NCJW Weekly Advocacy Wrap-Up: May 7
NCJW CA is not going to let the continuing pandemic stand in the way of our advocacy for the issues and people we care about! In fact, advocacy this year is more important than ever, so we will be holding our second virtual NCJW CA Lobby Day on May 26, 9 am-12 pm via Zoom. Join us on behalf of the women, families and children of California – no experience needed.

Here is a glance at our schedule:
  • 9 am-12 pm: We will join other NCJW California advocates to hear from the Executive Director of the legendary Equal Rights Advocates and also listen to speakers from organizations leading the fight in each of our issue areas and much more! 
  • 12:30-5:30 pm: We are currently scheduling virtual "meetings" (either via Zoom or telephone) with legislators and/or legislative staff from our districts. Reach out to us to participate or we’ll be reaching out to you!

Priority Areas and Bills and Budget Asks
  • Food Insecurity SB 364 (Skinner) will provide free school meals for all children.
  • Childcare Access AB 92 (Reyes) will eliminate state-mandated family fees for childcare through October 2022.
Budget Asks:
  • COVID relief: freezing family fees for all families; increasing subsidies for essential workers and parents at risk; supports and stipends for child care providers
  • Ongoing: increasing subsidies for families on the waiting list; increasing reimbursement rates for all providers; building supply
  • Homelessness SB 234 (Weiner) will create a program to develop housing for youth under 26 years who have transitioned from foster care and are experiencing homelessness.
Budget Asks:
  • Create a forgivable loan program of $100 million to be used to create new housing or acquire existing housing
  • A portion of the funds will be targeted for loans to be used for housing pre-development costs, site acquisition and rehabilitation, architectural and design costs, and the construction or refurbishing of sites.
  • Reproductive Service Access SB 379 (Weiner) will prohibit UC Health from contracting with facilities where UC healthcare staff are prevented from providing comprehensive reproductive and LBTQ health services.
  • Poverty Reduction SB 691 (Rubio) will permanently increase the California Earned Income Tax Credit for workers excluded from the federal EITC based on their income or lack of eligible dependents. It would also expand eligibility for the Young Child Tax Credit.
Questions? contact Advocacy Co-VPs Cynthia Gordon or Deb Lelchuk at advocacy@ncjwlongbeach.org.
Move with JFCS of Long Beach for mental health awareness all month long! Walk, run, ride, roll, or swim the distance of your choice, wherever and whenever you want, while helping people in our area as they struggle to emerge from the pervasive effects of COVID-19. Join or organize a team, or take advantage of our Family Plan where kids 17 and under are free with a paying adult. Visit www.racewithaview.com for information and registration. Contact Pattie Davidson with any questions: 562.427.7916.
Planned Parenthood announces the launch of a 2-part Advocacy Ambassador Training Series. Volunteers who want to take their involvement to the next level will learn new skills and strategies for the important outreach and advocacy work we need to do in order to shape the future of sexual and reproductive health care in California and beyond! 
 
The Advocacy Ambassador 101 training on Saturday May 29 from 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM will cover basics about Planned Parenthood services, advocacy, messaging, story sharing, and a look at the fight ahead. We will build a network of passionate advocates across Orange and San Bernardino Counties who can help support and build on the advancement of access to care. Save the date for the 201 training on June 26, more details to come.
 
Upon completion of the training series, you will receive certification as a Planned Parenthood Advocacy Ambassador - something you can proudly add to a resume and rep in the community! Every participant will receive food delivery credit and of course, Planned Parenthood Swag. Register today at: bit.ly/CAFambassador101
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has begun operations for
their humanitarian shelter, located at the Long Beach Convention Center, for
unaccompanied children arriving from the border of Mexico.
and supplies.

If you would like to help, there are several ways you can show your love for these kids:

Book Donation
One of the first things you can do is donate a book. They have launched a drive for books in English and Spanish.

Volunteer
Organizations and any individual interested in volunteering can also learn more about the temporary shelter and fill out a volunteer interest form.

Donate
For anyone interested in making a monetary donation, the Long Beach Community Foundation has created the Migrant Children Support Fund. 
Celebrate World Refugee Day with a Drive-in Movie
Sunday, June 20 at 5:30 pm

Please join the Orange County Jewish Coalition for Refugees and bring your family and friends to The Mess Hall in Tustin for a fun, socially-distanced drive-in movie to celebrate World Refugee Day 2021. We will be showing the film, The Good Lie, starring Reese Witherspoon. Snacks and dinner, as well as raffle tickets, will be available for purchase. Proceeds will help OCJCR continue to assist refugees and asylum seekers.
From NCJW:
Building an Economy That Helps Families
NCJW continues to push for the American Families Plan and American Jobs Plan to be adopted by Congress. These plans will allow us to rebuild the economy not just to where we were before the pandemic, but to a place where it is inclusive and responsive to the needs of everyone living in our country. We need you to take action now! Urge your Sections and communities to tell Congress to craft an American Families Plan and American Jobs Planthat includes items that will tangibly benefit women, children, and families in America.

Support the Judicial Confirmations of Ketanji Brown Jackson, Candace Jackson-Akiwumi, and Tiffany Cunningham! 
On April 28th, the Senate Judiciary Committee began its first set of hearings on President Biden’s judicial nomination slate. NCJW is supporting Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, Candace Jackson-Akiwumi to the US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, and Tiffany Cunningham to the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. 

For more actions you can take visit www.ncjw.org