Donation appeals ramp up for the holidays
As the holiday season approaches, numerous organizations throughout South County are mobilizing donation drives to support families struggling with food insecurity and financial hardship, with many citing increased need following recent uncertainty around federal SNAP benefits.
The Edward Boss Prado Foundation has already distributed 500...
Nonprofit, volunteers, donors serve Thanksgiving to Gilroy’s unhoused
Volunteers and staff from South County Community Services served a home-cooked Thanksgiving meal—complete with all the fixings—to about 100 unhoused residents of Gilroy on Nov. 20.
The free holiday meal, which has become a philanthropic tradition of the South County Compassion Center and partnering organizations,...
CVS settles with state over Medi-Cal fraud claims
CVS Pharmacy will pay the state of California more than $18 million in a settlement of a lawsuit that accused the national chain of submitting fraudulent claims to the Medi-Cal public health insurance system, Attorney General Rob Bonta announced this week.
The state and the...
Jews, Muslims and Christians unite to distribute bikes, meals, hygiene kits
Bryant Stripling Jr. exuded gratitude for a bicycle he received during an Abrahamic Alliance International (AAi) compassion event at Las Animas Park in Gilroy on Oct. 26. His new set of wheels will help him get to and from courses he’s attending at Gavilan...
Data center set for construction in east Gilroy
Construction is set to begin on a giant data center that will house and operate more than 438,000 square feet of information and energy storage facilities on a 56-acre property in northeast Gilroy.
The facility, owned and operated by Amazon Data Services, will be located...
Amazon announces grants for Gilroy nonprofits
Amazon recently launched new “community funds” in Gilroy, offering grants up to $10,000 for local nonprofits. Applications are open now through Jan. 8, 2026.
The announcement comes as Amazon celebrates the impact of its previous round of funding, which supported 31 local projects with a...
County revisits land use proposal that said horses are not livestock
Santa Clara County planning officials have walked back controversial proposed land use policy changes that would have reclassified animals as non-livestock, following fierce opposition from equestrians, ranchers and agricultural advocates who warned the amendments could devastate rural businesses and displace thousands of horses and...
Locals receive full CalFresh benefits for November
Full CalFresh benefits have now been issued to all California recipients whose November payments had been delayed by the federal government shutdown, says a press release from Santa Clara County. The payments follow an order by the U.S. District Court of Rhode Island requiring...
Nonprofit teams up with GUSD to feed Gilroy families
A Bay Area nonprofit launched an emergency weekend meal program last weekend in partnership with the Gilroy Unified School District, and is planning to serve 500 children and their families every Saturday and Sunday in November.
The program, led by Community Seva, was launched in...
Food lines grow as feds suspend food assistance
Food pantries across South County are experiencing unprecedented demand following the suspension of SNAP benefits due to the federal government shutdown, with lines wrapping around blocks and new families seeking assistance at rates not seen since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Reach Out Food Pantry in...
