As I sit to write this, I’m distracted by the rays of light intermittently entering my peripheral view as the leaves rustle with the morning breeze gracing our beautiful morning. I take notice of the auburn-red color forming, working its way to the center of the leaves, truly signaling that fall has begun. I’m quickly redirected and reminded of the complexity which lies beneath that beautiful process of color change. For some, those leaves provided live-saving shade during our recent triple-digit heats spells. For others, they provided an opportunity for mental clarity and relaxation. For me, it’s a reminder that our landscaping (literally and figuratively) is ever changing.
The needs of our community is also constantly changing. Health and Human Service delivery is complicated, difficult to navigate and often catapults people into a web of confusion. At 2-1-1, we recognize the need to provide comprehensive, effective and targeted referrals to aid our customers in becoming self-sufficient. We work closely with our County, Cities and other local resources to connect you, your family, and other residents to community-wide service organizations that focus on health, food, housing, disaster, veterans, and other specialized needs.
We don’t stop there. We recognize the need for complete wrap-around services and integrated community coordination. To that end, we are aggressively working to provide a one-of-a-kind community platform which will not only create more streamlined care for clients, but will fundamentally change the way in which services are provided. We believe in a multi-disciplinary approach to care. Gone will be the days of clients having to share the same information to multiple service providers, or service providers struggling to understand the complexity of a client’s care plan.
We look forward to sharing and engaging in this collaboration with you. Together, we can do anything.
With gratitude,
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Richard Abrusci
Executive Director, 2-1-1 Sacramento
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Holiday Giving Assistance
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Meals, Food Baskets, & Toys!
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2-1-1 Sacramento is here to help in times of need. We connect people to resources on a daily basis and in times of a disaster, but did you also know that we connect people to holiday giving programs? 2-1-1 Sacramento works with local nonprofits and faith-based organizations to keep an up-to-date list of holiday programs available in our area. Most holiday assistance programs have an application process that begins in early November and some Christmas programs begin in early December. Thanksgiving assistance includes food baskets with food to prepare your own meal as well as dates and locations for a hot turkey dinner with all of the trimmings. Christmas assistance programs include toys, food baskets, meals and Christmas trees. If you or someone you know needs a little extra help during the holidays dial 2-1-1 to speak to one of our call specialists. They will be happy to help you!
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Utility Assistance for Low-Income Customers
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You May Qualify for Assistance!
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The cost to heat and cool our homes has risen significantly in the past few years and for those living on limited income it may be a matter of buying food or medicine, or running the air conditioning. SMUD and PG&E offer several programs for income eligible customers including a discount on monthly energy costs and discounts for customers who have higher electricity costs from energy-intensive medical equipment. Weatherization programs include a free home audit and energy education. Services provided at no cost may include attic insulation, shade screens, weather stripping, and electric water heater wrap. In addition, SMUD has partnered with GRID Alternatives to provide solar panels and energy efficiency upgrades to low-income customers. For more information visit
www.smud.org or
www.pge.com.
For more information on other utility assistance programs in our area call 2-1-1 or visit
www.211sacramento.org.
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California CareForce is a group of medical professionals, community leaders, and general volunteers who provide free medical, dental, and vision care to those in need and do not require insurance, identification, or proof of immigration status. They will be offering a Sacramento Clinic September 22-24, 6 am – 5 pm, at Cal Expo located at 1600 Exposition Boulevard Sacramento, CA 95815. Services will be available for both children and adults. Be sure to plan ahead and get a wristband for next-day service. Wristbands will be distributed at 4 pm on Thursday September 21
st
, Friday September 22
nd
, and Saturday September 23
rd
at Cal Expo through the Blue Gate. One service is available per person, per day, and everyone in the family who is receiving services needs to acquire a wristband. Also, bring prescription medication, appropriate clothing, food, and drink. See you there!
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Sacramento County Coalition for Youth
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Keep Asking. Keep Talking.
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As a parent, caregiver or guardian, are you unsure of how or when to discuss the consequences of underage drinking with your children? A survey of youth in Sacramento County, showed that alcohol is their No.1 substance of choice and easiest to access. (CHKS 2014.)
There is good news: you are not alone, and there are resources available in Sacramento County to help. The Sacramento County Coalition for Youth (SCCY) was created to engage youth, families, neighborhoods, and schools in the community by providing them with the tools, education, and support needed to talk about alcohol use. The “
Talk. They Hear You.
” campaign is based on an
underage drinking prevention program designed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
. It has been proven to lower substance abuse and access for youth nationwide. The campaign provides support, tools, and resources to get the conversation started – there is even an app! The concept is to talk often, use shorter conversations, and most importantly, listen to what youth have to say.
The Sacramento campaign can be seen on billboards and bus signs, in movie theaters, magazines, newspapers and on social media. The Coalition will also provide free presentations to parent groups. “The goal is to educate the county by providing tools and support that encourage parents to act,” said Joelle Orrock, Sacramento County Coalition for Youth Coordinator. “Together we can lower the county statistics of underage drinking.”
For more information and tools on how to start talking about underage drinking, visit
www.Sacramentoccy.org
.
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Here at 2-1-1 Sacramento, we love helping people! Our Call Specialists provide information and assistance to callers to remove barriers and help make their lives better. With help from 2-1-1, a gentleman and his wife, who had been homeless for over four years, were able to find housing. A month later he required some additional assistance, so he contacted 2-1-1 again. We were able to connect him to the right resources and he thanked us for being such a wonderful program!
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2-1-1 Would Like to Thank the following:
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8001 Folsom Boulevard Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95826
(916) 447-7063 Phone
(916) 779-3335 Fax
www.211sacramento.org
directory@211sacramento.org
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Follow us on Social Media!
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