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On behalf of my amazing team, I'd like to wish you all a holiday full of cheer and warmth, compassion and love. Thank you for another incredible year representing District 4 at San José City Hall! We're so proud of the work we've done to help make Alviso, Berryessa, and North San José the best parts of our great city to live, work, and play. We look forward to a new year full of making progress on major issues, including housing, public safety, clean neighborhoods, and responsible environmental stewardship.

Ho-Ho-Ho! Pajama Drive Giveaway in Berryessa!

We held our annual District 4 Pajama Giveaway on Tuesday night at the old Berryessa District Office. Kids from all over the community got to meet the real Santa and pick out new PJs and toys! Merry Christmas everyone!

One Last Tree Planting Before End Of Year

Volunteers were out with Our City Forest this morning planting the last 5 trees of the year in District 4. We set an ambitious goal of planting 1000 trees in the district over 3 years and we are more than 2/3 of the way to achieving it in less than 2 years. Thank you to Our City Forest, San Jose Department of Transportation, and SJPRNS. Join us in the new year at our next community tree planting!

District 4 Night at Christmas in the Park RECAP

What a wonderful time we had at District 4 Night at Christmas in the Park last Thursday! Featuring performances from Shao Violin and Viola Studio, PHHS Lion Dance Club, PHHS Las Mariposas, Piedmont Hills High School Vietnamese Student Association, Lucas Tecson, and Mia Rios, we sang and danced, ate churros and drank hot chocolate. Christmas in the Park is a great San José tradition we look forward to all year!

San José Public Library Highlights

I'm so proud of our libraries here in San José, and they've had a banner year in 2023. Here's a partial list of what SJPLF was able to accomplish this year!

• Funds raised by SJPLF supported Library programs that expand access to educational programs, digital tools, and career resources that change lives. 

• Thanks to a generous Library Foundation donor, San José Public Library launched the online archives of more than eight decades of the San José Mercury News available to all Library cardholders from anywhere.

• More than 1,000 low-income children, half of them English language learners, received high-quality after school educational support through the SJ Learns program managed by SJPLF. 

• Alum Rock Library celebrated the opening of a new Wee PlaySpace made possible in part, by the generosity of Sunlight Giving to SJPLF.    

• In April, SJPLF was selected to take over management of the City’s Digital Inclusion Fund, which aims to close the digital divide over the next ten years by connecting 50,000 households to the internet and providing them with the digital skills needed to thrive. 

• Over 1,000 San José residents attended an SJPLF community literacy event this year, including our inaugural Family Literacy Festival, three author meetups, and a legacy literacy workshop. The events were so successful, we plan to host more in 2024.

Alviso and Berryessa Branch Library Holiday Hours:

• Christmas Holidays 
• Sunday, December 24, 2023 - Tuesday, December 26, 2023 
• Closed All Day 
• New Year's Holidays (King Library Open on January 2) 
• Sunday, December 31, 2023 - Tuesday, January 2, 2024 
• Closed All Day

Nutritional Resources Available

SAN JOSE FOOD DISTRIBUTION DURING THE WINTER HOLIDAYS: 

Many food distribution sites will be closed on certain days from December 20- January 2 and we urge residents to prepare in advance of the Dec. 25, 26, and January 1 holiday dates.  

Please note the following food and meal distribution changes: 

• SENIOR NUTRITIONAL PROGRAM (SNP) sites will be closed (as well as San José Community Centers) on December 25, 26 and January 1. SNP programs will be open on December 27, 28 and 29 (although Community Center operations will be closed). 
• MEALS ON WHEELS will deliver their Monday, December 25 meal on Friday, December 22. The Monday, January 1 meal will be delivered on Friday, December 29. Normal deliveries for the New Year will resume on Tuesday, January 2. 

In addition, the City of San José’s Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS) will post #SJWinterHolidaysFoodInfo on their social media sites during the two-week Winter Holiday period from December 20 through - January 2: https://bit.ly/SJWinterMealsTracker  

 Follow them on Facebook or Twitter for additional information.  

RESIDENTS CAN ACCESS INFORMATION regarding food distribution every Monday by using the City’s Food Distribution toolkit (https://bit.ly/SJFoodToolKit).  

TO GET FOOD:  

• Second Harvest of Silicon Valley 

1. Call 1-800-984-3663
2. Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. 
3. Their staff speaks English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin and Tagalog. Three-way interpretation is available for other languages. 
4. Text ‘FOOD’ to 876-876 
5. Get Food – Second Harvest (shfb.org) 

• Afterhours – Call 211. It’s free, confidential, and available 24/7 in multiple languages. Operated by United Way Bay Area. 

FOR WEEKLY INFORMATION ON FOOD & NECESSITIES AVAILABILITY, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AND VACCINATION INFORMATION:  

• City of San José Next Door Channel 

1. https://nextdoor.com/city/feed/? 
2. Information is posted every Sunday in the early afternoon. 

44th Annual MLK Luncheon

The Legacy of the Dream Continues.

44^th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Luncheon on Monday, January 15, 2024, from 12 noon to 2:00 p.m. This special event will be held at San Jose State University Ballroom.

Free Junk Pick Up!

We could all use a little extra space around the house this time of year, if you've got junk and clutter in your garage or yard, take advantage of this great FREE service from the City of San José! Make an appointment to get rid of old appliances and furniture, mattresses, and more. It's easy, just fill out a short form online, move your stuff to the curb, and a truck will come and take it all away!

Beautify SJ Grant Program

The City of San José is committed to supporting residents in their efforts to beautify their neighborhoods and create a cleaner and more vibrant San José.

The mission of the BeautifySJ Grant Program is to support residents’ efforts at reclaiming their public space and to empower residents to aesthetically demonstrate their pride in our City. The City believes that the power to shape the future of our neighborhoods lies in strengthening the civic participation of our residents. 

The BeautifySJ Grant Program provides funds (from $300 up to $5,000) for neighborhood clean-up efforts, beautification projects and neighborhood engagement opportunities in San José.

Beautification Projects

ADOPT-A-PARK: Adopt-A-Park is a one-year commitment to help with picking up litter, removing graffiti, removing weeds, and trimming bushes

LANDSCAPING: Landscaping (design, planting, trimming, mulching) in public spaces and city parks

GARDEN SPOTS: A Garden Spot is a small area in a City of San José park, where residents register to plant and maintain a flower garden. Garden Spots can be community projects. 

NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN-UP: Dumpster Days, Litter Pick-Ups, Graffiti Abatement

PLANTING: Planting of trees and/or any other type of planting. 

Neighborhood Quality of Life & Neighborhood Organization Building Events/Projects

NEIGHBORHOOD-LED EVENTS: National Night Out, Cultural Festivals, Community Building Events, public safety activities, neighborhood celebrations, community projects, etc. 

NEIGHBORHOOD ORGANIZATION SUPPORT: Newsletters, PO Boxes, United Neighborhoods of Santa Clara County Membership Fees, special events insurance, association web pages/domains. 

ONE-DAY VOLUNTEER EVENT AT A PARK: Your neighborhood group can work with Parks Division Volunteer Management Unit to choose a project based on the number of participants and the work that is needed. 

Neighborhood Support & Capacity Building Events/Activities

NEIGHBORHOOD GROUP OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION: Connecting neighborhood leaders to City Council and City of San José staff. Communicating and sharing resources, including funding opportunities. Conducting outreach to identify neighborhood leaders, in Equity PriorityCommunities to establish new emerging groups. Communicate and coordinate BeautifySJ funded projects thatenable multiple groups to better utilize resources. Conducting outreach to community members to foster greater engagement in joining or establishing neighborhood groups where there are no groups.

CAPACITY BUILDING: Regular engagement meetings with emerging groups and neighborhood associations to provide coaching on how to develop Bylaws, meeting agendas, and grant proposals. Provide neighborhood groups with “How toGuides” for Beautification projects. Support residents, emerging groups and associations by providing language interpretation services.

How To Apply

The BeautifySJ Grant Application is available at grants.sanjoseca.gov

March 5 Election Is Just Around the Corner!

The next big election is March 5th, 2024! The primary election is important because it's how voters decide which candidates will move on to the November General Election, but in primary races where there are only two candidates, the primary election actually decides the race and means the winner of that contest doesn't have to compete in the November General. Get more information about the upcoming March 5th Primary Election HERE.

Nonpartisan Offices

• City of San José Mayor and City Council Districts 2, 4, 6, 8, 10
• Judge of the Superior Court, Offices 1-25
• Board of Supervisors, Districts 2, 3 and 5
• County Central Committee
• Democratic Party (AD 23, 24, 25, 26, 28 and 29)
• Republican Party (SD 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
• Peace & Freedom Party (SD 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
• Green Party
• City Contest

Partisan Office

• United States President Voter-Nominated Offices
• United States Senator
• United States Senator Partial/Unexpired Term
• United States Representative in Congress, Districts 16, 17, 18 and 19
• State Senator, Districts 13 and 15
• Member of the Assembly, Districts 23, 24, 25, 26, 28 and 29

Get Flood Ready This Winter

With winter fast approaching, it's important to be ready for the possibility of storms causing flooding in your neighborhood. Do what you can to prepare before the rain comes by checking out Valley Water's Flood Ready Website.

How To Report A Crime Anonymously

Reporting crimes, regardless of their magnitude, is vital for maintaining public safety and promoting a secure community. By reporting both minor and major crimes, individuals contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the local crime landscape. This valuable information assists the police department in strategically allocating resources and determining where to increase patrols or improve surveillance. Detecting patterns of criminal activity becomes more feasible with a higher volume of reported incidents, enabling law enforcement to respond effectively and implement proactive measures to deter crime. Ultimately, reporting crimes empowers communities to actively participate in making their neighborhoods safer and more resilient against criminal activities.

Click the link below to report a crime. Hopefully you don't have a crime to report right now, but you might want to click the button and bookmark the page it takes you to.

Volunteer In Your Community

Volunteer Opportunities: 

If you are interested in volunteering, we are always in need of volunteers for a wide array of events that take place in District 4! Please consider helping out your community and joining us!

Please contact our Volunteer Coordinator, Angela Pedrigal, at angela.pedrigal@sanjoseca.gov for more information. 

Let's Be Friends!

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We post everything from emergency notifications and district specific updates to council meeting breakdowns and inside looks at life at City Hall. Got recommendations for businesses, schools, or local heroes we might want to highlight? Send us a DM!

We welcome all your feedback as comments on our posts, direct messages in our inbox, phone calls to the office. Click the links above or the icons below to connect with us.

Easily Access City Services

San Jose 311 is your gateway to City Services from vehicle blight abatement, graffiti removal, reporting fireworks, illegal dumping, pot holes, and more.

click here to get started.

Rebates up to 90% for Your Building Upgrades!

Through the San José Energy Efficient Business Program, your business can receive rebates when you make certain energy-saving upgrades. These significant rebates (80-90% off!) help make the projects more affordable, and when you combine the rebates with your lower monthly energy costs, the upgrades can quickly pay for themselves.

click here to get started.