This past Sunday, December 18, LoretoQD’s Brigade Silicon Valley teamed up with other entities in the community to put on a Winter Clothing & Items Drive at the Milpitas Library. For the entire day, people stopped by to drop off bags of clothing and other goods for distribution to our city’s unhoused community.
“I wanted to show what a community of caring people can do,” said Loreto Quevedo Dimaandal, who hosted the event for the second time. “I want the City of Milpitas to show more care and cooperation with us in caring for the unhoused and the underprivileged.”
The event was co-hosted by Assemblymember Alex Lee, Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee, the Santa Clara County Library District, and Hope for the Unhoused.
Earlier this year, Assemblymember Lee was able to secure state funding to the tune of $1.5 million for the City of Milpitas. This funding will go toward the city’s homelessness response and prevention services. At the event, Lee expressed his support for all of the organizations and community members coming together to lift up the unhoused:
“Efforts like this on the ground wouldn’t be possible without your support so please keep this up,” said the Assemblymember during the program at the beginning of the event.
After a program that featured various speakers in the community like County Supervisor Otto Lee, Charlotte Kauffman (from Milpitas Thrive), and Lisa Morena and Rob Jung (From Hope for the Unhoused), people gathered outside, where Community Seva, an organization that works to support the unhoused, distributed food and other items at the Hope for the Unhoused and Dignity on Wheels Mobile Showers and Laundry area set up on Windsor Court.
Ana Naranja, who serves as a Latinx Volunteer/Liaison to Underprivileged Families, was onhand to offer her support during the event; she has volunteered much of her time to help the underprivileged. In an interview with The Beat, Naranja said, “We all have to do something so that everyone can see the reality. Some say we don’t have poverty in Milpitas, but it’s not true. Everybody needs to help.”
