Help Protect Santa Cruz Community Service Workers

For nearly 50 years, Encompass Community Services (Encompass) has provided critical early education, housing, and behavioral health services to Santa Cruz County’s most vulnerable residents. Encompass employees, many of whom have lived and worked in this community all their lives, give tirelessly so that all in Santa Cruz can have the benefit of a long, healthy life. I’ve heard dozens of stories from you—members of our unique, coastal community—about how Encompass once supported your family member, friend, or co-worker to heal and did so with uncompromising dignity and respect.

Now is the chance to show our gratitude for the people who dedicate their lives to helping others!

As we speak, Encompass staff are on the front lines of Coronavirus caring for residents in the emergency shelter and five residential treatment programs. Despite the risks, Encompass simply cannot halt these necessary services during this crisis. As you’ve read and heard in news reports, the shortage of personal protective equipment, disinfecting wipes, and cleaning supplies is leaving many essential workers, and those they’re serving, at greater risk of contracting this rapidly spreading virus. Encompass desperately needs these supplies.

Please join us in raising funds to help Encompass workers and their clients stay safe.

We’re starting this fund to help Encompass purchase the supplies needed to protect workers and clients from contracting the virus, and to help Encompass continue providing essential services to our community’s most vulnerable populations in this new and challenging climate.

Under Santa Cruz County’s March 17, 2020 Stay at Home order, Encompass has made swift and critical changes to its program operations in order to continue serving as many clients as possible. These changes include implementing new telehealth and alternative service options, as well as enhancing safety measures and cleaning protocols across its programs. These rapid updates come at a cost, and at a time of uncertainty when the nonprofit will already be experiencing a loss of revenue because it has had to reduce all non-essential appointments and services.

How will my donation be used?

100% of the funds raised will go to support Encompass services, including:

·         Producing face masks: Santa Cruz County is experiencing an unprecedented shortage of face masks. Funds will be used to purchase supplies and hire local tailors / seamstresses (many of whom are out of work due to our current climate) to make face masks.

·         Purchasing cell phones, laptops and other essential equipment to allow Encompass to continue key services through telehealth

·         Purchasing additional cleaning supplies and protective equipment, such as sanitizer solution, disinfecting wipes, gloves, etc.  

·         Providing essential goods like diapers, groceries and cleaning supplies to clients experiencing hardship from this situation

·         Hiring a courier to deliver critical items like groceries, cleaning supplies, staff paychecks and more.

Donations of any amount are welcome.

Additionally, I am also coordinating donations of physical items and supplies. If you can contribute any of the following items to Encompass directly, please contact me and I will help arrange a drop-off time and location with Encompass.

·         Cell phones

·         Laptops

·         Sanitizer

·         Disinfecting wipes

·         Face masks

·         Gloves

·         Diapers

·         Toilet paper

·         Paper towels

Thank you for supporting this huge need in our community!