2011 Annual Report

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ANNUAL REPORT | DECEMBER 2011

Marybeth Affleck-Nacey, Franklin-McKinley Children’s InitiativeMaribel Andonian, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County Jaime Angulo, Neighborhood Housing Services Silicon Valley Shiloh Ballard, Silicon Valley Leadership Group Don Bolce, Santa Clara County Office of Education Dana Bunnett, Kids in Common Julia Burkhead, InnVision Antonea Colon, Step Up Silicon Valley Jim Dale, United Way of Silicon Valley Bob Dolci, County of Santa Clara Megan Doyle, County of Santa Clara Christina Egan, Loaves & Fishes Alma Gonzales, Bay Area Legal Aid Todd Hansen, The Health Trust Alejandra Herrera, City of San Jose Richard Hobbs, Human Agenda Matt Huerta, Neighborhood Housing Services Silicon Valley Gregory Kepferle, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County Dennis King, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Silicon Valley Elizabeth Lily, Step Up Silicon Valley

Willie Mackey, community member Dana McQuary, County of Santa Clara Vineeta Mishra, Community Technology Alliance Melissa Morris, Law Foundation of Silicon Valley Naomi Nakano-Matsumoto, West Valley Community Services Jen Padgett, Community Technology Alliance Jay Pecot, Sacred Heart Community ServiceJohn Porter, Franklin-McKinley School District Greg Plant, San Jose Presbytery Pat Plant, San Jose Presbytery Candace Roney, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital Fr. Nicky Santos, Santa Clara University Ruben Solorio, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County Carol Stephenson, Sacred Heart Community Service John Swan, Business Development Accelerators Lorrie Williams, Women’s Initiative for Self Employment Rachel Wright, Stanford University James Zahradka, Law Foundation of Silicon Valley Kevin Zwick, Housing Trust of Santa Clara County

Step Up Silicon Valley Core Team

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ANNUAL REPORT | DECEMBER 2011

Step Up Silicon Valley was initiated in January 2007 by Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County as part of the national Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America launched by Catholic Charities USA and in response to the growing social and moral crisis created by poverty in the Santa Clara County. Step Up Silicon Valley was created as a collaborative initiative of non-profits, faith-based organizations, businesses, academic institutions, social service agencies and local governments to focus on issues surrounding food, housing, healthcare, education, and income. Over the course of the past two years, Step Up’s network has grown to become a 77 member organization. Today, our Step Up coalition is working hard to develop innovative breakthrough systems change that allows us to holistically create a thriving community for all people. The campaign now focuses on three strategic areas to achieve our goal of poverty reduction: promoting awareness, advocating for policy change, and incubating innovative entrepreneurial programs.

We are delighted to present Step Up Silicon Valley’s first annual report for fiscal year 2010-2011. This year was my first full year working with you on the campaign and I applaud the work you’ve done to support our goal to cut poverty. In the following pages, we highlight some of the achievements made in the three strategic areas of awareness, advocacy, and systems change incubation.

The Campaign to Cut Poverty in Silicon Valley grew out of the belief that organizations and individuals accomplish more when they work collaboratively and that neither the private sector nor the public sector can solve the crisis of poverty alone. This strategy of developing an inclusive coalition proved to be highly rewarding even though we still have a long way to go to fulfill our vision of a community where everyone has access to affordable health care; sufficient food; safe, decent, affordable housing; and educational opportunities; and can earn a living wage to make ends meet.

Again, thank you and I wish you and your loved ones happiness, good health, and prosperity throughout the coming year.Almaz Negash Director, Step Up Silicon Valley

Committee ChairsAwareness Pat PlantSan Jose Presbytery

Advocacy Megan DoyleSanta Clara County, Office of Ken Yeager

Greg KepferleCatholic Charities of Santa Clara County

Incubation Fr. Nicky SantosSanta Clara University

Lorrie Williams Women’s Initiative for Self Employment

Our vision is to cut the poverty rate in Santa Clara County in half by 2020. We are committed to creating a community that is thriving; where everyone has access to affordable health care, sufficient nutritious food, decent affordable housing, meaningful educational and career opportunities, and reliable income that meets their basic financial needs. In addition, we envision a county in which all residents are engaged in the community with freedom and self-reliance.

The mission of Step Up Silicon Valley is to achieve this vision by transforming community awareness and generating the political will to create systems change that enables individuals and families to step up and out of poverty.

Vision & Mission

Background

Step Up Silicon Valley Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2010-2011

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ANNUAL REPORT | DECEMBER 2011

AWARENESS

Creating Poverty awarenessSince 2009, Step Up has utilized Community Action Poverty Simulations (CAPS) as a unique tool to educate the community about the day-to-day realities of those struggling with poverty. Over the past year, the program has grown tremendously and has expanded to include major Silicon Valley corporations, local organizations, schools, and congregations. In 2011 alone, the team hosted 15 poverty simulations, making nearly 1,000 people aware of poverty issues here in the Silicon Valley.

DeveloPing ChamPions at CorPorations

One of our goals has been to identify and cultivate potential champions at major Silicon Valley corporations to gain financial support and disseminate the Step Up message. In 2011, Step Up was selected by American Leadership Forum – Silicon Valley as one of its Common Good Collaborative initiatives. Step Up is building relationships with corporate leaders at Cisco, Synaptics, Bank of America, NetApp, EMC, HP, PayPal/eBay, Adobe, VmWare, Google, Sanmina, Silicon Valley Community Foundation, Vertical Response, Applied Materials, SalesForce, and the San Jose Leadership Group.

As a result of these new relationships, Step Up has received funding from the Applied Materials foundation and free Salesforce and Vertical Response software for database and marketing management. Over the past year, we have been able to capture information for over 3,200 individuals who have been touched by our campaign.

Step Up Silicon Valley strives to increase its visibility and educate the community about the realities of local poverty, along with the programs and initiatives aimed at reducing poverty through relationship building and by engaging a wide variety of stakeholders.

In 2011, we successfully increased awareness of poverty:

taPPing into soCial meDia marketing

Step Up is now using social media! Anyone can join the conversation by following us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube where we frequently update the community on latest news and achievements on the Campaign to Cut Poverty.

“Many of us are blessed to be living here in this rich valley. Yet, a quarter of us who call Silicon Valley home struggle in poverty with few resources and great need. The Awareness Team endeavors to educate

the 78% about the 22% about how they can help make life better for them.”

---Pat Plant, San Jose Presbytery

Bank of AmericaBellarmine High School

Catholic Charities of Santa Clara CountyCisco Systems, Inc.City of Palo Alto

Community Leadership San JoseLos Gatos Clergy Association

Mitty High SchoolMost Holy Trinity SchoolPresentation High School

Sacred Heart Community ServiceSan Jose State University

Shir Hadash CongregationSilicon Valley Community Foundation

Willow Glen Methodist Church

2011 PARTICPANTS

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ANNUAL REPORT | DECEMBER 2011

ADVOCACYStep Up Silicon Valley coordinates public policy and community organizing strategies to reduce poverty. Through dialogues with local government officials, members of the California State Legislature, members of the United States Congress, and the White House Administration we can influence and encourage policy makers to pass specific legislation and regulations that will directly cut poverty in our community. By advocating for policy change, we focus our efforts on finding new solutions to cut poverty rather than solely on preserving the frayed safety net.

In 2011, our advocacy successfully helped move the follow issues:

elDer eConomiC self-suffiCienCy inDex, AB 138In partnership with the Insight Center for Economic Development, this pilot project will expand the definition of self-sufficiency beyond the federal poverty level, to include the minimum income necessary to cover older adult’s basic living expenses in each county including Santa Clara County. AB 138 was passed by the legislature and signed into law.

anti-PayDay lenDing Step Up supports the ongoing efforts by the Law Foundation of Silicon Valley and the Coalition Against Predatory Payday lenders to counter predatory payday lending. This effort includes sharing educational materials on the proliferation of the payday lenders and check cashiers in our community. The City of San Jose has approved prioritizing a study on payday lending. County action is pending.

fooD, AB 6 & AB 69Step Up has supported advocacy efforts to reduce bureaucratic barriers to accessing food stamps through CalFresh, California’s version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). AB 6 eliminates fingerprinting and quarterly reporting requirements for CalFresh and AB 69 establishes a pilot program that will enroll eligible seniors on social security into CalFresh. AB 6 and AB 69 were passed by the legislature and signed into law.

national oPPortunity anD Community renewal aCt (NOCRA), S. 1565This anti-poverty pilot legislation has been re-introduced in the U.S. Senate as a result of the work by Catholic Charities USA to identify innovative strategies existing in communities throughout the country that will serve to revamp the national approach to poverty prevention and alleviation. The pilots use holistic, locally-controlled market-based solutions that are outcomes-based, e.g., social impact bonds. Pilot projects are moving forward prior to passage in three to four metro areas including Santa Clara County through the leadership of Step Up Silicon Valley.

“To begin to eliminate poverty from our midst, we need to revolutionize

how we form community, how we care for one another, and how we create

wealth together so all valley residents can thrive.”

---GReG KepfeRle, CAthOliC ChARitieS Of SANtA ClARA COuNty

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ANNUAL REPORT | DECEMBER 2011

INCUBATIONOur2011 pilot projects:

franklin mCkinley ChilDren’s initiative (fmCi)Step Up incubated the Franklin McKinley Children’s Initiative with the Franklin-McKinley School District, as a place-based strategy to reduce poverty by providing intensive multi-sector support systems so every child in the Santee Neighborhood of San Jose can progress from cradle to career. Modeled after the Harlem Children’s Zone, FMCI has organized the residents and providers around education, safe and strong neighborhoods, and family strengthening. Because of the strong collaborative among education, social service, healthcare, city and county government, and the local community, the neighborhood has been chosen as a site for Educare, an innovative early childhood development center.

franklin mCkinley women’s initiative (fmwi)In collaboration with the Franklin McKinley Children’s Initiative and Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment, Step Up has developed a program aimed to assist low-income women to gain economic self-sufficiency by providing them with the knowledge and tools needed to start their own businesses. Through this program, these women attend an 11 week small business development and training course with additional business support for another year. In 2011, 30 women have participated in this program. Our goal is to see 100 women successfully complete the program by 2012.

outCome measurement

In collaboration with Rachel Wright, Ph.D. candidate at Stanford University’s Center for the Study of Poverty & Inequality, Step Up is developing a feasible outcome measurement system in order to understand the impact that service providing non-profits have on low-income individuals. While most studies on nonprofit outcomes focus on organization level characteristics, this study will focus on the outcomes experienced by the individual clients.

“That so many people live in poverty in a resource-rich and innovative place like Silicon Valley is an embarrassment.

I firmly believe that we have the technologies and resources to make Silicon Valley a poverty-free area, one

that can serve as a model for the rest of the world. All we need is to combine will.”

---fR. NiCKy SANtOS, SANtA ClARA uNiveRSity

FMWI Graduation, December 2011

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ANNUAL REPORT | DECEMBER 2011

STEP UP PARTNERSAACI, Asian Americans for Community InvolvementAmerican Leadership Forum, Silicon ValleyApplied Materials FoundationAssemblymember Jim Beall’s OfficeBay Area Legal Aid Bill Wilson CenterBusiness Development Accelerators Catholic Charities of Santa Clara CountyCenter for Employment and Training (CET) Charities Housing Development CorporationCity of San Jose City of Santa ClaraCommunity Health PartnershipCommunity Services Agency, Mt. View/Los Altos Community SolutionsCommunity Technology AllianceCongressman Mike Honda’s Office Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren’s OfficeConsulting Within Reach (CWR)Council of Churches of Santa Clara CountyCounty of Santa ClaraDestination: Home Diocese of San JoseDowntown Streets Team Inc.EHC LifebuildersEvergreen Community CollegeFamily Alliance for Counseling Tools & Resolution First Five of Santa Clara CountyFirst Presbyterian Church of San JoseFranklin-McKinley Children’s InitiativeFranklin-McKinley School DistrictGardner Family Health Network Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Silicon ValleyHoly Family ParishHousing Trust of Santa Clara County Human Agenda Immigrant Relations and Integration Services (IRIS)InnVisionInsight Center for Community Economic Development

Interfaith Council on Economics and JusticeJewish Community Relations CouncilJewish Family Services of Silicon ValleyKids in CommonLaw Foundation of Silicon Valley Loaves & Fishes Family KitchenLucile Packard Children’s Hospital at StanfordNeighborhood Housing Services Silicon ValleyOpportunity FundPeople Acting in Community Together (PACT) Presbytery of San JoseProject HiredSacred Heart Community ServiceSacred Heart Parish, SaratogaSanta Clara County Family Health PlanSanta Clara County Office of EducationSanta Clara UniversitySecond Harvest Food BankSenator Elaine Alquist’s OfficeServices, Immigrant Rights Education NetworkSilicon Valley Council of Nonprofits (SVCN)Silicon Valley Education FoundationSilicon Valley Independent Living CenterSilicon Valley Leadership Group SJSU Center for Community Learning & LeadershipSociety of St. Vincent de Paul, Santa Clara CouncilSouth San Jose Family Services CenterSt. Francis Medial Center St. Louise Regional Hospital.Stanford Center for the Study of Poverty & Inequality Temple Emanu-ElThe Health TrustTrinity CathedralUnited Way of Silicon ValleyVictory Outreach MinistriesWest Valley Community ServicesWomen’s Initiative for Self EmploymentWorking Partnerships USA

- Our list is comprised of the Core Step Up Silicon Valley team and of those who have signed a Memorandum of Understanding in support of the SUSV vision.

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A special thank you to our sponsors:

Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County

2625 Zanker Road San Jose, CA 95134

(408) 325-5264 info@StepUpSV.com

www.StepUpSV.org

“I believe that we can create a poverty-free world because poverty is not created by poor people. It has been created and sustained by the economic and social systems that we have designed for ourselves; the institutions and

concepts that make up that system; the policies that we pursue.”

Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Laureate, Founder, Grameen Bank