Responsive Action to Provide Relief to Our Community

With the threat of infection forcing isolative precautions, many families are faced with secondary detrimental impacts. The unintended consequences caused by the closures of schools, libraries, and after-school programs have created stresses that will place hardships upon millions of families across our country. The preventative measures of isolative practices are now being felt economically by our locally owned small businesses and hourly wage earners as they have been forced to brace for long-term revenue losses.

As a direct response to our local community needs, the St. George Community Church has created a plan to mitigate some local impacts caused by the unintended consequences of the virus containment efforts.

Because of school-age program closures, our medical care, first responders, and caregiving professionals must now decide what to do with loved ones as they are called to duty, many are already overwhelmed with the response to this virus. We know that over 50 percent of all medical workers have children and have launched a plan to support them by providing daily weekday activities for their children. We at St. George Community Church will now offer youth programs, art, science, and tutoring for children 7-17 from 8am-6pm.We will limit the spaces to help up to 50 children in our day programs with groups being kept to 10 people per activity.

Because there are so many people emptying grocery store shelves, we willbe stocking up our Food Pantry in partnership with the Santa Barbara Foodbank to provide food for people who need it, as long as we have supplies and trained volunteers to do so. Our food distribution will take place daily from 2pm to 6pm.

In order to calm our community,our doors will also be open to anyone needing Spiritual or Psychological Support because of the wide-spread fear.

We will also provide preventative health information to children and residents, in partnership with the Santa Barbara Neighborhood Clinics.

To assist local businesses and hourly wage earners that have been impacted by revenue losses,we have partnered with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to provide up-to-date grant, loan, and resource information to all that need it.

We will continue to update and educate our community bilingually on our activities as times change based on state-wide and regional efforts. We are proud to be in a community that unites with others when compassionate care is needed. We thank our community for volunteering during this moment in time.

To sign up for child activities contact Pastor Jerry Menchaca with St. George Community Church at (805) 679-5583 (office) or (805) 698-7049 (cell) or visit: 1032 E. Mason Street, 93103.

You may also donate supplies or time to this effort. If you are interested in further information, media, or would like to coordinate insupport of this project; please contact Jacqueline Inda at sbbipofficea@gmail.com or by calling (805) 456-8679.