FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 15, 2020
For questions, please contact Dina A. Bartello, WeHOPE, 925.339.2640, dbartello@projectwehope.com
SAN JOSÉ, CA. - San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo applauds the partnership between the City of San Jose and WeHOPE, for their combined efforts to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 with onsite sanitation stations. The non-profit aims to provide support to homeless individuals living in encampments throughout the City of San Jose.
“We are grateful to partners like WeHOPE who continue to keep our most vulnerable residents’ health and safety as a top priority,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. “This is a time for our community to stay strong; San Jose Strong. We are better together and WeHOPE is the perfect example of looking out for all our neighbors”
WeHOPE will provide the following services at local encampments and known spots homeless residents congregate:
- Installation of 10 handwashing stations in homeless encampments, with the City supplying 31 at 14 different sites and 40 porta-potties;
- Deployment of the Hope Health Mobile Vehicle to known encampments to provide virtual doctor appointments for the homeless. The Hope Health Vehicle was underwritten by the City of San Jose;
- Couple handwashing stations and Hope Health Mobile with comprehensive case management support;
- Case managers will provide hygienic educational support, distribute clean drinking water, hand sanitizer, gloves, masks, fresh fruit, healthy snacks on a bi-weekly basis and;
- Continue to provide shower/laundry/comprehensive case management services to existing 14 sites in Santa Clara County. The Hygiene vehicle was underwritten by the City of San Jose.
“Our most vulnerable neighbors are living in fear with little to no information or support regarding the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Pastor Paul Bains, Founder of WeHOPE. “WeHOPE, in partnership with the City of San Jose, has developed a plan to address the needs of the homeless living in encampments, while protecting the community as a whole from further spread of the virus.”
WeHOPE and the City are committed to protecting and supporting all its community members and believes in providing residents with the knowledge that necessary precautions are being implemented to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 among our most vulnerable residents.
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About The City of San Jose
With more than one million residents, San José is one of the most diverse large cities in the United States. It is Northern California’s largest city and the 10th largest city in the nation. San José’s transformation into a global innovation center has resulted in one of the largest concentrations of technology companies and expertise in the world. In 2011, the City adopted Envision San José 2040, a long-term growth plan that sets forth a vision and a comprehensive road map to guide the City’s anticipated growth through the year 2040.
About WeHOPE
The mission of WeHOPE is to help people become healthy, employed and housed using innovative solutions. WeHOPE’s Mobile Homeless Services meets the needs of the homeless where they are through initiatives that include access to free showers, laundry, safe parking for vehicle dwellers, virtual medical assessments and comprehensive case management to assist in securing permanent housing. WeHOPE currently serves 4 counties and 15 cities throughout the Bay Area, including: San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland.
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