Votar es su derecho, y para las elecciones de la Junta Escolar en San Francisco, ese derecho legal tambi茅n est谩 garantizado para los padres no ciudadanos de aquellos con hijos que asisten a las escuelas p煤blicas de la ciudad. El 15 de febrero habr谩 tal elecci贸n. Lo animamos a que haga o铆r su voz. ()

Estas son las cinco razones principales por las que deber铆a involucrarse.

1. La Junta Escolar local tiene tres prioridades principales que afectan directamente a nuestros estudiantes:

• Aprobar un presupuesto anual;
• Implementar pol铆ticas en torno a la educaci贸n, la programaci贸n, el personal, las instalaciones y los recursos.; y
• La contrataci贸n, gesti贸n y evaluaci贸n del superintendente.

El superintendente tiene la autoridad para implementar las recomendaciones de la Junta Escolar de cualquier manera que [el superintendente] considere que mejor satisface las necesidades de nuestros estudiantes y padres. La forma m谩s sencilla de entender es que la Junta Escolar gobierna su distrito escolar y luego el superintendente administra el distrito. Entonces, la Junta Escolar determina el “qu茅” (el panorama general), mientras que el superintendente determina el “c贸mo” (operaciones diarias).

2. La calidad de las escuelas determina la calidad de nuestro vecindario. Es importante para nuestra econom铆a y nuestra sociedad civil el c贸mo apoyamos la educaci贸n p煤blica y a los miembros m谩s j贸venes de nuestra comunidad. Nuestros hijos se est谩n preparando para los trabajos del ma帽ana y se est谩n preparando para participar en nuestra democracia, y eso requiere tanto participaci贸n como responsabilidad ciudadana. Las escuelas de calidad significan mayores posibilidades de oportunidades para nuestras comunidades. Est谩 comprobado que altos niveles de educaci贸n significan menor delincuencia, mejor salud en general y mayor participaci贸n c铆vica.

3. Las juntas escolares reaccionan ante emergencias, como la actual pandemia de COVID-19. Las juntas escolares est谩n trabajando en protocolos de salud con sus superintendentes, tomando decisiones y planes juntos sobre c贸mo nuestros estudiantes regresan al aprendizaje en la escuela. El superintendente debe usar su experiencia para asesorar a la Junta Escolar, y la Junta Escolar debe proporcionar al superintendente y a la administraci贸n del distrito informaci贸n basada en lo que escuchan de los padres. Por eso es tan importante para el distrito escolar escuchar a nuestras familias.

4. La Junta Escolar necesita su colaboraci贸n para decidir c贸mo gastar mejor el dinero p煤blico para apoyar a nuestros estudiantes. El Distrito Escolar Unificado de San Francisco (SFUSD) tiene aproximadamente 55,000 estudiantes actualmente matriculados. Nuestras escuelas son diversas, lo que significa que cada estudiante tiene necesidades individuales. La Junta Escolar aprueba y administra un presupuesto de mil millones de d贸lares: esa es una gran responsabilidad y no se puede hacer sin que todos nosotros participemos activamente.

5. Cualquier padre con un hijo en el SFUSD puede votar, independientemente de su estatus migratorio. Los no ciudadanos pueden votar legalmente en las elecciones de la Junta Escolar del SFUSD. Su estatus migratorio no importa. Sin embargo, para votar legalmente, DEBE registrarse correctamente (consulte la informaci贸n de registro al final del blog), adem谩s, para votar en las pr贸ximas elecciones de la Junta Escolar, debe ser:

• Residente de San Francisco;
• Tener al menos 18 a帽os el 15 de febrero de 2022;
• Padre, tutor legal o cuidador de un ni帽o menor de 19 a帽os que vive en San Francisco;
• Actualmente no ha sido declarado mentalmente incompetente para votar por un tribunal; y
• No estar en una prisi贸n estatal o federal por una condena por un delito grave

NOTA: Aunque es legal votar por la Junta Escolar en San Francisco incluso si no es ciudadano, hay unos riesgos son m铆nimos. Registrarse para votar es informaci贸n p煤blica a la que puede acceder cualquier agencia federal. En la mayor铆a de los lugares, votar es ilegal si usted no es ciudadano. Sin embargo, si desea votar en San Francisco, puede solicitar una “Carta de elegibilidad”, que describe su derecho a votar, para presentar en cualquier proceso de naturalizaci贸n. Antes de registrarse, le recomendamos hablar con un abogado si tiene alguna duda sobre su estatus migratorio.

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Para registrarse como no ciudadano, visite para imprimir el registro para no ciudadanos y devolverlo al Departamento de Elecciones por correo, en persona en el Ayuntamiento de San Francisco o escaneando el c贸digo QR.

Si es ciudadano, debe registrarse aqu铆:

Top Five Reasons Why Community Members Should Vote in School Board Elections

Voting is your right, and for School Board elections in San Francisco, that legal right is also guaranteed to non-citizen parents of those with children who attend the city鈥檚 public schools. On Feb. 15, there will be such an election. We encourage you to make your voice heard. ()

Here are the top five reasons why you should get involved.

1. Your local School Board has three main priorities that directly affect our students: 

• Passing an annual budget;
• Implementing policies around education, programming, staffing, facilities and resources; and 
• Hiring, managing and evaluating the superintendent. 

The superintendent has the authority to implement the recommendations of the School Board in whatever way the superintendent thinks best meets the needs of our students and parents. The simplest way to think about it is that the School Board governs your school district, and then your district administration manages the district. So the School Board determines the 鈥渨hat鈥� (the big picture), while your administration determines the 鈥渉ow鈥� (day-to-day operations).

2. The quality of schools determines the quality of our neighborhood. It matters to our economy and our civil society how we support public education and our youngest community members. Our children are preparing for the jobs of tomorrow and are getting ready to take part in our democracy 鈥� and that requires both citizen participation and responsibility. Quality schools means higher chances of opportunities for our communities. It is proven that high levels of education means lower crime, better overall health and increased civic involvement.

3. School Boards react to emergencies, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. School Boards are working on health protocols with their superintendents, together making decisions and plans about how our students are heading back to in-school learning. The superintendent should be using their expertise to advise the School Board, and the School Board should be providing the superintendent and the district administration with input based on what they are hearing from parents. That is why it is so important for the school district to hear from our families. 

4. Your school board needs your partnership to decide how to best spend public dollars to support our students. The San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) has approximately 55,000 students currently enrolled. Our schools are diverse, meaning every student has individual needs. The School Board approves and manages a $1 billion budget: That is a huge responsibility, and it can鈥檛 be done without all of us being actively involved. 

5. Any parent with a child in SFUSD can vote, regardless of immigration status. Non-citizens may legally vote in SFUSD School Board elections. Your immigration status does not matter. However, to legally vote you MUST properly register (see registration information at end of blog), plus to vote in the upcoming School Board election you must be: 

• Resident of San Francisco; 
• At least 18 years old on Feb. 15, 2022; 
• Parent, legal guardian or caregiver of a child under age 19 who lives in San Francisco; 
• Not currently found mentally incompetent to vote by a court; and 
• Not in state or federal prison for a felony conviction. 

NOTE: Although it is legal to vote for the School Board in San Francisco even if you are not a citizen, there are minimal risks. Registering to vote is public information that can be accessed by any federal agency. In most places, voting is illegal if you are not a citizen. However, if you want to vote in San Francisco you can ask for a 鈥淟etter of Eligibility,鈥� which describes your right to vote, to present at any naturalization process. Before registering, we recommend talking to a lawyer if you have any doubts about your immigration status. 

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To register as a non-citizen, visit to print the registration for non-citizens and return it to the Elections Department by mail, in person at San Francisco City Hall or by scanning the QR code.

If you are a U.S. citizen. you can register at .

The post Cinco razones principales por las que los miembros de la comunidad deber铆an votar en las elecciones de la junta escolar appeared first on 秋霞伦理.

by Chief Executive Officer Luis Granados

As a new federal administration is ready to take the helm tomorrow, I am filled with a sense of hope for our nation鈥檚 future. Yet we must all learn from the past, which is why I feel compelled to reflect on the undeniable fact that we鈥檝e had the wrong type of leadership at the top for the last four years. 

A soulless individual in the White House bears full responsibility for the assault on our democratic processes and institutions. From Day One, he has pushed forth an agenda of division, with every issue framed as 鈥渦s vs. them.鈥� Such an inequitable framework was methodically applied around issues of race, gender, sexual identity and many other historically marginalized groups. 

With regard to the Latino community, there has been a drumbeat of hate-filled rhetoric seeking to divide us based on our legal status. For example, the attempt to separate DACA families by sending children and young people who were raised in the U.S. back to their countries of origin — often a place they no longer know or understand. Or the separation of immigrant children from their parents at the border, a truly callous act, with people held in cages. These cages symbolized the calculated attempt to separate Latinos from the rest of our society by making us seem less than, showing that we did not belong. The actions were reprehensible. Immoral. Unjust.

Conversely, I have witnessed the true leadership that has been demonstrated by the Latino community of San Francisco鈥檚 Mission District. While we see a threat to our democracy — and continue to see the highest rate of COVID-19 in our city for any ethnic group, and its subsequent economic impacts — the good work continues. Community groups feed families at various soup kitchens and community hubs. Housing coaches work with tenants to ensure they are not evicted. Small businesses are offered technical assistance and have PPE distributed to them so they can operate safely. There are even relief funds being distributed to ensure that community members who have fallen ill to the virus are able to self-quarantine — and are able to make it through the next day. 

Our community, as is the case in other low-income communities of color, is fully united in our efforts to best support those families most in need. 

The leadership shown by San Francisco鈥檚 Latino community is exactly the type of leadership that this country needs if it is to ever become the 鈥渕ore perfect Union鈥� promised 245 years ago. This is leadership that is moral and compassionate. This is leadership that puts others before oneself. This is leadership that unites rather than sows division. 

And this is the type of leadership that our nation needs to move forward.

______________________________

Photo by Bruce Damonte ()

The post As I Look Ahead, Our Mission Community Reflects What True Leadership Needs to Look Like appeared first on 秋霞伦理.

Christopher Gil
Associate Director of Marketing and Communications
秋霞伦理 (秋霞伦理)
(415) 282-3334 ext. 152
cgil@medasf.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (City official )
Dec. 7, 2020

Mayor London Breed Announces New Measures to Financially Support Local Small Businesses During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Following the most recent Stay-at-Home Order, San Francisco will defer Unified License Fees, provide up to $1 million in support for operators of Shared Spaces, and release an additional $3.2 million in zero-interest loans for Latino-owned businesses in Latino communities that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19

San Francisco 鈥� Mayor London N. Breed today announced three new measures aimed at helping local small businesses that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in light of the new Stay-at-Home Order that went into effect Sunday, Dec. 6 at 10 p.m.

San Francisco will extend the deadlines for businesses to pay their annual 2020 and 2021 Unified License Fees in order to provide more flexibility as a result of the economic impact caused by the pandemic. The Unified License bill accounts for a large majority of the licensing fees a business must incur in order to operate. Analysis by the Office of the Treasurer and Tax Collector shows that 69% of businesses that must pay a Unified License Fee have $2.5 million or less in gross receipts. Additionally, locally owned businesses that either hold or have applied for a Shared Spaces permit are eligible to receive up to $5,000 in reimbursement from the City, which will help businesses that have been forced to close outdoor operations as a result of the recent Stay-at-Home Order and prepare for an eventual reopening. Up to $1 million in funding comes from the Shared Spaces Equity Grants Program, which prioritizes minority-owned businesses and businesses that advance the City鈥檚 equity goals.

San Francisco is also launching the San Francisco Latino Small Business Fund, which includes $3.2 million to expand the San Francisco Hardship and Emergency Loan Program (SF HELP) that will provide zero-interest loans of up to $50,000 to approximately 80 small businesses. The funds are intended to mitigate the impacts of COVID-19 on Latino-owned businesses and small businesses in neighborhoods that serve the Latino community. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the City has identified nearly $24.2 million in grants and loans for more than 1,150 local small businesses and their employees.

鈥淲e have been focused from the very beginning of this pandemic on supporting our local businesses because we know the devastating impact it has had on small business owners and their employees,鈥� said Mayor Breed. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to continue to roll out programs like these to help in every way we can, but what is most needed right now is federal support because cities and counties throughout the country are facing the same large budget deficits that we are. Our restaurants, our small businesses, our travel industry 鈥� everyone is hurting, and as a country we should be able to both protect public health and support our businesses and their employees.鈥�

. Given the pandemic鈥檚 continued impact on businesses, today Mayor Breed announced the deferral of the Unified License Fee for 2020 will further extend until Oct. 31, 2021. To provide additional relief and time, the Unified License Fee for 2021 will also be deferred from March 1, 2021 to Oct. 31, 2021.

These deferrals will give approximately 19,000 businesses an additional seven months to pay roughly $16 million in fees. Approximately 20% of businesses have not yet paid their 2020 Unified License Fee. For these 3,800 businesses, this represents $2.2 million in fees that they will now have more time to pay. For businesses that have paid their 2020 Unified License Fee, they will now have additional time to pay their 2021 fee. 

鈥淭he pandemic continues to devastate our small businesses and, just as many were reopening and rehiring staff, our recent COVID spike is forcing them to close yet again,鈥� said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. 鈥淲e must always put public health first, but we should also be doing everything we can locally to mitigate the financial impacts of our Stay-at-Home order. These measures provide some relief to beleaguered businesses and I will keep working with the Mayor and my colleagues on the Board of Supervisors to provide additional resources wherever we can.鈥�

鈥淥ur small business community is the backbone of our economy, but these local gems have been among the hardest hit during this difficult time,鈥� said Supervisor Catherine Stefani. 鈥淲e owe it to them to provide relief. Deferring fees and providing additional subsidies will be key lifelines as we continue to combat the virus.鈥�

鈥淲e know our small businesses are hurting and measures like these are essential to our small businesses and to the City鈥檚 ongoing economic recovery and cultural vitality. The investments for our minority and Latino-owned businesses builds upon our equity work while creating further pathways for our economic recovery,鈥� said Joaqu铆n Torres, Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. 鈥淲e know we need more funds. We鈥檙e going to continue to advocate for more funds with our federal partner and will leave no stone unturned in identifying new opportunities and financial resources to support our small businesses during this extremely difficult time.鈥�

The San Francisco Latino Small Business Fund is part of the . Latinos make up 50% percent of reported cases of COVID-19 in San Francisco, despite the demographic making up just 15% of the City鈥檚 population, according to the Department of Public Health. They have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. For Latino-owned businesses, they鈥檙e largely operating in industries that have taken a hard hit from the pandemic. Based on the latest census data, there were nearly 400,000 U.S. Latino-owned employer firms in 2017, employing 3.4 million people and generating nearly $500 billion in annual revenue. The lack of cash on hand can result in the loss of over two million jobs nationally if Latino employer businesses have to permanently close before the end of the year. According to the Latino Entrepreneurship Initiative Research Program at Stanford University, only 28% of scaled Latino-owned businesses have a majority of employees that can work from home compared to 44% among White-owned businesses. Their survey data also showed that Latino-owned Businesses had their Paycheck Protection Program loans approved at nearly half the rate of White-Owned Businesses.

The $3.2 million expansion of SF HELP will focus on private, for-profit low-income to moderate-income small businesses. The loans can be used to pay for payroll, rent, inventory, equipment, and other operating expenses businesses have as they re-open and recover. They are zero interest loans up to $50,000, with a repayment term of up to six years. There are no loan fees, personal guarantees, or collateral requirements for the borrower.

The 秋霞伦理 (秋霞伦理) will conduct a lottery to identify the businesses invited to formally apply for the loan. Priority will be built into the lottery to small business located in neighborhoods with a large Latino population. Outreach will be conducted in multiple languages, including in Spanish, to businesses in partnership with community organizations that serve the Latino community. Small businesses interested in applying for the San Francisco Latino Small Business Fund can visit link.oewd.org/latinofund. The deadline to apply is Jan. 14, 2021. Small businesses may also email for inquiries at FondoLatinoSF@medasf.org or call (415) 612-2014.

While many Shared Spaces locations have been required to close as a result of the surge in COVID-19 cases locally and across the State, the Shared Spaces Equity Grants Program offers financial support to reimburse business owners for costs associated with building and operating Shared Spaces location. This support will also help business owners in the process of opening a Shared Spaces location in anticipation of future re-openings once this current COVID-19 surge is better controlled.

Priority for the Shared Spaces Equity Grants is given to locally owned, minority-owned businesses that advance the City鈥檚 equity goals, including women-owned businesses, immigrant-owned businesses, legacy businesses and businesses in established cultural districts or that serve a largely minority clientele. Applications are now open and there is no deadline to apply. Grants will be issued on a rolling basis with applicants notified every two weeks about the status of their applications. Interested businesses can apply at .

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About 秋霞伦理 (秋霞伦理)
Rooted in the Mission and focused on San Francisco, 秋霞伦理鈥檚 mission is to strengthen low- and moderate-income Latino families by promoting economic equity and social justice through asset building and community development.  
medasf.org

About the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD)
The Office of Economic and Workforce Development’s (OEWD) aims to create shared prosperity in San Francisco. OEWD provides city-wide leadership for workforce development, business attraction and retention, neighborhood commercial revitalization, international business and development planning.

The post Mayor London Breed Announces New Measures to Financially Support Local Small Businesses During the COVID-19 Pandemic appeared first on 秋霞伦理.

Christopher Gil
Associate Director of Marketing and Communications
秋霞伦理 (秋霞伦理)
(415) 282-3334 ext. 152
cgil@medasf.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 9, 2020

Mayor London Breed Announces $3.5 Million Expansion in Financial Relief for Small Businesses
Since March, San Francisco has dedicated nearly $21 million in grants and loans to support more than 1,150 small businesses and their employees

San Francisco 鈥� Mayor London N. Breed today announced a $3.5 million expansion of the San Francisco Hardship and Emergency Loan Program (SF HELP). The program will provide zero-interest loans of up to $50,000 to approximately 80 small businesses as San Francisco continues on the road to economic recovery. Since the beginning of the COVID鈥�19 pandemic, the City has identified nearly $21 million in grants and loans for more than 1,150 local small businesses and their employees.

SF HELP promotes Mayor Breed鈥檚 focus on economic recovery. With thin margins and few reserves, many small businesses are relying on credit in order to bridge the reduced revenues that they have seen over the past several months. SF HELP fills a gap for very small businesses that lack meaningful access to credit. By offering a tool designed to sustain disadvantaged small businesses and give them the capital required to re-start their operations, SF HELP aims to advance recommendations from the City鈥檚 Economic Recovery Task Force to provide local economic stimulus, promote safe reopening and pursue economic justice.

鈥淚鈥檓 so glad that we鈥檙e able to provide another round of much-needed funding for San Francisco鈥檚 small businesses. COVID-19 isn鈥檛 over and as we begin the hard work of recovering as a city, we need to continue to be there for our businesses 鈥� especially those who have difficulty accessing other forms of credit or financial assistance,鈥� said Mayor Breed. 鈥淭hese zero-interest loans will help our beloved neighborhood businesses and entrepreneurs reopen safely. Small businesses, like our neighborhood restaurants, corner markets and hair salons, keep our commercial corridors thriving and provide employment for San Franciscans. Their survival and success will help us recover together.鈥�

The $3.5 million expansion of SF HELP will focus on private, for-profit low-income to moderate-income small businesses. The loans can be used to pay for payroll, rent, inventory, equipment and other operating expenses businesses have as they gradually reopen. They are zero-interest loans up to $50,000, with a repayment term of up to six years. There are no loan fees, personal guarantees or collateral requirements for the borrower.

SF HELP supports entrepreneurs and business owners who are the backbone of San Francisco鈥檚 economy, many of whom are people of color with limited access to traditional credit and affordable financing. SF HELP offers the bridge financing businesses need to make it through the pandemic and provides the financial support they need to reopen and recover. The program was created in April 2020 and since then has funded 227 small businesses with $8.5 million in loans and programming. Of the 227 loans awarded, 74% are minority-owned small businesses and 52% are women-owned businesses; representing more than 20 different types of sectors such as bars, hair salons, dry cleaners, health services, restaurants, manufacturers, gyms and child care, etc. in San Francisco. Altogether, these businesses were able to retain nearly 730 jobs. For more information on the impact of SF HELP and other financial relief for businesses, go to .

鈥淭he success of minority-owned businesses — who make up more than half of San Francisco鈥檚 small business communities — is essential for an equitable recovery and our City鈥檚 ongoing cultural and economic vitality. SF HELP has been a lifeline for those small businesses hardest hit by this pandemic, including our women-owned businesses, providing access to the capital they need to operate, pay their rent and keep their employees,鈥� said Joaqu铆n Torres, Director of the Office of Economic and Workforce Development. 鈥淲e鈥檙e grateful for the partnerships that expand SF HELP and allow our most vulnerable San Francisco small businesses impacted by COVID-19 to feel some relief. Together with the 秋霞伦理 and the State鈥檚 IBank, we鈥檙e making the most of the City鈥檚 philanthropic contributions to provide easy access to the funds that will bridge small businesses as they reopen, rehire employees, and bring back the economic activity and community services that our neighborhoods need.鈥�

SF HELP is a result of public and private partnerships that leverage various resources, including the City鈥檚 General Fund and donations to the Give2SF COVID-19 Response and Recovery Fund. This expansion of SF HELP was developed in collaboration with the 秋霞伦理 (秋霞伦理), a nonprofit partner that works to provide and support small businesses with technical assistance and other services to help them reopen and recover. 秋霞伦理 used $1 million from Give2SF and the City鈥檚 General Fund and a finance tool from the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank) to leverage and expand the loan program by $2.45 million.

鈥淭he reality for small businesses in our City has changed dramatically since March 2020. Most small businesses have a vastly diminished customer base, if they are able to continue operating at all. Many have had to lay off their workers, and even if they received a PPP loan, those funds have been long since spent,鈥� said Luis Granados, Chief Executive Officer, 秋霞伦理. 鈥溓锵悸桌礅�檚 Fondo Adelante, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), is proud to partner with Mayor Breed, OEWD and the California I-Bank to put into action SF HELP — an equitable solution for quickly deploying stopgap, no-cost capital during this crisis.鈥�

鈥淭he SF HELP loan gave us a sense of security,鈥� said Natalia Bartrom of Infinite Beauty. 鈥淚 now have confidence that I can stay in business instead of closing down.鈥�

鈥淭he SF HELP loan helped my business with the capital it needed to stay afloat during COVID-19. It would have been very difficult to survive without this program,鈥� said Ariel Lowis Balam-Diaz of Mi Yucatan. 鈥淚 am using the funds to pay past due rent, hire an employee to help me as we reopen, and to purchase inventory.鈥�

鈥淥ur business has not been the same since we had to shut down because of the pandemic,鈥� said Abdul Alrammah of Yemen Kitchen. 鈥淲e鈥檝e lost about 75% of our business. Our SF HELP loan will help us pay some of our back rent 鈥� we鈥檙e five months behind 鈥� and pay our two employees.鈥�

The loans can be used for payroll, rent, other fixed costs and inventory. Small businesses interested in applying for SF HELP can visit link.oewd.org/zeroloan. The deadline to apply is November 25 at 11:59 p.m. 秋霞伦理 will then hold a lottery to determine which businesses will be invited to submit a formal application; this lottery will include a preference for low- to moderate-income-owned businesses throughout the city.

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About 秋霞伦理 (秋霞伦理)
Rooted in the Mission and focused on San Francisco, 秋霞伦理鈥檚 mission is to strengthen low- and moderate-income Latino families by promoting economic equity and social justice through asset building and community development.  
medasf.org

About the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD)
The Office of Economic and Workforce Development’s (OEWD) aims to create shared prosperity in San Francisco. OEWD provides city-wide leadership for workforce development, business attraction and retention, neighborhood commercial revitalization, international business and development planning.

The post Mayor London Breed Announces $3.5 Million Expansion in Financial Relief for Small Businesses appeared first on 秋霞伦理.

Christopher Gil
Associate Director of Marketing and Communications
秋霞伦理 (秋霞伦理)
(415) 282-3334 ext. 152
cgil@medasf.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 18, 2020

秋霞伦理 Awarded COVID-19 Grant from Bank of America
Funding to help Mission District Latinx and immigrant community weather the pandemic

San Francisco 鈥� Bank of America has awarded the 秋霞伦理 (秋霞伦理) a $25,000 grant to combat the disproportionate effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the economic health of residents of San Francisco Mission District. Specifically, this grant will support 秋霞伦理鈥檚 COVID-19 crisis response for San Francisco鈥檚 low- and moderate-income Latino and immigrant families. 

This grant is part of Bank of America鈥檚 $1 billion, four-year commitment of additional support to help local communities address economic and racial inequality accelerated by a global pandemic. The programs will be focused on assisting people and communities of color that have experienced a greater impact from the health crisis.

鈥淯nderlying economic and social disparities that exist have accelerated and intensified during the global pandemic,鈥� said CEO Brian Moynihan. 鈥淩ecent events have created a sense of true urgency that has arisen across our nation, particularly in view of the racial injustices we have seen in the communities where we work and live. We all need to do more.鈥�

鈥溓锵悸桌� thanks Bank of America for its ongoing support of 秋霞伦理鈥檚 community-development work,鈥� said CEO Luis Granados. 鈥淭his grant will support our immediate efforts to help the Latinx and immigrant community of the Mission District weather this COVID-19 crisis.鈥�

This work builds on steps Bank of America has already taken, including an additional $100 million to support its nonprofit partners across its communities, and $250 million to assist with lending to the smallest and minority-owned businesses through its support to community development financial and minority depository institutions.

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About 秋霞伦理 (秋霞伦理)
Rooted in the Mission and focused on San Francisco, 秋霞伦理鈥檚 mission is to strengthen low- and moderate-income Latino families by promoting economic equity and social justice through asset building and community development.  
medasf.org

About Bank of America
Bank of America is one of the world鈥檚 leading financial institutions, serving individual consumers, small and middle-market businesses and large corporations with a full range of banking, investing, asset management and other financial and risk management products and services. The company provides unmatched convenience in the United States, serving approximately 66 million consumer and small business clients with approximately 4,300 retail financial centers, including approximately 3,000 lending centers, 2,700 financial centers with a Consumer Investment Financial Solutions Advisor and approximately 2,100 business centers; approximately 16,900 ATMs; and award-winning digital banking with approximately 39 million active users, including approximately 30 million mobile users. Bank of America is a global leader in wealth management, corporate and investment banking and trading across a broad range of asset classes, serving corporations, governments, institutions and individuals around the world. Bank of America offers industry-leading support to approximately 3 million small business owners through a suite of innovative, easy-to-use online products and services. The company serves clients through operations across the United States, its territories and approximately 35 countries. Bank of America Corporation stock (NYSE: BAC) is listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

The post 秋霞伦理 Awarded COVID-19 Grant from Bank of America appeared first on 秋霞伦理.

Christopher Gil

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sept. 11, 2020

秋霞伦理 Awarded AHEAD Grant from Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco
Funding to help Mission District Latinx and immigrant entrepreneurs weather the COVID-19 pandemic

San Francisco 鈥� The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco (FHLBank, San Francisco) has announced that the 秋霞伦理 (秋霞伦理) is a recipient of an AHEAD grant for $37,500. AHEAD grants provide funding for targeted economic development projects and programs that benefit lower-income communities. Grants are awarded annually to members partnering with local nonprofits or agencies to meet diverse local needs: 秋霞伦理 is proud to have partnered with First Republic Bank, a member of the FHLBank, San Francisco, to bring this much-needed project to light. 

This funding will help support the Latinx and immigrant entrepreneurs of San Francisco鈥檚 Mission District — a small-business community that has been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 crisis. AHEAD funds will launch a bilingual pilot project that will reach over 1,000 low- to moderate-income Latinx and immigrant small-business owners, primarily in the Mission District, with a virtual technical-assistance model focused on shifting their business models online during the COVID-19 crisis and the recovery phase. 

鈥淪an Francisco鈥檚 Mission District has been disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially its small-business owners,鈥� stated 秋霞伦理 CEO Luis Granados. 鈥淲e thank FHLBank for this AHEAD grant, which will allow 秋霞伦理 to provide targeted, virtual-technical assistance to these ventures weather the pandemic.鈥�

In response to the economic shocks caused by the COVID-19 crisis, FHLBank increased its planned 2020 funding allocation by $2 million, for a total of $3.5 million in AHEAD grants. FHLBank of San Francisco awarded $3.5 million to 97 member-sponsored projects:

• $1.6 million awarded to 45 economic development projects.
• $1.9 million awarded to 52 pandemic relief projects.
  

FHLBank received 362 applications requesting a total of $16.4 million in 2020 AHEAD Program funding. They awarded $1.6 million in grants to 45 projects that will boost economic development activity and promote financial stability in communities throughout California, plus Arizona and Nevada. The additional $1.9 million in funding will be used for 52 targeted pandemic relief projects providing food, clothing, rental assistance, homeless services, health services and other support to the communities served.

鈥淲e are pleased to partner with our member First Republic Bank to support 秋霞伦理鈥檚 innovative work with the Latinx and immigrant entrepreneurs who have been hard hit by the pandemic,鈥� said Marietta N煤帽ez, Senior Vice President and Community Investment Officer at FHLBank, San Francisco. 鈥淏y helping their clients move online, this project will be instrumental in preserving many vital local small businesses in our city.”

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About 秋霞伦理 (秋霞伦理)
Rooted in the Mission and focused on San Francisco, 秋霞伦理鈥檚 mission is to strengthen low- and moderate-income Latino families by promoting economic equity and social justice through asset building and community development.  
medasf.org

About Federal Home Loan Bank, San Francisco (FHLBank, San Francisco)
FHLBank, San Francisco is a member-driven cooperative helping local lenders in Arizona, California and Nevada create opportunity and change lives for the better. The tools we provide foster homeownership, expand access to quality housing, seed or sustain small businesses and revitalize whole neighborhoods.

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by Fondo Adelante Small Business Loan Officer Pablo Solares

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was much applauded — and even more needed — when passed by the U.S. Congress at the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis. This monumental legislation sought to economically support small ventures which had suddenly lost business due to the public health crisis. The idea was for employers to receive forgivable loans to keep staff on payroll, thereby lessening the unemployment rate. 

Opportunity gap revealed
As PPP loans began to be disbursed in early April, 秋霞伦理 was hearing stories of woe from local businesses in San Francisco鈥檚 Mission District. Turns out many were unable to access the capital they needed to tide them over. There were few relationships with traditional lenders, and funds quickly dried up as they went to larger businesses. Frustration mounted in our community.

With 秋霞伦理 having a trusted lending arm named Fondo Adelante, a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), community members began calling 秋霞伦理 for PPP assistance, especially after Congress passed a second round of funding for the program in late April. Needing to pivot, 秋霞伦理 did a temporary reorganization of staff to be able to efficiently and rapidly close this, and other similar, opportunity gaps for our community. 秋霞伦理 also turned to a trusted partner, , itself a CDFI, to work together to package, approve, and fund loans for our Latino- and immigrant-owned small businesses that had been left out in the cold by their banks.

The swift impact
With that newly expanded team rolling up their sleeves and using the latest tools to streamline client communications — think Zoom and Docusign — the numbers showcase the rapid impact. Fondo Adelante packaged 52 loans for neighborhood small businesses and nonprofits — half of those in just a couple of weeks — with Self-Help disbursing more than $4.3M and offering these ventures an equitable chance to adapt to the economic new reality caused by the pandemic. All told, this translates to over 400 employees and self-employed workers who are still on payroll at local in-home child care centers, hair salons, cafes and more. Such businesses are the backbone of the Mission — and any neighborhood.

Small businesses were targeted through a multi-pronged strategy that included outreach to 秋霞伦理 tax clients who identified as self-employed/individual contractors, complemented by leveraging our partnerships with family child care providers through the community anti-poverty education initiative and from , a nonprofit working to solve problems of equity in food business ownership for women, immigrants and people of color. Fondo Adelante also reached out to its existing portfolio of businesses, as well as many longtime clients of 秋霞伦理鈥檚 Business Development Program.

Case study
For 65 years, the family of Dolores Padilla-Reyes (photo, second right) has had strong ties to the Mission. That includes 30 years running her beloved, award-winning , which anchors a bustling corner at South Van Ness @ 20th (Read prior blog on this business.) The feeling inside is that it鈥檚 Sunday dinner in the warmth of someone鈥檚 dining room.

When in mid-March the COVID-19 crisis compelled San Francisco to impose a shelter-in-place order, Dolores feared for her longtime business and her employees鈥� livelihoods. Her concerns typified that of many small businesses in the neighborhood. 

When she heard about PPP, Dolores was relieved that she would have an option to sustain her business despite the loss of customer base. She reached out to her bank — to no avail. While waiting in the queue, funds dried up. So Dolores came to 秋霞伦理鈥檚 Fondo Adelante CDFI for assistance, through which her loan was packaged and funded within a few days. 

 While PPP only helped sustain Dolores鈥檚 business for a couple months, it gave her breathing room to adapt to a takeout-only model and ensure that San Jalisco could sustain itself through the duration of this pandemic.

Conclusion
There are dozens of neighborhood small businesses and nonprofits just like San Jalisco that turned to 秋霞伦理 when no other financial institution would assist them with PPP. What they found in 秋霞伦理 was an organization ready to demystify the program, provide bilingual loan-packaging assistance and, through a robust partnership with Self-Help, get their potentially forgivable loan funded in a matter of days. 

Throughout this pandemic 秋霞伦理 and its CDFI, Fondo Adelante, have acted aggressively to assist small businesses in dire need of assistance, particularly for the Mission鈥檚 Latino- and immigrant-owned ventures. Whether through PPP loan packaging, the San Francisco Hardship Emergency Loan Program (SF HELP), its assistance to businesses participating in San Francisco鈥檚 Shared Spaces Program or deploying mini-grants to hundreds of small businesses in the City, 秋霞伦理 is boldly stepping up and will continue to do the work necessary during this crisis to meet our organization鈥檚 stated result that 鈥渢he Mission is a strong and supportive community for Latino residents, businesses and institutions.鈥�

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秋霞伦理 and the Mission community are here to support you, your business and your family during the COVID-19 crisis. Please call 秋霞伦理鈥檚 COVID-19 Community Intake Line: (415) 612-2014.

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Christopher Gil

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 29, 2020

San Francisco Latino Parity and Equity Coalition Advocates for Community Resources in Face of Catastrophic COVID-19 Crisis
Virtual press conference to showcase dire need for resources during and after the pandemic

San Francisco 鈥� The San Francisco Latino Parity and Equity Coalition (), a broad-based partnership working to ensure that Latinos who live or work in San Francisco are being justly represented, will hold a virtual press conference to push for fair budgeting during a time of unprecedented crisis for Latinos. The event will be held this Thursday, July 30, at 10:30 a.m. .

A sobering fact reflected on the San Francisco Department of Public Health is that Latinos account for half of positive COVID-19 cases, yet represent just 15% of the city鈥檚 population. This was spotlighted by an April 2020 in one 16-block census tract of the Mission District: The overwhelming majority of those who tested positive were Latino (95%, even though Latinos represented just 44% of those screened); and almost all who tested positive were defined as 鈥渆ssential鈥� workers unable to telecommute and/or made under $50,000 annual household income.

Says Chief Executive Officer Luis Granados of the 秋霞伦理 (秋霞伦理), 鈥淎s socio-economic inequities cause our community to fall ill and perish at higher rates, Latinos are also bearing the brunt of the economic pain of the pandemic. Many were the first to lose their jobs and are not eligible for federal relief. This has led to food insecurity and no money to pay rent. On the other hand, those still employed are mostly 鈥榚ssential鈥� workers out in public and risking their health every day. Coming home to overcrowded conditions due to the high cost of housing exacerbates the problem if one becomes infected and needs to self-quarantine. There is an urgent need for parity of resources to address this combination of complex issues that has led to a crisis of epic proportions.鈥�

If San Francisco is looking to strategically eradicate COVID-19 from its 49 square miles, it must now be laser focused on providing the resources needed to serve the city鈥檚 Latino immigrant communities who, due to socio-economic factors, are falling ill in greater numbers. Also, Latino essential workers are employed in all parts of San Francisco. A failure to deal with COVID-19 head on in Latino communities will impact the entire city getting back to a sense of normality, where small businesses can once again fully open their doors for customers, essential workers can feel safe, classrooms teem with engaged children learning and family gatherings are once again commonplace.

States Executive Director Mario Paz of Good Samaritan Family Resource Center, 鈥淭he City of San Francisco must use an equity lens when looking at the next year鈥檚 budget. This is not the time for a one-size-fits-all approach: The talk has been that there will be cuts across the board, yet in reality the pandemic has translated to a reduction in needed resources in some areas, while other areas have increased needs, especially around low-income immigrants individuals and families with children. For San Francisco’s Latino-serving nonprofits, more impactful work is already being done with the same allocation of resources as pre-COVID, and this is causing a strain. Funding must be increased at this time so that the Latino community can fairly weather this crisis.鈥�

San Francisco鈥檚 Latino community was already operating under extreme trauma and duress before COVID-19 began to take its toll. Systemic inequities have now been laid bare. Equitable funding for programs to strengthen our families in the long term is also required so that a future crisis does not disproportionately affect our community once again. 

Explains Executive Director Estela Garcia of Instituto Familiar de la Raza, 鈥淭hink of our 23 Latino-serving organizations as the first responders for 鈥榚ssential鈥� workers. Cutting our budgets now would be myopic. We know through first-hand experience — and by reliable data — that the level of need will not diminish in the immediate future. If anything, it will continue to intensify. The scale of the solution must meet the scale of the problem. The Latino community is inherently strong, but the current crisis necessitates culturally relevant, well-funded resources for those on the ground — and who know our community best.鈥�

Join this important virtual press conference on Thursday, July 30, at 10:30 a.m. .

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About the San Francisco Latino Parity and Equity Coalition
The San Francisco Latino Parity and Equity Coalition (SFLPEC) is a broad-based, citywide coalition working to ensure that Latinos who live or work in San Francisco are being justly represented and provided with the resources they need to reach their full potentials. Our coalition, which represents members from leading nonprofit, housing, immigration, social service and advocate groups across the city, was established on the premise that the city鈥檚 budget should promote investments which empower Latino communities and reduce inequities for San Francisco鈥檚 Latino residents, particularly in the wake of the unprecedented affordability and displacement crisis.

members:
Accion Latina
Calle 24 Latino Cultural District
CARECEN
Catholic Charities
Centro Latino de San Francisco, Inc.
Colectivo del Rescate Cultural
Dolores Street Community Services
Excelsior Works!
Good Samaritan Family Resource Center
Horizons Unlimited
Jamestown Community Center
Instituto Familiar de la Raza
La Raza Community Resource Center
Marigold Project
MEPI
Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
秋霞伦理 (秋霞伦理)
Mission Graduates
Mission Housing Development Corporation
Mission Neighborhood Health Center (MNHC)
Mission Vocational School
PODER
The Women鈥檚 Building

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by Senior Analyst Ryan Fukumori

Organizations in the Mission District serve a community that is predominantly Latino, with many non-English speakers and immigrants, including undocumented residents. This community has disproportionately suffered the financial and health-related effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. These disparities can be attributed to preexisting structural inequalities, with many Latinos clustered in industries and residences that are vulnerable to financial loss and/or heightened risk of virus exposure. There are many critical needs among community members seeking nonprofit community-based services in the Mission District during the pandemic.

Heightened health risks for San Francisco Latinos
COVID-19 testing data shows that Latinos have been infected at much higher rates than San Francisco residents as a whole. Latinos have accounted for 50% of positive COVID-19 cases citywide, while making up only 15% of the city population. An April 2020 UCSF study of Mission District residents and workers further revealed the demographic and socioeconomic disparities in positive COVID-19 cases:

• 44% of 2,959 community members tested were Latino
• 95% of the 62 positive COVID-19 cases were Latino
• 90% of community members who tested positive cannot work from home
• 89% of community members who tested positive make less than $50,000 a year
• 12% of Latinos in California do not have health insurance, the highest total among any racial/ethnic group statewide (Source: California Health Interview Survey, 2017)

The UCSF study suggests that Latino residents鈥� high rates of employment in essential industries and other frontline jobs has been a major factor in the prevalence of COVID-19 among Latinos in the Mission District, and San Francisco as a whole.

As our medical knowledge about COVID-19 evolves, it is clear there will be long-term health implications for the spread of the novel coronavirus in Latino communities. Many people experience lingering symptoms for long periods after the initial infection. It will be crucial for Mission District organizations to provide social supports and other services for people in the process of recovering from the disease. This is especially important given the prevalence of uninsured Latinos, who are likely growing in number as community members lose their employer-sponsored healthcare amid widespread job loss.

Income loss and housing crises
Even as high rates of participation in frontline jobs has helped fuel the spread of COVID-19 among San Francisco Latinos, a far greater number of community members have lost their jobs or faced reduced income. Our community has experienced layoffs at much higher rates than San Franciscans as a whole.

For example:

• 13% unemployment rate in San Francisco as of May 2020 (up from 2% in March 2020)
• 73% of 1,358 community members seeking services have lost their job due to the pandemic 

Furthermore, most people who retained their jobs had their hours and/or pay cut. All in all, 96% of community members seeking services had lost income due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, 38% reported that another household member had also lost their job.

Our community faces a widespread crisis in being unable to pay rent: They are far less likely to still be able to pay rent than all city residents, according to data from a survey of property managers and landlords in San Francisco.

Of note:

• 3% of tenants citywide were unable to pay rent in May 2020
• 51% of our community members seeking services were unable to pay rent in May 2020

In other words, only a small fraction of San Franciscans were unable to pay rent, but a large number of our community members belong to that small fraction. While San Francisco鈥檚 moratorium laws will protect tenants from eviction due to inability to pay rent, many renters will still face increased debts from this backlog and will need additional financial assistance and planning support.

Additionally, while nearly all community members seeking services named housing as their most urgent expense, many cited other critical needs that they had trouble affording. It should be noted that 75% of community members seeking services were ineligible for the stimulus funds from the CARES Act, further compounding the difficulty of paying for basic needs.

From worsening disparities to equitable recovery
Given that San Francisco Latinos have experienced multiple adverse impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic — and at significantly heightened rates — it is crucial that community-based organizations in the Mission have the resources to support residents recovering from financial loss, housing risk, health complications or other challenges. In addition, these resources will fuel programs geared toward equitable recovery, aiming to not just meet the immediate needs of community members, but addressing the structural deficits and policies that worsened these challenges in the first place, and promoting community resiliency ahead of future potential incidents.

Pivoting from systemic crisis to equitable recovery will require action in many different areas, including these six domains:

1. Citywide expansion of affordable-housing development;  
2. Jobs across all industries with living wages, paid sick leave and health care;  
3. Policies and programs for asset-building in low-income communities;  
4. Enhancement of social services for all residents, including public health system;  
5. Equal access to computers, high-speed internet and digital literacy tools; and  
6. Decision-making and planning with community stakeholders

The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed how longtime structural inequities shaped the unequal consequences of the disease — both financial and medical — for low-income Latinos in San Francisco. It is crucial that we respond to this crisis by striving to eradicate these deeper systemic issues that the pandemic has laid bare.

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Then the catastrophic COVID-19 pandemic hit. And the community hit hardest was Latinos in the Mission.

秋霞伦理 needed to act with urgency.

One major need was to support the eight budding El Mercadito entrepreneurs located on the first floor of 秋霞伦理鈥檚 Mission neighborhood center, Plaza Adelante. That鈥檚 the colorful building you鈥檝e probably noticed at the bustling corner of Mission and 19th streets, with this intersection ready to be transformed to ameliorate the loss of income for these ventures.

The idea is to create neighborhood space — think outdoor, which is safer in a pandemic — so that some revenue can be generated to help these small businesses through the current crisis to ensure they are best positioned to thrive when things get back to normal. Well, perhaps that should be stated as 鈥渢he new normal.鈥�

秋霞伦理鈥檚 Business Development and Community Real Estate teams have been jointly developing a plan for relief — a plan ready to come to fruition via a three-phased approach commencing this week. It should also be noted that part of the strategy will enable some 秋霞伦理 staff to be able to streamline their direct client services. While that team has harnessed the power of the latest tools to remotely conduct their work, a few gaps remain and will be addressed.

The three phases are as follows: 

Phase 1. As Phase 1 unfolded earlier this week, two of our El Mercadito businesses positioned on the Mission Street side of the building. Two neighborhood favorites, Lourdes Boutique and Caf茅 de Olla, will have tables set up for efficient curbside delivery and outdoor dining. Lourdes Boutique鈥檚 popular samplings of blankets, quilts, drapes, religious dolls and home adornments will be available; after your socially distanced shopping, grab some nourishment at Caf茅 de Olla in the form of fresh Mexican coffee, tamales or breakfast items.

Hours of operation:
Lourdes Boutique: Curbside pickup Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.. 
Cafe de Olla: Monday through Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

Phase 2. Get ready for a transformation of Plaza Adelante鈥檚 19th Street south-side sidewalk starting late July. The normally blank maroon wall will become a welcoming space, backed by a City permit compliant with COVID-19 public health mandates. More retail will be brought onto this relatively wide sidewalk, complemented by 秋霞伦理 staff providing vital services for the community. Such services run the gamut from free tax preparation to comprehensive job training.

Phase 3. This final stage of the plan, which has a date dependent upon 秋霞伦理鈥檚 successful acquisition of a street-closure permit, will be evidenced by the closure of a one-block stretch of 19th Street running from Mission eastward to Capp. Vendor and 秋霞伦理 services tables will be festooned with colorful canopies and other decorations to create a lively space that, once again, will be compliant with COVID-19 public health mandates. Additionally, neighboring small businesses on the north side of 19th Street will be invited to use the space.

秋霞伦理 invites the community to support local small businesses in our reimagined safe spaces. This iteration of our El Mercadito showcases the adaptability of our community and 秋霞伦理 staff as we all counter the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, while looking to a brighter future ahead.

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