Focus Group: Social Safety Net
Thanks to all that participated on January 9, 2015 in Marin Economic Forum’s focus group on Social Safety Net goals for Marin County. This is a summary of what that focus group came up with on January 9, 2015 on the questions asked. Social safety nets are meant to alleviate poverty. We wanted to consider goals outside just food security and housing. A major question we are seeking feedback about is: what is missing from these goals?
We have retained all the information provided by the group on each of the following questions. We did not discuss how to achieve these goals on purpose, as that would have taken a much longer session and the point of these focus groups is to ignite a broader conversation via our blog and social media. Please e-mail any comments to the following e-mail: socialequity@marineconomicforum.org
We encourage your comments below!
What are goals beyond increasing nutritional food and housing availability, which can help Marin County mitigate poverty?
- Health: Address mental health needs; Health services for all (including undocumented; wellness opportunities e.g. exercise)
- Education: Increase at all levels pre-natal to college; ESL: general and employment college funding.
- Childcare & Eldercare: quality & affordability
- Transportation: Access to safety net services and social events
- Connectivity: reduce isolation and shame.
- Advocacy & engagement: Increase minimum wage; engage community (especially wealthy) in needs of Non Profits and poor. $ and volunteers
What are goals beyond increasing food and housing specific to helping Marin’s seniors (folks 65 and older) and their safety net?
- Encouraging & Building collaborative communities (reducing stigma & improving socialization);
- Improve access to healthcare options at all levels;
- Improved work/volunteer opportunities for seniors; and
- Greater Mobility-i.e. transportation options.
What specific tasks can be done to enhance food and housing security in Marin County?
Food Security:
- Increase community gardens throughout the county;
- Increase Gleaners programs and publicize donations by local homeowners who have excess food crops;
- Barter system (food for farm help);
- Transportation, shopper services to access food pantries, free meals;
- Volunteers to deliver fresh food leftover in food markets; and
- Increase number of pantries and free food sites.
Housing:
- Make it easy to create second units and co-housing, communal spaces;
- Create dorm space for commuters to stay overnight or weekly;
- Advocate for more section-8 housing, increase stipends and education land owners to manage them effectively;
- Create emergency rent programs;
- Expand rent to own programs; and
- Expand affordable housing buy/rent close to transit.
What are goals for local businesses in supporting Marin’s social safety net?
- Hiring Practices
- Job Training
- Community Education
- Business Models
- Alternate Use of Space
- Discount Programs
lbolt
| #
I would like to see an arts element added as support and a vehicle for wellness. The arts are capable of adding social activities for seniors, increase opportunities and strength in education for all ages, and creates a shared passion to integrate people from all communities regardless of their station in life. Integrating the ares is such a simple way to increase engagement and build bridges, I am surprised it is not addressed here.
LB
| #
Provide subsidies for creating jobs that support the above
Mary Ann Maggiore
| #
Work and housing for everyone are crucial. Yes, seniors need coverage, but youth need it even more. I work with young people across all class and ethnic and racial lines and I find that they are not advancing very well. See Newsweek’s summary “Generation Screwed.” There are a few problems that I have successfully overcome with over 80 youths by innovative approaches directly with youth and their families and by going directly to merchants and leaders in industry, education and the arts. We have to have programs integrated into schools for the youth, community trainings for parents, awareness meetings for business leaders. We designed a Job School for a high school students in Novato that was highly successful. We have been asked to adapt it for Sonoma and Marin City. All we need now is funding.
Wendy Friefeld
| #
I attended the focus group and thought we mentioned engagement of immigrant populations. They are more likely to access services and participate in social safety net programs if they are drawn into the community through outreach, empowerment trainings, etc.