West Sacramento City Councilmember and HLI alumna Quirina Orozco is making a difference for members of her community who are most vulnerable to COVID-19
Latinas across California are leading in the response to COVID-19, from representing large parts of our essential workers to leading our state, counties and cities in local efforts. West Sacramento City Councilmember and HOPE Leadership Institute alumna Quirina Orozco is making a difference for members of her community who are most vulnerable to COVID-19, particularly homeless and housing insecure residents in her city.
We connected with the Councilmember on the incredible work she is doing, watch the video below and read on to learn more.
HOPE: What was the need that was identified in your community as a result of the pandemic?
Quirina: West Sacramento, like any city, has a number of homeless and housing insecure residents who were particularly susceptible to both the acquisition and spread of COVID-19. Many of these subjects were medically vulnerable and over the age of 65. They not only needed to be “sheltered in place” without shelter, but also suffered from extreme food insecurity without adequate means.
HOPE: What are the efforts being made to address this great need?
Quirina: In collaboration with the Yolo Food Bank, the Yolo County Children’s Alliance, the City and many volunteers, we launched a wide scale food distribution effort to feed the most food insecure in our community. In addition, the City created a Homeless Housing Task Force consisting of City staff from the Police Department, Economic Development and Housing Department, and County Health and Human Services Agency. The task force’s primary roles are to coordinate the leasing of motels for temporary housing for homeless individuals, coordinate the referral and assignment of homeless individuals to those motel rooms, and coordinate County services and support (food delivery, security, and social services including behavioral health, mental health, medical, and other services).
The Homeless Housing Task Force, particularly due to the efforts of the City’s Homeless Coordinator, continues to secure temporary housing in motels for the most medically vulnerable of the homeless population in West Sacramento. At this point, 109 homeless individuals from West Sacramento have been housed in rooms at various properties which have been secured by the County and City to meet additional need (including one master lease of an entire motel property). There are 21 subjects housed for COVID related symptoms as well as 17 over the age of 65 years.
The Yolo County Children’s Alliance also facilitated an effort to feed 70 homeless residents housed at a local hotel through a coordinated volunteer effort. This effort has encouraged partnerships between diverse sectors of our business and nonprofit community, as well as volunteers, who have all stepped up to provide warm meals to these vulnerable residents.
Finally, the Yolo Food Bank began efforts to distribute food and goods through home deliveries for residents who are too vulnerable to leave their homes. These deliveries mainly were to support homeless individuals that are temporarily housed in motels throughout the county. Sustaining the current delivery system of food and other goods to the most disadvantaged and medically vulnerable residents in the community is a critical part of COVID-19 mitigation.
I should also add that I have engaged my children in the efforts to be helpers during this difficult time. My 8 year old son Mateo made dozens of burritos to deliver to the 70 sheltered hotel residents and my daughters volunteer weekly at the food distribution efforts.
Thank you Quirina (and Mateo!) for leading during these extremely difficult times and for supporting our most vulnerable.
If you would like to support these efforts you can donate to the Yolo County Children’s Alliance (www.yolokids.org) and the Yolo Food Bank (www.yolofoodbank.org).