More and more people are in need of financial, food, work and other assistance due to the pandemic and rising costs of housing. Marie Bernard, executive director of Sunnyvale Community Services, informed members of the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors that 10,492 clients have used one or more of the non-profit agency's services this year.
This year, over 9,000 individuals have received food and in-kind assistance. Over 6,000 individuals were in need of financial assistance, 206 received homebound food delivery, and 1,700 children benefited from the agency's Head to Toe program. Over 800 individuals are receiving homeless services, 9 percent of whom are homeless for the first time.
Bernard said SCS has served residents of Sunnyvale and the San Jose Alviso community and the homeless in Santa Clara County for over 50 years. The non-profit is one of seven agencies providing emergency services to people in need as part of the Emergency Assistance Network of Silicon Valley,
"We strive to prevent homelessness and hunger. We want to make sure people are not just safely and stably housed, but also are with food on their table and have access to medical care and services," said Bernard.
SCS is the lead agency for federal rental assistance. Between March 2021 and October 2021, SCS has been able to distribute over $7 million dollars of financial assistance, helping over 3,000 individuals remain in their home. The agency works with both tenants and small landlords. With the eviction moratorium having expired, Bernard expects more people will need help.
"The whole philosophy is to help people come back and move forward," said Bernard.
Bernard stressed the need is very real. She explained the average rent for a studio apartment in Sunnyvale has increased by 4 percent to $1,763. An average one-bedroom apartment costs $2,495, and average rent for a 2-bedroom apartment is $3,017. To afford to rent a 2-bedroom apartment, a family would need to earn an hourly wage of $58. The average minimum wage is $16 an hour, so she has clients working three to four jobs at minimum wage to afford an apartment.
"Piecing together part-time jobs with no benefits, both are a tragedy and ticket to being evicted," said Bernard.
Due to the pandemic, instead of backpacks, school supplies and clothes, SCS's Back to School program provided school children in need each a $100 gift card to Target so they can purchase their school needs. For this same reason SCS is not accepting food and will not be collecting and distributing toys for children for the holidays; instead, the agency will provide extra food and gift cards. Food is carefully curated from Safeway and Whole Foods. SCS's goal is to raise $300,000 for this year's Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday giving programs.
"It has gotten harder, but we have had great success doing it," said Bernard.
Bernard noted miracles do happen, and she thanked donors who have come through for the agency. She thanked SILVAR for its annual donations to SCS's Back to School program and the local trade association's Realtors who on their own donated a total $2,100 for food this year. She indicated one company who wishes to remain anonymous has put out a challenge that it will match company donations up to $100,000.
Bernard added that last month, SCS moved to a new building at 1160 Kern Avenue in Sunnyvale. The building is three times the size of its former office. The added space will offer more room for clients, for food assistance and other needed services. The non-profit will hold an open house on Saturday, December 4, from 1-5 p.m.
For more information on being a volunteer or how to donate, visit https://svcommunityservices.org/.
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
Variations of this article have appeared in local area newspapers.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.