680 students from DATA Middle School will dive into outdoor recreation and ocean-related activities after months of environmental education with MERITO Foundation’s “From the Avenue to The Channel Islands” Program

Last fall, the MERITO Foundation launched a new program in partnership with De Anza School of Technology & the Arts (DATA) Middle School, Ventura Unified School District, and the City of Ventura, titled “From the Avenue to The Channel Islands” (ATCI). The program gives students from DATA, many of who reside in the community of the Avenue, the opportunity to take part in outdoor recreation and environmental education in their local community and natural areas.

DATA students in the ATCI program have been learning about environmental, ocean and climate sciences, as well as participating in environmental restoration, exploration and monitoring. In addition, this month all 680 DATA students will partake in an array of exciting outdoor recreation activities, such as kayaking, hiking, surfing, sailing, and camping. DATA science teachers enrolled in the ATCI program were given a variety of educational and recreational opportunities to choose from for their students based on specific grade levels.

The core focus of study for 6th graders in the program is watershed science. Last December, students biked from their school on the Avenue to the Ventura River estuary with our partners at Once Upon a Watershed where they learned the importance of keeping our watershed clean. Students also planted vegetables and native plants in their native habitat garden and harvested lettuce as part of the Garden Club. In May, they will be catching some waves, taking surfing lessons with Surf Class at Surfers Point.

7th grader ATCI participants are immersed in environmental and ocean science topics, such as urban runoff, coastal and island ecology. Students have had field experiences at the Ventura Water Reclamation Facility where they toured operations, performed water quality testing and monitored wetland birds.

The focus of education for 8th-grade students in the ATCI program is on ocean and climate topics such as ocean circulation, sea level rise and plankton ecology. On April 12 and 13, they boarded the Mystic Whaler, a 100’ Tall Ship replica, where they collected water samples, measured physical parameters, and identified plankton while learning the basics of sailing.

The pinnacle experience for all DATA students in the ATCI program will be 2 night/3 days camping trips to Santa Cruz Island! 220 students in grades 6 and 7 (accompanied by 30 chaperones) will camp, hike, kayak, and snorkel, all while learning more about the natural history of the Channel Islands National Park and National Marine Sanctuary.

The ATCI program also provides DATA students with leadership opportunities as “Youth Outdoor & Environmental Stewards”. Currently, there are eleven youths chosen as stewards, who are providing 50 hours of community service. They support MERITO and partner organizations at outreach events, field experiences, and assist with the DATA Middle School leadership program. As stewards, they also have the opportunity to job shadow professionals at work with our partner organizations, including the Port of Hueneme, Ventura Water, and Buenaventura State Parks.

The First Annual Mental Wellness Festival of Ventura County is happening on Saturday, June 3rd. It will be at Ventura Harbor Village on the large grass area from 10 am – 5 pm. Celebrating the completion of National Mental Health Awareness month.  This is a grass roots mental health and wellness festival inclusive of a unique (client-submitted) art exhibit, Turning Point’s Growing Works horticultural (client-cultivated) native plant exhibit, uplifting music, activities, knowledge, community services and programs plus a blend of cultural, holistic, therapeutic and spiritual wellness related vendors.

The objective: “To provide exposure and expand awareness of mental health challenges and illness as a growing concern and stigmatization in our community.  To provide exposure and expand awareness of local mental wellness programs and pathways available to help treat, maintain and/or improve our mental health.”

There will be live music from Orchard Bluegrass Band, Yoga and Sound meditation sessions from Meditation Mount, plus more! Admission and Harbor Village parking are free. There will also be a 10% off special from participating Harbor Village restaurants and stores that day.

Local non-profit Turning Point Foundation is the organizer of this unique event. Their mission is to improve the quality of life for adults experiencing serious mental illness, addiction, lack of housing and inadequate physical health care. They do this through providing health navigation services, rehabilitation, wellness and recovery programs, as well as temporary, transitional and permanent supported housing in Ventura County.

Come out to support this event and its participants. Learn more, view unique art and garden exhibits, shop, relax your mind and enjoy a beautiful day at the Harbor. Visit mentalwellnessfest.com for more information!

For this year’s National Public Works Day on May 23rd, more than 1,200 students in Ventura County will visit the Ventura County Public Works Agency! National Public Works Day is an opportunity for kindergarten through high school students to learn about the world of public works. PWA provides water, sanitation, vertical construction, survey, grading, roads, transportation systems, controlling and conserving storm waters, and working as first responders for major events. This year’s theme, “Connecting the World Through Public Works,” highlights how public works professionals connect us through infrastructure, planning, and building.

VCPWA will transform the “G” lot at the Government Center into a display of heavy equipment and booths demonstrating the agency’s work. Local students will participate in interactive demonstrations focused on science, technological innovations, illustrations of current engineering projects, career opportunities, and more.

“Public Works Day is one of our most fun days of the year. Our staff loves to showcase their work to protect and enhance the safety and quality of life in Ventura County and maybe inspire some public works agency staff of the future,” said Jeff Pratt, PWA Director. “With the theme of ‘Connecting the World Through Public Works,’ it is important to note that we collaborate on many projects with the Ventura County Sheriff and the Ventura County Fire Department, as first responders for major events, as engineers in building county jails and other facilities, and in supporting our community during times of need.”

Employees of the other Ventura County departments will join us on May 23rd.”

Members of the public, as well as homeschooling parents, are invited from 11 am to 2 pm at the Government Center in Ventura on May 23rd.

Saturday, May 13th marks the 31st anniversary of one of America’s great days of giving — the National Association of Letter Carriers Stamp Out Hunger Food drive. 

Letter carriers walk through the community every day, often coming face to face with a sad reality for too many, hunger. 

So, each year on the second Saturday in May, letter carriers across the country collect non-perishable food donations from our customers. These donations go directly to local food pantries to provide food to people in Billings who need our help. 

Over the course of its 30-year history, the drive has collected well over 1.82 billion pounds of food, thanks to a postal service universal delivery network that spans the entire nation, including Puerto Rico, Guam and U.S. Virgin Islands. 

The need for food donations is great. Currently, more than 35 million Americans are unsure where their next meal is coming from. More than twelve million are children who feel hunger’s impact on their overall health and ability to perform in school. And nearly 5.2 million seniors over age 60 are food insecure, with many who live on fixed incomes often too embarrassed to ask for help. 

Food banks and pantries often receive the majority of their donations during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons. By springtime, many pantries are depleted, entering the summer low on supplies at a time when many school breakfast and lunch programs are not available to children in need. 

Participating in this year’s Letter Carrier Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive is simple. Just leave a non-perishable food donation in a bag by your mailbox Saturday, May 18, 2023 and your letter carrier will do the rest. With your help, letter carriers and the US Postal Service have collected over 1.82 billion pounds of food in the United States over the 30 years as a national food drive. Please help us in our fight to end hunger, as we celebrate our 31st anniversary year in America’s great day of giving. 

The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County (WDBVC) recently launched Business Solutions a program to answer the needs of many employers and business people post-COVID-19. Small Business Statistics Of 2023 – Forbes Advisor reports that by 2031 only 87 percent of jobs lost due to COVID-19 will be recovered. The WDBVC is well prepared with a full range of no-cost support for Ventura County businesses.

The WDBVC Business Solutions Team offers many services to recruit, train, and retain the Ventura County business workforce, including the Ventura County Hiring Board, where businesses and job seekers can exchange information at https://tinyurl.com/WDBVC-Hiring-Board. The WDBVC also offers a free live HR Hotline, Monday – Friday, 8am to 5pm, that provides assistance with hiring and firing best practices, paid sick leave laws, wage and hour laws, employee handbook policies, HR compliance, accommodations in the workplace, and much more. HR Hotline number 888-763-3174.

All WDBVC Business Solutions are designed to support businesses with free resources such as job postings, virtual and in-person recruitment events, customized training opportunities, and on-the-job employee training services.

“We have so many services for businesses and career seekers at no-cost, yet not enough businesses take advantage of them. The WDBVC Business Solutions aims to outreach and inform Ventura County businesses of services available to them. Now, more than ever, we need to help develop a stronger relationship between businesses and jobseekers and help them find each other in success,” says Rebecca Evans, WDBVC Executive Director.

The WDBVC Business Solutions team is hosting a complimentary training webinar on Tuesday, April 18, 2023, from 10am to 11am for Ventura County businesses. The virtual training will explore collaborative ways to ensure that businesses find employees ready to hire and have resources for success. The interactive session will cover strategies in business engagement that help struggling businesses, preparing employees for virtual recruiting and work, remote work policies and support, and more. Ventura County businesses can register for the virtual training at https://tinyurl.com/WDBVC-HR-help.

The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County Business Solutions team helps local companies find, retain employees, and attract workers for growing businesses. Services are provided at no cost. Learn more at https://tinyurl.com/WDBVC-BIZ-Solutions.

The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County administers federal funds to support America’s Job Center of California locations and other free job seekers, youth, and business programs and services in Ventura County. The Workforce Development Board of Ventura County is a proud partner of America’s Job Center of California network. Equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. If you have limitations in hearing or speaking, dial 711 to reach the California Relay Service (CRS). For more information, call 805-477-5306 or visit http://workforceventuracounty.org.

Community Memorial Healthcare’s Diabetes Self-Management Education (DSME) program has achieved the significant milestone of accreditation by the Association of Diabetes Care & Education Specialists (ADCES). Accreditation represents a high level of quality and service in diabetes healthcare to the community, and the ability to better meet the needs of Medicare recipients and those affected by diabetes in Ventura County. Diabetes education is a covered Medicare benefit when delivered through an accredited program.

Community Memorial Healthcare’s DSME program is an outpatient program available by referral through the Community Memorial Health Centers. It is the only accredited diabetes education program in Ventura County.

“As the only accredited Diabetes Self-Management Education program in Ventura County, we are extremely proud of the service we are providing to our community,” said Dr. Anthony Russell, Community Memorial Healthcare Chief Administration Officer, Ambulatory Medicine. “With over 29 million people with diabetes in America, programs like ours are vital to supporting patients and preventing complications due to diabetes.”

ADCES, formerly known as the American Association of Diabetes Educators, is a multi-disciplinary professional membership organization dedicated to improving diabetes care through innovative education, management and support. ADCES has over 14,000 professional members including nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and exercise specialists helping those who have or are at risk for diabetes.

Diabetes education services use a collaborative process through which people who have diabetes or who are at risk for diabetes work with a diabetes educator to receive individualized care. At the Community Memorial Health Centers, primary care providers and endocrinologists diagnose, treat, and oversee the management of diabetes. Certified RN Diabetes Educators who specialize in diabetes care and education work in the Community Memorial Health Centers to provide one-on-one consultations in English or Spanish for patients with diabetes. The education includes the core principles of the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialist’s ADCES7 – self-care behaviors including healthy eating, being active, taking medication, healthy coping, monitoring, problem solving, and reducing risks.

“As a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist, I’ve seen first-hand the positive impact this program has on individuals with diabetes,” said Wendy Amaro, Community Memorial Health Centers Manager of Population Health. “Our patients are achieving lower A1C scores, developing the confidence to self-manage their condition, and living healthier lifestyles overall.”