Category Archives: Community Services

*NEW* Peer Support Group at Heart & Soul

Alternatives To Suicide is a new approach to sharing about our experiences without the fear of judgment or coercion. Originally created by the Wildflower Alliance, this group is a safe non-clinical space for individuals who are personally experiencing suicidal thoughts and/or have attempted suicide.

The first in-person group will meet on Thursday, March 16, 3:30 – 5:00 pm at Heart & Soul’s Community Drop-In Center (1633 Old Bayshore Hwy. Suite 258, Burlingame, CA 94010).

The group will be offered on the 1st Thursday of the month on Zoom and on the 3rd Thursday of the month in person at Heart & Soul’s Burlingame location.

All participants must agree to respect and apply the Alternatives To Suicide Charter provided at the beginning of the group meetings.

​No registration is required. 

For questions, email info@heartandsoulinc.org.

BACHAC’s Soul Stroll 2023 Needs Volunteers!

Volunteers are the Heart and Soul of Bay Area Community Health Advisory Council. We need volunteers to help make Soul Stroll for Health a success.

  • There are various volunteer positions. First shift starts at 6:00 am. 
  • View our list of volunteer positions and responsibilities.
  • All volunteers must complete a Volunteer Agreement Form. It will be sent to those who sign-up for a volunteer position.
  • Great opportunity for group teamwork, teens, young adults, and fulfilling student volunteer hours.

Soul Stroll Volunteer Orientation will provide more information about your volunteer position. 

Date: Saturday April 22, 2023 
Time: 10:00 am – 12:00 pm
Location: 745 Brewster Avenue, Redwood City, CA

Options for signing up:

  1. Visit BACHAC POINT webpage at https://pointapp.org/orgs/973

Click on the “events” tab where you will see Soul Stroll 2023 listed. To sign-up online, you need to create your free account on the website or mobile app:

2.    Email Rachel Mesia at volunteer1@bachac.org

3.    Call Rachel Mesia at 650.723.7119, leave a message with name and contact information.

Register for 2023 May Mental Health Month Planning Committee Meetings

We welcome you to join our 2023 May Mental Health Month Planning Committee meetings (schedule below and in attached flyer).

Please register at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIqcu2prTwqE9a7I4H7l7dHKOD9TUWUhqgr.  

Day of the WeekDateTimeLocationFocus
ThursdayMarch 23:30-5:00pmZoomIntroduction & Measures of Success
ThursdayMarch 163:30-5:00pmZoomEvents & Advocacy
ThursdayMarch 303:30-5:00pmZoomEvents & Advocacy
ThursdayApril 133:30-5:00pmZoomCommunication & Outreach
ThursdayApril 273:30-5:00pmZoomCommunication & Outreach
ThursdayJune 93:30-5:00pmZoomDebrief and Celebration

As of now, we are planning virtual meetings and will keep you posted if we decide to shift to hybrid or in-person for any of the above meetings. We plan to share the meeting recordings and minutes in case anyone wants to catch up or review the meetings. If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, please let us know.

Please help us share this message or attached flyer on social media to help us spread the word.

Looking forward to collaborating with you!
Sylvia & Kristie
Co-Chairs, May Mental Health Month Planning Committee Meeting

1/18 – Heart & Soul Lunar New Year Open House

Join Heart & Soul in celebrating the Lunar New Year! Learn about their programs, meet their team member, and gather in community. Their Lunar New Year open house is Wednesday, January 18th from 3pm to 6pm at 1633 Old Bayshore Hwy, Suite 258, Burlingame.

Come hear from featured guest speaker, Erica Horn, Executive Director of California Clubhouse. The open house will also include a door prize raffle. Will the Year of the Rabbit bring you look? You may be a winner!

For more info visit heartandsoulinc.org or email info@heartandsoulinc.org.

2/11 – AACI Presents: A Black History Month Celebration

Please join San Mateo County’s African American Community Initiative (AACI) for their 2023 Black History Month Celebration. The event is on Saturday, February 11th, 2023 from 10am to 2pm. In-person location is at Cooley Landing Center (2100 Bay Rd, East Palo Alto, CA 94303).

This event will be hybrid with an in-person limited capacity of 75 people. Registration is first come first serve, and you don’t want to miss out!

Scheduled presentations and activities include Black Mental Health, COVID-19 and Health Care in the Black Community, raffle prizes, live musical performances and poetry.

RSVP for the event here.

If you are interested to volunteer for set up, clean up, ushering, door monitoring, etc, please email dpennix@smcgov.org.

The mission of the African American Community Initiative is to become a known resource for African American Community members facing challenges with finding and utilizing mental health services, while addressing inequalities faced by African Americans in our county. Our vision is to build a community driven support system for reducing mental health and substance use treatment disparities, and the stigma of mental illness. Learn more about AACI here

1/27 – Pioneer Court Open House

HealthRIGHT 360’s Pioneer Court is celebrating its grand reopening by holding an open house event.

Pioneer Court has served San Mateo since 2015 and has become a staple in the behavioral health community. Despite the unprecedented pandemic, their doors stayed open for anyone who needed their services. Today, they are proud to be a beacon of hope and continue serving the community youth and adults virtually and in person. The team at Pioneer Court looks forward to welcoming attendees to the grand reopening of its facility.

The event will be on Friday, 1/27/23 from 2pm to 5pm. Look forward to guest speakers, raffle prizes, and learning more about their youth and adult programs. More details are located on the flyer pdf below. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Health Ambassadors Reflect on the Importance of SMC’s 10th Annual PRIDE Celebration

BHRS Health Ambassadors supporting 10 year Anniversary of San Mateo County’s PRIDE Celebration

Version en Español abajo

Saturday at noon, the radiant sun, and hundreds of people ready to experience an LGBTQ+ celebration for the first time. Not just any celebration, but the 10 year anniversary of San Mateo County’s PRIDE Celebration! 

Volunteering at the 2022 San Mateo County Pride Celebration this past June was a group of BHRS’ Health Ambassadors, accompanied by their children. Joined by BHRS’ Office of Diversity & Equity, the Health Ambassadors helped collect demographic data of attendees to learn which communities were represented at the event. Along with volunteering, the Health Ambassadors were ready to make a special connection with their children and learn more about the LGBTQ+ community.  

“[At the Pride Celebration] my 14-year-old daughter seemed very happy, very open, like she was in her world. It was very natural for her to go with me around the park asking attendees each of the 6 questions of the questionnaire. We found happy people, dancing and enjoying their acceptance,” 

BHRS Health Ambassador, Lourdes Briseño, who had not attended a PRIDE celebration prior and, inspired by her experience at the festival, shared her story for the first time. 

“When my daughter came out she was between 8 and 9 years old, but I feel that I did not listen to her… At age 12 she came out to her older brother. Luis clarified/educated me that my daughter is a lesbian and demanded that I never reject her. I could had avoided 4 years of her suffering…”, said Lourdes. “When we arrived at the park, my husband looked very uncomfortable, but at last he said that he wanted to attend a support group for parents with LGBTQ + children… Having attended this event was a way of supporting my daughter. She is very young and needs the support of her family and then the support of society, because we don’t live alone as a family, she must make her life safer and happier for herself. Also, I learned the term ‘Queer’*” 

During the event, the community enjoyed local artists on stage, information booths breaking stigma around the LGBTQ+ community, and the playground for children and adults. While gifts were raffled and folks enjoyed the sun, it seems that the same balm of joy and freshness transforms minds and moves hearts.  

“For me it was nice to see that people fight to feel comfortable with who they are and that they find freedom along the way. At my daughter’s age -14 years old- she is already clear that all people should be accepted as they are, and we don’t have to judge anyone. We weren’t taught that where I grew up”. 

BHRS Health Ambassador, Angelica Zamora, originally from Mexico 

BHRS Health Ambassadors collected a total of 826 demographic surveys from an estimated total of 2,400 attendees from various parts of the Bay Area and other states across the country. The Spanish speaking community was the second largest group of attendees after the English speakers.  

You can find the Health Ambassadors continuing their support for LGBTQ+ communities at TransACTION Day of Change this Friday, 11/18 in Redwood City.

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