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Thanksgiving has special meaning this year for seniors living alone or in congregate settings thanks to a food program run by the Aging and Disabilities Department that ensures elderly residents receive three nutritious meals a day. For the centenarians featured here, the meals may fill their stomach, but those who deliver them warm their hearts.

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In Case You Missed It

Having a Safe Thanksgiving

This week, many of us will be celebrating Thanksgiving and gathering with friends and family over the long weekend. We are grateful this year to have the tools that allow us to gather with a lot of safety. It will mean however that all of us are likely to need to take some common-sense precautions to avoid future disruptions and the spread of illness.

Get Vaccinated:?First, we should all do our very best to be sure we are up to date on our vaccines. The flu shot and the COVID-19 updated bivalent booster are both widely available in LA County and you can receive both vaccines at the same time. Many people may be thinking that it is too late to get vaccinated before Thanksgiving because the vaccines need time to be effective. While protection does ramp up over the 1-2 weeks after you are vaccinated this does not mean that you will have zero protection until this point. You will still have some protection and you will be prepared for future events. Most pharmacies have these vaccines readily available without an appointment. You can also visit our website:?ph.lacounty.gov/howtogetvaccinated.
Test Before Gathering:?If you are hosting, consider asking guests to take a home COVID test before they come over. If you are going to a gathering and you know there will be an older person there or others who are at high risk for severe illness for COVID, test before you arrive just to be safe and ensure that you are not passing along anything that you do not want to be. COVID-19 home tests for all DPH employees are covered by your insurance.
Stay Home if Sick:?If you are coughing, sneezing, have a runny nose, fever, or other concerning symptoms, you should stay home and not risk infecting others. Even a scratchy throat could result in passing along a respiratory virus. Please stay home, rest, and recover.
Maximize Ventilation:?Look for ways that you can improve ventilation in your home. If it is not too cold, stay outdoors as much as possible. When inside, open windows or a screen door and use fans to move the air. If you have an HVAC system in your home, set the fan to ?on? and make sure your filters are installed properly. You can also use a portable, high-efficiency air cleaner, also known as HEPA air purifiers. Improving ventilation in your home, as well as gathering in larger rooms where people are spaced apart or going outside, if possible, can help reduce the transmission of airborne illnesses.

Adopt-A-Family Program

The Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) Toy Loan and Volunteer Services Program is gearing up to host the annual Adopt-A-Family Program, the much-anticipated holiday campaign to bring joy to over 1,000 low-income families receiving DPSS benefits and services.

The call is once again going out to encourage individuals and organizations to help make a difference in the community by supporting this worthwhile program. ?Sponsoring a family is a wonderful way to celebrate the true spirit of giving.

For over 30 years, the Adopt-A-Family Program has partnered with the community and generously sponsored families needing support during the holidays. Last year, the program provided gifts of clothing, toys, food, and other new items to approximately 1,800 families.

Sponsors may choose the size of the family, general location, and how many families they would like to sponsor. There is no limit to the number of families. Once matched with a family, the sponsor reviews the family?s wish list and decides what and how much to give.

Individuals or organizations interested in adopting a family may fill out an online sponsor application at https://bit.ly/DPSSAAF. The deadline to submit applications is Friday, December 9, 2022.

For more information, contact DPSS Volunteer Coordinator Brenda Gonzalez Camacho at [email protected]. ??

At Your Service

Emergency Rent Assistance Program for CALWorks Families?

CalWORKs participants who are behind on rent can call the DPSS Customer Service Center at (866)-613-3777 to request Emergency Assistance to Prevent Eviction (EAPE). Download the EAPE fact sheet to learn more. Submit an application to you CalWORKs Eligibility Worker at your district office.

Laptop Giveaway Event

The County of L.A. is hosting special Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) enrollment and FREE laptop giveaway events at seven library locations on Saturday, December 10, 2022. ?The ACP is a federally funded program offering up to $30 off your monthly internet bill. ?One hundred laptops will be given away at each location for new enrollments.

To learn more and see a list of locations, visit ACP Enrollment & FREE Laptop Giveaways ? Delete The Divide.

Out and About

Tree Lighting Event

Usher in this festive time of year with the official lighting of LA County's Christmas tree at The Music Center. Enjoy complimentary hot chocolate while experiencing a live performance by Skid Row-based Urban Voices project.?

Mon, Nov 28 | 5 pm

Jerry Moss Plaza at The Music Center
135 N Grand Ave, Los Angeles, 90012

This free event is open to all!

Winter Events with LA County Parks

It?s Park Time L.A. County! Parks After Dark returns with an enchanting Winter Wonderland experience that will bring holiday cheer and 40 to 80 tons of snow to 34 L.A. County Parks in the month of December. This holiday action packed celebration is for the entire family and is bigger and better than ever before, with more snow, more toys, more craft activities and more fun! All for free!

For more information on Parks After Dark Winter Wonderland, visit parks.lacounty.gov/winterpad.

Photo Finish

Photo: Mayra Beltran Vasquez / Los Angeles County