Category Archives: Coronavirus

 Older youth in care

ILP provides support to foster youth between the ages of 16 to 21.

As the county adjusts to the new normal, it is important to ensure the safety and wellbeing of one of our most vulnerable populations – older youth in care.  Homes with Heart VC believes it is essential to provide a network of support for older youth transitioning out of foster care.

Recently, an even more crucial emphasis has been placed on older youth without support such as those currently transitioning to self-sufficiency.  According to a recent article from the Chronicle of Social Change, Governor Newsom stated that approximately 200 young adults age out of foster care at age 21 every month in the state of California. The agency’s Independent Living Program (ILP) provides support to foster youth between the ages of 16 to 21 with the goal of helping them on their transition to a successful future, but due to the current circumstances, older youth, often without families, need additional community support now more than ever before.

Many local charities help children, youth, and families in very unique ways, more recently they are stepping up together to provide important resources and support to transitional youth in need now more than ever. This amazing group includes: Children Services Auxiliary, James Storehouse, Child Hope Services, RaisingHOPE, Women of Substance Men of Honor, and Shelter Care Resources. These organizations will be providing essentials such as food, clothing, transportation, rent and utility assistance for those youth in need of extra support.

“During this critical time, Homes with Heart VC are so fortunate to have resource partners that, despite the circumstances, can come together in support of our older transitional youth,” said Jaci Johnson, Program Coordinator III -  Recruitment for the County of Ventura, Human Services Agency. “It’s truly heartwarming to see the community’s involvement in the lives of our older youth that can easily struggle on their own without support.”

For more information about how you, your business or your family can get involved, visit http://homeswithheartvc.org/ILP

Recognized as a best practice leader statewide in the family recruitment and support component of child welfare, Ventura County Children and Family Services’ Homes with Heart VC, previously known as Foster VC Kids, was developed to increase the amount of loving resource families who are ready to take in children in need in Ventura County. This initiative provides resource families with ongoing support services, trauma-informed training, and mentorship to enhance the safety, permanency and well-being of Ventura County’s youth and families.  Learn how Ventura County Children and Family Services’ Homes with Heart VC is making a difference throughout Ventura County, www.homeswithheartvc.org.

Partial closing of Main St. approved by city council, but when?

The Ventura City Council has approved a package of measures designed to help businesses recover from the coronavirus pandemic, including closing part of Main Street to allow restaurants and stores to expand into the street and streamlining the process for approving development permits.

Both were part of an “emergency economic development policy,” approved by a 7-0 vote. Because it takes effect immediately, it was classified as an emergency ordinance and required votes from six of the seven council members.

“We’re taking innovative, create, flexible steps to show our business community that we’ll do everything within our power to support this recovery,” Mayor Matt LaVere said after the vote, which was taken at the end of a virtual meeting. The council has been meeting via videoconference since March.

The street closures won’t start unless Ventura County is approved by the state of California for the next stage of reopening, which will allow restaurants and stores to open if they practice social distancing. County and city officials expect that to happen soon, because Ventura County meets the state’s new benchmarks for reopening, based on its number of positive tests over the past two weeks and its rate of tests that come back positive.

The downtown street closure program was developed by Downtown Ventura Partners, the business association for downtown merchants. It will cover four or five blocks of Main Street and will last for one month as a pilot program.

Downtown Ventura Partners will pay for the street closures and put up the barricades, and will open the streets in the mornings for things like trash pickup and commercial deliveries, Clerici said. When the street is closed, there will be designated spots on each side street for curbside pickup from Main Street shops.

Closing the core downtown blocks of Main will eliminate around 150 parking spaces, out of more than 2,000 spaces downtown, said Councilwoman Christy Weir. With vehicle traffic lower during the pandemic, parking should not to be a problem, she said.

The city permit that will cover the downtown street closures is also available to businesses in other areas that want to close a street or a parking lot to expand their operations. But without an organization like Downtown Ventura Partners to coordinate the closures and foot the bill, no one else has asked the city for a permit.

“I see this as an opportunity to throw a lifeline out to businesspeople,” Councilman Jim Friedman said.

Peter Gilli, the city’s director of community development, said streamlining the process doesn’t just help business and property owners; it helps the entire city, because working more efficiently saves the taxpayers’ money and gives city employees time to address everyone’s needs.

“We should want more new businesses and investments, not less,” Gilli said. “We can’t increase the supply of staff hours and we can’t reduce the demand by applicants. The only thing we can do is make the process more efficient.”

One change is to allow the city’s community development director more leeway in deciding which path to approval a permit application will take — whether it can be approved by the director himself, or whether it needs to go before the Design Review Committee or the Planning Commission.

Teaching and Learning in a Pandemic

Going the Distance (Part 2)
by Amy Brown

Austin Schliecher is focused on using his time wisely during this highly unusual academic schedule. A junior at Buena High, and a Captain of the varsity basketball team, he said while adjusting to the new online learning system was rough at first, once he got into a set routine, he found advantages in working at his own pace. “I spend about an hour per class, and I don’t want to fall behind, so I don’t set myself back,” said Schliecher.

Asked if he was concerned about the potential impact on his last season this fall in high school basketball before applying to colleges, he replied that he stays positive and tries to go with the flow. “I’m just trying to work out and stay in shape for basketball season,” he said. “Our coach has done a good job of keeping us together; we’ve been doing workouts, and we’re on Zoom calls with the team to make sure we’re all on the same page.” He shared that the team is very focused on maintaining momentum and staying connected as much as possible with the limited access they have—working on plays on the phone and focusing on team goals for next year.

Schliecher’s advice to other students and athletes? “Just outwork everyone that’s taking this time off to relax. Stay focused and don’t slack off,” he said. “If you slack off, you’ll fall behind. This is a great time to get ahead of your game and focus on your academics ahead of everyone else.”

Some students are concerned about navigating a regularly scheduled major transition with the coming school year. Sydney Davis will be starting high school in the fall, and currently attends Balboa Middle School.  “I feel like I’m not going to be as prepared as I should be for high school; I feel kind of threatened because I feel like I don’t know as much as I should.” She’s also concerned about not being prepared as she might otherwise be for trying out for the high school volleyball team. She said she’s finding the schoolwork online relatively easy, but it’s hard to catch up if a day is missed. Her advice to other students: “Keep positive, and keep to a schedule.

At first I was doing all my schoolwork from 10am to 2 or 3pm, but lately I’ve been staying up all night, and I want to get back to that first schedule. Basically, don’t lag and stop doing your work.” She’s picked up some new skills during the quarantine, like cooking, learning to sew, and so far has made about 50 face masks for friends, family and a local company.

Distance learning means hours of computer time for both the student and, especially in the case of younger kids, the parents.  Nancy and Chris Cairns are both teachers and parents, Chris teaching at Besant School of Happy Valley in Ojai, and Nancy a professor at LA City College and Ventura College. They both are working from home and conducting distance learning with their own students, while being responsible for overseeing the many hours of daily computer time in online learning for their 6-year-old grandson Braxton, who lives with them. They share his education duties with his great grandmother and mother in another household. “It’s a group effort to engage him with the work,” said Chris. “The online programs he does are interesting and well-made but they keep his attention. The teacher only meets with the class once a week.”

Nancy shared that the system has challenges, especially for working parents of young children.  “It would probably be better if they met every day and had structured lesson plans and were all together in a virtual classroom. It’s like pulling teeth to get Braxton to do schooling in the present iteration,” said Nancy. “It’s felt like we kind of had to choose. It feels awful. To be in this position, where we have to make some choices, between not being the instructor that I’ve always been, or having to sacrifice my grandson’s education.”

Chris feels it’s important to look at the big picture. “ As much as learning is important, I think that another teacher put it succinctly: there will be time to learn, there will be a time to catch up on what was missed, but now is not that time,” he said.  “What we can’t catch up on is emotional damage when families are torn apart by stress and trauma. Don’t put distance education ahead of your own and your family’s mental, emotional and physical health. We need to take care of each other right now.”

Socially distanced event held to support the virtual NAMI walk

NAMI dancing in the street.

by Jill Forman

NAMI is the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The classes, support groups and educational outreach it does benefits those with mental illness, their families and friends, and society at large.

All classes and groups are free to the participant. NAMI relies on donations and grants to supply these invaluable services. The biggest event of the year is the NAMI walk, in which thousands of teams and individuals raise funds.

Due to health concerns, the walk was cancelled this year, at least in its physical form. There was instead a Virtual Walk on May 30, “A National Day of Hope.”

One NAMI team, the NAMI Mommies, had a dance party on Mesa Circle Drive in the Clearpoint area of Ventura. Hope is a perfect theme for this neighborhood which was devastated by the Thomas Fire. Many of the houses are new or still under construction.

The Mommies is a group of women who met at a NAMI class for families of those with mental illness, and who continue to meet as a support group. They were joined by employees of the school district who were donating through this event.

The cul-de-sac had messages of hope and love chalked on the pavement. There were brief speeches Georgia Perry, a group member and the organizer of the event; Mark Stadler of the Ventura VPD; friends of the members; and a particularly effective and passionate address by Mary Haffner, local attorney and former member of the Ventura school board.

Then the DJ started the music, and there was dancing. Dancing for hope and for NAMI.

Free summer rowing camps

One-person boats for social distancing.

Thanks to a generous grant from Ventura and Ojai kids get to row for free this summer!

Learn to Row for Beginners and Advanced camp for Racing Team

Students from outside areas welcome at a regular rate of $150 per week.

Casitas Rowing is excited to offer this to our local families to support our community in the recovery efforts! All summer camps are free for student athletes grades 6th – 12th from Ventura and Ojai Unified School Districts.

  • All equipment wiped after each use
  • One-person boats for social distancing
  • Small class sizes with expert coaching
  • Outdoor activity on the water

Summer Camps Tentatively June – August 2020
Check website for updated schedules
Beginners and Advanced Camps

Limited Space so RSVP soon

To Register: Call 805-642-2288 or email [email protected]
www.CasitasRowing.org

Seventh week of meal distribution and delivery

Over 8,000 healthy, nutritious meals have been distributed.

Rincon Brewery Ventura joins forces with two non-profits to help feed Ventura County Foster/Resource Families, Kinship Families, Adoptive Families, and Bio-families currently working with Children and Family Services

Kids & Families Together (K&FT) is a nonprofit that has been serving foster/resource, adoptive, kinship, and birth families throughout Ventura County since 2000. K&FT works with children who have experienced trauma, abuse, neglect, loss, and multiple placements. K&FT also works with caregivers who need specialized education, support, and strategies to help raise safe, healthy, nurtured children that thrive.

Having hosted and catered events for K&FT over the last two years, the owners of Rincon Brewery Ventura (located at 4100 Telegraph Road) are well aware of the needs of the families served by K&FT.

Word Central Kitchen (WCK) founded over 10 years ago, by Chef José Andrés, is no stranger to Ventura County.

In early April, the owners and management of Rincon Brewery reached out to WCK offering to re-open their Ventura restaurant to make a difference in the Ventura community. By mid-April the restaurant’s focused shifted from feeding first responders to helping to feed members of the local community that were in need. On Thursday April 16th, Rincon Brewery presented the idea to K&FT. Within three days, staff rallied and K&FT was prepared to distribute meals.

This effort has been ongoing, six days a week since April 20th. Over one third of the K&FT staff have participated in this effort, with some putting in countless hours managing the distribution site, organizing delivery lists and loading meals into boxes for pickup. The agency has also received help from a small army of local volunteers who have generously given their own time in this effort. Over 70 individual volunteers have worked side by side with K&FT and Rincon Brewery, some volunteers putting in multiple shifts each week!

At the start of each day both staff and volunteers circle up (making sure to remain six feet apart) for the “morning gathering” where Rincon Brewery co-owner Luisa Hyatt or, on some mornings, Chef Stroh rallies the group with words of inspiration, feedback from families receiving the meals or sharing the “love note” going out with that day’s meal. K&FT’s Therapy Dog, Charles is there several mornings each week ready to greet the families as they drive-thru and have the meals placed in the trunk of their car. Yamaoka Flowers, an area flower grower, donated buckets of flowers that were arranged into gorgeous bouquets and present to families in honor of Mother’s Day. K&FT has distributed coloring sheets, crayons and a list of “100 Ways to Have Fun Together as a Family While Quarantined” to families picking up meals. One of the most touching moments was when a family brought Chef Stroh a “thank you book” with pictures of all the meals he has prepared for them.

To date, over 8,000 healthy, nutritious, chef-prepared meals have been distributed to families across the county, from Ventura’s Westside to Oxnard and all the way out to Simi Valley. Response from families has been extremely positive!

For those interested in volunteering at the distribution site or those willing to help make deliveries please sign up via this link, created with the help of Ventura County Fire Department. https://vcfd.galaxydigital.com/need/?agency_id=112680

Financial donations to support this effort can be made via this link. https://mailchi.mp/kidsandfamilies.org/mealdistribution

Las Patronas makes the most of canceled 63rd Annual Ball

Several honorees were still able to dress up and take professional photos to mark the occasion.

A family tradition for 63 years, the Las Patronas Charity Ball was scheduled for March 17th. The day before the event, based on state guidelines and in the interest of public health, the decision was sadly made to cancel the ball due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The charity ball, a fundraiser for Assistance® League of Ventura County (ALVC), honors local young women who have accomplished great things during their high school careers.

This year, these outstanding and unique young women were:

Delaney Arenz: Competitive Dancer, performed widely, including at Disney World. Active in Assisteens.

Ellie Meyring: Volunteered on international mission trips. Active in Future Farmers of America, The Red Cross, and Letters to The Military.

Madison Mok: Honor Roll, Varsity Softball Pitcher for 4 years, Altar Server, and Girl Scout Ambassador Recipient of the Gold Award.

Alexis Valdez: U.S. President’s Award. Active in NCL, California Scholarship Federation, and YMCA Youth and Government Program.

Ashlyn Valles: ASB President and Junior Optimist Leadership Award. Active in NCL, National Honor Society, and Young Life Christian Club.

Savannah Viola: Student of the Month and Recipient of the Victory with Honor Character Award. Active in NCL and National Honor Society.

Although the ball itself was canceled, several honorees and their families were still able to dress up and take professional photos to mark the occasion. Even though they were not able to hold the ball, Las Patronas was still able to raise $50,000 in support of ALVC’s philanthropic programs, which include the Assistance League School, B.U.F.F.Y. Bear, and Operation School Bell®. The Vision for Assistance League of Ventura County is “Transforming Lives, Strengthening Community.”

Teaching and learning in a pandemic

Anna Guerra of Ventura High takes a break from distance learning with her ukulele. Kindergarten teacher Sherry Smith finds fun activities to engage her young students online.

Going the Distance- Part one of two
by Amy Brown

On Friday March 13th, it was announced that Ventura County schools would be closing, and just like that, everything changed. There was a transition to distance learning that seemed to happen almost overnight, but the reality was a huge, incredibly complex effort in the district—by teachers, administrators, students and parents to create, adopt and adapt to a new online format. It meant developing a plan, handing out devices to all those who needed them, and getting everyone on board–no small feat for a population of approximately 16,000 students.

So now that the frankly impressive feat of creating and implementing distance learning has been in effect for weeks, grades are being input and progress shared via email with parents—students and teachers are in harmony—right? Pretty close, according to Daisy Mastroianni, who has been a teacher for 22 years, and is currently teaching 10th grade English, Career Culinary Arts and Foods and Nutrition at Buena High. She shared that while it was a huge initial transition, the students and teachers alike were ready to go and up for the challenge right away. “We found out the same time everyone else did that that Friday would be our last day,” said Mastroianni. “We met in our departments and came up with what we could to stay connected with the kids. The students, in that same vein, were ready to go!” She said that students can work at their own pace if they get into a lesson and want to keep going. “They can spend an hour and a half with math if it’s really clicking, or take a day off from classes that maybe aren’t their favorite.” Mastroianni shared that she misses the personal interactions with her students tremendously, and early on in the process made a video to share a day in her life for her students, practicing a TikTok, cooking, and doing fun things in her home to find different ways to connect and engage them.

While students appreciate what their teachers are providing, there are concerns by many high school students about what the future will bring. Anna Guerra is a junior at Ventura High, and is worried about not getting a normal senior year because of the current uncertainty, and the effect it will have in applying for colleges. “The thing that concerns me the most is not having all the extra curriculars and tests scores that I want to have to stand out among other applicants,” said Guerra, an honors student who plans to study neuroscience at a UC school in 2021. “I didn’t get a chance to tour colleges—I did virtual tours, but it’s not the same.”

Guerra sets a schedule for her schoolwork to complete it early in the day, and makes sure she finishes everything that is assigned for that day. It leaves the afternoons free for connecting with friends and reconnecting with some former pastimes. “I’ve picked up some hobbies that I’d been too busy to do when school was in session,” she said. “I’ve started painting again, and learning my ukulele, and I’m taking the time to learn more French—I take it as a class, but I want to learn more.”

Sherry Smith, a kindergarten teacher at Portola, has taught for 24 years in the district, agreed that the new system had some challenges at first. “It was really hard to set it up at the beginning, to find out which families had devices and access to Wi-Fi, and which ones didn’t,” said Smith. “Then some devices weren’t working correctly, and we had to redo them and get them out again. But now I have 100% of my students logged into the system.”

When asked how she and other teachers were handling engaging with young students and their families in this ‘new abnormal’, she said that she has office hours for parents and a special hour for students to log in as a group, in which she reads stories, and does activities with songs and dancing. She taught the students how to mute, which she said makes reading much easier to the group. “I miss my kids–I miss being at school, ” said Smith. “I went there today and emptied out their desks, it was very sad.”

NAMI Ventura County event goes virtual but purpose more real than ever

In years past the Ventura County NAMIWalks drew upwards of 1,500 Ventura County residents to the Promenade.

Mental illness doesn’t take a time out so neither does NAMI Ventura County. That’s why the show must go on.

In this case, the show is NAMIWalks Ventura County. The 15th annual NAMIWalks is getting a big makeover in format but not in spirit.

NAMI Ventura County is the local affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. The nonprofit is a tiny powerhouse offering 15 unique programs to the public completely free of charge. With just a staff of four and a passionate volunteer base, NAMI Ventura County reached 6,830 people throughout Ventura County in 2019.

The annual NAMIWalks event accounts for more than half of the revenue the nonprofit uses to offer family and peer education classes and support groups, stigma reduction programs in schools, colleges, and law enforcement trainings, and community education programs like those specifically designed for healthcare providers.

Even before 2020 turned everyone’s lives upside down, the need for mental health education, support and advocacy was growing. Now, experts expect to see spikes in newly diagnosed cases of mental illnesses as well as the exacerbation of existing mental health challenges.

Mental health professional Janine Ivy, Psy.D., LMFT, is a member of NAMI Ventura County’s board of directors. While the ways individuals experience and respond to events, like the Covid-19 pandemic, vary greatly, Ivy said it wouldn’t be surprising to see an increase in symptoms of depression and anxiety across all age groups and a greater need for mental health and substance use treatment.

In years past, on the first Saturday of May, the Ventura County NAMIWalks drew upwards of 1,500 Ventura County residents to the Ventura Beach Promenade. But the annual NAMIWalks event wasn’t just another 5k. It was an opportunity for anyone whose life was touched by mental illness to stand together proudly defying and breaking down the stigma that still surrounds these disorders.

“Being a family member myself, it touches my heartstrings every year,” Griego said. “Families are out there showing support and love. It’s what families are meant to do, support their loved one through any experience in life.”

The NAMIWalks Virtual Takeover holds tight to the NAMIWalks Mission: raise awareness around mental health and raise the funds the nonprofit needs to make free education and support a reality throughout Ventura County communities. Instead of a single day, the Virtual Takeover encourages supporters to get

creative in how they participate.

Throughout the month, NAMI Ventura County is asking participants to submit videos and selfies of all the creative ways they are celebrating NAMIWalks and Mental Health Awareness Month.

The 2020 NAMIWalks Ventura County will culminate on Saturday, May 30 as local participants join with 38 affiliates across the county in celebrating A National Day of Hope.

To join the NAMI Ventura County NAMIWalks Virtual Takeover as a team, walker or sponsor, visit www.namiventura.org or call NAMI Ventura County at 805-641-2426.

Reopening businesses 

by Ashley Bautista

The County of Ventura has reached an important turning point for our community, County and our local economy. We have moved into Stage 2 of California’s roadmap to reopening where some lower-risk workplaces can gradually open with adaptations. This allows retail businesses to use curbside pickup or delivery to sell their goods and related manufacturing and logistics businesses to open.

Visit www.vcreopens.com and review the guidance 

Upon reviewing the guidance, complete a detailed risk assessment of your business in accordance with the state guidelines

Complete a written worksite-specific COVID-19 Prevention Plan and post it at your business

Implement the prevention measures identified in your worksite-specific COVID-19 Prevention Plan

Designate an on-duty employee responsible for monitoring compliance with your plan

Complete the attestation

Upon completing your attestation, an official from your local jurisdiction may conduct a site visit

If you were a business that was already permitted to be open you too need to register and follow the seven steps.

Here are some examples of businesses that are able to reopen in addition to the businesses that were already open in Stage 1:

  • Dentistry for preventative care.
  • Retail for curbside delivery
  • Manufacturing
  • Logistics
  • Pet grooming
  • Childcare
  • Office based businesses (telework remains strongly encouraged)
  • Equestrian Centers/Horseback Riding
  • Jet Ski/Boat/Bike Rentals
  • Archery/Shooting Ranges
  • Outdoor photography
  • Outdoor museums

Questions? Please contact County of Ventura Public Information Officer Ashley Bautista at [email protected] or call 805-654-2640. Stay up to date and sign up for daily updates at www.vcemergency.com.

What cities are in Ventura County? The unincorporated areas, along with the ten incorporated cities of Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, and San Buenaventura (Ventura)this ranks Ventura as the 11th most populous county in the State.