Hewlett-Packard Company

Molly McDonald, Esq. . Vice President Santa Clara University

Jonathan Noble . Treasurer Microsoft Corporation

Jorge Gonzalez . SecretaryCommunity Leader

Eric BonesteelSan José State University

Chava Bustamante,Latinos United for a New America

Megan Doyle County of Santa Clara

Ann Grabowski City of San José

Monica GomezNotre Dame High School

Deacon Steve Herrera Archbishop Mitty High School

Felicia MadsenThe David and Lucile Packard Foundation

Bridgit McGarrySaint Lawrence Academy

Gary SerdaCisco Systems

Matt ZunigaBellarmine College Preparatory

Start a fundraiser today involving you, your family, your company, or a team to support Sacred Heart! Our online fund-raising pages are easy to create and personalize. Get your friends and family to support by sharing through email or social media.

You can fundraise by pledging your birthday, having a fundraising page for our holiday program, or �nding your own creative way to fundraise like running a half marathon--the possibilities are endless.

Megan taught a Music Enrichment Class for our Summer Academy. She also raised the money to purchase keyboards and supplies for the class. Through Sacred Heart’s online peer-to-peer fundraising page, Megan raised an astonishing $2,390 toward this project!

LOVELY BUNS!FOR SALE

DECIDE INVOLVE DONATE WELL DONE!how to help friends and family the proceeds You are awesome!

Yes!!!

“Online peer-to-peer fundraising is one of the most e�cient, e�ective and environmentally-friendly ways to reach out to more potential donors. It was not hard to set up, and I was able to customize, edit and update the fundraising page accordingly for my music outreach program.” -- Megan

“We decided that a fun way to celebrate our turning 50 this year would be to throw ourselves a 50’s Sock Hop. On our invitation, we told our guests: ‘No presents please. If you wish to make a contribution in celebration, we have a donation page for Sacred Heart.’ It was simple. We raised $611! We had a fantastic party and were thrilled with our friends' response to the fundraising opportunity.” -- Marc and Becky Jedel

Are you interested in creating an online fundraiser for Sacred Heart? Contact Jill Mitsch, Funds Development Manager at jillm@sacredheartcs.org or 408-278-2196.

FUNDRAISING Guide to for Sacred Hea

rt

Our truck had repeated costly mechanical problems this year and is at the end of its useful life. This isn't surprising considering the amount of use it gets. In five years, the truck--which has 200k+ miles on it--- has

picked up over 1.3 million loaves of bread to distribute to families in our community. During the holidays, the truck gets

used for toy and bike pick-ups, as well as storing hundreds of turkeys for the holiday food box distribution.

Our Board of Directors has launched a new campaign to replace it. Are you interested in helping? We have corporate sponsorship opportunities available as well as opportunities for groups and clubs to host their own "The Truck Stops Here" fundraiser. Our goal is to raise $125,000 to purchase a new truck. For more info, contact Jill Mitsch at (408) 278-2196 or by jillm@sacredheartcs.org.

Of course, I was running late.

Weaving through traffic on our way to my nine-year oldʼs theatre camp, she asked me to turn up the volume on the radio. In the rearview window I saw her brow furrow as she stared out the window listening intently to a report about the WNBA rescinding the fines imposed on players who wore black warm-ups in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

“Thatʼs not fair. The women were going to get fined, but the men did not.” She professed, “I think they were protesting something important.”

I queried her about what kind of statement the players were making and she explained that “African American people were shot by police and the players were trying to say that itʼs not good! I donʼt understand why the boy basketball players wore their t-shirts and then they tell the girls not to!”

I took a long breath, accepted that we were not going to make it to her camp on time, and pulled over. She was confused about why we were stopping, but I said itʼs OK, that this was important.

There was a lot to unpack, but we started a conversation.

She has recognized that some people are not nice to people that donʼt look like them or speak the same language. We talked about different examples that she observed.

We discussed different ways people respond to problems. I explained that some people use protest. She jumped in, “like the marchas!,” recalling immigrant rights marches we have participated in.

We identified other ways people try to make things better: voting, changing laws, “like Rosa Parks and Cesar Chavez,” she said.

I suggested that sometimes we need to get people to start talking about the problems so we can learn from each other, “like wearing a shirt that says something important,” she offered.

I returned to her observation about how the women were initially disciplined for their protest but the NBA players were not. I wasnʼt sure what to say, how to delve into persistent institutional sexism. I just asked her if she thought it was fair and she shook her head emphati-cally ”no.”

I affirmed that I didnʼt think it was fair either, but that I was proud of the players, both the men and the women, for saying something. They did it knowing they could be punished or ridiculed. Standing for what you believe is not always easy.

“Some people donʼt say anything because they are scared, but if we donʼt say something we canʼt make it better,” she concluded.

I sat there in silence.

I dropped her off, feeling relieved, and more than a little proud of the values she has started to internalize. I was feeling pretty good about myself.

But as I sat there reflecting on the privileges afforded me by my class, my education, my gender, my citizenship, it felt more as if I had a tidy little conversation with my daughter about something in the news.

DIRECTOR’S MESSAGEit’s time for

the conversation

I did not have the conversation that so many black parents have with their children about how to deal with police. I did not have to talk with my child about how her body can be perceived as a threat and how authorities are often given license to subjugate those bodies through force, lethal force, if they deem necessary. I did not have to explain that law enforcement carry the same biases and fears as everyone else and sometimes act on those beliefs in tragic ways.

This last weekend, we were in the car again, and my daughter shared with me that one of her classmates had described something she said as “racist.” She explained that some kids were describing crayon colors and she referred to one as “skin-color.” He called her out on it. I asked her how that made her feel and she expressed how upset she was about his character-ization: “he was wrong to say that.”

I queried her about whether the crayon color was really “skin-color.” She said that she understood that there were lots of different colors of skin and that even hers is darker than the “peachy” crayon, but she defensively replied, “I call it skin color because itʼs what I was taught. Itʼs not racist. Itʼs not my fault. Itʼs what I was taught.”

It broke my heart to not validate her anger at her classmate. She was hurt and she shut down.

It can be hard to pinpoint how deep and widespread certain belief systems are established, and how innocuous or pernicious these beliefs manifest themselves in our world. However, it is apparent just how important these conversations are–in our families, in our faith communities, in our work-places, and in the public sphere.

Itʼs time.

“If we donʼt say something we canʼt make it better.”

Itʼs not too late to pull over and have the conversation.

Sinceramente,

Poncho GuevaraExecutive Director

32

4

PERSPECTIVESThe Tale of Two Valleys ContinuesWealth concentration has consequences

Though income inequality dropped during the great recession in 2008, it reached record highs again by 2013, and remains above the national average[3]. The Bay Area is home to some of the wealthiest individuals and most powerful corporations in the world, and as a partial consequence, now also reflects the highest housing costs in the nation, where the median rent for a two bedroom apartment is over $2500/month, and median cost for a two bedroom home is approximately $750,000[4]. For those left out of the profitable tech sector, people are squeezed between frozen incomes and skyrocketing housing costs. Indeed, San Jose recently

shut down the largest homeless encampment in the nation (“the jungle”)[5], and struggles to find afford-able housing solutions for the over 4000 homeless in the city and the countless families living in insecure or otherwise overcrowded housing arrangements[6].

FORMALLY TRAINED IN SOCIOLOGY, EDUCATION, AND HUMAN

RIGHTS, DR. ARMALINEʼS WORK AND SCHOLARLY PUBLICATIONS ADDRESS SOCIAL PROBLEMS AS

THEY RELATE TO POLITICAL ECONOMY, ENVIRONMENTAL

SUSTAINABILITY, CRITICAL RACE THEORY, TRANSFORMATIVE

EDUCATION, AND INEQUALITY. ARMALINE IS THE DIRECTOR OF

THE SAN JOSE STATE UNIVERSITY HUMAN RIGHTS PROGRAM AND IS AN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR IN THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE STUDIES.

One undeniable effect of our current global economic system has been the concentration of wealth into the hands of a very privileged few.According to data from Oxfam International[1], today only 62 individuals control as much wealth as over half of the global population—3.6 billion people-combined. The wealth of this minis-cule owning class rose by 45% since 2010, while the bottom 50% of the global population watched their share of wealth fall by 38%. Though “free market” politicians and think tanks at times point to the drop in “extreme poverty” around the world in recent decades[2], data clearly demonstrate that the global poor are completely excluded from the benefits of “economic growth.” As Oxfam reports, “since the turn of the century, the poorest half of the worldʼs population has received just 1% of the total increase in global wealth, while half of that increase has gone to the top 1%.”The San Francisco Bay Area—San Jose and the Silicon Valley in particular—undeniably reflects similar economic patterns and effects. Over the last 30 years, income inequality increased in the Bay Area at a greater rate than the rest of the country.

G U E S T E D I T O R I A L S F R O M C O M M U N I T Y L E A D E R S A B O U T P O V E R T Y I N S I L I C O N VA L L E Y

by William Armaline, PhD

For those left out of the profitable tech sector, people are squeezed between frozen incomes and skyrocketing housing costs.

In sum, our global and local economies are largely charac-terized by extreme wealth inequality. Locally, wealth inequality is exacerbated by a cost of living (particularly housing) out of pace with the rest of the country, and argu-ably unsustainable on the long term for most working people. The long term economic and social health of the region will largely depend on our collective ability to address this persistent challenge.

[1] https://www.oxfam.org/sites/www.oxfam.org/files/file_attachments/bp210-economy-one-percent-tax-havens-180116-summ-en_0.pdf.

[2] http://www.economist.com/news/leaders/21578665-nearly-1-billion-people-have-been-taken-out-extreme-poverty-20-years-world-should-aim.

[3] “Income inequality in the San Francisco Bay Area” (June 2015): https://www.jointventure.org/images/stories/pdf/income-inequality-2015-06.pdf

[4] “Tale of Two Valleys” report: https://www.sccgov.org/sites/ohr/Publications/Documents/HR-Report.pdf

[5] http://billmoyers.com/2015/11/06/silicon-valley-is-trying-to-fix-its-homelessness-problem-but-its-slow-going

[6] http://www.mercurynews.com/news/ci_29815290/san-jose-homeless-housing-senter-road-draws-criticism.

F R O M T H E H E A R T

5

YES ON EOPPORTUNITY TO WORK

SAN JOSE

2016

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RT VOTER GUIDE

Measure E requires employers with 35 or more workers to offer part-time employees more hours before hiring new employees. Sacred Heart supports this measure because it will allow part-time workers to earn more money without having to take on additional jobs. We believe this will contribute not only to financial stability, but will also contribute to family well-being by creating more predictable work schedules and benefits.

california proposition 55Proposition 55 will extend, for 12 more years, the existing tax on people earning over $250,000. This will preserve $4-$9 billion in funding each year for California K-12 schools and community colleges. Every day at Sacred Heart we see the impacts of school crises on the lives of low-income people. Voting YES on Proposition 55 will mean more funding for schools in our lowest income communities.

Prop 58 gives schools the flexibility to use effective teaching strategies that support English language acquisition for all students, the opportunity for English speakers to learn a new language, and for English Language Learners to be taught in their first language. Research shows teaching kids in their primary language helps them succeed in school and learn English. Many children in Sacred Heart programs are English-language learners and will benefit from Prop. 58.

Santa Clara County has a housing crisis. Measure A is a $950 million Affordable Housing Bond that will create housing opportunities for thousands of the most vulnerable members of our community. At Sacred Heart we see daily the material and psychological effects of homelessness and the high costs of housing on our members. Join us in supporting Measure A, because all people deserve the opportunity to live in a safe, healthy affordable home.

santa clara county measure a

Measure B will provide funds to improve our transportation system. For the past two years Sacred Heart leaders have been organizing for equitable transit such as affordable fares and improved services for seniors and people with disabilities. Voting yes on Measure B will help our members that use transit and para-transit every day.

santa clara county measure b

san jose measure e

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PLUS MANY MORE GENEROUS FAMILIES,ORGANIZATIONS & INDIVIDUALS

With 3,300 children who received backpacks, this year’s Pack-a-Back program was bigger than ever, and we looked to our broader commu-

nity for help. The sponsor logos you see on our website, our flyers, and banners represent the groups that stepped up to make a

difference, and we would like to express our heartfelt thanks for their generosity.

MDI and Intel marshaled financial resources and an army of volunteers to collect hundreds of backpacks, complete with

supplies. They spent months planning their drives, and then helped out on distribution day to make sure each child got just the right backpack.

Bank of America is a long-term Pack-a-Back supporter that once again rallied its South Bay branches to collect a truckload of supplies, and then volunteered in every aspect of the program.

Newcomers Bergeson LLP and The Boris and Vera Bogart Foundation provided critical finan-cial support so that we could purchase items in short supply and ensure that each child had the school supplies they needed.

Also new this year were Federal Realty Invest-ment Trust and Kendra Scott from Santana Row — both hosted very successful events that invited their community to collect school supplies for Pack-a-Back.

Thank you to every single one of our sponsors and supporters. We look forward to sharing stories on our Facebook page and in our email newsletter this month. When we total up all

the work, over 1,000 people and organizations will have helped make sure each of 3,300

students walks to school prepared and proud.

6 7

[CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1] Pack-a-Back has been steadily growing for more than a decade - this year’s turnout was the highest number of students ever served by the program, and more than three times the number of backpacks distributed

in 2006.

Education is more important to our families now than ever as the gap between earnings and the cost of living continues to grow in Silicon Valley. For many of the low-income families we work with, more than 80% of paychecks go to rent alone, with little left for essentials like clothes, food, and school supplies. This is why our families are actively involved in our children’s education, using the Pack-a-Back program to show our children how important being prepared for school is for all families to create a

better, brighter future.

With their brand new backpacks full of pencils, folders, crayons and supplies, Flor’s daughters were excited for the first day of school. As part of their annual ritual, they laid their clothes out the night before, admired their new box of pristine Crayons, and waited with anticipa-tion for the start of the new school year. Her youngest daughter, Adriana, started kindergarten this September and received her first backpack this year from Pack-a-Back. Last year, she watched her sisters receive backpacks, and burst into tears because she wanted one too. So this year, Adriana was thrilled to pick out a Princess Sophia backpack. She loved learning in Sacred Heart’s Early Childhood Education program while mom was in ESL class and she dreams of being a doctor or

nurse when she grows up.

We want all kids to dream big, and believe that every child deserves to start the school year with the tools they need to succeed. In addition to providing children with essential school supplies, the Pack-a-Back Education Campaign

supports Sacred Heart’s education programs.

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Los Altos United Methodist ChurchMen's Division InternationalOpera SoftwarePeninsula Bible Church, Willow GlenRegional Medical Center of San JoseRotary Club of Los GatosSacred Heart of Saratoga ParishSaint Mary's of Los Gatos ChurchSanminaSanta Clara County District Attorney's Of�ceScout from Santa Clara UniversitySims Metal ManagementSnap On DiagnosticsSt Vincent de Paul, Holy Family ChurchStevens Creek VolkswagenSwift Real Estate PartnersThe JourneyUnitarian Universalist Fellowship of Los GatosXilinxZebra Technologies

8X8 IncorporatedA Happy Village

AARP Chapter 5151Bank of America

Bellarmine College PrepBergeson LLP

Blach ConstructionChegg

Family Giving TreeFederal Realty Investment Trust

First Congregational ChurchGirl Scout Troop 60032

Golden Trust Financial CorpHabla Language Services

Holy Spirit ChurchHudson Paci�c Properties NorCal

Jan Marini Skin ResearchJoint Electrical Industry Fund

K ForceKendra Scott

KickFireKLA-Tencor

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

The Boris and Vera Bogart Foundation

photos by marco lillo, shcs staff

PRAC

TICING MINDFULN

ESS

This summer, 100 elementary school students wrapped up 5 weeks of Summer Academy with a �eld trip to the beach for a day of seaside fun, but our education program-ming isn’t all fun and games. On the one hand, they are structured to bolster core academic learning with math, language arts, and technology courses. Just as critically, our education programs are designed to o� set the impact of oppression and poverty-related stresses faced by our students, including barriers to higher education. One way we accomplish this is by developing mindfulness practice.

Sacred Heart’s Mindfulness activities teach students habits of resilience, or ways they can adapt to the challenges in their lives and persevere in the face of adversity so that they can continue to work toward their dreams.

The Mindfulness curriculum was created by Dr. Barbara Burns, a developmental psychologist from Santa Clara University who, along with her students, has worked with Sacred Heart sta� since 2012 to incorporate mindfulness and stress management techniques in our education programs. The model was created speci�cally to help children understand their reactions to stress and improve their ability to focus and respond. Students practice and lead mindfulness exercises for each other through daily meditation and other activities.

The project has been a resounding success: students consistently report that they focus better in the classroom and manage their emotions better. With generous support from the Bella Vista Foundation, Kaiser Permanente, and the Klarich Family Foundation we are expanding Mindfulness training throughout our Self-Su�ciency programs, including a pilot project with parents of infants. After all, resilience is the very foundation of self- su�ciency, and a key tool for surviving the challenges in life.

8 9

leaves immigrant families in limbo

supreme court

To learn more about Sacred Heart’s campaigns for immigration reform, visit us online at sacredheartcs.org/immigrantrights

On June 23rd, the Supreme Court of the United States announced its much anticipated decision on the case United States vs. Texas.

In 2014, President Obamaʼs executive actions on immigration were to allow about five million undocumented family members to apply for programs that would protect them from deportation and provide them with temporary work permits. The action focused on keeping families united: particularly, adults who were brought to the U.S. as children and parents of citizens and lawful permanent residents.

The disappointing ruling, a 4-4 deadlock, means that both programs, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals Expanded (DACA+) and Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA), remain blocked.

Although neither program was a pathway to citizenship, eligible families were hoping to--at least temporarily--be able to live and work with dignity without the constant fear of deportation and family separation. In Santa Clara County alone, an estimated 50,000 individuals would have been eligible for DACA+ and DAPA. Thatʼs thousands of Sacred Heart and Silicon Valley parents who were hoping - and preparing through our document preparation workshops - to gain better employment opportuni-ties to improve the quality of life for their families.

While the June outcome is disappointing, it does not impact the original DACA executive action of 2012. DACA recipients will not be impacted and can still apply for renewal. Those who are eligible, but have not yet applied are still encouraged to apply.

source: www.immigrantintegrationsv.org/what-we-are-learning

1110

la mesa v er d

e

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HELPYou

might have seen La Mesa

Verde’s (LMV) organic garden beds on the west side

of Sacred Heart’s parking lot: they exploded with zucchini, cucumbers, and

chiles this summer. About 500 families tend gardens just like these in their yards, harvest-

ing hundreds of pounds of beautiful vegetables as part of the tight-knit La Mesa

Verde community.

The gardens are a way for people who can’t always a�ord organic produce to grow their

own. Not everyone has space for a garden, so last year members formed the LMV

Organizing Committee. The Committee banded together to advocate for a new

ordinance in the city of San José. Passing an Urban Agriculture Incentive Zones

ordinance, or UAIZs, would give big tax breaks to property owners who allow

community gardens on their vacant lots, giving apartment dwellers the chance to

grow food, beautify neighborhood eyesores, and build safer communities.

Last year,

LMV mem-bers made their

voices heard, convinc-ing City Council members

to put UAIZs high on their priority list for 2016. We are nine

months through the year and the ordinance is still not in place. If the Council does not take action soon, we will have to wait another year, keeping vacant, blighted lots empty and hopeful families without garden space for even longer.

You can help La Mesa Verde take action: make sure your councilmember knows that you care about increasing commu-nity garden space in the city, and that the time to pass this ordinance is now. Contact the La Mesa Verde Organizing Committee by emailing jamiec@sacredheartcs.org to get involved.

10 YEARS+“What brought me to Sacred Heart Community Service was a promise and an opportunity. The promise was embedded in amazing values of social justice forged through decades of dedication to the poor in this valley. The opportunity was to more fully live out those values by lifting up the voice and leadership of those who are struggling, to build solidarity among the wider community against the injustices that diminish us all, and to strengthen our e�orts to walk with the poor on a path to stability and hope. What has kept me here are the people -the members, colleagues, leaders- whose commitment and sacri�ce are building a more just and equitable community, one worthy of every child including my own.” PONCHO GUEVARA executive director 10 years

Com

mitm

ent t

o a

Caus

e“I �rst came to Sacred Heart as a participant in the English as a Second Language program. After I had my baby, I came back as a teacher’s helper in the preschool. Now my kids are older, and I still work with other parents and also lead volunteers who teach ESL.” MARIA GALLARDO education coordinator 15 years

“We want our volunteers to know that they are doing more than just putting an apple in a bag-

-they are truly making a di�erence in people’s lives.” TERRI WEST outreach manager 10 years

“The thing that I am really most proud of now, is working with parents and guardians to be advocates for their children, and to be leaders in their community that push for not only their families, but for their whole commu-nity.” ROBERTO GIL education manager 10 years

“I work with families a�ected by domestic violence. I go to court with them, create safety plans, and prepare restraining orders. It means a lot to me to be someone

they know will be on their side.”KARINA VASQUEZ family support program coordinator 12 years

“When I started working here my son was �ve and he has grown up with me working here. A lot of the values that we hold true here: dignity, compassion, respect, community, and volun-teerism - those are the values I want to instill in my son.” LAURA DIAZ family support program manager 10 years

“What makes working here really interesting is getting to meet a new person every single day. Everyone comes here with a di�erent story.” MONICA DELFIN housing program lead 18 Years

“The �exibility of the housing program allows me to help di�erent families in ways that really change their lives. I have always wanted to be a social worker

and this work experience has given me a very strong foundation.” ROSANNA MEDINA housing & home energy assistance program coordinator 26 years

11

Buses: The backbone of the South Bay.

GROWING NEED, SHRINKING SERVICE

MARGARITA’S HOME

COMMUNITY CENTER

A nutritious lunch

A round of cards with friends

A reason to get out of the house

to senior centers around the city. We are concerned that nobody wants to hear about seniors, and seniors’ needs.” — Margarita

1988 2000

GIVE PEOPLE SERVICE, AND THEY WILL COMEVTA increased service by 7% and saw a

25% increase in ridership between 1988-2000.1

14% SERVICE CUTS

SINCE 2000

9% DECLINE in speed of service system wide

30% DECLINE in ridership 1 1 VTA Facts: Current Bus System Data, July 2015

1

“Many of us are on a �xed income. We need a great bus system, and the outreach services

In one summer, RUTU and USAC collected over 600 surveys and signatures on buses and at bus stops, at our agency and at 12 senior centers, and among their own networks of transit users. Another 1,500 surveys were collected from allied organizations in the Transit Justice Alliance. In the fall, we held 4 county-wide community meetings to engage over 400 people.

By winter, the results translated into our collective asks:

1. Extend and enhance services for seniors and people with disabilities2. Expand the current subsidized bus fare program3. Increase the frequency of VTA’s top core routes to 15 minutes or less4. Build safe and digni�ed bus stops such as shelters and lighting

We put these demands on the table; local communities should have a say in how their money is allocated through a transparent public process. We are also working closely with VTA staff to identify other funding sources to improve this system. Nonetheless, $500 million is a great start to build a more environmentally conscious, ef�cient, and equity-oriented transportation system.

YES ON MEASURE B“I use the bus to go to my doctor appointments in San Jose, Gilroy and Morgan Hill. I also use public transit to go to the store. The bus is very important for me to move around my community and all over the county.” — Alejandro A., Gilroy

Moving People SUPPORTING SENIORS

PHARMACY

COMMUNITYCENTER

GROCERYSTORE

SOCIALSERVICES

GRANDCHILD’SSCHOOL

MEDICALCLINIC

CHURCH

FRIEND’SHOUSE

BANK

Over 1 in 4 county residents will be over age 60 1 by 2030.

1 in 4 Santa Clara County seniors lives near poverty line.2

SAN JOSE

MORGAN HILL

GILROY

An active lifestyle

Independence

Access to my community

Buses for an Aging, Active Population

FEDERAL POVERTY LINE

5,300 county seniors live below the

federal poverty line

1 Council on Aging Silicon Valley, 2012 • 2 2008-2010 American Community Survey Estimates

Leaders from two of our organizing committees, Renovadores Unidos por la Transportación Urbana (RUTU) and United Seniors Action Committee (USAC), were instrumental in shaping equitable transportation policy.

Voters will now determine whether we will see about $6.5 billion dollars generated over the next 30 years for transportation funding. This will come from the proposed ½ cent sales tax that is heading to the November ballot.

However, housing and transportation are the top two expenses for our families, which prompted RUTU and USAC to ensure that the community voice was heard. Our active participation moved the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) to prioritize $500 million of the proposed tax to improve transit operations.

ORGANIZINGFOR A BETTER BUS SYSTEM

If you live in Santa Clara County, you can help by voting this November 8:

I am continuously inspired by our caring sta�, dedicated volunteers, and generous donors who are passionate about Sacred Heart and the next generation of our work. In my �rst year, I have learned that there is a rich history here at Sacred Heart -- some of our volunteers have been here for over 30 years! They truly eat, breathe, and live our values of building community with dignity, compassion, and respect for all people.

Together, we are planning exciting initiatives and programs, and as donors WE can be a part of that future. I invite you to join our Legacy Society by including Sacred Heart in your will, trust, or other estateplans.

Legacy of Community BuildingOur Legacy Society helps you leave a lasting impact on our community for generations to come. If you are consid-ering a planned gift on your own behalf or in honor of a loved one, or would like more information on how to do so, we would be honored to know of your intentions and have you as a member of our Legacy Society. Contact Jill Mitsch, Funds Development Manager, at 408-278-2196.

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We are deeply impressed by the talent and generosity of Sacred Heart volunteers. Marco Lillo, a volunteer and profes-sional photographer, was recently featured in the Spring/Summer edition of Bay Area Nonprofits Magazine. Not only did he take pictures for our holiday programs, he also took beautiful portraits of families in our education programs.

VOLUNTEER CONNECT

The Sacred Heart Youth Leadership Group is a group of 6th, 7th and 8th graders that work together to develop their leadership skills and organize ways to take leadership within their community. This spring they organized a blanket drive to benefit our Sacred Heart community.

"We are encouraged to volunteer in our communities, it's a wonderful part of the Cisco culture! All Cisco employees are given "Time to Give" hours; 40 hours to dedicate to our communities. I choose and

continue to come back to Sacred Heart because the volunteer services are immedi-ately and directly consumed by the com-munity. It's very satisfy-ing! One moment I am packing up lunch bags

and the next moment families are taking those very same lunch bags home. I believe in the tremendous work this organization does for our community and I am proud to be a Sacred Heart volunteer!" Nathalia Perez.

Every Tuesday and Thursday June Tablak makes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for our homeless lunch program. She is also proud to tout to her friends that she is our oldest pantry volunteer at the age of 94!

Emirita Salazar is a member of our Bus Rider Justice Committee, RUTU. As an everyday bus rider, she wants to make sure folks who depend on public transportation for work, childcare, and school can continue to access it.

Earlier this year, volunteers from Federal Realty helped out in our warehouse. Federal Realty is also a new partner for Pack-A-Back 2016.

Sacred Heart recently partnered with Tenants Together to host legal clinics with volunteer attor-neys from Perkins Coie LLP. The firm has participated in a training program to offer legal consulta-tion and possible litigation support for tenants with significant habit-ability issues in their apartments.

To address Silicon Valley’s growing housing crisis, we believe that solutions should include both more a�ordable housing and also e�orts to keep local families in their current housing. On April 19th, 2016, our mobilization forced the San José City Council to make the �rst real changes in the Apartment Rent Ordinance since 1979.

These new renters’ rights included:

• Lowering allowable rent increases

• Creating an anti-retaliatory eviction ordinance

• Creating a long overdue enforcement program

The Council’s action came at the end of an inten-sive campaign that was spearheaded by the Sacred Heart Housing Action Committee (SHHAC) and the newly formed Renters’ Organiz-ing Committee (ROC), resulting in a coalition of organizations collectively mobilizing thousands of tenants and supporters. This broad coalition of groups, the Silicon Valley Renters’ Rights Coali-tion, includes housing law experts, representa-tives of faith communities and labor, long estab-lished a�ordable housing advocates and other community members. SHHAC and the coalition were able to convince the Council to make rent-ers’ rights a high priority for the Council’s work plan and then to direct the Department of Housing’s sta� to develop a reform ordinance. Sacred Heart is committed to a more inclusive community for all people and we will continue to �ght for the rights of renters in our city.

Our next campaign will be to pass a $950 million A�ordable Housing Bond which will be on the November ballot. We will be phone banking and walking to talk to voters from now until election day. Look for details on our website at sacredheartcs.org/events .

YES ON MEASURE AIf you live in Santa Clara County, you can help by voting this November 8:

Rosa Leon is an active leader in Sacred Heartʼs Family Support Program and the Colectivo (SHCS Leader-ship Colective). Rosa became a Domestic Violence Advocate for Sacred Heart, successfully organized Family Supportʼs Domestic Violence Awareness Month Campaign in October, and is currently assisting with the Childrenʼs Art Healing workshops.

Sims Metal Management sponsored our June memberʼs event to show their support of our volunteer program here at Sacred Heart. Sims is a wonderful partner of our agency, and we are so thankful for everything that they have done for our community through volunteering and donating.

The fantastic group from Accenture did an amazing job setting up for the Member Celebration in June

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santa clara county measure bYES ON EOPPORTUNITY TO WORK

SAN JOSE

san jose measure e

california prop 55

2016 SACRED HEARTVOTER GUIDE

california prop 58

THE GIVING HEARTSACRED HEART COMMUNITY SERVICE FALL 2016

INSIDE directorʼs message 2 the truck stops here 3 fundraise for the heart 3 perspective from the heart 4 2016 voter guide 5 pack-a-back 2016 6 practicing mindfulness 8court rules on immigration 9 10+ years commitment 10 help la mesa verde grow 11toward a better bus system 12 community building legacy 13 housing is a human right 14 volunteer connect 15 voter outreach 16 en español 17-32

PACK-A-BACKOn August 12, the Learning Center at

SHCS was a bustling school supply store where 3300 children eagerly

picked out a brand new backpack and filled it with all the supplies they will

need to start the school year off right. [CONTINUED ON PAGE 6]

A C O M M U N I T Y U N I T E D T O E N S U R E E V E R Y C H I L D A N D A D U L T I S F R E E F R O M P O V E R T Y

THE GIVING HEARTSACRED HEART COMMUNITY SERVICE . 1381 SOUTH FIRST STREET . SAN JOSÉ CA . 95110408.278.2160 . WWW.SACREDHEARTCS.ORG

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

MY ADDRESS HAS CHANGED MY NAME IS MISSPELLEDI RECEIVED DUPLICATE COPIES PLEASE REMOVE MY NAME FROM YOUR MAILING LIST

b y t h e n u m b e r saverage apartment rent in San José second quarter 2016;

percentage of Americans who support requiring communities to ensure 20% of housing is affordable to families earning less than $50,000/year;

support for expanding housing for low-income families with children;

households in Santa Clara County that earn less than $50,000;

rank of Santa Clara County in US for number of homeless (est. 6556 in 2015).Sources: City of San José Department of Housing, How Housing Matters Survey John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, American Community Survey, Santa Clara County Homeless Census and Survey.

[74%][$2,503]

[27%][80%]

[9th]

Over 3300 students descended on Sacred Heart in August to select backpacks and school supplies

c r i t i c a l n e e d sVolunteersDiapers [sizes 4-6]Infant formulaBlanketsSleeping bagsPop-top canned foodsBackpacks [adult sized]Men’s underwear [new, L-XXL]Men’s shoes & work bootsHygiene items [full-sized shampoo, soap, toothpaste, etc.]Art supplies [new, gently used]

upcoming eventsPhone Banking for Measure ASept-October: Tues/Wed/Thurs: 6-8:30pm, Sat: 9am-noon [p16]Dia de los Muertos CarnivalOctober 22: 5-8pmElection DayNov 8Holiday Program Reg DayNov 4: 9amThanksgiving DistributionNov 21/22/23

photo by marco lillo

see page 5 for details

get out VOTEtheVOTER OUTREACH FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

Sacred Heart believes

that EVERYONE should

be able to live in a

safe, healthy, and

affordable home.

Help us call Santa

Clara County voters

between now and

NOVEMBER 8.

TUESDAYS, WEDNESDAYSTHURSDAYS from 6-8:30PM

SATURDAYSfrom 9AM-12PM

YES ON MEASURE AFor additional information on how to get involved contact Mathew Reed at mathewr@sacredheartcs.org.

santa clara county measure a

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