Information provided by Cindy Camilleri, Santa Clara County Office of Education Migrant Education Program. Lea este articulo en español aquí.
Since 2008, the Southside Migrant Health Fair has advocated for accessible medical care to families in the Migrant Education Program. On June 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., free screenings and other services are available at 4991 Southside Road in Hollister inside of the Southside Elementary School where most of San Benito’s Southside Center resident’s students attend school.
Southside Elementary School, the Migrant Education Program and Hollister Migrant Center are partnering on this year’s health fair, bringing community outreach, prevention programs, services and screenings close to their homes.
The event is held during the summer for the incoming families at the center. Southside Elementary staff and the Migrant Education Program also enrolls children from the center into the school and Program to ensure that they receive the resources and support they need while in Hollister from April to November.
Our utmost priority is to help facilitate general information about good health and preventative medicine and to provide services free of cost to alleviate some of these out-of-pocket expenses. Detecting a vision or dental problem at an early stage improves long term well-being. Medical care is a big issue because some of the families do not have insurance. This fair also helps Migrant Families, who might otherwise feel not part of the community, to feel included.
This year’s plan is to continue the popular services and is expecting to see over 25 local organizations participating in categories representing youth activities, food assistance, health care, employment and law enforcement.
- Vision screenings
- Dental screenings
- Mental health
- Food from Second Harvest Food Bank
- Domestic violence/human trafficking awareness
- Free food for families
- Free haircuts
- Women’s health services
- Medi-Cal enrollment
- Raffle prizes