Dear friends,
The past month has been full of growth and new involvement opportunities for Monument Impact and our community members, and we are excited to share them with you. First, Monument Impact has been selected as one of the grant recipients for the Latino Power Fund led by the Latino Community Foundation which aims to mobilize and steward the distribution and implementation of the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). This grant gives us the opportunity to educate our elected leaders about the need to support the economic recovery of communities of color who were the most seriously impacted by COVID-19.
We are also completing the work needed to open our Antioch satellite office to the public, and we are looking to hire two community organizing fellows who will be based there. If you are interested in supporting and mobilizing the communities of East Contra Costa County, please consider applying here. Additionally, we are hiring a full-time Community Organizer to join our team.
We are also working closely with our partners ahead of the next iteration of a landlord anti-harassment ordinance by the Concord City Council, calling for stronger and enforceable protections for renters with low-incomes, many of them being women of color and single moms. Please consider writing an email to the council, and in the near future providing public comments at an upcoming city council meeting. In a similar vein, we continue to advocate with our allies on a package of tenant protections in Antioch. We will keep you posted with the latest updates and calls to action in our newsletters and on social media.
It is thanks to our staff, partners and advocates, donors, board members, and community members that we have been able to lay the foundation for these exciting new opportunities that will further support our immigrant and refugee neighbors and ensure their voices are heard.
In community,
Debra Ballinger, Executive Director
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Concord Needs a Strong Anti-Harassment Ordinance |
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Renters are being impacted by the rising tide of landlord harassment which threatens to displace renters, particularly women of color and single moms. This harassment takes many forms, such as illegally entering to demand rent, refusing to address pests or replace appliances, and otherwise permitting unsafe living conditions. Harassment is an effective tool to push people out of their homes, often creating the hostile conditions for renters to self-evict under pressure.
We are working closely with our allies East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE) and the Raise the Roof Coalition ahead of the next iteration of the Concord City Council’s anti-harassment ordinance to ensure it is comprehensive and enforceable. Learn more about this effort, and consider writing an email to the Council about this issue and the need to include impacted tenants in their decision-making.
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Antioch Satellite Office Update |
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We would like to thank our office furniture donors for helping us put together our conference room and an office space. Thank you, Stephanie Bonham at AAA Business Supplies and Interiors and Alex Navarro, our community organizer!
There are still a few things we need, and we would love your help! Here’s our wishlist:
- Desks
- 55” Flat-screen TV for our conference room
- Area rugs
- Refrigerator
- Toaster Oven
If you have any questions and/or would like to make a donation, please give us a call at (925) 682-8248 ext. 2300.
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Free Legal Clinics for Tenants |
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Having trouble with your landlord? Monument Impact provides free virtual tenant legal clinics the first and third Tuesdays of every month from 6 - 8 p.m. on Zoom.
Spaces are limited. To join one of our clinics, please call the corresponding number below. Leave a voicemail with your name and phone number to register.
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Antioch & East County
1st Tuesdays of the month
Call (925) 529-4843
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Concord & Central County
3rd Tuesdays of the month
Call (925) 240-3441
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Emergency Rental Assistance Program |
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Eviction protections were extended through June 2022 for individuals who submitted qualifying applications for rent relief on or before March 31, 2022 for rent owed between April 2020 - March 2022. Unless your local city/county has an additional moratorium, rent and utilities are due starting April 1, 2022, and monthly, moving forward. |
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Monument Moves, our physical activity program, is back in the parks! We invite you to join us in person at either Cambridge Park, Ellis Park or Meadow Homes Park. Click here to view our class schedule. Follow our Healthy Community Facebook group for the latest updates. We hope to see you soon!
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COVID-19 Vaccine Outreach |
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Our Healthy Communities promotores (community health advocates) are currently working on two campaigns to increase COVID-19 vaccinations.
In the first few weeks of April, they shared information about the benefits of the vaccine, hand sanitizer, masks, and home testing kits to more than 900 community members.
Come see Monument Impact at Contra Costa Health Services’ upcoming vaccination events. Our next one is at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Oakley on Saturday, May 14 from 8:30-10:30 a.m.
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Is your child vaccinated? If so, you could win a Samsung tablet! |
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If your child (ages 5-17) got vaccinated from February 1 - April 27, you can enter our raffle for a chance to win a Samsung Galaxy Tablet! Text our Healthy Community team at (925) 222-5671 a photo of their “I got vaccinated” sticker or pin or a photo of them wearing their mask and holding their vaccine card. (They can block their name on the card with their fingers.) The winners will be announced on our Facebook Live event on April 27 at 2 p.m.
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Emerging Business Support |
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photo courtesy of Brite Windows |
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With over fifteen years of experience, Eric Padilla decided to start his own window cleaning business, Brite Windows, with the assistance of Monument Impact in 2017. Since then and with the addition of one employee, he doubled his clientele list and increased his income by 70%.
Eric Padilla was one of our technology program participants in 2013, where he learned how to better manage his small business finances and client invoices. He also learned how to design his website and create marketing materials to promote his business.
“Anything can be accomplished with hard work and dedication,” said Eric Padilla.
If you are a Concord resident and would like to start your own business, please contact Edith Guillen at edith@monumentimpact.org or 925-682-8248 ext. 2105. Services are currently available to Concord residents only.
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Meet Our Volunteers, Cynthia and Diego |
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Meet Cynthia and Diego, high school juniors at Ygnacio Valley High School born and raised in Concord. Cynthia is the niece of one of our day labor members, Tomas, and the daughter of a former technology program participant. While speaking with her uncle, she learned that the day labor members were trying to partner with an English as a Second Language (ESL) class to better communicate with employers. After learning this, she decided to get involved with Monument Impact, alongside her friend Diego.
Since January, Cynthia and Diego have volunteered every Wednesday to meet with eight of our day labor members and support them with English language skills to better communicate with employers.
Diego shares, “This experience has been rewarding for me, and I enjoy interacting with such a committed group of hardworking members of the day labor program.”
“We truly admire their willingness and commitment,” says Elba Velasquez, Program Director. “We could not be any more grateful that these young local talents decided to support Monument Impact’s mission.”
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Meet Our Newest Staff Member |
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Alejandra Villagran is our new Healthy Community Coordinator, supporting our various programs to increase healthy lifestyles. Alejandra was inspired to work at Monument Impact because she finds joy and fulfillment in knowing she is making a difference in the community where she grew up and in sharing tools and resources with individuals who need them most.
Originally from Guatemala. Alejandra grew up in Concord. Before beginning her work at Monument Impact, she attended California State University, East Bay, and received a bachelor’s degree in health science. She enjoys going to the gym and playing the piano in her spare time.
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