san diego

Staying Healthy This Fall and Beyond!

Abby H.

Fall and Winter are the prime time for illnesses to go around, especially the flu. While the flu shot isn’t effective against all strains of influenza, it does help to keep those to receive it safely again many strains.

Most insurance companies offer no or low-cost flu shots, but if you are uninsured and facing financial difficulties, even $20 for a flu shot can be out of reach. Thankfully there are organizations and resources to help keep you healthy and safe.

If you are in San Diego County, Champions for Health offers free Flu shots, PCV13 shots for those over 65, and Tdap shots for those between the ages of 10-64. They have opportunities all over San Diego County throughout the fall.

If you or your children are in need of vaccinations (flu and beyond) but are without insurance, the san Diego County Health and Human Services Agency offers no-cost vaccines. More information can be found here.

In addition to vaccines, there are a lot of other ways you can stay healthy this fall and winter. Most of us are already doing them!

  • Wash your hands frequently- use soap and water and scrub for at least 20-30 seconds.
  • Try not to touch your face.
  • Cover your nose and mouth when your sneeze (either with a tissue or cough or sneeze into your elbow).
  • Use hand sanitizer when you cannot wash your hands with soap and water.
  • If you are wearing re-usable/cloth masks, make sure to wash and dry them frequently. Disposable masks should be used once and thrown away. Please remember to clip the elastic ear loops before throwing the mask away- animals can get caught up in the loops.
  • Avoid sick people, and if you aren’t feeling well yourself, do not go out in public.
  • Eat well, include lots of vitamin and mineral rich foods.
  • Stay Hydrated. This is my favorite water bottle.

San Diego, CA Free Event! All Inclusive Day of Play & Resource Fair

Abby H.

The Special Needs Resource Foundation of San Diego is hosting its 3rd annual All Inclusive Day of Play & Resource Fair.

This Interactive Drive-Thru event is FREE for families this fall!

On Sunday, October 11 from 1 to 4 pm at the Salvation Army Kroc Center, 6845 University Avenue, San Diego, 92115 (enter off Aragon Dr.), families from around the county are invited to drive through our interactive event and gather information from resource providers for families with all abilities.

Sign up for your family’s FREE tickets on Eventbrite now! 

All attendees are encouraged to stop and participate as a family pod at themed activity stations. All families who drive through the “course” will be entered into our raffle giveaway to win fun prizes.

Children of all abilities can enjoy activity stations including a Star Wars Light Saber Craft, Ollivanders Wand Shop, a free book at the Literacy Duck Pond, and more!

All activities and resources are FREE and open to the public.

Please note! All COVID-19 guidelines will be strictly enforced, including requiring facemasks for everyone at this event (booth vendors and attendees in cars) and social distancing.

October is Kids Go Free Month!

Abby H.

October is a great time to be a kid in San Diego!

This October 1-31, kids 12 and under receive free admission at many art, cultural, and science museums and historical sites in San Diego County. This year may be a little different with closures due to COVID-19, so please call each attraction prior to visiting.

For those of us with curious kids, this is perfect! Kids can get into over 40 museums in the San Diego area free with paying adults (all the info can be found here).

Some of the participating organizations include:

Birch Aquarium at Scripps
Fleet Science Center (Galleries only)
Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum
Heritage of the Americas Museum
Japanese Friendship Garden
Living Coast Discovery Center
Maritime Museum of San Diego
Marston House Museum & Gardens
Mingei International Museum
Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego
Museum of Making Music
Museum of Photographic Arts
San Diego Air & Space Museum
San Diego Automotive Museum
San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum
San Diego Chinese Historical Museum
San Diego History Center
San Diego Model Railroad Museum
San Diego Natural History Museum (The Nat)
Tijuana Estuary Visitor Center
Timken Museum of Art (it’s always free for everyone FYI)
Women’s Museum of California

A full list can be found here. Oh, and as part of free October, Kids can get into the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Zoo’s Safari Park free when accompanied by a paying adult!  Other Kids go free attractions include: Legoland, Sea World, and the USS Midway!!

*Some museums charge fees for special exhibitions, programs or films. Some museums may limit offer use to once per month per guest. Purchase of a Balboa Park Explorer Pass does not qualify as a paid adult admission for the Kids Free in October program. Purchase of a Go San Diego Pass or card does not qualify as a paid adult admission for the Kids Free in October program at most museums; call museum(s) before visiting to enquire. 

FREE Virtual All-Inclusive READ 3X3 Literacy Event (San Diego and Imperial Counties)

Abby H.

 

This FREE virtual event on Saturday Sept. 12, is hosted by the Special Needs Resource Foundation of San Diego and San Diego Family Magazine.

Three local authors, Henry Herz, Margarita Elizondo and Cindy Jenson-Elliott, will entertain children with a virtual book reading and craft.

Each child that registers for the event will receive a free book and craft supplies, donated by the Special Needs Resource Foundation of San Diego and San Diego Family Magazine.

Families who register will pick up their FREE event book and craft supplies bags* through a contactless drive-by pick up. Details will be sent after registration is complete.

Sign up on Eventbrite today! Please register for the county you live in.

San Diego County: www.eventbrite.com/e/all-inclusive-read-3×3-literacy-event-san-diego-county-tickets-115791719149

Imperial County: www.eventbrite.com/e/all-inclusive-read-3×3-literacy-event-imperial-county-tickets-117657008279

*Tickets are limited.

A big thank you to our event sponsors!

Non-Perishable Food Today at Faith Chapel!

Abby H.

If your pantry is looking a little bare, cruise on over to Faith Chapel this morning! They hve non-perishable items bagged and ready to distribute to you, TODAY beginning at 9am.

9400 Campo Rd.
Spring Valley, CA 91977

This is a drive-thru style event, so you don’t have to leave your vehicles.

If you are looking for other free food resources:

Food Resources for Eastern and Central San Diego

Food Resources for Northern San Diego County

 

Free Backpacks and School Supplies for 2020!

Abby H.

10997200_1551314338450648_5653174165881717305_nThis article contains location specific giveaways- for nationwide info, scroll to the bottom of the article.

For the past few years the great folks over at SMOAC have been doing an incredible service to the Eastern San Diego County school kids by offering free backpacks and school supplies.

And this year is no different! This year, they are hosting a drive-thru style event at two locations:

  • Rio Seco School 9545 Cuyamaca Street or Pride Academy 9303 Prospect Ave (Both in Santee)
  • August 16, 2020
  • 10AM until supplies run out
  • Kids must be present in the car
  • 1 backpack per child
  • This will be a contactless delivery event- Please Print the form here and complete it per the directions.

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And for those of you not in the immediate area, there are all sorts of other free school supply and backpack giveaways going on.

Boost Mobile is giving away backpacks and school supplies. More info is here. In San Diego County, there is 1 Boost Mobile in Oceanside that is participating.

Operation Homefront is having giveaways for military families on bases all over the US. Here is a list for 2020.

Rentacalc does free giveaways for backpacks, graphing calculators and protractors! You can learn more and enter to win here.

San Diego, CA Area Residents: FREE Produce! Tomorrow, August 7, 2020

Abby H.

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It’s Back!! Our friends over at Faith Chapel understand that with all that’s going on in the world that some of us still need help finding healthy food during this difficult time. And that’s it not always safe for us to go to the store or hit up a farmers market. This is going to be the last produce distribution at Faith Chapel for the next few weeks. Once it is back on, I will let you know ASAP!

Distribution is happening this Friday, August 7th,  beginning at 10:00am.

This is a drive-thru style event, so you don’t have to leave your vehicles. This week they are getting 1 truckload of produce delivered, so they will be only be given 1 box of produce to each vehicle.  BUT- Trust me- That’s plenty of quality produce for one family.

Here is an example of what was offered in previous weeks: unnamedNavel Oranges, Grapefruit, Plumcots, Lemons, and nectarines. All free.

Faith Chapel is located at 9400 Campo Road Spring Valley, CA 91977

San Diego, CA Area Residents: FREE Produce! Tomorrow, July 31, 2020

Abby H.

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It’s Back!! Our friends over at Faith Chapel understand that with all that’s going on in the world that some of us still need help finding healthy food during this difficult time. And that’s it not always safe for us to go to the store or hit up a farmers market.

Distribution is happening this Friday, July 31st, beginning at 10:00am.

This is a drive-thru style event, so you don’t have to leave your vehicles. This week they are getting 1 truckload of produce delivered, so they will be only be given 1 box of produce to each vehicle.  BUT- Trust me- That’s plenty of quality produce for one family.

Here is an example of what was offered lin previous weeks: unnamedNavel Oranges, Grapefruit, Plumcots, Lemons, and nectarines. All free.

Faith Chapel is located at 9400 Campo Road Spring Valley, CA 91977

Free Parenting Classes (Online)

Abby H.

I got information about this class in my inbox from our local school district. This class is free and is all online.

Systematic Training for Effective Parenting (STEP) Classes.

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I’ve never taken this class, but it looks like a great opportunity. After Finishing this 7-session course, you will:

  • Receive a Completion Certificate
  • Fulfill court and other requirements under the Welfare and Institution Code
  • Have a Better understanding of your child’s behavior and make steps toward building a happy home.

To sign up or if you have questions, contact Luz Alarcon at 619-203-2108. Pre-registration for this class is required.

2020 Summer Lunch Programs for Kids (And Other Free Food Resources in San Diego)

Abby H.

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I am usually sooo much more on top of these free lunch posts, but…well, life has been a little crazy around here, and all over the world.

Better late than never, so, here we go. In past years schools, libraries, and community centers have hosted these free lunches, this year, however, the list of facilities has decreased.

GUHSDIf you don’t find any facilities near you offering free lunches, I recommend contacting 211, they may have more updated information.

table of hopeAnd if you are in need of food for your entire family, but you find yourself not qualifying for P-EBT or other social services, I recommend that you check out Facebook. There are tons of local groups of neighbors getting together setting up Tables of Hope. In San Diego, there are several. Tables of Hope are small groups of neighbors that have set up food distribution tables within neighborhoods to help those who might be experiencing food insecurity.

Churches and community organizations are offering free food distributions that require no proof of need, like Faith Chapel in Spring Valley. They are offering free produce each Friday through mid-August. You can find out more info here.

And the San Diego Food Bank is continuing their neighborhood distributions– Lots of produce and goodies are available each week. No proof of need or residency requirements.

There are all sorts of organizations looking to help families in need.

Even if you are not in dire need, if you need help stretching your budget, these resources are here for you!

Talk Back: How are you stretching your food budget this summer?