I am a volunteer on the Wipe out Watch crew for the City of
Gilroy. Since our eyes are trained to look at all the poles in
town, we are appalled at the rag-tag condition of the various poles
with left over signs and tape hanging on them.
Dear Editor,
I am a volunteer on the Wipe out Watch crew for the City of Gilroy. Since our eyes are trained to look at all the poles in town, we are appalled at the rag-tag condition of the various poles with left over signs and tape hanging on them.
Many of us volunteers pull down this trash, but it is a quick fix, back again next week. So we are making an effort to educate the public: It is not OK to have a garage sale any time you feel like it, and that it is not OK to hang signs of any sort anywhere in town. Hipolito Olmos (hi************@ci.us) is planning to send out a flyer with city utility billings soon to inform everyone about the do’s and don’t of garage sales.
Unfortunately, the only way the city will enforce these codes is when someone complains about a violation, because if they go after someone on their own they can be accused of discrimination. So, possibly some education will help. I’m enclosing a picture of a pole at Miller Avenue and Third Street – the “Heavy Metal Porcupine Pole” – no fun for a PG&E pole climber.
Marv Thomas, Gilroy
Crying need for foster parents in Santa Clara County – can you help?
Dear Editor,
It is a sad fact that children are too often in the news because they have become victims of abuse, neglect, abandonment or other terrible crimes. In 2009, 1,200 children in Santa Clara County were living in out-of-home placement because their own families were unable to safely care for them.
One of the County Social Services Agency’s goals is to place a child in a loving home as quickly as possible. It is the department’s philosophy that the best environment for a child is to live with a caring family. Foster parents/ resource families provide a supportive and stable family for children who cannot live with their birth parents. The goal is to provide parental care, guidance, and stability until the birth family’s issues are resolved.
In most cases, the foster/resource families work with a social service agency staff to reunite the child with his or her birth parents. Because foster care is meant to be temporary, many foster/resource families often provide care to many different children during the course of their service to the community. The agency licenses foster family homes through an agreement with the California Department of Social Services.
Open your heart and home to our children in our foster care and adoption program. Meet Tyler, for example: “Hello my name Tyler and I am 13 years old living in foster care. This is the second time I have been in care. The first time was because my Dad was in jail and my Mom abused me and my older sister. We were reunited with my Mom but I’m now back in care because my Mom got hooked on drugs. When I came into care this time I was getting almost all F’s in school. I was cutting school a lot. I am very thankful I was placed in my former pastor’s house. He and his wife are foster parents. They have helped me a lot. They have taught me the importance of respecting people and authority. I really hated the rules at first, but now I understand why they are important. I’m happy to say that my grades are much better (A’s, B’s and C’s). I hardly get into trouble at school. I got to play on the championship soccer team, the 7th grade football team and even a park and rec basketball team. My foster parents have also helped me to understand my Mom. While I don’t think I am going to be able to live with her – they know that I need to know that she is OK. They don’t talk bad about my Mom. Just two weeks ago, my foster parents told me that they wanted to adopt me. It was hard to think about being adopted and hurting my Mom, but they have helped me see that I can still have a new family and love my Mom. My foster parents really love me – even though I wonder why.”
Naturally, these situations create an outpouring of concern from the general public. People of good conscience want to know what will happen to these children who have been harmed. Most of all they want to know what they can do to help. Please consider becoming a foster parent/resource home. Here is how you can help. You will be asked to provide some basic information. The Department conducts a careful assessment of each family. To be licensed you must:
– Take 27 hours of “Pride” training.
– Reside in Santa Clara County.
– Be at least 18 years of age.
– Be fingerprinted for criminal back ground check and tested for tuberculosis (TB).
– Have adequate income to cover your family’s needs.
– Adequate bedroom space for all members in the home.
– Working smoke alarms in the home.
– Telephone service.
– Home and outdoor activity space must be safe and in good repair.
– All pools and spas must be covered or fenced.
Foster homes are particularly needed for sibling groups, teens and children with special needs. Please call 408-299-KIDS (5437) today and make a difference in a child’s life.
Juliana Rocha, foster care/adoption recruiter with Santa Clara County
