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Sonoma County residents and workers impacted by recent fires may be eligible for Disaster CalFresh benefits to provide funds for food purchases under temporary regulations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (also known as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP). Wednesday, October 25 through Wednesday, November 1, Disaster CalFresh applications will be taken at three County of Sonoma Human Services Department Economic Assistance offices. The CalFresh program issues a benefit amount, based on household income, to an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card. The card can be used like a debit card at participating food outlets and farmers markets. These Economic […]

To mobilize for disaster response and relief, LGBTQ Connection works closely in partnership with its sibling programs across local nonprofit, “On The Move”. After news of the numerous fires ravaging throughout Napa and Sonoma Counties, the organization focused its efforts to support the North Bay’s most vulnerable youth, including foster parents, transitioning foster youth, homeless youth, youth transitioning from other systems of care, Latino and immigrant youth and LGBTQ youth.  Following the Napa and Sonoma wildfire disaster that began on Monday, October 9, 2017, service delivery and relief efforts for LGBTQ Connection have included: Providing safe spaces: LGBTQ Connection Centers […]

Dear Community, As we and our communities wake up from a third night of terrible fires and shifting winds, we are thankful that so many of you have reached out to offer love and support. We continue to mobilize and connect with and support our staff, program participants and communities. Here is updated information about On The Move’s programs, services, needs and relief efforts: Programs & services: Several of our centers are open today with modified hours, as community gathering spots, with food, free WiFi, and phone charging stations, for any community members who comes by: VOICES Napa / LGBTQ […]

Some offices of the Sonoma County Human Services Department will be closed Wednesday, October 11, due to the effects of the devastating fires in Sonoma County. Services are still available in-person in some offices to clients who need emergency benefits and online options continue to be available. Check for updates on this website or by calling 2-1-1. Human Services employee social workers are going to the evacuation shelters to help residents with social services. Open to the public as of this morning, Adult and Aging, including Veterans Services Office, 3725 Westwind Blvd., Santa Rosa. Phone 565-5900. In addition, some offices’ phones are now repaired […]

In order to better serve our gay and transgender youth,  LGBTQ Connection is offering a FREE training! Often, people want to support gay & trans youth, but don’t know how. Sometimes, this fear gets in the way of being an advocate for others. Our training is designed to meet people where they are at to create the change necessary to make our youth able to feel safe and grow. Even individuals who are well versed in this topic have a lot to gain from the conversations generated & the resources available in our space. “Reaching and Serving LGBTQ Youth in […]

The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors largely agreed Tuesday with how the county’s independent law enforcement watchdog has approached its role over the past year and a half, even amid some lingering critiques that surfaced following the release last month of the agency’s first annual report.While the board signaled support for Jerry Threet, who runs the nascent agency set up to review the Sheriff’s Office, two supervisors, Shirlee Zane and David Rabbitt, repeated their calls for the watchdog to keep its top focus on one of its roles — audits of internal sheriff’s department investigations. “The audits continue to be […]