Home: Highlights
Don’t Miss This Leadership Development Opportunity
The Boards and Commissions Leadership Institute (BCLI) is recruiting low-income and people of color from San Mateo County to join their next cohort of fellows. There will be an informational session on October 8 from 6pm to 7:30pm at 225 37th Avenue, San Mateo (Room 100). Applications are due October 20. BCLI is a six-month leadership program that supports low-income communities and people of color to access decision-making roles.
San Mateo County Looks to Improve Community Health through Walking and Biking Opportunities
San Mateo County is working on its first ever active transportation plan that will be published in Spring 2020. Led by our colleagues at the Office of Sustainability, we are still seeking input (English and Spanish) on how to best strengthen the county’s walking and biking environments, particularly in denser neighborhoods such as North Fair Oaks where we see higher numbers of collisions involving people walking and biking. Please share your thoughts on how to support safe and active transportation!
Boards and Commissions Vacancies
San Mateo County Bike & Pedestrian Advisory
Committee: There is one vacancy for residents in
Districts 1,2, 4 or 5. This five-member committee advises the
Board of Supervisors on funding, projects, programs and policies
related to improving and increasing bicycling and walking
transportation. Applications
are being accepted until September 6th.
Farming for Pay Equity
Recent federal report shows an underrepresentation of women and minority farmers as agriculture loan recipients. The county’s Vision for a San Mateo County Food and Farm bill (summarized here) recommends prioritizing strategies to create a local food system that addresses inequities such as these in all aspects of the food and farming system.
Improving Health through Equitable Fee Policies
Dear Get Healthy SMC Partners,
One of my favorite things about this job is the chance to learn about issues impacting our most vulnerable in our County and ways we can advance health equity by building financial security for all people. One issue we’ve been researching recently is the impact local fines and fees can have on residents’ ability to grow their assets and savings.
SMC Youth Commissioner Profile
Check out the profile of the new chair of the San Mateo County Youth Commission
Youth Leadership Institute Supports Youth Voices on Healthy, Equitable Communities
In its fourth year of developing local youth to be community leaders on transportation policy, the Youth Leadership Institute has been working with 13 youth leaders from communities in Half Moon Bay and Daly City to continue and expand their leadership. Funded through the Get Healthy SMC Community Implementation Funding, this year’s youth leadership academy is focusing on the intersectionality of transportation and housing.
That’s a Wrap: Lessons from the Community Collaborative for Children’s Success Planning Process
Over the last year and a half, four communities in San Mateo County have been hard at work looking for solutions to overcome barriers to youth success. Despite busy schedules and competing priorities, over 1,000 community members showed their investment in young people’s futures by taking surveys, attending night meetings, knocking on doors, talking to neighbors and digging deep with their communities to come together around top priorities.
Phase I: Moving into Plan Implementation
South San Francisco and North Fair Oaks are off and running with implementation! Both communities held small implementation group meetings and are discussing opportunities to move forward with plan implementation. South San Francisco has unique interest in training for police officers and providing additional activities for children and young people. In North Fair Oaks, stakeholders have momentum for investing in mental health connections and preventative mental health measures.
SMC Youth Commission Closes a Successful Year!
The end of May marks the end of another SMC Youth Commission cohort. Key achievements of this cohort includes the adoption of a Indigenous People’s Resolution, the recommendation of Social Host Ordinance and the public support for sustainable policies that will help the county cope with climate change.
Balancing Stable and Safe Housing
People who live in healthy, affordable places live longer, healthier lives. One way low-income communities have been coping with the affordability crisis is by subdividing their single-family homes and converting their garages into second units to accommodate friends, relatives or renters. Second units have been a part of low-income communities before they became a trendy strategy to augment the much-needed supply of housing.
Engaging for Community Health
In Health Policy and Planning, one of our goals is to support policies that ensure all residents can choose an active or public transportation choice when desired. Right now is also a good time to have your voice heard in various bike and pedestrian plan updates throughout the County. There are currently at least four bike and pedestrian plan updates underway in the County, in various stages of input and planning, that include: Daly City, the City of San Mateo, San Mateo County, and South San Francisco, and one Transportation Master Plan in Menlo Park. These plans are tools and
Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition Is Leading With Equity!
The Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC) has developed a framework and a set of goals to advance its commitment to equity and social justice. By identifying values such as equity, access, community power, sustainability and empathy, SVBC staff will work to realize its vision for a community that values, includes and encourages bicycling for all people.
Ready to Serve on the SMC Youth Commission?
The SMC Youth Commission (SMCYC) is recruiting youth between the ages of 13 to 20 who reside in San Mateo County to serve on the commission for the 2019-2020 term. The SMCYC advises the Board of Supervisors and other county departments on the needs and concerns of the county’s youth with the goal of informing policies that can improve the well-being of and the conditions for all youth to thrive in San Mateo County. Share the opportunity with any youth leaders you know! Applications are due May 24, 2019.
SMC Youth Commission Adopts Indigenous People’s Day Resolution
With the intent to acknowledge the contributions of and the historical injustices suffered by Native American communities, the SMC Youth Commission adopted a resolution and a recommendation to the Board of Supervisors to recognize the second Monday of October as Indigenous People’s Day instead of Columbus Day, which is the current name of the Federal holiday.
Party But Do it Safely: Board of Supervisors Takes Action to Discourage Underage Drinking
The SMC Youth Commission got a win this month with the Board of Supervisors approving one of their suggested policies, known as the Social Host Ordinance, to discourage the consumption of alcohol and other drugs by minors. Originally proposed by SMC Youth Commission in partnership with Behavioral Health and Recovery Services in 2018, the ordinance fines hosts of parties that make alcohol and other drugs available to minors.
More Capacity, More Opportunities to Advance An Equitable, Local Food System
Community Alliance with Family Farmers (CAFF) was recently selected to help lead the San Mateo Food System Alliance (SMFSA). The Alliance is a collaboration of community leaders working to improve all aspects of the local food system including local farms, workers, consumers and the environment.
Increasing School Breakfast Participation to Address Food Insecurity
Greetings Get Healthy SMC Partners,