The Toni Times | November 2020
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Thanks! That is a word that is increasingly in our minds and hearts when November rolls around.
While the upcoming holiday season will be different than usual—as everything in 2020 has been—there are many things that will stay the same, including the gratitude we feel for the blessings in our lives; blessings that shine through even in tough times.
I know I am grateful for the privilege of serving some of the finest communities in the world in the 39th Senate District—and I’m grateful to serve a region whose agricultural bounty helps grace the nation’s Thanksgiving tables with crops valued at almost half a billion dollars—and that’s just considering our avocados, citrus, vegetables and vine crops, and fruit trees.
I am grateful for the first responders, medical professionals, teachers, grocery and pharmacy workers, and small businesses who have been working so hard to keep us safe and providing as much “normalcy” as possible during this pandemic.
I am grateful for the opportunity I recently had with my colleagues, Assemblymember Todd Gloria and Congressmember Scott Peters, to hand out 2,500 boxes of fresh food provided through the U.S. Department of Agriculture for families in need. And I’m grateful for California’s Office of Emergency Services for introducing me to COPE Preparedness, so that we could facilitate the distribution of donated masks and hand sanitizer along with the food, as well as with accurate public health information in an effort to help stop the spread of COVID-19.
I am also grateful for the hard-working members of my staff here in San Diego who, in addition to their regular workload, helped with that event and have successfully aided more than a thousand constituents navigate issues involving the Employment Development Department and other agencies during this pandemic. Our goal is to keep advocating for solutions that will make it unnecessary for folks to go outside of these agencies for assistance, but we remain here to help as well.
I am eternally grateful for the love and support of my spouse Jennifer and our friends and family, including the two furry members of our household, who are generally adorable, and only occasionally divas when yet another Zoom meeting comes along to delay their walk or snack needs.
Of course, while having “thanks” in our minds and hearts is terrific this time of year, it’s even better when we have “thanks” on our lips and in our wallets as well. So I hope we can all go out of our way to say thank you to all those who provide the blessings in our lives, and that we can express our gratitude by shopping small businesses and supporting local restaurants for take-out meals to make the holidays special. Filling the shelves at our local food banks and shelters. Maybe even changing the life of a senior pet and bringing them to their new forever home for the holidays. There are so many ways we are blessed. And so many ways we can help bless others.
Wishing you and your loved ones all the best as the holiday season ramps up!
Toni
P.S. Because I am also very grateful to live in our representative democracy, I made sure to vote early this year! If you’re reading this and you haven’t voted yet, there is still time to make sure your ballot counts! A lot of folks will be thankful that you did!
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I had the privilege of hosting a one-day food donation distribution at Jewish Family Service on Friday, October 16. Together with Congressmember Scott Peters, Assemblymember Todd Gloria, and community nonprofits and organizations, Team Toni distributed food to nearly 2,500 families as part of the federal Farmers to Families food donation program.
The food boxes, provided by the USDA, were filled with eggs, milk, cheese, yogurt, pre-cooked chicken as well as apples, potatoes and onions. Each family also received a set of face masks and hand sanitizer.
At the event, I had the privilege of meeting and talking to Cari, one of the recipients. She told me her story and how, due to COVID-19, her family of three has had to turn to Jewish Family Service for their weekly food distribution.
“Having the security of food is tremendous. Because even when you have shelter, if you are in there without food, what good is it,” she said. “Getting this box, I see what’s inside: the eggs, the potatoes, the fruit. It’s good food! And it means more than I can even put into words.”
I want to thank the coalition of community partners who made this happen, including Jewish Family Service, the San Diego Food Bank, San Diego & Imperial Counties Labor Council, People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), Paving Great Futures, Veterans Village of San Diego (VVSD), and Serving Seniors.
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Thanks to the expanded early voting options offered this year, November 3 has really evolved from Election Day into the end of Election Season. There is no reason that you have to wait until the final day to vote, and in fact, there are plenty of reasons to vote early. Here are just a few to consider:
- Whether by mail, by turning in your ballot at an official dropbox, or by going in-person before Tuesday – voting early is the safer option during the pandemic. Choosing a contactless option or going to the polls when fewer people are around reduces your possible exposure to the virus.
- If you go in-person before Nov. 3, there is a good chance you will avoid big crowds and breeze through shorter lines.
- Your vote will be received and counted early, making it easier for county officials to report final numbers in a timely manner.
San Diego County voters can find official ballot drop-off locations here and can find their designated polling place here. If you need further information regarding the election, visit the San Diego County Registrar of Voters website or call (858) 565-5800.
Whether you chose to vote today, tomorrow, or on Tuesday, Nov. 3 – just don’t forget to vote. Your vote matters.
Each year, I have the honor of recognizing one nonprofit from the 39th Senate District that has done outstanding work for the community. This year, I have selected Serving Seniors, which happens to be celebrating its 50th anniversary. I invited their CEO Paul Downey to share more about the important work they do and their impact on our community’s seniors. I would be remiss not to mention that so many organizations in the District are working tirelessly in service of our community in response to – and as a result of – the COVID-19 pandemic. I am deeply grateful for the work done by each and every one. - Toni
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The year 2020 has been challenging for everyone, but particularly for our seniors. Our nonprofit, Serving Seniors, has been working tirelessly to ensure that some of the most treasured people in our population are happy, healthy and safe.
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Serving Seniors rapidly transitioned to provide home delivered meals for all clients so they could continue meeting the needs of thousands of low-income and homeless seniors. These seniors rely on the meals from Serving Seniors as a primary source of nutrition to survive. Since the mandate for seniors to self-quarantine was issued, the organization has expanded home delivered meals to 200,000 meals per month.
Even in times of social distancing, Serving Seniors has gone above and beyond to safely provide necessary in-person visits to ensure the wellbeing of their clients. There are nearly 12 million older adults living alone and facing isolation across the nation, and while social isolation is nothing new to these seniors, this year and the COVID-19 pandemic have exacerbated the negative health effects caused by loneliness. These negative effects are comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes per day and can be life-threatening for our seniors. To combat this issue, Serving Seniors provided almost 6,800 supportive services for vulnerable older adults, including housing social service visits, case management wellness visits and in-person health education and blood pressure checks through nursing case management.
This year, Serving Seniors’ clientele grew exponentially from 5,500 to 8,021, with seniors receiving everything from meals to social and health services. Over the course of the year, the organization provided 956,475 nutritious meals compared to 660,000 in the previous fiscal year. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a greater need for our senior community than ever and Serving Seniors has certainly stepped up and risen to the occasion.
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Supporting local small businesses this upcoming holiday season is a great way to extend our gratitude and say thanks for contributing to our community and economy.
They make our neighborhoods unique, and given the impact of COVID-19, our patronage is needed now more than ever.
Small Business Saturday, which will be held November 28, 2020, is a great way to show our local store owners that we care—and we are fortunate to have an abundance of opportunities in San Diego! Small businesses are a vital component of my life – from my hair stylist to my dogs’ veterinarian to my favorite restaurants, all are small businesses and all hold a special place in my heart and in our community.
Small businesses also are critical to California’s economy, which is why the Senate passed a law this year that provides $100 million in tax credits to help small businesses that are creating jobs. We also fully expanded the California Earned Income Tax Credit to include roughly 600,000 ITIN filers, most of whom are small business owners and independent contractors.
If you are a California small business owner looking for resources or assistance, click here for more information.
Please help keep small businesses going by shopping local, and continuing to employ practices that mitigate the spread of COVID-19 – wash your hands, wear a mask, and maintain physical distance.
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