This Week on the Central Coast…
Monterey opens a new homeless shelter and approved a Safe Overnight Parking site while Salinas ranked in the top ten best places to live and UCSC theater will premier “Eurydice”.
Monterey
Monterey Opens Its First Homeless Shelter for Women
The Shuman Hearthouse is a homeless shelter for women and families. Its ribbon cutting ceremony was last Saturday on East Franklin Street, where the historic Union Ice Factory once operated.
The Shumans donated $3 million to the shelter. In addition to their contributions, various other contributions brought the total up to $7.8 million, allowing the shelter to open and cover two years of operation. More donations include quilts from local quilters and Sudz Cyber Laundry washed 300 pounds of linens.
The shelter will be able to accommodate “35 people at a time – 16 single women and four families. “. The nonprofit Community Human Services (CHS), pointed out that, while this is a great achievement, there are currently 145 families and 67 women on their waitlist. There is still much work to be done.
“Safe Overnight Parking” Site Approved for MPUSD Students
Seaside city council passed a Safe Overnight Parking site for students in Monterey Peninsula Unified School District experiencing homelessness. MPUSD will be working with One Starfish Safe Parking to provide a safe space for students and their families to stay overnight in their cars. “The goal is to have no more than 20 vehicles allowed in the parking site at the Monterey Adult School in Seaside overnight.”
Seaside city council said there is no time limit for how long a family can stay.
MPUSD estimated fifteen to nineteen students living in their cars. They decided they needed to be the ones to step in and help. The district's superintendent stressed that the move is not meant to be a permanent solution, but was a necessary stepping stone. MPUSD pointed out other resources they have created to help students in need, including:
A partnership with Motel 6 allows families to get temporary housing over the weekends.
A program that pays for first and last rent so that families can attain consistent housing in apartments.
The school district also has a liaison that will help families go through the process of finding a shelter.
Students who need this help can go to their school’s office to meet with the community liaison.
Santa Cruz
“Eurydice” to Premier at UC Santa Cruz
“Eurydice” is a spin on the classic story of Orpheus, who’s wife Eurydice is killed by snakebite and sent to the underworld. In the original, Orpheus makes a deal with Hades and Persephone to allow his wife to return. This version of the story follows Eurydice as she finds her way through the underworld. “It focuses on Eurydice’s journey and going into the underworld meeting her father and having conversations with him after they both died. It’s a really amazing reimagination in that way of ‘How would you encounter your lost loved one if you met them in the underworld after losing early on in your life?'” Said UC Santa Cruz’s drama teacher, Noah Luce.
UCSC will premier “Eurydice” from November 10-19. Thursdays through Saturdays will show at 7:30pm and on Sundays at 3pm. The play is free and open to the public, but attendees will need to pay for parking and present a ticket, which can be found here.
Salinas
Salinas Ranks in the Top 10 Places to Live in California
Salinas was ranked as the ninth best place to live in California by the publication U.S. News.
The report took several factors into account:
Quality of life measured how happy residents are with their daily lives and was the heaviest weighted factor in their score.
The value of living measured how comfortably residents could “afford to live within their means”.
Desirability measured the times surveyed people said they wanted to live in the area.
The last part of the survey measured the strength of the job market, including unemployment rate and average salary.
Another survey by U.S. News reported that Salinas is the 7th most expensive area to live in in the United States. It ranked higher than New York City, Boston, Chicago, and Seattle. The high ranking was mainly due to real estate prices, though the article noted that Salinas’ prices were relatively low compared to other parts of Monterey County.
Second Harvest Launched Holiday Food and Fund Drives
Last Friday, Second Harvest Food Bank launched its annual Holiday Food and Fund drive, benefiting families in need in the area. The event was held at Cabrillo College with speeches from the Second Harvest CEO, co-chairs of the fundraiser, and other supporters.
The Holiday Food and Fund Drive has a goal of raising funds for 4.5 million meals. The organization says it can turn each dollar raised into three meals. There was also “a short Zumba class to get community members pumped up to raise money for those in need this holiday season.”
You can register a company or personal fundraising at Second Harvest’s website, as well as ore tools and ideas for fundraisers. Of course, you can also donate directly.