Stand Up for The Pacifica Resource Center – Sign This Petition Today

Posted on April 4, 2012 by admin

The PRC’s funding from the City of Pacifica is in jeopardy. STAND UP FOR THE PACIFICA RESOURCE CENTER by signing this online petition http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/pacifica-resource-center-online-petition/

Since July 2004, the City of Pacifica has invested $83,000 each year to provide a safety net of food, housing assistance, and other critical services to Pacifica residents struggling to make ends meet. This investment generates over $650,000 in goods and services that would not otherwise be available in Pacifica. That is an $8 return for every $1 received from the City. In 2011, the resource center used these funds to:

    • Provide 250,000 lbs of food to nearly 3,500 residents, or nearly 10% of Pacifica residents, making sure no one has to go hungry in Pacifica
    • Prevent homelessness and shelter over 100 families
    • Prepare taxes for 60+ people, generating nearly $50,000 in refunds
    • Provide happy holidays to 258 children through the Adopt a Family program and Thanksgiving help to over 150 Pacifica families.

Unfortunately, on Feb. 28, 2012, Financing City Services Task Force recommended a budget proposal that ELIMINATES all PRC funding. As the City staff develops the 2012-2013 budget and the City Council prepares to vote on the budget in June, we need your help now. We hope you’ll join us in being neighbors helping neighbors by signing this online petition http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/pacifica-resource-center-online-petition/

For more information about the impact of this cut to PRC funding, please check out our If the City ELIMINATES PRC Funding blog post on our website.

Thank you for your time.

Pacifica Resource Center Advisory Board

 

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Not Sure What to Get for Your Mother for Mother’s Day?

Posted on May 1, 2012 by admin

We invite you to honor your mother and support the PRC at the same time.

2012 Mother's Day Card

For a donation of $25 or more, we will send your mother, or any other special person you want to honor, a handmade Mother’s Day card to let them know how special they are to you.

Since the majority of the people we serve are single mothers and their children, there is no better way to help them move toward self-sufficiency while also thanking and acknowledging those who have given so much.

To make a contribution for Mother’s Day, go to our Donate Now page and select the card you want in the Pacifica Resouce Center Fundraiser section. Please also be sure to give us the name and address of the person you are honoring in the dedication section of the page. If you are sending a card in memory of someone, please be sure to give us their name and where you want the memoriam card sent.

Deadline to get a card mailed in time for Mother’s Day is Friday, May 4th.

Inside 2012 Mother's Day Card

 

Inside 2012 Mother's Day Memoriam Card

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Have a Payday Loan? Want Help Paying It Off?

Posted on April 15, 2012 by admin

Sign up for the PRC’s Payday Loan Repayment  Pilot (PLRP)!  

WHAT IS IT?

 PLRP is a savings program to help payday loan borrowers pay off existing payday loans. Every 2 weeks, when you renew your payday loan, you will deposit an additional $20 in a dedicated savings account. To help you save this extra money, the PRC will replace that income with gift cards or other resources. Once you save $200, the PRC will give you the final $55 to pay off your payday loan. After your payday loan is paid off and if you continue to save monthly, the PRC will give you $50 when you save $250, for a total savings of $300. You can then borrow against your savings in the future instead of taking out a payday loan and pay yourself back at $45 every two weeks.

THE BENEFITS

 Matched Savings:  $55 when you have saved the first $200 to pay off your payday loan, AND an additional $50 when you have saved $250 in a designated savings account.

 Inkind support:  the PRC will provide savers $40 in other support, including but not limited to grocery and other gift cards. The funds replaced by PRC gift cards must be saved.

 Permitted Uses of Funds:  initially, you must pay off your payday loan. After that, the money you can be used for future emergencies, or anything else you would have or might cover with a payday loan.

 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

Savers must:

  • Be a resident of Pacifica
  • Be over 18
  • Have earned income, or a demonstrated ability to save
  • Meet the following income guideline:

# in Household                 Maximum Annual Income*

1                                               $34,907

2                                              $55,735

3                                              $70,889

4                                              $91,597

For additional household sizes, check the self-sufficiency standard at http://www.insightcced.org/index.php?page=ca-sss.

 *Current income must be verified with at least 2 months of paycheck stubs.

 

PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

  • Develop a spending/savings plan.
  • Participate in at least 8 out of 10 financial support groups offered throughout the year.
  • Deposit $40 per month.
  • Provide monthly bank statements showing accumulated savings.
  • Complete a program evaluation before receiving matching funds.

 

 HOW DO YOU SIGN UP?

 Contact the PRC 650 738 7470 to make an appointment.

 

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Coastal 5k Family Fun Run & Festival! Saturday, August 25, 2012

Posted on April 4, 2012 by admin

Registration Open!

Runners and walkers of all levels are welcome!

      • Hosted by and benefiting the Pacifica Resource Center
      •  Adult Registration $20 before June 1st. After June 1st $25. Race day registration is $30.
      • Ages 11-17 $10.
      • Ages 10 & under FREE
      • Special Stroller Division & Pet Division!


Course: Come run along side the Pacific Ocean on paved walking paths and off road dirt trails! Course follows the shore line, passes by the historic Pacifica Pier, and circles around the gorgeous Sharp Park Golf Course created by famed golf course architect Dr. Alister MacKenzie.

If you have a little one as a running buddy register for our Stroller Division! Bring your four legged friend along and enter into our Pet Division!

Cross the finish line and head to our post race Coastal 5k Festival for live music, t–shirt pick up, face painting, kids races, local vendors, vendors from the sport and fitness industry and more!

All participants will receive a goodie bag and post race refreshments. Participants ages 11 & up will receive a t-shirt included in their price of registration. T-shirts will be available for purchase at the Coastal 5k Festival for ages 10 & under. Bring the whole family to cheer you on! Spectators welcome!

Starting line and Coastal 5k Festival located at Ingrid B. Lacey Middle School 1427 Palmetto Avenue  Pacifica, CA 94044.  Finish line will be located on Beach Drive near the Pacifica Pier.

Registration:  Registration is open!. All registration prior to race day will be online. http://www.active.com/5k-race/pacifica-ca/coastal-5k-family-fun-run-and-festival-2012

T-shirt, goodie bag & post race refreshment included in price of registration. All children 10 & under receive a participation ribbon and post race refreshment. T-shirt is available for purchase for ages 10 & under.

  • 18 & up Early Bird Registration Deal: Register before June 1st for $20. Registration after June 1st is $25. Day of Registration is $30. Cash or Check only.
  •  Children 11-17 years are $10. Children 10 & under are FREE

Event Schedule:

8:00am-8:45am           Race Check In and Same Day Race Registration

9:00am – 10:30am      Coastal 5k Family Fun Run

9:30am – 2:00pm        Coastal 5k Festival

Parking:  Street parking is available on Palmetto and at the parking lots on Beach Drive, and at the corner of Francisco and Salada Ave.

 

Coastal 5k logo designed by James Dean Booth www.jimmyhazard.com

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If the City ELIMINATES PRC Funding…

Posted on April 4, 2012 by admin

The PRC will lose nearly 20% of our funding and have to significantly reduce our services. This single cut could end the PRC as we know it.

If we lose the City of Pacifica’s $83,000 in funding, we WILL:

      • CLOSE the office on Fridays and only be available Monday-Thursday each week. This is a 12.5% reduction in office hours AND salaries across the board.
      • ELIMINATE our Back to School and Thanksgiving programs – all community-supported and loved seasonal programs. Last year we provided backpacks and school supplies to 128 Pacifica students and Thanksgiving help to over 150 Pacifica families.
      • LOSE over $160,000 in leveraged resources.
      • NOT provide 1,000 struggling Pacificans with vital food, housing, and other critical services that help stabilize their families and make Pacifica a healthier, safer community.

What can you do to help us  stop  these and  other cuts to vital City services?

Sign the Stand Up for the Pacifica Resource Center petition and join us at the next City Council meeting to make public comment in support of the PRC.

If you have questions or suggestions about our program changes resulting from the loss of City funding, please contact the PRC at 650 738 7470.

 

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PRC Open House & Press Conference on Jan. 28th

Posted on January 20, 2012 by admin

Join us to celebrate the new year and the 2012 tax season at our Open House on Saturday, January 28th from 10a-2p. There will be light refreshments and a great opportunity to meet our staff and Advisory Board, take a tour of the PRC, and learn more about the services we provide to the residents of Pacifica. 

 

We are also hosting a press conference that morning at 9:30a to launch all of San Mateo County’s Earn It! Keep It! Save It! free tax programs, including the lauch of our 2nd year of free tax services at the PRC. At the press conference you’ll hear from elected officials, including Pacifica Mayor Pete DeJarnatt, Supervisor Don Horsley, and Assemblymember Jerry Hill, as well as our Executive Director Anita M. Rees and our partners from the United Way of the Bay Area, Tax-Aid, and the IRS. They will be speaking about the importance of the Earned Income Tax Credit and free tax preparation services offered at the PRC and at various sites across the county.

A limited number of free tax preparation appointments are also available during our Open House on Saturday the 28th. After our Open House, our free tax services will be available by appointment on Wednesdays from 3-7p through April 18th and on Saturday, February 11th, March 10th, and April 14th from 10a-2p. Call the PRC at (650) 738-7470 for more information, to schedule a free tax appointment, or to RSVP for the Open House. The PRC is located at 1809 Palmetto Avenue.

We hope to see you here on Saturday!

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PRC’s City Funding is in Jeopardy!

Posted on January 9, 2012 by admin

The PRC receives $83,000 each fiscal year to provide safety net services in Pacifica. We leverage those funds, bringing in over $650,000 – nearly an $8 return on investment – from outside resources for housing, utility, and food assistance that would not otherwise be available to Pacifica. In 2011, we used these funds to:

      • Provide 250,000 lbs of food to nearly 3,500 residents, making sure no one has to go hungry in Pacifica;
      • Prevent homelessness and shelter over 100 families;
      • Prepare taxes for over 60 people, increasing incomes by nearly $50,000; and,
      • Provide happy holidays to 258 children through our Adopt a Family program and Thanksgiving help to over 150 Pacifica families.

What will happen if the City cuts PRC funding?

The PRC will lose nearly 25% of our funding and have to significantly reduce our services. This single cut could end the PRC as we know it. Potential cuts include:

      • Eliminating Back to School, Thanksgiving, and Adopt A Family programs – all community-supported and loved seasonal programs;
      • Loss of over $160,000 in leveraged resources; and,
      • Nearly 1,000 struggling Pacificans unable to get vital food, housing, and other critical services from us that help stabilize their families and make Pacifica a healthier, safer community.

What can you do to help us  stop  these and  other cuts to vital City services?

Join us at the City Budget Open House THIS Wednesday, January 11th at the Community Center from 6:30-9p, to help the City Council, City staff, and Financing City Services Task Force find solutions that PROTECT all Pacifica residents. At the meeting, you’ll be able to ask questions and prioritize City funding by completing the City’s survey.

Can’t make the meeting, then make sure your voice is heard by completing the online survey at http://www.cityofpacifica.org/financingoptions

We hope to see you at the City Budget Open House on Wednesday.

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Another Successful Holiday Season at the PRC!

Posted on January 3, 2012 by admin

Thanks to the generosity of the Pacifica community, 127 families with 258 Pacifica children had happy holidays, receiving gifts from our holiday donors through our 2011 Adopt A Family program.

We especially thank Brownies Troop 329, Cabrillo Family Dental, Gangster Book Club, Genentech, Genesis Developmental Services, Girl Scouts Troop 29, IBL Middle School, Karen Yee DDS, Manzanita Elves, Mizpah Fellowship, The Natural Disasters, N.W. Administrators, Nu Master/Beta Sigma Phi, Oceana Interact Club, Orteqa Elementary School, Pacifica Baptist Church, Pacifica Democrats, Pacifica Fog & Wine Book Club, Pacifica Libraries, Pacifica Mothers Club, Pacifica Parks Beaches and Recreation Dept., Pacifica Playschool, Pacifica Public Works Dept., Pacifica Quilters, Pacifica Realtor Community Services Group, Pacifica School District, Seaview Baptist Church, St. Peter Church Women’s Guild, Terra Nova Interact Club, Wells Fargo, and Xi Beta Zeta, as well as 79 families and individuals that “adopted” PRC families for the holidays.

In addition to providing gifts for Pacifica children whose families are struggling, we thank those who assisted with our Thanksgiving program, both at the American Legion Hall and at the PRC last month. Special thanks to Boy Scouts of all ages from the Pacific Skyline Council who collected, sorted, and stocked our pantry selves on November 19th with 2,025 pounds of food, including Jared Hansel, Cameron Langsjoen, Casey Langsjoen, Martin Gouchon, Zach Cummings, James Saitz, AJ Ornelas, Luke Ornelas, Theresa Hansel, Pat Langsjoen, Craig Cummings, Sheile Ornelas, and Colm Quinn in preparation for our Thanksgiving distributions the following week.

We also must thank Recology of the Coast for their financial donation to help fund our Thanksgiving program and to Cabrillo School Student Council, Christian Science Church, Coastside Community Church, Epsilon Theta Master, F.D. Roosevelt Elementary School, Good Shepherd, IBL Middle School, New Life Christian Fellowship, Ocean Shore School, Oceana Market, Ortega Elementary School, Pacifica Garden Club, Pacifica Playschool,  Pacifica Spindrift Players, Pacific Skies Estate, Rotary Club of Pacifica, St. Andrew Presbyterian Church, St. Peter Catholic Church, St. Peter’s Women’s Guild, and Vallemar School for organizing food drives and donating food to the PRC, as well as the numerous volunteers who picked up and sorted food donations, making sure our pantry was stocked.

The generosity of our neighbors and our donors make our Holiday Programs possible. Thanks again to all of you who helped make our 2011 holiday season another great success. Happy New Year!

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Coastbites – Local Flavors of Pacifica and the San Mateo Coast

Posted on December 19, 2011 by admin

Pacifica resident and PRC supporter, Suzanne Lamar, is planning to launch Coastbites, a webseries and local public television show to promote local food and food programs in Pacifica and along the coast. But…before she can get started she needs a little help from the community. Join me in supporting Suzanne’s Coastbites project by checking out her Kickstarter site for ways you can help!

The idea for Coastbites started when Suzanne filmed, edited, and hosted Footprints of Pacifica episode #105, “Pacifica Resource Center:  Neighbors Helping Neighbors,” a short documentary on the PRC and our programs. Given that increasing access to food is core to our work, most of the episode centered on the the PRC’s food programs, in particular where we get our food and how we distribute it to families and individuals in Pacifica.

With just 11 days left on Kickstarter, check out Coastbites and see how you, too, can support this great, local effort to promote Pacifica and the coast.

 

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PRC’s Marina Castellanos Awarded Heroes de la Sombra

Posted on November 14, 2011 by admin

Join us in congratulating Marina Castellanos for being honored by the Hispanic Business Education Network (HBEN) as a Heroes de la Sombra, or Heroes in the Shadow. Every year, HBEN honors certain people who have a quiet way of sharing their compassion, a heartfelt manner of giving back to the community. They are those with a genuine sense of caring for others and never expect recognition for such noble efforts. To learn more about Marina and her background, check out her bio on our website.

While HBEN’s 2011 honorees are not up on their website yet, we wanted to make sure you knew that we have award-winning staff here at the PRC, skillfully providing services to Pacificans struggling to make ends meet.

 

CONGRATULATIONS MARINA! You deserve this recognition and so much more!

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