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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 • 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 • March 20, 2020
Day laborers looking for work on street corners are among the groups most at risk for Coronavirus. Photo by La Opinión archive
California Divide
Day laborer centers close due to coronavirus, lack of work
The coronavirus pandemic has forced the closure of many day laborer centers throughout the country, including most in California, putting thousands of people out of work. “We did it to protect workers, the community and employers. It is not good that 50 labor workers are together in a center waiting for a job,” said Pablo […]
By • March 20, 2020
Elizabeth Hopkins, left, fills Sal Vega’s shopping bag with canned goods at a food distribution site in Martinez, CA. Vega, 76, wears a mask, gloves and sunglasses to protect himself while out of the house. Photo by Anne Wernikoff for CalMatters
California Divide
More Californians are hungry, seeking help amid coronavirus job losses
A line of 500 to 600 people standing six feet apart snaked around a parking lot and multiple city blocks in downtown Los Angeles. Many were hotel and restaurant workers, Dodger Stadium employees and airline chefs. All had lost their jobs or were working reduced hours amid the coronavirus pandemic. One by one, they walked […]
By • March 19, 2020
Martin Lee, a local resident, loads a bag of food into a vehicle at the Sunnyvale Community Services food distribution site, Wednesday, March 18, 2020, in Sunnyvale, Calif. The social services organization has seen a bid drop in their volunteers, many of whom are senior citizens. Photo by Karl Mondon/Bay Area News Group
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 • March 18, 2020
California Divide
Can’t pay your power bill? Don’t worry, you’re safe for now as California utilities suspend shutoffs
Six utilities serving more than 21 million Californians have announced that they will not shut off customers’ power for non-payment as the coronavirus continues to disrupt daily life. Southern California Edison, Pacific Gas & Electric, San Diego Gas & Electric and Pacific Power are taking the step until further notice. The Los Angeles Department of […]
By and • March 13, 2020
A large sign hangs over the warehouse that says, 'Thank you volunteers' in the volunteer center at the Alameda County Community Food Bank on July 25, 2019. The food bank relies on roughly 100 volunteers every day to package thousands of meals to be distributed. Photo by Anne Wernikoff/CalMatters
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 , and • March 13, 2020

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