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Wednesday, May 6, 2026

Contact: Yajaira Ortega, Policy and Equity, Senior Manager, Thrive Alliance

Email: yajaira@thrivealliance.org

The Work Continues. Sacramento Is Listening.

Tomorrow is our chance to make it count.

On Thursday, May 7, Senator Becker will present San Mateo County's VLF funding request before the Senate Budget Subcommittee #4. He needs community voices in that room.

Thrive Alliance is coordinating a free charter bus, made possible with support from Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

We will be accompanied on the bus by a local reporter who will be capturing your stories about the potential impact of the VLF shortfall. Please see the schedule below.

Pick-Up Location: San Mateo County Event Center at 2495 S Delaware Ave., San Mateo, CA 94403
Meeting Time: 7:00 am
Departure Time from San Mateo County Event Center: 7:30 am
Breakfast: A simple breakfast will be provided on the bus (muffins, granola bars, orange juice, etc.), but please bring your own coffee! We don't want to attempt pouring hot liquid on a moving bus.
Meeting Point and Time in Sacramento: The bus will arrive at the Capitol around 10 am; we will meet others at the intersection of 10th and L St and enter the Capitol around 10:30 am
Senate Hearing: The hearing will begin around 11:30 am, with public comment at the end. We will wait in the Platinum Advisors' conference room. The conference room is located at 1215 K St, Suite 1150, Sacramento. This conference room is close to the Capitol and other lunch options, but feel free to pack your own lunch.
Afternoon Meeting Point and Time: Dependent on the time of public comment, but we anticipate wrapping around 2:00 pm and leaving the Capitol as a group.
Departure Time from Sacramento: Dependent on the timing of public comment, but we anticipate leaving around 2:30 pm and arriving back at the SMC Event Center around 5:00 pm.

Sacramento heard us last Tuesday. And now we have another chance to make it count.

The Assembly Budget Subcommittee 5 signaled real openness to addressing the VLF funding shortfall and finding a lasting fix. That did not happen by accident. It happened because San Mateo County showed up. Thrive Alliance was proud to support that effort alongside our partners at Samaritan House.

Watch the hearing here and learn more at smcfairfunding.org.

Let's keep the pressure on.

Advocacy Bus to Sacramento

You Showed Up, and It Made a Difference

A Win for Democracy in San Mateo County

Yesterday, the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors took a historic step toward making redistricting more equitable and accountable. Four out of five Supervisors supported an Independent Redistricting Commission, with the fifth open to learning more. That is a remarkable show of will from elected officials who understand what is at stake.

As Supervisor Speier put it plainly: "Democracy is not cheap." And she is right. The cost of doing this right is worth every penny compared to a process that leaves communities on the sidelines.

For those who remember 2021, this moment carries extra meaning. Thrive Alliance and over 60 partner organizations came together to produce the Unity Map, a community-led vision of what fair district boundaries could look like. That map was ultimately set aside. Yesterday's vote is what it looks like when elected leaders choose accountability over the status quo and stand firmly on the side of their communities.

An independent commission means the next redistricting process belongs to the public, not to the officials whose seats depend on the outcome. That is how democracy is supposed to work.

Thank you to everyone who showed up, wrote in, and made noise. And a special thank you to the League of Women Voters North & Central San Mateo County for their tireless research and advocacy that helped make this day possible.

Stay tuned for the May 19th Board of Supervisors meeting, where the next steps will be decided, and we will learn what may ultimately land on the November ballot.

Don't forget to subscribe to Civic Threads, Thrive's latest way to stay connected through quick updates and timely alerts about what’s happening in our community and how you can get involved. Think of it as your direct line to important civic news, opportunities to take action, and ways to stand in solidarity with nonprofits and community members.

This alert system is designed to keep you informed and engaged. We look forward to weaving our community together through Civic Threads and keeping you connected to the issues and opportunities that matter most to you.

If you have content that you would like to share with us through our Civic Threads, please send it directly to Yajaira Ortega.

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Thrive is committed to highlighting the incredible organizing power of our local nonprofit and partner communities always and especially during this time. We have created this Community Safety Resources section for Thrive Weekly to do just that. By working collectively and shining a light on our sector's collaborative, caring power, we will lighten each other's loads as we renew ways to safeguard our diverse communities.

Please visit our Community Safety Resource Webpage for more information and helpful resources.

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