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6.1.D. - Page 1 <br /> RE PO RT <br /> To the Honorable Mayor and City Council <br /> From the Cit Mana er <br /> October 10, 2011 <br /> SUBJECT <br /> Memorandum of Understanding between Redwood City and LIBRE (Linking Immigrants <br /> to Benefits Resources and Education) - a Collaborative led by Redwood City 2020 and <br /> Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County <br /> RECOMMENDATION <br /> Approve and Authorize the City Manager to execute the Memorandum of Understanding <br /> between the City and LIBRE. <br /> BACKGROUND <br /> In June 2010, Redwood City 2020 convened community partners on the coast, in East <br /> Palo Alto, in East Menlo Park, and in Redwood City/North Fair Oaks to discuss a <br /> proposed approach to enhancing immigrant safety net services in our communities <br /> through a program called LIBRE (Linking Immigrants to Benefits, Resources, and <br /> Education). <br /> Funded by the Grove Foundation, the LIBRE Initiative recognizes that the immigrant <br /> community faces cultural and structural barriers that prevent them from accessing <br /> safety net benefits and services and proposes to increase immigrants' access to critical <br /> safety net services and link immigrants with appropriate community and local agencies <br /> through education, outreach, support services, and legal assistance. <br /> The City of Redwood City, through the Fair Oaks Community Center, became an early <br /> partner of this effort, beginning with the provision of ineeting space for the Legal Aid <br /> Society's staff attorney who specializes in public benefits. This early partnership has <br /> made it possible for local residents — immigrant and non-immigrant-- to seek assistance <br /> when needed in accessing public benefits ranging from social security disability and <br /> cash assistance to food stamps and Medi-Cal benefits. <br /> The City, through the Fair Oaks Community Center's Information and Referral Program, <br /> is one of the primary providers of safety net services for Redwood City and North Fair <br /> Oaks residents. Because of this, the City has the opportunity to additionally partner with <br /> LIBRE to provide additional resources to our residents. <br /> ANALYSIS <br /> The Memorandum of Understanding between the City and LIBRE provides for a total of <br /> $18,000 to the City for a period of eleven months to provide outreach, application <br />