Meals on Wheels Eviction Postponed for 6 Months

Santa Cruz County, CA — Community Bridges applauds the decision of the Live Oak School District (LOSD) Board of Trustees to extend Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County’s lease at the Live Oak Senior Center for six months, to June 30, 2023. 

Meals on Wheels, which has operated out of the Live Oak Senior Center since 1977, was first given a 6 month notice of non-renewal on May 4 by LOSD, which seeks to construct workforce housing on the property at 1777 Capitola Road.  

The new eviction date provides an opportunity for Meals on Wheels, which operates under Community Bridges, and the LOSD community to work together and envision a project that can address the community’s needs, or reach an alternative solution that would allow continued senior focused operations at the site and the desired teacher housing. 

Along with the LOSD Board’s decision to extend the lease, the Trustees also approved the creation of a sub-committee to discuss the future development of workforce housing at the site. The sub-committee will be facilitated by the Superintendent and include two Trustees, labor representatives, administrative representatives, parents, staff, and community partners. 

The Live Oak Senior Center has served as the primary kitchen and distribution center for Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County since 1977 and allows us to complete and address our mission of serving over 800 clients with nutritious meals.  

Last year, Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County distributed roughly 250,000 meals to seniors, many of them homebound and living below the poverty line. 

In late 2018, LOSD informed Community Bridges that they were seeking to rethink the use of the property. Community Bridges, Meals on Wheels has been actively engaged in conversations with the LOSD for the last four years. This includes the possibility of a mixed-use housing project that could help address the dire need for housing as well as maintain the needed services Meals on Wheels provides for seniors. Community Bridges is also committed to maintain the site in proper working order and has made numerous offers to repair the center in exchange for an extended lease.  

Community Bridges has also engaged with local, county and state officials as well as various stakeholders to try to help identify a new location, should the LOSD follow through on the eviction.  

At this time, we are in intermediate stages of a location in Santa Cruz. This location would require serious investment of close to $2 million of renovation and repair and up to 2 years to complete the necessary improvements.  

As a result, we will need to decentralize the MOW operations across the community and use existing kitchen facilities at Elderday and City of Watsonville to perform preparation of congregate meal service should we lose the LOSD site. In addition, additional cost for renovations and needed capital improvement will be made to address the new impacts to the kitchens. We will also need to spend additional dollars in additional rental expense to secure the necessary freezer space for the Home Delivered Meal program while we look to centralize our kitchen operations once again using thousands of dollars on capital projects at the expense of meals for seniors.  

ABOUT COMMUNITY BRIDGES  

Community Bridges envisions a thriving community where every person has the opportunity to unleash their full potential. Together, our family of programs delivers essential services, provides equitable access to resources, and advocates for health and dignity across every stage of life. To learn more, please visit www.communitybridges.org.  

The Community Bridges family of programs includes the Child & Adult Care Food Program, Early Education Division, Women, Infants and Children (WIC), La Manzana Community Resources, Live Oak Community Resources, Mountain Community Resources, Nueva Vista Community Resources, Elderday Adult Day Health Care, Lift Line and Meals on Wheels for Santa Cruz County. 

The County of Santa Cruz is undertaking an effort to improve economic, racial, age, disability, gender, geographic and other forms of diversity within its commissions and committees.The County is hosting community workshops beginning next week to facilitate community conversations around County commissions and their purpose, including how and why to participate, the lack of representation and how this impacts the community, and the resources or support needed to ensure the diversity of our government reflects the diversity of our community.- Learn more about the County and County advisory bodies- Find out how and why you should participate- Let us know what resources or support are needed for participationJune 14, 6:00pmCapitola Branch Library2005 Wharf Road, CapitolaJune 21, 6:00pmZoom OnlyMeeting ID: 827 4502 8186Password: 128142June 16, 6:00pmWatsonville Center for the Arts375 Main St, WatsonvilleJune 22, 6:00pmSheriff's Community Service Center790 Green Valley Rd, WatsonvilleSpanish translation/interpretation, Light meal/snacks,Childcare at Watsonville locations and Gift cards for participants over 18 ... See MoreSee Less
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El condado de Santa Cruz está llevando a cabo un esfuerzo para mejorar la diversidad económica, racial, de edad, de discapacidad, de género, geográfica y otras formas de diversidad dentro de sus comisiones y comités.El Condado está organizando talleres comunitarios a partir de la próxima semana para facilitar las conversaciones de la comunidad en torno a las comisiones del Condado y su propósito, incluyendo cómo y por qué participar, la falta de representación y cómo esto afecta a la comunidad, y los recursos o el apoyo necesario para garantizar la diversidad de nuestro gobierno refleja la diversidad de nuestra comunidad.- Más información sobre el Condado y los órganos consultivos del Condado- Averigüe cómo y por qué debería participar- Háganos saber qué recursos o apoyo son necesarios para la participación14 de junio, 6:00pmBiblioteca Capitola Branch2005 Wharf Road, Capitola21 de junio, 6:00pmSólo ZoomReunión ID: 827 4502 8186Contraseña: 12814216 de junio, 6:00pmCentro de las Artes de Watsonville375 Main St, Watsonville22 de Junio, 6:00pmCentro de Servicios Comunitarios del Sheriff790 Green Valley Rd, WatsonvilleTraducción/interpretación en español, Comida ligera/meriendas,Cuidado de niños en Watsonville y tarjetas de regalo para participantes mayores de 18 años. ... See MoreSee Less
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Thanks to the funds the Monterey County Supervisors recently approved, more economic assistance is now available for families and individuals in Monterey County impacted by the winter and spring storms!You may qualify for a grant between $450-750 if you: • Have a monthly income between 0-200% of the Federal Poverty Limit • Were affected by the cumulative effects of recent disastrous weather events• Live in Monterey County Residents whose homes have been identified as Red and Orange tagged via the Monterey County's CalFire Assessment Map and those who are ineligible for FEMA and previous funding assistance will be prioritized.You do not need to apply for this grant if Community Bridges or Catholic Charities have already assessed or helped you receive economic assistance. We are actively reaching out to people already in our system and those who did not previously qualify for funds.If you have not applied for or received assistance through Community Bridges or Catholic Charities, please call us.Catholic Charities: (831) 316-9122• Serving: Residents of Salinas and South Monterey County; Chualar, Gonzalez, Soledad, Greenfield, King City, San Lucas, San Ardo, etc.Community Bridges: (831) 724-2997• Serving: Residents of the Monterey Peninsula & North Monterey County: Pajaro, Royal Oaks, Las Lomas, etc.For more information about this program, visit bit.ly/45QqSIUFor a list of all assistance available to families who the recent storms have impacted, visit communitybridges.org/emergency ... See MoreSee Less
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¡Gracias a los fondos que los supervisores del condado de Monterey aprobaron recientemente, ahora hay más asistencia económica disponible para familias e individuos en el condado de Monterey afectados por las tormentas de invierno y primavera!Puede calificar para una ayuda entre $450-750 si:• Tiene un ingreso mensual entre 0-200% del Límite Federal de Pobreza• Se fueron afectados por los efectos acumulativos de recientes eventos climáticos desastrosos• Viven en el condado de MontereySe dará prioridad a los residentes cuyas casas hayan sido identificadas como rojas y naranjas a través del Mapa de evaluación de CalFire del condado de Monterey y aquellos que no sean elegibles para FEMA y asistencia financiera anterior.No es necesario que solicite esta ayuda si Puentes De La Comunidad (a través de La Manzana) o Caridades Católicas ya lo evaluaron o lo ayudaron a recibir asistencia económica. Nos estamos acercando activamente a las personas que ya están en nuestro sistema y a aquellas que no calificaron previamente para recibir fondos.Si no ha solicitado o recibido asistencia a través de Puentes De La Comunidad o Caridades Católicas, llámenos.Caridades Católicas: (831) 316-9122• Sirviendo: Residentes de Salinas y el Sur del Condado de Monterey; Chualar, González, Soledad, Greenfield, King City, San Lucas, San Ardo, etc.Puentes De La Comunidad: (831) 724-2997• Sirviendo: Residentes de la península de Monterey y el norte del condado de Monterey: Pájaro, Royal Oaks, Las Lomas, etc.Para obtener más información sobre este programa, visite bit.ly/45QqSIUPara obtener una lista de toda la asistencia disponible para las familias afectadas por las recientes tormentas, visite communitybridges.org/emergency ... See MoreSee Less
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