News for Nonprofits July 2007

• Newly revamped website
• Where you can find me in the District
• Legislative Update
• Regional Announcements

I am gratified to announce the launching of new content-rich, user-friendly website for your use: http://www.senatorsimitian.com. Please visit the website to stay up to date on the work that I am doing, to find out when my Sidewalk Office Hours , Town Hall meetings, or other public appearances are taking place, to sign up for newsletters and more. If you have any thoughts about information that you would like to see on the website that would benefit your work as nonprofits, Sarah Rosendahl know and we will do our best to add it to the site.

One of the ways I stay in touch with my constituents is to hold “Sidewalk Office Hours.” These events give both the public and me a chance to interact in an informal, friendly atmosphere. It’s tremendously helpful to hear first-hand what people are talking about. I invite you to visit with me at either or both of the following Sidewalk Office Hours. For additional information, please contact my district office at (650) 688-6384.

Redwood City
Saturday, August 25
9:30-11 a.m.
Redwood City Kiwanis Farmer’s Market

Campbell
Sunday, August 26
9:30-11 a.m.
Campbell Farmer’s Market

In my last newsletter, I gave you background information on a few of my bills I thought you would be interested in. To get the full text of these bills, please call my office or visit my website at http://www.senatorsimitian.com.

SB 26 ensures that a State agency or entity provides mulitracial Californians with the option of selecting one or more ethnic or racial designations on their state forms. This bill has moved successfully out of the Senate and has been heard and passed out of the Assembly Business and Professions Committee. SB 26 will be heard next in Assembly Appropriations.

SB 156 would have placed a $4 billion General Obligation Bond measure on the 2008 statewide primary election ballot to fund library construction and renovation. This bill was held in the Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file, where measures with a fiscal impact over what the state can manage given the current budget climate are kept. I remain committed to ensuring that a library bond is on the ballot for voter approval as soon as possible and will continue to work on that endeavor.

SB 968 would prohibit credit card companies and other lenders from assessing interest rates, fees, and other penalties based on past debt to another company. This bill is in the Senate Judiciary Committee. I expect to continue to work to move this bill forward next year, during the second year of our two-year session.

• “Shaping the Next Generation of Governance” is the theme of the national 2007 BoardSource Leadership Forum in San Francisco, October 12-13, at the Hyatt Regency. Pre-Sessions on Wed., Oct. 10, and Thurs., Oct. 11, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm include the CEO’s Guide to Managing a Board and Board Fundraising. Sessions on Fri., Oct. 12, from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm and Sat., Oct. 13, 8 am to 12:30 pm, will cover Cultivating Cultural Competency, Decision-Making, and the Values and Views of America’s Next Generation. Among the featured speakers is Susan V. Berresford, President and CEO of the Ford Foundation. For BoardSource members who register by Aug. 31, the conference is $500 (afterward, $600); nonmembers pay $640/$740 respectively. Register online at http://www.boardsource.org or 866-867-6321.

• The California Association of Nonprofits (CAN) takes a broad view of policy issues and is a resource for you in assessing the relevance of specific legislation to your work. If you are interested in following relevant legislation you can do so by using CAN’s website: http://www.canonprofits.org/advocacy/currentissues.

• Alliance for Justice, founded in 1979, offers nonprofits information on the use of lobbying and related activities. Alliance for Justice provides a series of plain-language publications explaining federal tax-law rules. On call staff attorneys can talk you through the rules. The most widely used publications are Being a Player: A Guide to Lobbying by 501 (c)(3) Organizations ($15) and Rules of the Game ($20). Don’t expect legal advice from an attorney, but a helpful explanation of the law (e.g., if you are unsure whether your tax status allows you to take part in these activities). Call the West Coast office at (510) 444-6070 or visit http://www.afj.org to order publications.

• The California Association of Nonprofits (CAN) just launched the California Nonprofits Career Center where nonprofits can make online employment connections: http://careercenter.canonprofits.org. It offers employers targeted access to quality California nonprofit professionals, along with quick and easy job-posting. Job-seeking professionals can make sure their resumes are being seen by those in the nonprofit sector who matter most to them. Resume posting is free and confidential. Job-seekers receive automated weekly e-mail notification of new job listings.

• Kara, a nonprofit which helps those of all ages find their way through grief and rebuild their lives, has launched the Professional Caregivers Group (PCG). It provides on-going peer support for people who work in hospitals, hospices, mental health agencies, and other care-giving organizations to deal with their own grief. The group meets twice a month and is co-facilitated by Dr. John Ruark of Stanford University. For information and an application form, call Kara at (650) 321-5272.

• The Community Association for Rehabilitation (C.A.R.) in Palo Alto now offers a Computer Café for people new to computers as one of its many services for people of all ages with developmental and other disabilities. While most clients live in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. C.A.R. also draws from Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito counties. Two programs – the Milestone Pre-School and the Betty Wright Swim Center – are for people both with and without disabilities. The 44-year-old agency’s four major areas are children’s development services (birth to five years of age); family support services to help families stay strong and keep their disabled child at home with them; adult services to help individuals take part in community activities, get appropriate jobs and live independently in their own homes; and aquatic services including physical therapy, aquatic exercise, recreational swimming and swim lessons. For more information, call (650) 494-0550 or visit http://www.c-a-r.org.

• The nonprofit Presentation Retreat & Conference Center in Los Gatos is available to groups of 5 to 200 people. Located on 67 acres in the Santa Cruz Mountains, it is used for faculty meetings, church retreats, art workshops, strategic planning sessions, etc. Guided tours of its award-winning “green” building (straw bale with a living roof) and dining hall may be scheduled in advance of an event. Informational tours are also available to other outside groups. Call (408) 354-2346 or email http://www.presentationcenter.org.

• The Domestic Violence Collaborative is a new resource for domestic violence survivors in San Mateo County. It is a pro-bono project of the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County in partnership with CORA and Bay Area Legal Aid. The DV Collaborative, as it is known, provides survivors with legal representation at their permanent restraining order hearings. After receiving training, volunteer lawyers staff a specific Wednesday afternoon domestic violence calendar in the Superior Court in Redwood City. They meet first with a client to file any necessary declaration and check on criminal charges that might be pending and other relevant records. For more information, contact Legal Aid’s Pro Bono Coordinator Janet Seldon at (650) 558-0915.

• As the Bay Area population ages, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) has produced a 36-minute DVD, “Mobility Matters for Older Drivers,” which is available to the public free of charge. Topics include “myths and facts” about older drivers; what happens when a driver is referred to the DMV; a free service that helps seniors “fit” their cars; new, more visible roadway signage; and how families should discuss “giving up the car keys” with older family members. To order free copies (while the supply lasts), call (510) 817-5836. The video can be watched on the Web at http://www.mtc.ca.gov/ibrary/oats/mobility.matters.htm.

• The Community Information Handbook 2007 in English and Spanish has been issued by the Peninsula Library System and the San Mateo County Human Services Agency. The handbook includes key services to help those who reside or work in San Mateo County, such as emergency/crisis intervention, disability services, employment and training, financial assistance, health, and more. It is a companion to the Community Information Database, which contains more detail and is kept current with any changes. Printed copies of the 71-page handbook may be ordered on the website at cip.plsinfo.org or by phone at (650) 802-7950. It is also available for download at cip.plsinfo.org/publications.htm

• A new report by the Council of Large Public Housing Authorities (CLPHA) looks at the challenges and issues facing low-income seniors living in public housing. Public Housing and Supportive Services for the Frail Elderly: A Guide for Housing Authorities has practical advice for linking with supportive service providers and with local governments and nonprofit agencies. The guide can be viewed at http://www.milbank.org/reports/0609publichousing/0609publichousing.

• U.S. Health and Human Services has a new website that will make it easier for consumers to get the information they need to plan for long-term care. The National Clearinghouse for Long-Term Care Information website has comprehensive information about planning services and financing options, along with tools to help people begin the planning process: http://www.longtermcare.gov.

• Homeowner/Renter Assistance. For eligible individuals, the State of California will refund a portion of California property taxes paid either directly (by homeowners) or indirectly (by renters). Payments are as high as $473 for homeowners and $348 for renters, depending upon income. Applicants must reapply each year and be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent residents, 62 years old or disabled or blind before Jan. 1, 2007, with total 2006 household income below $42,770 (including all income, taxed or untaxed). Application forms and free volunteer assistance are available at Avenidas in Palo Alto. Call (650) 289-5400 for an appointment and information on documentation required.

  A separate Property Tax Postponement for California homeowners with similar qualifications and a $31,500 income limit permits borrowing from the state to pay taxes at a fixed interest rate (4% last year) with nothing having to be repaid until the owner dies, moves out, or sells his or her house. The application deadline is Dec. 10, 2007, for the 2007-2008 tax year.