Erica Hellerstein

Erica Hellerstein is an award-winning journalist and a reporter for The Mercury News and The California Divide project covering poverty and inequality in the Bay Area. She has covered human rights issues throughout the United States as well as in Colombia, Honduras, Argentina, Mexico, and Chile. Her writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Guardian, Marie Claire, ELLE, and the Washington Post's The Lily, among others. Her investigation into North Carolina's commercial hog farming industry won the Reed Award for Environmental Writing and was a finalist for numerous other awards. She has a BA from the Johns Hopkins University and a master's in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley.

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Latest Stories

California Divide

Not enough patients: Health clinics struggle to stay open

Community health clinics that serve some of the region’s most vulnerable residents are struggling with how to keep their doors open while patient visits plummet during the coronavirus shelter-in-place mandate. Statewide, patient visits are down by roughly half across California’s network of community clinics and health centers, leading to tens of millions in lost revenue […]

By Erica Hellerstein • April 20, 2020

California Divide

Undocumented workers face obstacles qualifying for benefits during the pandemic

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Hector had a stable job as a cook at an Italian restaurant in Oakland. Suddenly, in mid-March, about a dozen workers were laid off, including him. “There was a low clientele and the restaurant wasn’t doing well,” said Hector, who didn’t want to provide his last name due to his undocumented […]

By Jacqueline Garcia and Erica Hellerstein • April 14, 2020

California Divide

Non-English speakers struggle to file coronavirus unemployment claims

California unemployment applications can only be filed in English or Spanish, leaving a challenge for many residents who speak other languages. Many are new filers who do not understand the application process, lack internet and computer access. Traditional support groups such as nonprofits are also unable to provide in-person help.

By Erica Hellerstein • April 2, 2020

California Divide

‘Am I going to die?’ Alone and scared, confined seniors struggle with anxiety

For the past few weeks, as coronavirus radically altered daily life, 79-year-old Diana Fernandes has been struggling quietly inside her San Francisco home, weathering a challenge from within. Fernandes lives alone — her husband died in 2017 — and has been left to manage a painful foot injury and the threat of the virus on […]

By Erica Hellerstein • March 29, 2020

California Divide

Bay Area food bank opens pop-up pantries as demand rises

As Bay Area food banks scramble to meet increased demand for their services, the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank has opened seven new pop-up pantries to fill a gap left by dozens of sites that have shut down due to coronavirus and volunteer shortages. The food bank has seen about 100 of its regular 275 food […]

By Erica Hellerstein • March 24, 2020

California Divide

Covered California extends special enrollment for health coverage until June 30

As coronavirus cases rise throughout California, health officials announced Friday that Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace, would extend its special enrollment period until the end of June in an effort to provide health insurance to more people. “The human and economic impacts of the coronavirus will be far-reaching, long-lasting and impacting many Californians’ […]

By Erica Hellerstein • March 20, 2020

California Divide

‘This is like having a fire, almost every day:’ Bay Area safety net agency struggles to keep up amid coronavirus outbreak

Sunnyvale Community Services, the city’s largest safety-net agency, has been turned “upside down,” organizers say, as coronavirus cases rise in the Bay Area and the region has ordered millions of residents to shelter in place. Already, the nonprofit has had to cancel its weekly produce distribution indefinitely due to volunteer shortages and has seen a surge […]

By Erica Hellerstein • March 18, 2020

California Divide

Coronavirus: Bay Area ‘shelter in place’ order leaves businesses, workers scrambling

With Bay Area residents ordered to start sheltering at home Tuesday to help stop the spread of coronavirus, labor groups, businesses and workers are scrambling to understand how the lockdown will affect thousands of workers who aren’t telecommuting or whose jobs can’t be done remotely. On Monday, less than 24 hours after Gov. Gavin Newsom […]

By Ethan Baron and Erica Hellerstein • March 16, 2020

California Divide

Food banks face shortages of volunteers; many Bay Area pantries close as coronavirus spreads

On a typical day at the vast food bank warehouse in San Jose, 80 to 100 volunteers pack apples, oranges, pears, squash and cabbage into boxes to be shipped out to hundreds of distribution sites across Santa Clara and San Mateo counties. On Tuesday, just 17 volunteers showed up. All told, more than 1,000 volunteers […]

By Jackie Botts, Nigel Duara and Erica Hellerstein • March 13, 2020

California Divide

“Your bills don’t get sick”: Workers say coronavirus prevention isn’t easy

For five years, Mostafa Maklad has driven for rideshare companies, clearing about $100 a day after expenses. At 36, he shares a two-bedroom apartment in San Francisco with five other roommates and tries to drive up to 100 hours a week to get by. Maklad, who has driven for both Uber and Lyft and is […]

By Erica Hellerstein • March 6, 2020