Seniors Council to distribute food vouchers
WATSONVILLE — The Seniors Council of Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties/Area Agency on Aging will be doing the annual Senior Farmers Market Voucher distribution on Friday at the Watsonville Farmer’s Market, on Peck and Union streets, beginning at 3 p.m.
Qualifying seniors will receive a booklet totaling $20 worth of vouchers to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables at certified farmer’s markets. To be eligible to receive a voucher booklet, one must be 60 years of age or older and have an income at or below 185 percent of federal poverty.
Vouchers are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. One booklet per person per year.
Funding for this program comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is administered by the California Department of Agriculture through the 33 Area Agencies on Aging in California.
For information, call 688-0400, extension 118 or email ca****@se************.org.
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Digital NEST Board of Directors welcomes three new members
WATSONVILLE — Digital NEST, the local nonprofit providing free technology access and training to youth in Watsonville and Salinas, has announced the addition of Donna Murphy, Matthew Payne and Sonny Pulido to its board of directors.
In making the announcement, board president Michele Bassi praised the new directors for their community activism and professional expertise.
“Donna, Matt and Sonny bring deep experience and many skills to our board,” Bassi said. “I know their contributions will advance the work of Digital NEST.”
Digital NEST membership — open to youth from high school through age 24 — has grown to more than 1,200 across its two locations, in Watsonville and Salinas. The two Digital NEST centers are environments where youth are trained in digital arts, web and information technology, and workforce “soft skills” such as project management and communications. All programs and services are free, supported by individual donors, local businesses and foundation grants.
Murphy held senior leadership positions at two international organizations and three research universities, most recently as vice chancellor for university relations at UC Santa Cruz. Now retired, she provides pro bono consulting to several local and regional nonprofit organizations.
Payne is a product manager at Santa Cruz-based Plantronics. A graduate of UC Santa Cruz, Payne’s connections to local tech businesses and the gaming industry will help Digital NEST expand its access to these areas.
Pulido is the director of product integrity for Naturipe Berry Growers Inc. in Salinas. She is a Salinas native and a California Polytechnic State University graduate.
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Follies holding pancake breakfast
SANTA CRUZ — A benefit pancake breakfast will be held from 8:30 a.m.-noon Sunday at 222 Market St. in Santa Cruz.
Cost of the breakfast is $7 for adults, $3 for children under age 10. Also, take a look in “Grannie’s Attic” for household items and small gifts.
Proceeds will benefit Santa Cruz Follies, a local performing arts group for “over 50” Santa Cruz County citizens.
For information, call SCO at 423-6640.
