Local

/

What’s Happening at Marin’s Spahr Center This Month

To join the Spahr Senior GroupMonday, 7 to 8 pm,click the purple button below the Butterfly Heart.New participants are warmly welcomed!
Topical Thursdays12:30 to 2 pm
January 7 Nancy Flaxman Facilitates! TransitionsWhen I first began working in the LGBT senior program, I was struck by how many people I met with individually who told me that their life was in transition. In my early 40’s, I thought somehow when we reach our 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s, we arrive. I then realized that we are always changing and evolving. How is your life in transition?

Check-in Mondays7 to 8 pm
We catch up with each other on how we’re doing and have unstructured conversations focused on listening and deepening community.
Jerry Schmitz can be reached at jschm117@aol.comDebbie Alcouloumre at socialcommittee@comcast.net
We encourage you to consider offering a song or a poem, play a favorite piece of music or maybe a tap dance, comedy routine or drag number. Jerry, our impresario, is incredibly skilled and patient in recording our acts on zoom well ahead of the show, making sure we performers are satisfied with the result. He will then strings them together to be shown in late February. 
The Social Committee has been consistently offering fun events to offset the boredom of the pandemic. They want to celebrate your birthday if you’ll let them know when it is. They offer a women’s coffee plus a number of times to gather on zoom over games and conversation.
In January, they are offering Farkle Fridays with Elizabeth, a Games Day, a Women’s Coffee, and a Birthday Celebration of everyone born in January on zoom, 1/12. Let them know your birthday date to be included! If you love movies, you’ll be sure to want to participate in their Special Event of the month at 3pm on January 19!
To see their January flyer, click here. (note: the flyer date for the birthday celebration isn’t correct…)To sign up for their emails, click here.
Resiliency in the Time of CoronavirusHere’s a great article in a recent Marin IJ that provides us with strategies to cope with our current circumstances, developing creative ways to engage with our lives and each other as we move into winter here.
Tis the season of hope and connectedness. Tis also, unfortunately, tis the season of scams – especially those aimed at us seniors. AARP has good advice for ways we can protect ourselves here. 
The Spahr Center has a number of tablets, i.e., small mobile computers, available to give to seniors for free!We’re also seeking ways to help teach seniors how to use them. If you would like to receive a tablet, please let Bill know: 415/450-5339 or bblackburn@thespahrcenter.org. 
The tablet would enable you to join our senior groups on zoom with video as well as access other parts of the internet.
Please Note: We’re hoping to have the tablets individuals have requested begin to be available next week.
Also in this email (below):Spahr has skilled therapists ready to work with seniors on a sliding-scale basis.Rental Assistance available.Nutrition ResourcesBisexual Support zoom group forming through The Spahr Center.
Building Community in the Midst of Sheltering-in-PlaceSee old friends and make new ones! Join us!The Spahr Center’s LGBT Senior Discussion Groupscontinue everyMonday, 7 to 8 pm& Thursday, 12:30 to 2 pm on zoom
To Join Group by Video using Computer, Smart Phone or TabletJust click this button at the start time, 6:55 pm Mondays / 12:25 pm Thursdays:Join GroupAlways the same link! Try it, it’s easy! 
To Join Group by Phone CallIf you don’t have internet connections or prefer joining by phone,call the following number at the start time,6:55 pm Mondays / 12:25 pm Thursdays:1-669-900-6833The Meeting id is 820 7368 6606#(no participant id required)The password, if requested, is 135296#
If you want to be called into the group by phone, notify Bill Blackburn at 415/450-5339
Spahr’s skilled therapists are available to work with seniors on a sliding-scale basis. Write toinfo@thespahrcenter.org.
A Bisexual Support Group is forming with The Spahr Center, facilitated by a therapist. Let Bill Blackburn know if you are interested.
Whistlestop, recently renamed Vivalon, provides access to resources including rides for older adults. Please note: there is a 3-week registration process for the ride program so register now if you think you may need rides in the future. They also offer free classes on zoom including zumba, yoga, chair exercises, & ukulele! Click here.
Adult and Aging Service’s Information and Assistance Line, providing information and referrals to the full range of services available to older adults, adults with disabilities and their family caregivers, has a new phone number and email address: 415/473-INFO (4636) 8:30 am to 4:30 pm weekdays473INFO@marincounty.org
The Spahr Center is opening its Food Pantry to seniors who need support in meeting their nutrition needs. We want to help! Items such as fresh meats, eggs and dairy, prepared meals, pasta, sauces, and canned goods are delivered weekly to people who sign up. Contact The Spahr Center for more information: info@thespahrcenter.org or 415/457.2487
Trouble paying rent? Check out these short videos from Marin County:1. Marin County Eviction Ban2. If you can’t pay your rent3. Paying the rent that you owe4.Help is available
Marin Center for Independent Living is offering various kinds of support to people with disabilities as well as older adults to prepare them for possible Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).Click here: MarinCIL
Has your employment or business been impacted by COVID-19? Check out these local resources…click here: WorkForce Alliance
Snap Back Assistance, up to $800 for COVID-19 affected workers:Call: 415/473-3300 
Free Covid-19 Testing 

Questions? Assistance? 
We have resources and volunteers for:grocery deliveryfood assistancehelp with technology issues such as using zoomproviding weekly comfort calls to check in on youtherapy with Spahr therapists on a sliding scale basisplus more!

Bill Blackburn, Senior Program Coordinatorbblackburn@thespahrcenter.org415/450-5339

/

SoCo Not Likely to End Stay-at-home Orders January 9

,

Sonoma County is unlikely to end its current stay-at-home order when it is set to expire the night of Jan. 9, Health Officer Dr. Sundari Mase said during her final public briefing of 2020.

As coronavirus spreads locally at the highest rate of the pandemic while parts of the state are struggling to provide enough hospital beds for patients, it’s no shock that Mase is less than optimistic about reopening in a week and a half.

That order, announced by California Gov. Gavin Newsom Dec. 3, ties the ability to gather in backyards and eat outdoors at restaurants to a region’s ICU bed availability. On Dec. 10, Sonoma and 10 other Bay Area counties preemptively adopted a collective stay-at-home order as the region approached the 15% availability threshold established by Newsom.

It’s hard to gain an accurate read on ICU capacity, a measure that can be fluid based on staffing and contingency plans. But the most up-to-date data from the California Department of Public Health shows Sonoma County with 20 available staffed ICU beds as of Tuesday. The county is licensed for 77 ICU beds, though that number can be lower based on available staffing.

Twenty available beds would put local hospitals above the 15% mark. But Mase said the overall Bay Area availability rate is at 7.5%, giving Sonoma and the other 10 counties little chance of escaping what many refer to as a “lockdown.”

While Sonoma County hospital officials insist there are no current shortages of beds or staffing at their facilities, most of the metrics have gotten considerably worse since Mase issued the local order three weeks ago. In the 19 days following her announcement on Dec. 10, the county reported 3,170 new coronavirus cases, or 16.8% of all cases since the start of the pandemic. The daily average since Dec. 10 has been 242. Before then, Sonoma County exceeded that number just two days in seven months.

Even the good news is being tempered. One positive note through most of December has been the absence of fatality clusters at local skilled nursing centers and other congregant living sites for seniors. But as the county acknowledged Wednesday, that doesn’t mean the virus isn’t infiltrating local nursing homes again.

Kate Pack, health program manager of Sonoma County’s epidemiology team, said that since Dec. 8, 44 elder care facilities have reported at least one case among staff or residents, with 24 categorized as outbreaks — defined as three or more cases among staff, or one COVID-positive resident if the infection is determined to have been acquired on-site. Pack cited a total of between 243 and 249 cases here during the month in senior homes, including 137 in Santa Rosa and 59 in Petaluma.

/

Russian River Holiday Parade Re-branded as “Season of Lights Ride”

Friends of Stumptown Present
“Season of Lights Ride”
December 18, 19, 20 and December 25, 26, 27 from 5:30 pm to 8:30 pm
 
So you can drive around with your family and friends safe in your car. You will vote on the best place on the Friends of Stumptown Facebook Page. Post your pictures and vote for your favorite place. Don’t forget to look for Santa! He will be giving out treats somewhere on the route each night of this event!
 
Guerneville
14935 Old Cazadero Road
15880 Wright Drive
14611 River Road, Guerneville
17809 Beach Avenue
15460 Drake Road
5 and 10, 16252 Main Street
16386 Cutten Drive
14700 Orchard Lane
14226 Cherry Street
14291 Laurel Road
Corner of Laurel Rod and Old Cazadero Road
17627 Orchard Avenue
16205 First Street (Smart Pizza, Hernandez Realty and Shakedown)
16440 4th Street
 
Behind the Bank on Church Street
(16290 Main Street)
Come see all the trees decorated by different businesses, including
Boon Brand
5&10
King’s Sport and Tackle
Big Bottom Market
Russian River Art Gallery
River Queen
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence
The Guerneville Bank Club
Main Street Bistro
Blue Door Art Gallery
Rio Rio Vintage Clothing & Art
Equality Vines
Visiting hours for the garden will be Wednesdays through Sundays from 4-7.

Rio Nido
14746 Rio Nido Road
14745 Rio Nido Road
15120 Rio Nido Road
16343 Rio Nido Road
14750 Eagles Nest Lane
 
Monte Rio
21517 Highland Terrace
 
Special THANK YOU to Russian River Chamber of Commerce and The County of Sonoma for helping make this event happen and keeping us safe! Thank you also to Karin Moss for all you’re doing to help our community.
 
If you see a house that’s not on the list take pictures and post. We want to see all the great houses!
 
 

/

For the Holidays, Please Give to Face to Face as They Work to End HIV in SoCo

Greetings!
Whether you joined us last night for our Holiday Virtual Year End Event or have attended our Holiday San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus in the past you know that one of our long-standing traditions is the “passing of the Basket!” Your generosity over the years continue to amaze us as you reach into your pockets to donate what you can to our mission. Since we can’t gather in person, this year we are “passing the basket” virtually to you here today! If you can reach into your pocket and contribute to our work we would be so appreciative. Your help can make a big difference in the lives of the clients we service on a daily basis. 
Thank You & Happy Holidays from the Face to Face Family!
PASS THE BASKET &  CONTRIBUTE

/ / /

Order of the Health Officer C19-17: Implementing The Terms Of The Regional Stay At Home Order

Sonoma County on Saturday will join five other Bay Area counties that have issued stay-home orders to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The stay-home order will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, the county announced on its website Thursday afternoon, citing rising COVID-19 case numbers and hospitalizations.

Under the order, residents will be directed to stay at home except for work, shopping, outdoor recreation or other essential activities, such as medical appointments, allowed under the state’s regional shelter-in-place order. All sectors, other than retail and essential operations, were ordered to close. The new restrictions will remain in place until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021.

Under the order, retail operations will be allowed to continue at 20% capacity, or 35% capacity for stand-alone grocery stores. Restaurants will be able to offer take-out, pick up, or delivery. Schools that have received waivers will be allowed to continue operation. Outdoor services are allowed at places of worship.

Hotels, vacation rentals and other lodging will only be allowed to offer accommodations for essential workers or the purpose of isolating people to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Additionally, overnight stays at campgrounds will not be permitted.

The following operations will be required to cease both indoor and outdoor services:

  • Hair salons and barbershops
  • Personal care services
  • Movie theaters (except for drive-in theaters)
  • Wineries, bars, breweries and distilleries (except for operations related to production, manufacturing, distribution and retail sales for off-site consumption)

County’s Health Orders and Guidance are updated as needed based on changing State requirements and current local needs as determined by the County Health Officer. In order to see the most current orders that may supersede any previous order, please view local orders and guidance, and state orders.

The public can see what’s open and what’s closed in Sonoma County to find more details on what businesses are currently open in Sonoma County. The California Blueprint for a Safer Economy provides information on the state’s criteria for loosening and tightening restrictions on activities.

DATE OF AMENDMENT: December 10, 2020

Please read this Order carefully. Violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both. (California Health and Safety Code § 120275, et seq.)

UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF CALIFORNIA HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE SECTIONS 101040, 101085, AND 120175, THE HEALTH OFFICER OF THE COUNTY OF SONOMA (“HEALTH OFFICER”) ORDERS:

  1. Summary.  To slow the spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (“COVID-19”), this Order of the Sonoma County Health Officer implements the restrictions on businesses and activities set forth in the December 3, 2020, Regional Stay at Home Order and the December 6, 2020 Supplement to Regional Stay at Home Order issued by the California Department of Public Health.
  2. Effective Date and Time.  This order takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, December 12, 2020, and will remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on Saturday, January 9, 2021, unless it is extended, rescinded, superseded, or amended in writing by the Health Officer or State Public Health Officer.
  3. Basis for Order.  Sonoma County is in the midst of a local, regional and statewide surge of COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations that began in the middle of October 2020.  On October 1, 2020, the seven-day average COVID-19 adjusted daily case rate was 13.3 cases per 100,000 people in the County.  According to the most recently reported data, by December 9, 2020, the adjusted rate had nearly doubled, to 25.8 cases per 100,000 persons in the County.  Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients have also increased, from a seven-day average of 17.8 patients in County hospitals as of October 1, 2020, to a seven-day average of 49.1 patients in County hospitals as of December 9, 2020.Data reported by the State of California indicates that 10 percent to 30 percent of COVID-19 patients will require intensive care.  Of 65 COVID-19 patients hospitalized in the County on December 9, 2020, 11 were in intensive care units (ICUs), and only 10 staffed ICU beds were available in the County for all patients, leaving the County with 18.2% percent available ICU capacity.  Available ICU capacity in hospitals in the Bay Area region was 17.8 percent on December 9, 2020, and is projected to fall to 15 percent by December 14, 2020.  If the current trends continue, according to State projections, Bay Area hospitals collectively may be operating at 91 percent of their full capacity by December 24, 2020, and by January 1, 2021, the demand for ICU beds may exceed the current supply.Surge plans are in place to convert non-ICU hospital beds to ICU beds if necessary, and move non-COVID-19 patients to temporary hospital facilities.  However, due to limitations in the availability of qualified and trained medical personnel, expanding ICU capacity in this manner is not ideal from the standpoint of patient care.  For this reason, the objective now is to manage existing ICU capacity so that all patients who need intensive care have access to an ICU bed.  Reducing the number of transmissions of the COVID-19 virus is critical to meeting this objective.Gatherings of people – social or otherwise – pose risks of virus transmission, even with social distancing and the use face coverings, as neither is 100 percent effective in preventing transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19.  The transmission risk is higher indoors than outdoors, but even outdoor gatherings can result in viral transmissions, particularly in locations where people remove their face coverings to eat or drink.  Large gatherings are more risky than small gatherings, and prolonged interactions – i.e., longer than 15 minutes – are more risky than brief interactions.Reducing the maximum occupancy of businesses has been shown to reduce the risk of transmission of the COVID-19 virus.  Based on models of the effect of occupancy limitations, researchers found that a substantial reduction in the maximum occupancy of a business substantially reduces virus spread but does not as sharply reduce the number of visits to the business.  In the Chicago metropolitan area, for example, a cap on occupancy of businesses at 20 percent of the maximum was found to reduce the predicted number of new infections by more than 80 percent but there was a loss of only 42 percent of overall visits.  Because of the current case and hospitalization rates, it is necessary to impose additional restrictions on businesses and personal activities.The California Department of Public Health issued a Regional Stay at Home Order on December 3, 2020, and a Supplement to Regional Stay at Home Order on December 6, 2020, which impose new restrictions on gatherings, travel, and business activities, effective regionally based when available ICU capacity drops below 15 percent.  To protect the health and safety of County residents, it is necessary to implement the State Order restrictions before the State Order becomes effective regionally.
  4. Implementation of State Order.  The restrictions set forth in the State’s Regional Stay at Home Order, issued on December 3, 2020, the December 6, 2020 Supplement, and any further amendments, supplements, or guidance issued by the State will apply throughout the County. The Regional Stay at Home Order can be located here: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Guidance.aspx https://covid19.ca.gov/stay-home-except-for-essential-needs/
  5. Other Orders.  To the extent that this Order conflicts with the Health Officer’s June 18, 2020, Order (C19-15), as amended, which authorizes businesses to operate in the County in accordance with State guidelines and restrictions applicable to the tier of the State Blueprint that the County is in, or any other Order issued by the Health Officer in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this Order will control.
  6. Enforcement.  Pursuant to Government Code sections 26602 and 41601 and Health and Safety Code section 101029, the Health Officer requests that the Sheriff and all chiefs of police in the County ensure compliance with and enforce this Order.  The Sheriff, chiefs of police, County Counsel, District Attorney, and city attorneys are empowered to ensure compliance with and enforce this Order within their jurisdictions. The violation of any provision of this Order constitutes an imminent threat and menace to public health, constitutes a public nuisance, and is punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both.
  7. Justification.  The Health Officer has determined that this Order, and its Prior Shelter Orders, were and are necessary because cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed throughout the County.  COVID-19 is highly contagious and has a propensity to spread in various ways including, but not limited to, by attaching to surfaces or remaining in the air, resulting in physical damage and/or physical loss.
  8. Public Distribution.  Copies of this Order shall promptly be: (1) made available at the County Administration Center at 575 Administration Drive, Santa Rosa CA 95403; (2) posted on the County Public Health Department website (https://sonomacounty.ca.gov/Health/Public-Health/) and (https://socoemergency.org/); and (3) provided to any member of the public requesting a copy of this Order.
  9. Severability.  If any provision of this Order to the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held to be invalid, the reminder of the Order, including the application of such part or provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected and shall continue in full force and effect.  To this end, the provisions of this Order are severable.

/

Family Justice Center’s virtual fundraiser and silent auction, “Hope is Not Cancelled” Happens Tonight

You are invited to join us for the Family Justice Center’s virtual fundraiser and silent auction, “Hope is Not Cancelled.” 

Click on https://fjcsonomacounty.cbo.io  to view information about the event and by scrolling to the bottom of the page, you can preview the auction items before you register.   If you are interested in bidding on an item and/or viewing the live event, then register and you will be set!  Once registered you can bid from the convenience of your computer or phone until the auction closes on Friday evening. The silent auction starts today, December 9th, at noon and will close following the live event on Friday, December 11th.   

The live event with Senator Mike McGuire will be on December 11, 2020 at 5:00 p.m., please take the time to sit down with a glass of wine and enjoy the one hour event. I promise you will be touched. 

Every dollar you bid will go to support critical services for victims and survivors of domestic violence, elder abuse, child abuse and sexual assault.  Besides bidding, you can contribute to our Fund-A-Need during the live event or on the auction site.   Anyone who donates $500 or more to the FJC Fund-A-Need will receive a bottle Natural’ California Champagne from Korbel, my amazing employer and event sponsor, as a celebratory thank you!   We have many great items that will make wonderful holiday gifts and premium wines for your holiday celebrations including:1.  Paris on the Terrace for Two at Jordan Vineyard and Winery2.  Family Pass to the USS Hornet Museum3.  Dinner for 8 at Wild Oak Saddle Club4.  Wine Tastings at Cuvaison,Taft Street Winery, Portalupi, Hook and Ladder, Mill Creek Vineyards and many other wineries5.  Gift Certificate for $200 at Rivers End Restaurant6.  Locally Crafted Custom Bluebird Nesting Box7.  Double Magnums, Magnums and bottles of exclusive wines from James Family Cellars, Siduri, Dutton-Goldfield, Russian River Vineyards and many more8.  Dinner for 4 at Baci Restaurant in Healdsburg9.  Gift Baskets from Amy’s Kitchen, Willibee’s Wine & Spirits, Bottle Barn and the Museum of Sonoma County You can also meet our new Executive Director, Marsha Lucien, during the live event and take a virtual tour of the center and see inspiring short (I promise!) videos about the great work being done by the Family Justice Center.  Now, more than ever, we need to keep hope alive for victims of abuse.   

I hope you will join us,Jill RavitchFJCSC Foundation Board If you prefer to make a contribution by check please mail it to: Family Justice Center Sonoma County, 2755 Mendocino Avenue, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.  If you want to let me know about your mail-in contribution before 3:00 p.m. on Friday, December 11th, I will make sure that it is doubled by one of our live event matching donors.  If you are contributing through the website or during the event, this will happen automatically and you don’t need to notify me (unless, of course you want to)!  Thank you to all my friends and family for your support and contributions for the FJC, I assure you that it is a wonderful place doing wonderful things for many people.   

/

Happening this Month at Marin’s Spahr Center

Community and Connection DuringAnother Covid-19 Caused Shutdown 
Residents of the Bay Area have once again been asked to stay at home through at least the end of December, except when conducting essential business, and also to scrupulously observe prevention practices including mask wearing, social distancing and frequent handwashing. We know that stay at home orders are truly difficult for all of our constituents, and very likely to deepen isolation and depression to troublesome levels. This is especially true during the Holidays, when all of us hope for and are accustomed to gathering with friends and loved ones for warmth and celebration. 
The Spahr Center wants to remind our clients and supporters that we are here for you during this time. We continue to hold discussion groups and social activities by Zoom. Our therapists are available to provide support. We will help you to build or maintain community and connection as best we can – during and after Covid. Reach us at info@thespahrcenter.org or 415.886.8551. 
Art by @hellomynameiswednesday.
Many Hands Make Light Work –Volunteer with The Spahr Center!
As an essential business during the Covid-19 emergency, The Spahr Center operates programs that have to continue serving people no matter what! This includes our food pantry and syringe access program, as well as programs that keep our clients connected to community to prevent isolation and depression. (See our story on the new Friendly Visitor program.) All of these programs need additional hands to ensure that HIV-positive and LGBTQ+ people in Marin have the support they need.
We are sensitive to the fact that much of the work we do must be done in our Corte Madera office. We take mask wearing, distancing and cleanliness very seriously, and will create the safest possible experience for our volunteers! 
If you are interested in working with us, please contact info@thespahrcenter.org, or call 415.886.8551 to discuss. 
Friendly Visits for LGBT Seniors –Our Newest Program
The Spahr Center serves a wonderful and large group of seniors through discussion groups, counseling services, and social activities (many of which are provided by our friends at the Social Committee). These services help to build community and belonging for LGBT seniors, and are among our most rewarding offerings. We know that there are many additional LGBT seniors in Marin County who are living alone or in residential care facilities who feel very isolated from their peers, and long for connection – especially during Covid! 
With support from the Marin County Non-Profit Community Partner Program, Horizons Foundation and Westamerica Bank, The Spahr Center is launching a Friendly Visitor Program. We are recruiting volunteers to be trained to be in regular contact with an LGBT senior by phone or over Zoom to share stories, discuss mutual interests and form a friendship. We also plan to connect seniors new to our LGBT programs to all of the services provided by The Spahr Center.
We welcome Spahrklers (Spahrkle readers) to let us know if you are aware of an LGBT senior who might enjoy participating in the Friendly Visitor Program. Additionally, we seek volunteers who have 2 to 5 hours a week to serve as Friendly Visitors! This involves some training, making weekly visits, and reporting back to our staff every week about how things are going.
Please contact Bill Blackburn at bblackburn@thespahrcenter.org if you would like to help!
Make Your End of Tax Year Donation Today – Support The Spahr Center to Achieve its New Strategic Plan!
On November 23, The Spahr Center released its Strategic Plan to guide our programs and advocacy from 2021 to 2025. It is a bold and visionary road map to respond to the needs and aspirations articulated by 150 community members and service providers. Our 6 Priorities and 15 action items will further ensure that members of the HIV and LGBTQ+ communities feel better connected to one another and supported; that a comprehensive, quality system of medical and social services exists to meet their needs; and that Marin’s residents and key institutions are fully embracing. We encourage you to review our Plan at www.thespahrcenter.org.
We ask that our supporters make a generous contribution to help us carry out our vision of an LGBTQ+ and HIV community that is connected, empowered, and thriving within a supportive Marin County. Please consider making a monthly pledge to sustain the life-saving and life-affirming work of this one-of-a-kind agency. Visit https://www.mightycause.com/organization/spahrcenter TODAY!  
Follow Our Lifesaving Harm Reduction ProgramsOn Twitter! @4harmreduction
The Spahr Center protects dozens of lives every year through its program to provide sterile syringes to injection drug users and collect used syringes, as well as its program to distribute Naloxone widely to prevent opioid related overdoses. The program is funded by the State of California, County of Marin and private foundations to prevent HIV infection, hepatitis C infection and overdoses, as well as to link individuals to needed medical care and other social services.   
We encourage Spahrkle readers to learn more about the principles of and approaches to harm reduction at www.harmreduction.org and also to follow our harm reduction program on Twitter: @4harmreduction. And please see our related interview with Lyra Smith in this issue of Spahrkle!
Spotlight on the Great People of the Spahr Center – Focus on Lyra Smith
With this issue of Spahrkle, we launch a monthly profile of some of the wonderful clients, staff members, volunteers, donors, and supporters who deliver the important programs of The Spahr Center and contribute to its culture of compassion and outstanding service to the community. We start with Lyra Smith!
In December, Lyra took on the important role of Development Assistant here at Spahr to support our fundraising activities. Lyra continues her service as a super-dedicated and effective volunteer with the Syringe Access Program – helping to staff sites at which we provide sterile syringes, hand out Naloxone to prevent overdoses, and link injection drug users to medical and social support programs. We are so grateful to Lyra for her enthusiastic and conscientious work for the community.
Rhiannon Saltzman, The Spahr Center’s Harm Reduction Manager, had a sit down with Lyra to ask her a few questions about her life and activities. See her responses by clicking here:    
Focus on Lyra
School Board Candidate Forums Show Huge Potential for LGBTQ+ School Advocacy
This year, The Spahr Center’s held student-led candidate forums for the Tamalpais Union, San Rafael, Sausalito/Marin City, and Novato school board races. The forums were live streamed over Facebook and facilitated by members of our Social Justice Fellowship and Middle School Leadership Institute programs. The forums proved to be very generative spaces that allowed candidates to hear the needs of LGBTQ+ students in their schools and express their commitments to providing more support. The youth participants voiced immense amounts of excitement for how all of the candidates participating enthusiastically engaged with LGBTQ+ issues and brainstormed possibilities for the future.
Some of the ideas generated by school board members included a district-level LGBTQ+ task force, increased counseling resources, needs assessments, curriculum revisions, cultural competency, and more! It was powerful for these ideas to come from school board candidates, and The Spahr Center is excited to collaborate with those who have now been elected. Stay tuned for more updates on the youth program’s advocacy work moving forward!
Chiqui Diaz, member of The Spahr Center’s Social Justice Fellowship Program, wins California activism award! 
Chiqui was one of 6 young people from across the state named “Voices for Change” by the California Endowment. The Youth Awards honor young leaders who engage civically, volunteer locally, advocate for important causes, or encourage engagement among their peers. The award seeks to recognize youth who take brave action when faced with deep-rooted systemic barriers and injustice, have shown up in their community as agents of change, have made a positive impact on their community at large, and will continue to evolve as leaders in the years ahead.
The California Endowment describes the youth as “agents of change who have dedicated themselves to the hard work of addressing social injustices or inequalities in their local community or state. And we completely agree! Chiqui is an incredible community activist. We wanted to share more about her work in Marin County. Read more about her here:
Focus on Chiqui

/

This Month at Marin’s The Spahr Center

December 10
Learning How to Build ResilienceDuring the Long PandemicLet’s take a renewed dive into coping with our need to shelter in place to maintain our safety. We’ll look at strategies to cope with our circumstances and develop creative ways to engage with our lives and each other as we move into winter.
Check-in Mondays7 to 8 pm
We catch up with each other on how we’re doing and have unstructured conversations focused on listening and deepening community.
The Social Committee has been consistently offering fun events to offset the boredom of the pandemic. They want to celebrate your birthday if you’ll let them know when it is. They offer a women’s coffee plus a number of times to gather on zoom over games and conversation.December events include the birthday celebration, 12/8, the Slogan Game, 12/15, and a holiday scavenger hunt, 12/22.Check out their December flyer here.To sign up for their emails, click here.
Tis the season of hope and connectedness. Tis also, unfortunately, the season of scams – especially those aimed at us seniors. AARP has good advice for ways we can protect ourselves here. 
The Spahr Center has a number of tablets, i.e., small mobile computers, available to give to seniors for free!We’re also seeking ways to help teach seniors how to use them. If you would like to receive a tablet, please let Bill know:bblackburn@thespahrcenter.org. 415/450-5339.
They would enable you to join our senior groups on zoom with video as well as access other parts of the internet.
Roster of Spahr Seniors FormingRecently, some of our seniors have been asking that we create a roster of contact information – email &/or phone number – so people can get in touch with each other outside the groups. We’re happy to do so and to distribute it among those who want to be on it. Let us know if you would like to be part of it and what information you would like shared. 
And in the meantime, we can always forward your contact information to someone else you would like to connect with to allow them to get in touch with you.
Also in this email (below):Spahr has skilled therapists ready to work with seniors on a sliding-scale basis.Rental Assistance available.Nutrition ResourcesBisexual Support zoom group forming through The Spahr Center.
Building Community in the Midst of Sheltering-in-PlaceSee old friends and make new ones! Join us!The Spahr Center’s LGBT Senior Discussion Groupscontinue everyMonday, 7 to 8 pm& Thursday, 12:30 to 2 pm on zoom
To Join Group by Video using Computer, Smart Phone or TabletJust click this button at the start time, 6:55 pm Mondays / 12:25 pm Thursdays:Join GroupAlways the same link! Try it, it’s easy! 
To Join Group by Phone Call
If you don’t have internet connections or prefer joining by phone,call the following number at the start time,6:55 pm Mondays / 12:25 pm Thursdays:1-669-900-6833The Meeting id is 820 7368 6606#(no participant id required)The password, if requested, is 135296#
If you want to be called into the group by phone, notify Bill Blackburn 415/450-5339
Spahr’s skilled therapists are available to work with seniors on a sliding-scale basis. Write toinfo@thespahrcenter.org.
A Bisexual Support Group is forming with The Spahr Center, facilitated by a therapist. Let Bill Blackburn know if you are interested.
Whistlestop, recently renamed Vivalon, provides access to resources including rides for older adults. Please note: there is a 3-week registration process for the ride program so register now if you think you may need rides in the future. They also offer free classes on zoom including zumba, yoga, chair exercises, & ukulele! Click here.
Adult and Aging Service’s Information and Assistance Line, providing information and referrals to the full range of services available to older adults, adults with disabilities and their family caregivers, has a new phone number and email address: 415/473-INFO (4636) 8:30 am to 4:30 pm weekdays473INFO@marincounty.org
The Spahr Center is opening its Food Pantry to seniors who need support in meeting their nutrition needs. We want to help! Items such as fresh meats, eggs and dairy, prepared meals, pasta, sauces, and canned goods are delivered weekly to people who sign up. Contact The Spahr Center for more information: info@thespahrcenter.org or 415/457.2487
Trouble paying rent? Check out these short videos from Marin County:1. Marin County Eviction Ban2. If you can’t pay your rent3. Paying the rent that you owe4.Help is available
Marin Center for Independent Living is offering various kinds of support to people with disabilities as well as older adults to prepare them for possible Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS).Click here: MarinCIL
Has your employment or business been impacted by COVID-19? Check out these local resources…click here: WorkForce Alliance
Snap Back Assistance, up to $800 for COVID-19 affected workers:Call: 415/473-3300 
Free Covid-19 Testing 

Questions? Assistance? 
We have resources and volunteers for:grocery deliveryfood assistancehelp with technology issues such as using zoomproviding weekly comfort calls to check in on youtherapy with Spahr therapists on a sliding scale basisplus more!

Bill Blackburn, Senior Program Coordinatorbblackburn@thespahrcenter.org415/450-5339

/

Dining (In) Out for Life – Food for Thought Benefit Happens Today

Dine In and Give Back on Thursday, December 3rd to support local restaurants and Food For Thought by participating in this year’s Dining IN For Life event!
Participating is easy! Simply…
1. Order takeout from a participating restaurant and enjoy your meal from the comfort of your home!
VIEW RESTAURANT LIST
2. Make a donation to Food For Thought and support our work of providing healing food + love to more than 2,000 people living with HIV, COVID-19 and other serious illnesses in Sonoma County.
DONATE
Our local restaurant community has been severely impacted by the pandemic. Because of this, we’re not asking our restaurant partners for a donation this year. So your gift to Food For Thought is more important than ever!
Help us spread the word!
Forward this email and invite your friends and family to order takeout and donate to Food For Thought on Thursday, December 3rd. 
Get involved and volunteer as a virtual ambassador! Create a personal ambassador page and fundraise for Food For Thought.
Food For Thought’s mission is to foster health and healing with food and compassion.
Food For Thought | (707) 887-1647 | FFTfoodbank.org
«‹ 50 51 52 53›»