Chinatown community development center (chinatown CDC) proposes to work with 75 senior corps volunteers who will train chinatown community members to protect themselves from covid-19, prevent fires,…

The Chinatown Community Development Center (Chinatown CDC) will utilize a $376,329 Project Grant award from the Corporation for National and Community Service Office of Grants Management under the AmeriCorps Seniors Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP, CFDA 94.002) to deploy 75 Senior Corps volunteers to provide COVID-19 safety training, fire prevention education, and earthquake preparedness instruction to over 200 low-income, limited English-speaking immigrant community members in San Francisco, California from April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2024. The RSVP program supports volunteers aged 55 and older conducting community service to meet local needs. Given the vulnerable living conditions of Chinatown residents in densely populated century-old buildings, this funding will enhance Chinatown CDC's ongoing disaster response work through the leadership of volunteers from similar backgrounds.

Chinatown community development center (chinatown CDC) proposes to work with 75 senior corps volunteers who will train chinatown community members to protect themselves from covid-19, prevent fires, and prepare for earthquakes. Both the volunteers and the 200+ community members they will serve are predominantly low income, limited english speaking immigrants from china and hong kong. Their personal backgrounds make them the ideal people to provide this community outreach. The individuals and families the volunteers will serve live in very crowded apartment dwellings, most of which are approximately 100 years old. Many of the rooms are only 8 by 10 feet, and have shared baths and kitchens. Given this living situation, IT has been very fortunate that there have not been outbreaks of the virus, due in large part to neighbors planning among themselves to set schedules on the use of the kitchens and working with chinatown CDC on preparedness and use of ppes (personal protection equipment). With the virus still continuing to spread in SAN francisco at the time of this application and no vaccination in sight, we anticipate IT will continue to be important to provide protection for residents through next year, when this grant period would begin. The overall budget listed for this program includes all the disaster planning and organizing work conducted by our experienced and knowledgeable organizing staff, including this senior corps program should IT be funded. This grant would greatly enhance our work an develop enhanced leadership skills in their community.