Imperial Beach Library Hosts Award-Winning Foreclosure Clinic to Help Community Save Homes
The San Diego County Library is partnering with the Housing Opportunities Collaborative to offer free housing help and foreclosure prevention at monthly HOME Clinics throughout the year. The next HOME Clinic is taking place on Saturday, August 11, behind the Imperial Beach Library at the Marina Vista Center, 1075 8th St, from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
The HOC is a HUD-approved housing agency that provides attendees with specialized assistance and educational resources to promote informed financial decision making. The County Library has partnered with the HOC to offer HOME Clinics since 2009, and have served over 3,300 families.
This free clinic will offer educational sessions and give individuals an opportunity to speak confidentially with lawyers, housing experts and mortgage counselors about foreclosure and bankruptcy. Registration is strongly recommended, and participants must bring a photo I.D., loan documents, last mortgage statement and any lender documents to the event. A video featuring this program can be found at http://bit.ly/home-video.
The HOME Clinic program at San Diego County Library has received numerous awards, including the national Highsmith Library Innovation Award and a Challenge Award from the California State Association of Counties. For more information or to register, call 1-800-462-0503, go to http://bit.ly/home-clinics or contact the library at www.sdcl.org.
Sweetwater District Receives Grant for Career Pathways Implementation
In the Sweetwater Union High School District, the task of preparing students to be college and career ready begins in the 7th grade and continues through graduation. This summer, the district received a $50,000 grant from the Worldwide Interactive Network (WIN) and California Association of Latino Superintendents and Administrators (CALSA) partnership.
The WIN+CALSA partnership grant is given to districts for the licensing of software that helps students build career pathways through either the workforce or postsecondary education. Included in the program is the development of soft skills for students. These skills such as attitude, teamwork, communication, problem solving and critical thinking, have become a high priority for employers in all sectors of the economy.
Receipt of this grant coincides with the Sweetwater District’s High School/Middle School Redesign initiative that will implement career programs of study in all district schools. The initiative will provide students with career exploration experiences that will be developed throughout each student’s academic career. Included will be skill-building studies, internships, project-based opportunities and industry-recognized certifications.
“We are very grateful to the WIN+CALSA Partnership Grant and we are excited for the opportunity to better serve our students,” said Board President Pearl Quiñones. “Preparing students to be college and career ready is a top priority for the Sweetwater District.”
7TH Graders need Pertussis Vaccine to return to school
Students might be busy enjoying the summer break and not thinking about vaccines; however, County Health and Human Services Agency officials are urging parents to ensure their 11- and 12-year-old children have been immunized against pertussis, also known as whooping cough, before they get back to school.
This year, all students going into 7th grade will be required to show proof of having received the pertussis booster shot or they will not be allowed in school.
Parents can obtain the vaccines, including the Tdap boost-er shot, for themselves and their children through their primary care physicians. Local retail pharmacies offer vaccinations for a fee, and anyone who is not covered by a medical insurance plan can get the shot from a County Public Health Center at little or no cost.
For more information about whooping cough and ongoing vaccination clinics, call the HHSA Immunization Branch at (866) 358-2966, or visit www.sdiz.org.