Blum Community Engaged Interns Summer 2023

Youth Homeless Response Team – Allison Rosenmerkel

The Community Action Board (CAB) oversees multiple anti-poverty programs across Santa Cruz County. CAB programs provide services, assistance, and training to approximately 11,000 low-income county residents annually, in areas including housing, employment, immigration, and emergency assistance.

As one of CAB’s Homeless Prevention and Intervention Services, YHRT reaches out to and connects homeless and at-risk unaccompanied youth and young adults to individualized services and assistance to meet needs related to housing, education, employment and support networks. The intern will assist the YHRT Coordinator and Case Managers, provide referrals, assist clients in accessing services and meeting personal goals, and support the program’s data/outcomes tracking system. Reports to the YHRT Coordinator. Bilingual (English/Spanish) language skills preferred but not required.

Second Harvest Food Bank – Camilla Pereira, Volunteer Outreach Coordinator

Second Harvest Food Bank’s (SHFB) mission is to end hunger through healthy food, education and leadership. Only with adequate food and nutrition can children learn, adults work, and our community thrive. In Santa Cruz County, 1 in 5 people face hunger. For children it’s 1 in 4. Hunger is not inevitable. SHFB is working hard to feed people who need food now and to advocate for policies that tackle the root causes of hunger.

The Volunteer Coordinator Intern will assist in meeting the organization’s demands for recruitment, placement, scheduling, coordination, recognition, and retention of volunteers. The intern will receive training and on-going support from SHFB staff, and will work closely with the Volunteer Program Manager and Director of Human Resources to create an internship experience that will adapt to the student’s skills and strengths. For example, this internship might involve preparing a collection of community stories focusing on women, food, and health. Additional duties may include answering phones, assisting walk-in customers, and other responsibilities. Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred but not required.

Homeless Garden Project – Cameron Roth, Value Added Enterprise intern

The Homeless Garden Project (HGP) is a Santa Cruz-based nonprofit organization that provides job training, transitional employment and support services to individuals experiencing homelessness, with the goal of securing stable housing and employment for program participants. In recent years, HGP graduates have demonstrated a 90% success rate on average. HGP operates a 3.5-acre farm, a robust volunteer program and a value-added enterprise that manufactures and sells an assortment of products including bath & body, food & beverage, candles, wreaths, and more. Our transitional employment program takes place on our organic farm and in two related enterprises–the farm enterprises and our Value-Added Enterprise (VAE). Trainees “add value” to farm materials by producing over 40 products. We aim to operate well-run enterprises that give our trainees opportunities to master job skills, and a place for the community to challenge assumptions about homelessness and to support our work and the people we serve.

This internship will focus on HGP’s Value-Added Enterprise production, particularly on-farm production of materials used in products. The enterprise starts with seed, progresses through planting, tending plants, harvest, workshop production and sales. The internship will be in-person at the farm, workshop and store. No language requirement.

Community Action Board – Osvaldo Macias, Administrative Assistant

CAB’s central office in Watsonville coordinates the agency’s anti-poverty work, including overseeing seven programs within the county. The intern will provide administrative support to the Administrative Coordinator and Executive team with a focus on daily operations and advancement efforts, which include fundraising, marketing/branding, and events. Responsibilities will include: a) creating and maintaining strong organizational systems, forms, and processes; b) assisting with special projects, events, and agency efforts, including newsletters, brochures, correspondence, website and social media management; and/or c) supporting the agency’s efforts to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. Requires an understanding of proper office methods, techniques, and practices, including filing systems, customer service and business correspondence, and an interest in nonprofit administration and management. Bilingual (English/Spanish) language skills preferred but not required.

Community Action Board – Kimberly Cortez-Solorio, Rental Assistance Program

RAP supports community members of Santa Cruz County with financial assistance for past due rent. The intern will support the call line, data entry, case management (depending on schedule), and assist the RAP Case Managers with other duties as assigned. Reports to the Homeless Prevention and Intervention Services Programs Coordinator. Bilingual (English/Spanish) language skills required.

Davenport Resource Service Center – Leslie Lopez, Immigration Services

Working with the program director, the Immigration Law Advocate will help to support the Davenport Resource Service Center’s Immigration Legal Services department, which provides low-cost legal assistance for eligible low-income individuals and families on the North Coast of Santa Cruz County. The intern will support this program by screening clients, filling out immigration forms, and advocating for immigrants in our community who need legal information and referrals. Bilingual (English/Spanish) language skills preferred but not required. Intern will need transportation to Davenport.

Santa Cruz Community Health – Sufia Singh, Outreach and Enrollment intern

Santa Cruz Community Health (SCCH) is a federally qualified health center serving the low-income population, with three primary care clinics located in north Santa Cruz County. Their mission is to improve the health of their patients and the community and to advocate feminist goals of social, political, and economic equality. Driven by a commitment to health care as a human right, SCCH provides high-quality, affordable and comprehensive health services in English and Spanish to all ages, gender identities, ethnicities, abilities and sexual orientations, regardless of their ability to pay. To learn more about SCCH, its mission, clinics and current projects, see: https://www.schealthcenters.org/

This internship will focus on providing support to one of two SCCH programs, depending on the interests of the student intern. The Outreach and Enrollment program, which helps low-income residents enroll in services such as Medi-Cal and also runs a food distribution program. The intern will also have an opportunity to assist on a limited basis with other SCCH programs, such as the launch of a new medical abortion service. Bilingual (English and Spanish) language skills preferred but not required.

Women in Leadership for Diverse Representation (WILDR) – Elizabeth Hidalgo, Communications intern

WILDR is committed to realizing more diverse representation by women in elected and appointed positions in Santa Cruz County. We support progressive women who reflect the communities they serve through training, networking, and leadership development. Our vision is a democracy where elected officials and other leaders reflect the population, serving in roles that uplift all people in equity and justice.

The intern will focus on building participation in WILDR among our target audience which is younger, racially and ethnically diverse women as well as those from diverse economic and educational backgrounds. The intern wil accomplish this by preparing, coordinating and delivering presentations in person and virtually to groups in Santa Cruz County that include our target audience. The intern will additionally assist with outreach efforts via social media to build participation and sustain participation by those already engaged in WILDR.

Davenport Resource Service Center – Angelica Perez, Food and Family Advocate

The Food and Family Service Advocate will support a variety of programs at the Davenport Resource Service Center (DRSC), a CAB program providing emergency and poverty prevention services to low-income families on the North Coast of Santa Cruz County. This includes weekly food distributions, our Summer Lunch program for youth, and outreach and education efforts, which focus on financial education, emergency preparedness, and COVID-19 safety. The intern will work with DRSC’s staff to support the operation of these essential services, including set up and break down for community events and distributions, and various forms of outreach through call, text, flyers and other platforms as identified. Bilingual (English/Spanish) language skills required. Intern will need transportation to Davenport.