How the state budget cuts hit home

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Some of you receive regular emails from former board member Marty Omoto about how the state deficit is affecting the disability community.  It's a situation painfully reminiscent of what ZD's grantee communities faced following the dot com bust in our early years.  The cuts proposed to address the current deficit are worse by several magnitudes. Phillip Nguyen and I had an opportunity to have lunch with former board member Anni Chung, CEO of Self Help for the Elderly.  She shared information about how the Governor's proposed budget cuts will hit our grantee communities in California:

1)       Adult Day Health Care, Alzheimer’s Day Care:  300 centers in California, 36,000 alzheimer’s and frail seniors will lose their day health centers. In SF, there are 9 centers with over 1100 patients. For Self Help for the Elderly, closing Jackie Chan center will affect 150 seniors, they'll lose around $1m.

2)       IHSS—90% of current IHSS (In Home Support Services) recipients will not receive care:
Alameda County: 16,580
San Francisco: 18,460
San Mateo: 2720
Santa Clara: 15,050
3)       Heathly Families:
A:   21,140
SF: 12,190
SM: 10,730
SC: 32,220
4)       Capi:
Al: 55,100
SF: 48,860
SM: 14,040
SC: 49,360
5)       Calworks:
Al: 48,710
SF: 11,530
SM: 6270
SC: 39,510

ZeroDivide's grantees are not unaffected by these cuts and the pressure on them to continue basic services while growing an enterprise creates unprecedented challenges.  We are working to get a handle on the extent to which our grantees are hit and what it means for our continued strategy as non-profit organizations plan for the inevitable cuts.  We'll keep you updated throughout the summer and as the final state budget is adopted.