Causes: Emergency Assistance, Human Services
Mission: The mission of Sunnyvale Community Services is to prevent homelessness and hunger in our local community. Our vision is a community where everyone has a home with food on the table.
Results:
Sunnyvale Community Services is proud that even during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been able to help every eligible person who comes to our door.
In FY2019-20, we:
• Provided emergency financial assistance to 553 families who were at risk of losing their homes—or already homeless.
• Provided case management to 684 low-income clients to improve their financial situations through budgeting, referrals to benefits, and, when appropriate, referrals to job-seeking assistance.
• Gave food to 9,089 children, adults, and seniors.
• Helped 1,609 local kids get ready for the new school year.
• Made the holidays brighter for 3,908 people through our Holiday Center.
In 2020, we were honored to be named Business of the Year by the City of Sunnyvale and Nonprofit of the Year by the Mission City Community Fund for our work during the COVID-19 pandemic. We were also a recipient of Santa Clara County’s COVID-19 Outstanding Service Award for our exceptional contribution to the residents of Sunnyvale.
Target demographics: Low-income families, seniors, and persons with disabilities
Direct beneficiaries per year: 10,318
Geographic areas served: Sunnyvale, California
Programs:
• Emergency financial assistance for rent, deposits, utilities, medical care, prescriptions, and other critical bills. Because of the ongoing economic effects of the pandemic, we are extending our typical one-time financial support by offering rent assistance for more than one month to some households, amounting in some cases to $10,000 or more per family.
• Year-round food distributed from our on-site warehouse and through deliveries to homebound residents. We offer drive-through monthly food and bi-weekly produce distributions, emergency food for our homeless clients, and home-delivered groceries for frail seniors and disabled persons.
• Wrap-around case management for families and individuals who are homeless or at risk of eviction and need longer-term assistance. Going beyond emergency financial aid, this program enables SCS to work with clients for several months to improve their financial situations through budgeting, financial coaching, referrals to benefits, and when appropriate, referrals to job-seeking assistance.
• Homebound case management for frail senior and disabled clients who are unable to access services at our facility. In addition to getting food deliveries, these clients work with our Homebound Case Manager to find suitable transportation to medical appointments, get signed up for social benefits programs, and receive other supportive services.
• Seasonal programs. Our Head-to-Toe program gets children ready for the new school year with school supplies plus gift cards for backpacks and new shoes. In December, our Holiday Center offers extra food plus gift cars so clients can buy presents for their children and/or needed household items.
• WorkFirst Sunnyvale, a workforce development program that provides homeless and/or extremely low-income individuals with job readiness training, employment opportunities, and supportive services.
• Financial literacy education to help SCS clients reduce their spending, increase their assets, and improve their credit scores. This is a more intensive, longer-term counseling regimen than the preparation of a three-month budget required of all financial assistance recipients.
• Benefits screening and referrals. We help clients apply for public assistance programs (such as CalFresh and Medi-Cal) as well as programs offered by businesses for low-income households (such as discounts on utilities and Internet access). We also make referrals to medical, mental health, legal aid, employment, and education programs, as well as to financial services such as banks/credit unions and credit and budget counseling.
• Disaster response: SCS responds quickly to unexpected needs in our community. For example, we’ve marshaled all our resources to find temporary (and then permanent) housing when low-income families have suddenly lost their housing due to apartment complex fires. Those efforts have included helping 70 families after a 2016 fire and another 18 families in 2019.Also in 2019, the City of Sunnyvale asked us to manage donations for multiple families after an automobile driver intentionally ran down several people (including children) who were crossing a street.
• Hosting partner agencies onsite, including Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, the Santa Clara County Social Services Agency, and Senior Adult Legal Services. These agencies help SCS clients with CalFresh and Medi-Cal enrollments and legal counseling. Onsite visits had to be suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we plan to bring them back along with others once we move into our new building later in 2021 (pending appropriate guidance from public health officials). This will enable SCS clients to sign up for benefits and get other services without having to go to multiple agencies’ offices in San Jose.
• Bus passes. Through a contract with the Valley Transportation Authority, we distribute reduced-price bus/light-rail passes each month.
• Assistance with other necessities such as diapers, pet food, refurbished bicycles, and household move-in kits (bed linens, small appliances, etc. ).
• Advocacy on policies and programs affecting the most vulnerable.
Mission: The mission of Sunnyvale Community Services is to prevent homelessness and hunger in our local community. Our vision is a community where everyone has a home with food on the table.
Results:
Sunnyvale Community Services is proud that even during the COVID-19 pandemic, we have been able to help every eligible person who comes to our door.
In FY2019-20, we:
• Provided emergency financial assistance to 553 families who were at risk of losing their homes—or already homeless.
• Provided case management to 684 low-income clients to improve their financial situations through budgeting, referrals to benefits, and, when appropriate, referrals to job-seeking assistance.
• Gave food to 9,089 children, adults, and seniors.
• Helped 1,609 local kids get ready for the new school year.
• Made the holidays brighter for 3,908 people through our Holiday Center.
In 2020, we were honored to be named Business of the Year by the City of Sunnyvale and Nonprofit of the Year by the Mission City Community Fund for our work during the COVID-19 pandemic. We were also a recipient of Santa Clara County’s COVID-19 Outstanding Service Award for our exceptional contribution to the residents of Sunnyvale.
Target demographics: Low-income families, seniors, and persons with disabilities
Direct beneficiaries per year: 10,318
Geographic areas served: Sunnyvale, California
Programs:
• Emergency financial assistance for rent, deposits, utilities, medical care, prescriptions, and other critical bills. Because of the ongoing economic effects of the pandemic, we are extending our typical one-time financial support by offering rent assistance for more than one month to some households, amounting in some cases to $10,000 or more per family.
• Year-round food distributed from our on-site warehouse and through deliveries to homebound residents. We offer drive-through monthly food and bi-weekly produce distributions, emergency food for our homeless clients, and home-delivered groceries for frail seniors and disabled persons.
• Wrap-around case management for families and individuals who are homeless or at risk of eviction and need longer-term assistance. Going beyond emergency financial aid, this program enables SCS to work with clients for several months to improve their financial situations through budgeting, financial coaching, referrals to benefits, and when appropriate, referrals to job-seeking assistance.
• Homebound case management for frail senior and disabled clients who are unable to access services at our facility. In addition to getting food deliveries, these clients work with our Homebound Case Manager to find suitable transportation to medical appointments, get signed up for social benefits programs, and receive other supportive services.
• Seasonal programs. Our Head-to-Toe program gets children ready for the new school year with school supplies plus gift cards for backpacks and new shoes. In December, our Holiday Center offers extra food plus gift cars so clients can buy presents for their children and/or needed household items.
• WorkFirst Sunnyvale, a workforce development program that provides homeless and/or extremely low-income individuals with job readiness training, employment opportunities, and supportive services.
• Financial literacy education to help SCS clients reduce their spending, increase their assets, and improve their credit scores. This is a more intensive, longer-term counseling regimen than the preparation of a three-month budget required of all financial assistance recipients.
• Benefits screening and referrals. We help clients apply for public assistance programs (such as CalFresh and Medi-Cal) as well as programs offered by businesses for low-income households (such as discounts on utilities and Internet access). We also make referrals to medical, mental health, legal aid, employment, and education programs, as well as to financial services such as banks/credit unions and credit and budget counseling.
• Disaster response: SCS responds quickly to unexpected needs in our community. For example, we’ve marshaled all our resources to find temporary (and then permanent) housing when low-income families have suddenly lost their housing due to apartment complex fires. Those efforts have included helping 70 families after a 2016 fire and another 18 families in 2019.Also in 2019, the City of Sunnyvale asked us to manage donations for multiple families after an automobile driver intentionally ran down several people (including children) who were crossing a street.
• Hosting partner agencies onsite, including Second Harvest of Silicon Valley, the Santa Clara County Social Services Agency, and Senior Adult Legal Services. These agencies help SCS clients with CalFresh and Medi-Cal enrollments and legal counseling. Onsite visits had to be suspended during the COVID-19 pandemic, but we plan to bring them back along with others once we move into our new building later in 2021 (pending appropriate guidance from public health officials). This will enable SCS clients to sign up for benefits and get other services without having to go to multiple agencies’ offices in San Jose.
• Bus passes. Through a contract with the Valley Transportation Authority, we distribute reduced-price bus/light-rail passes each month.
• Assistance with other necessities such as diapers, pet food, refurbished bicycles, and household move-in kits (bed linens, small appliances, etc. ).
• Advocacy on policies and programs affecting the most vulnerable.
1160 Kern Ave, Sunnyvale, CA 94085
408-738-4321
Human Services
Sunnyvale
