Irish Immigration Pastoral Center San Francisco

And we are live!! Join Joan and our first musical guest of 2021, Kenny Somerville now! Link at linktr.ee/sfiipc

A message from Fr. Brendan: Did you know? John, Paul, George, Ringo. In 1966 are looking for a name to call their new group. They determined that The Beatles was a catchy name. It was also a tribute to the memory of their idol and friend Buddy Holly who died in a plane crash. His group was called The Crickets.... The Bank of England was founded by a Scotsman in 1694. The Bank of Scotland was founded by an Englishman in 1695. In Tanzania a roundabout is called "Kipilefti". Opinions don't define your reality. Overthinking will lead to sadness. Positive thoughts create positive things. Smiles are contagious. So if you feel a smile begin don't leave it undetected! Start an epidemic and get the world infected. Let us resolve to reverence God's word by listening to it like Samuel in today's reading. We can take a leaf from the 9th century artists and monastic writers who created the Book of Kells. They showed unique reverence for God's Word. Join me as we listen to it in this Mass. To join me for today's Mass, visit the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki. If you have missed any of our Masses, the videos will remain on the IIPC's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki.

Join us this Sunday for the first Music Hour of 2021 with our very special guest, Kenny Somerville! We are excited for a wonderful hour of music and song from the Fermanagh native who has been a fixture of the San Francisco Irish music scene since 1993. If you would like to make a request for the song of your choice, please email Joan at [email protected] or call 415.432.2551. We look forward to your company!

We are delighted to welcome Kilkenny man, Dr. Colman Ryan, to this week's gathering of You, Me, and a Cup of Tea. Born in Kilkenny, Dr. Ryan's family moved to live in Graiguenamanagh on the border of counties Kilkenny and Carlow from where he attended school in Borris, Co. Carlow. He later attended boarding school in Roscrea, Co Tipperary. He was a star footballer and track and field athlete who after teaching for a year, went on to medical school at UCD where he won first p...lace in Ireland in surgery. He started his medical career at St Vincent's Hospital in Dublin and in 1970 came to San Francisco to become an Assistant Professor at UCSF. During his time there he worked as part of a team of doctors who performed the first angioplasty procedure in the world! Dr. Ryan's close association with Seton Medical Center in Daly City began 43 years ago and during that time he spent 23 years as Chief Cardiologist. We hope that you can join us at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, January 12, 2021, to hear more about growing up in Borris, his days in a band, the PP, and his school days in Roscrea. You will find the link to join us at linktr.ee/sfiipc

A message from Fr. Brendan: Prepare the way of the Lord. Make the rough roads smooth. When we were walking to school one Monday morning worried about our homework, we came upon the most exciting thing that any of us had ever seen in our townland.... When none of us were expecting it the 20th century had arrived in Portnoo with the power and noise of the steamroller and the heat and smell of the tarmac it was spreading across our potholed road. Modern times were rolling in our direction and we were witnessing the end of a way of life. Within a generation or so, tracks and paths trodden by the feet of men and women and beasts changed their appearance, use and character. People in cars wouldn't notice the seasons and the scent of wild woodbine and heather. There would be no time to stop and talk and hear the old yarns told and retold by weather-beaten old people like Cassie Boyle. Cassie lived with her cats and dogs and memories for company in a broken down house. At Christmas, the mummers survived the changing times. It's probably only those spirits of long ago that walk those tarred roads now, the rest turned to cars and in-car entertainment unaware of the natural world around them The old stories of Christmas are important links to our past and our faith. The Word was made flesh and lived among us. When you're discouraged never give up. It's often the last key in the bunch that opens the door. To join me for our Christmas Day Mass, visit the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki. If you have missed any of our Masses, the videos will remain on the IIPC's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki. May God bless, guide and protect you and yours during this Christmas season and throughout the New Year.

It would not be an Irish-San Francisco Christmas without our very own Celtic Voices directed by Mary McKeever. COVID-19 was not going to stop Mary and her Adult, Youth and Chamber Choirs from sharing some Christmas Cheer with our community! Since we cannot join in person, we will come to you by video on the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center's YouTube channel. Tonight, we are delighted to welcome to the virtual stage, Celtic Voices joined by some very special guests:... Ambassador Dan Mulhall Ben Hunter Consul General Robert O'Driscoll & Caoimhe Ni Chonchoille Fr. Brendan McBride Hannah & Molly O'Connell Ivor Collins Paddy Brogan & Christy O'Connell with our most special guest, Mr Santa Claus closing out the evening's entertainment! Our West Cork Master of Ceremonies, Ger McCarthy will guide us through our Christmas journey of music, story and song. Join us on our YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki tonight at 7:00 p.m. PST. NOTE: The link will not be live until 7:00 p.m. If you cannot see the concert at 7:00 p.m., please refresh your browser. If you are unable to join us tonight, the concert will remain on our YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki. Turn on the Christmas tree lights, pour a glass and put your feet up to enjoy our Christmas celebration! At the choirs' request, if you would like to support the Wellness Programs of the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center, which includes our community pantry, Pastoral Provisions, please visit https://supportiipc2021.causevox.com/

A message from Fr. Brendan: My Duty Debacle Listening to a debate on Brexit my mind drifted back to the days when there was a border between the North and South of Ireland. I was in college and had a summer job at the Council Offices in Lifford, Co Donegal.... When I walked through the door of the main building I was directed to the office of the Head of Rates and Land Registry. I was to record the rates owed on agricultural land and residential buildings in the county. The large thick ledgers seemed to go on and on. All the entries were in pounds, shillings and pence. There were no computers in those days which would have halved the work. Shortly after I started my mum asked me if I had time to do some shopping in Strabane. I agreed and noticed at the top of her shopping list was two pounds of butter which was a lot cheaper in the North. In those days there were custom posts on each side of the border. This controlled the goods transported across that incurred duty to be paid. When the shopping was completed I treated myself to lunch on the money leftover. Then I began my walk back across the bridge to the custom post. As I got nearer I heard the custom official saying to a lady whose bag was being checked that she had to pay duty on the butter. My heart skipped a beat as I hadn't known this. I wasn't looking forward to my mother's reaction if they confiscated the butter. I had treated myself to lunch out of the money for duty on butter. My mother forgot to tell me about duty. The custom official began to examine my purchases and his eyes focused on the butter. He asked me if it was my first time to buy butter in the North? I said it was and I hadn't realized that I had to pay duty. He looked at me and said "I'll let you off this time but remember money will have to be paid on goods liable for duty". Every time I drive across the border I remember where the Lifford custom post used to stand and the kind official who used his discretion in my favor. Thank God the Post-Brexit customs post will be in Irish sea. A new Christmas shopping experience. To view this week's Mass, Sunday, December 20, at 10:30 a.m. PST, visit the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki. NOTE: The link will not be live until 10:30 a.m. If you cannot see the Mass at 10:30 a.m., please refresh your browser. If you have missed any of our Masses, the videos will remain on the IIPC's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki.

From our friends at the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs: Have you heard about Radiate Bay Area, the immigrant-led consulting company owned and run by its workers? As a worker cooperative, Radiate provides a pathway to quality wages and work for young immigrant professionals facing barriers to employment. Hire a Radiate Consultant to help with a variety of your organization's needs, from web design to translation to meeting facilitation and more! Get connected at:

A message from Fr. Brendan: Millstreet, County Cork, March 1995 For the Celtic Warrior, boxer Steve Collins, it had been a long hard road getting here. His opponent Englishman, Chris Eubank, swaggered into the ring to the strains of the Tina Turner song 'Simply the Best'. Eubank was a polished performer and reigning world champion.... The 31-year-old Steve Collins from Cabra in Dublin was in his prime as a fighter. The moment of truth had finally arrived. After years of hard work, his time had come. Was he good enough for the task? Collins had a prolific amateur career winning 26 titles before turning professional in Massachusetts in October 1986. He shared a gym with the great Marvellous Marvin Hagler. The fight in Cork ended with the crowd on their feet encouraging their new hero to victory and victory went to the man with the shamrock shaved into his head. It was one of the great nights in Irish sporting history. All the years of dedication and hard work served him well. John the Baptist was a warrior for God's Kingdom preparing the way. This Advent gives us the opportunity to share the joy of the season. Let us share the joy this day. To view this week's Mass, Sunday, December 13, at 10:30 a.m. PST, visit the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki. NOTE: The link will not be live until 10:30 a.m. If you cannot see the Mass at 10:30 a.m., please refresh your browser. If you have missed any of our Masses, the videos will remain on the IIPC's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki.

My Grandmother's Wireless It's the mid-fifties and we're visiting my grandmother. She's proudly flaunting her recently acquired teak-paneled wireless, as it was then called, complete with large battery, and the polished front reflecting the afternoon sun. We are gathered listening to the All Ireland football final between Meath and Cavan, and the unique voice of Michael O'Hehir.... It was simple and exciting times in Ireland. Radio Athlone was formed initially to facilitate the broadcast of the 1932 Eucharist Congress in Dublin and in 1938 became known as Radio Eireann. But this single channel service would continue to face stiff competition from BBC and later pop channels like Radio Luxemburg and the pirate station Radio Caroline. Many of my favorite radio memories center around the afternoon sports programs. I still see the rapt faces of my parents and neighbors urging on Irish trained horses like Early Mist and Quare Times to win the Aintree Grand National. The Grand National is run over the same distance as the original County Chase from St John's Church, Buttevant to St Mary's Church, Doneraile, Co Cork. Given the origin of the race, it only seems appropriate that the Irish had a huge interest in the race since its inception. Great sporting moments were carried live, like Ronnie Delaney winning the gold medal at the Melbourne Olympic games and Christy O'Connor & Harry Bradshaw winning World Cup Golf in Mexico City. Above all, I remember the muffled voices just distinguishable above the competing atmospherics and the band stops moving allowing the voice to continue. Terrific radio that people provided for us all those years ago. Let us tune in to God's voice this Sunday as we celebrate the Baptism of Our Lord. To join me for today's Mass, visit the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki. If you have missed any of our Masses, the videos will remain on the IIPC's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki. I look forward to having you join me this morning.

Don't forget to join our IIPC Reading Room tonight at 7:00 p.m. to discuss Milkman: A Novel by Anna Burns, winner of the 2018 Man Booker Prize. Described by The Guardian as "original, funny, disarmingly oblique and unique", it promises to be a great discussion, led by our own Joan Cuddihy! You will find the link at linktr.ee/sfiipc... Grab a tea, coffee or glass of wine and pop on Zoom for our chat!

A message from Fr. Brendan: New Year Happy New Year to all of you. I hope that you continue to stay safe.... Throwing coins into the Trevi Fountain in Rome is a tradition that goes back to the 16th century. It is supposed to bring good luck. Over one million euros are collected from the fountain each year and used for charitable causes. Lucky for some. There is a tradition in Ireland of visiting holy wells on New Year's eve. In Donegal, Doon Well, Kilmacrenan, is a destination where people gather to pray for blessings on the coming year. Ballintuber, Co Mayo, derives it's name from the Gaelic "Baile an tobair" meaning the village of the well and there you will find St. Patrick's Well. St Patrick is said to have baptized converts to Christianity at the well where a stone is marked with the impression of his knee. In the pre-Christian world, water is always under the protection of female deities. Later Christianity would rename many wells, rivers, and lakes after their own local saint - Attracta in County Roscommon, Declan in Ardmore, Gobnait in Ballyvourney, Brendan in Valencia, Sunday's Well in Limerick and North Kerry, and many many more. Where ever you are join me this first Sunday of the 2021 to ask God's protection as we begin a New Year. To join me for this Sunday's Mass, visit the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki. If you have missed any of our Masses, the videos will remain on the IIPC's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki. Wishing you a safe, happy and healthy New Year.

As our Golden Gate Men's Shed prepares to say goodbye to the year that was, they will ring in the new year with health and cheer. Gentlemen, you are invited to party Men's Shed style - virtually - as they host a very special meeting starting at 3:30 PM San Francisco time to ring in the Irish new year. Feel free to provide your own fireworks!... Link at linktr.ee/sfiipc

Join us on Tuesday morning at 10:30 a.m. for another gathering of You, Me and a Cup of Tea! We are excited to welcome Mary Gorman and our friends from Irish Pastoral Centre Boston Senior group to celebrate Halloween by sharing the stories, customs and traditions we have around this ancient Celtic holiday. We would love to hear how you celebrated Halloween as a child. What games did you play? Did you wear a costume? Was it store-bought or homemade? Did you go Trick or Treatin...g? Did your family enjoy any special treats, foods, rituals, customs or traditions at Halloween? Have you passed those things on to your children and grandchildren? Do you have a recipe for Barmbrack or Colcannon or indeed a creepy story to tell of headless horsemen, ghouls, ghosts and goblins? Maybe you’d even like to recite a poem or sing a song? So put on the kettle, make a cup of tea (maybe even butter a slice of Brack) and sit back and enjoy our special celebration of Samhain! Find the link at linktr.ee/sfiipc

Good Sunday morning! We know that today is the last day to get some bits and pieces taken care of before our new lockdown takes effect tonight, so many of you will be busy getting things done this morning. When you have a quiet moment later today, or during the week, Fr. Brendan invites you to join him for the Second Sunday of Advent on our YouTube channel at https://bit.ly/2R3qOki The second candle of Advent is the Candle of Hope. It is sometimes called the Bethlehem Candle... to remind us of the place in which preparations were made to receive and cradle the Christ child. Hope is a gift that we must be prepared for. God gives us the gift of hope when we turn to him in faith. In these challenging times, let us keep hope in our hearts.

A message from Golden Gate Men's Shed Chairman, Redmond Lyons: A big thank you to all who participated in last Monday night’s call. I was concerned that members would be disappointed with the call since we did not have a speaker. Instead, we had one of the most valuable zoom sessions to date. There were some great ideas and suggestions put forward about the future of this group, and we had some great laughs together. We also established that our two areas of focus are curren...tly outreach and men’s mental health. We have agreed that each of us will talk to two or three men who we think would benefit from these meetings. This allows us to outreach to the community and try to alleviate the sense of isolation that many are feeling at this time. We also had a very good discussion about men’s mental health and how we as a group can educate each other. We have all known someone, who has struggled with mental health issues. This may have been a family member, a friend a work colleague or even ourselves. Now more than ever we need to be aware and take care of each other. To address this important issue of men’s mental health, we plan on having some experts in this field come to talk to us and advise us. This evening we look forward to having Dan Dillon, a regular contributor to our meetings, as our guest speaker. Dan grew up in Kentucky and moved to San Francisco in his early twenties. From the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains to president of the Olympic Club, he has a great life story to tell. We hope you can join us and bring along a friend. As usual, the zoom details are below, and please forward this email to anyone you think would enjoy our company!

San Francisco stands with all of its residents, regardless of immigration status. Help is available. Get connected with free to low-cost immigration legal help you need from trusted community organizations in at: https://immigrants.sfgov.org.

Our Immigration and Legal Services Program is one of the keystone programs of the IIPC providing critical front-line advice, counseling, and support services to Irish Immigrants by creating a safe forum in which Irish immigrants can receive advice and understand their options and navigate complex U.S. immigration laws. Through our Immigration and Legal Services Program, we provide: ~ oneonone visa advice and monthly Immigration Advice clinics ~ liaise with ICE on deportatio...n cases ~ process Green Card renewals and US Citizenship applications ~ host a range of seminars, covering such as topics on Citizenship, Sponsorship Guidelines, J1 Visa Options, Investment Visas ~ provide Irish passport application assistance & Irish citizenship advice As with all of our programming, our Immigration and Legal Services Program joined the virtual world during COVID and has advised over 300 clients through our online clinics and workshops. We are ever grateful for the leadership of our pro-bono Immigration Attorney, Jim Byrne and his staff, Maura Brosnan and Kathleen Keane. Through this program, we also provide broader legal support including criminal, family, eviction and civil legal referral with the assistance of attorneys, Maureen McFadden, Chris Donnelly, Jim Murphy and Jim Lucey, Esqs. Be part of our #GivingWeek & support our immigrant community! Make a contribution today at https://iipcgivingweek2020.causevox.com

The health and well-being of our community is a keystone of the IIPC's mission. Our Wellness Program supports a holistic view, where the physical, emotional, mental, social & spiritual health of the individual are interconnected to improve the lives of immigrants. We quietly and confidentially provide culturally sensitive, critical front-line advice, counseling, and support services to help Irish immigrants to live their best lives - with the support of a village behind them.... We are committed to expanding our provision of services and to continue to be that safety net that everyone needs. We launched the first Irish Men's Shed in the United States in January 2020 and it has been a most successful year, even with our move to a virtual platform! Our Men's Life speaker series has led to many interesting and inspiring chats on Monday evenings. And of course, our biggest addition to this program has been the opening of Pastoral Provisions, our community pantry. 2020 has been challenging for many, leading to underemployment and food insecurity. Thanks to the generous support of both the Department of Foreign Affairs Emigrant Support Program and you, our friends and neighbors, we have been able to provide weekly pantry boxes to many in our community. Thank you! Through our Wellness Program, we also provide: ~ confidential oneonone case management and referral ~ access to local resources and assistance with access to care ~ information and registration assistance for Healthy San Francisco ~ facilitation and sponsorship of a variety of recovery programs Be part of our #GivingWeek & support our immigrant community! Make a contribution today at https://iipcgivingweek2020.causevox.com

A message from Fr. Brendan: Lighthouses of Ireland I recently watched a documentary on "The Lighthouses of Ireland". Most of the lighthouses still function as navigational beacons. There is one that ceased operating in 1965, but which today can be booked as a boutique guesthouse; Clare Island in Clew Bay on the coast of Mayo.... Bill Long in his book Bright Light, White Water writes "The old Clare Island lighthouse must, arguably, be situated in the most picturesque location in the whole Irish coast. Perched near the edge of a high, sheer cliff, it commands a grandstand view of one of the most rugged and beautiful stretches of the Atlantic Coast". The most famous name associated with Clare Island is that of Granuaile or Grace O'Malley, the 16th century noblewoman and pirate. Tradition holds that she is buried on the island. She is commemorated in the name of the lighthouse service flagship vessel, Granuaile. The lighthouse has now been refurbished and is available to book as a guesthouse. Due to Covid-19 it will not reopen until April 2021 at the earliest. This property includes the 387 foot cylindrical lantern tower as well as the cottages where the light-keepers lived. It seems an attractive location to escape from the virus that rules our lives. It also shows how light is necessary for safely navigating our way in the world. Join me in opening our hearts today to Christ the light of life. To view today's Mass Sunday, October 25, at 10:30 a.m. PST, visit the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki. NOTE: The link will not be live until 10:30 a.m. If you cannot see the Mass at 10:30 a.m., please refresh your browser. If you have missed any of our Masses, the videos will remain on the IIPC's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki. Be safe and be well, Fr. Brendan

DATE CHANGE for The Reading Room!! Due to tonight's Presidential Debate, we are going to defer this month's Reading Room to next Thursday, October 29 at 7:00 p.m. As a reminder, this month's book is Trans Atlantic by Colum McCann.... We appreciate having an active and civically engaged membership! See you next Thursday!

If you have a parent or grandparent born in Ireland and you would like to learn how you can claim Irish citizenship, make sure to register for our webinar tomorrow, Wednesday, October 21! Go to linktr.ee/sfiipc to register now!

San Francisco is and always will be a sanctuary city that stands up for our immigrant residents. With reports of increased ICE activity in San Francisco, it's ...crucial that our entire community is prepared and knows their rights. Reach out to the SF Rapid Response Network at 415-200-1548 to report any ICE activity, and visit immigrants.sfgov.org for free immigration legal help and resources.

Gentlemen! Don't forget that our Men's Shed will be in session this evening at 6:30 p.m. Visit linktr.ee/sfiipc and click the link to join!

Going live in less than 10 minutes!!! Join us at linktr.ee/sfiipc!!

Happy gloriously sunny Sunday!!!! We are so excited to welcome Mayo man, Cormac Gannon to our Music Hour at 4:00 p.m. today! For the past ten years, on the third weekend in October, Cormac has hosted the Fairfax Irish Festival. Unfortunately, it is not happening this year, so we are especially delighted that Cormac will be performing for us today. Maybe we can call it the Fairfax Irish Festival Special 2020! Find a shady spot in the garden and join Cormac and our host Joan for a wonderful afternoon of music and song! Click here at 4:00 p.m. to join us! https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87172694715

A message from Fr. Brendan: Mission Sunday The introduction of Christianity to Ireland is traditionally attributed to St Patrick, but there were Christian missionaries in Ireland before the arrival of Patrick. Palladius was sent from Rome in 431 to "the Irish who believed in Christ".... There are references to four Irish saints who preached Christianity in their local areas. These include Ciaran who has been venerated in Cape Clear Island off the coast of West Cork and is also patron of the diocese of Ossory (Kilkenny); Declan of Ardmore, Co Waterford; St Ailbe of Emly, Co. Tipperary and St Ibhar of Beggerin Island, Co. Wexford. However, there is little doubt that Patrick was the main person responsible for the spread of Christianity in Ireland. When Christianity had been established in Ireland, many holy men and women brought the message of Christ to Britain and continental Europe. The best known of these missionaries was Colmcille whose feast-day is June 9. Born at Gartan of noble family, he studied under St Finian at Moville, Co Down. He founded many monasteries, one of which is at Doire Cholm Cille, which was to become the site of the modern city of Derry. Then he went into exile and founded a monastery on Iona, an island off the west coast of Scotland. While staying with St Finian, he made a copy of a manuscript in Finian's monastery. When Finian discovered what Colmcille had done, he claimed that the copy also belonged to him. The king was asked to make a judgment on the issue. His decision is well known: "To every cow its calf, to every book its copy", meaning that the copyright, as well as the original, belonged to Finian. Irish-born monks like Columbanus who founded monasteries in Annegray, Luxeuil, Basle and Bobbio in Italy were the first wave of Irish missionaries to Europe. The Columban Fathers, Kiltegan Fathers and Divine Word Missionaries continue this mission to the present day. We remember these wonderful men and women as we celebrate Mission Sunday. I hope you can join me today for 10:30 a.m. Mass on the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center YouTube page. To view today's Mass, October 18, at 10:30 a.m. PST, visit the Irish Immigration Pastoral Center's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki. NOTE: The link will not be live until 10:30 a.m. If you cannot see the Mass at 10:30 a.m., please refresh your browser. If you have missed any of our Masses, the videos will remain on the IIPC's YouTube channel at this link - https://bit.ly/2R3qOki.

Pastoral Provisions - still supporting our community Good Saturday morning! I hope you are enjoying this glorious if slightly too warm weather! We are busy getting ready for our Pastoral Provisions donation drop-offs and pantry box deliveries. Each week, we continue to support our community members who need a little helping hand as we slowly and steadily work our way through COVID-19.... We will be accepting donations at our NEW drop-off location, The Convent at St. Cecilia's Parish, 2550 18th Avenue, San Francisco, between Ulloa and Vicente from 10:00 a.m. to 12 noon today and again on Tuesday. If you are unemployed or under-employed, please visit us at https://linktr.ee/sfiipc and sign up to receive one of our pantry boxes. You will get 7-10 days worth of groceries including meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables so that you and your family can eat healthily. It will give you a chance to use your resources elsewhere and pay some bills. Help us to do what our community does best - take care of each other. Please help us to spread the word. If you have any questions about the pantry or any other IIPC programs, please feel free to call Celine at 415.432.2551 or email [email protected].

Census 2020 ends TODAY, October 15. This is your very last chance to be counted and to secure vital funding for our City. If you have not yet completed the Census, we encourage you to go to my2020census.gov to complete the form for your residence. Am I eligible to complete the Census and is it safe?... 1. If you were living in the US on April 1, 2020 you are eligible to complete the Census. 2. If you are undocumented, on a visa, a green card holder or a US citizen, you are eligible to complete the Census. You are a member of our community and you deserve to be counted. 3. All Census data is sealed and protected for 72 years so your information is safe. 4. You will not be asked to disclose your immigration status. Why should I complete the Census? 1. Federal funding for our city and our state: Each person counted in the Census will bring $20,000 to the state over the next ten years. This funding will support our hospitals, our schools, our fire departments, our roads. 2. Infrastructure planning: Census data guides industries and businesses in their decisions to open up their next data center or manufacturing plant. It determines where housing is built and neighborhoods are improved. 3. Congressional Representation: Census data determines how many seats we have in the US House of Representatives. California is in danger of LOSING A CONGRESSIONAL SEAT if Californian residents are not counted. 4. Count Irish America: The Census form gives you the opportunity to detail your ethnicity, so if you identify as Irish, put it down! How do I complete the Census: It really is easy to do the Census! Before 11:59 p.m. tonight, October 15, you can do one of the following: Online: Go to my2020census.gov By phone: Call 844-330-2020 By mail: If you received your Census in the mail and have not returned it, you can still do so. It MUST be postmarked by October 15. If you have any questions or concerns, please call Celine at 415.432.2550 or email [email protected] If you put it on the 'long-finger' or like to do things last minute, today is your day! Complete your Census and let's make sure that we get the Federal funding we need and keep our Congressional seats. Stand up and be Counted!

The Administration has brought forward the closing date of the 2020 Census to tomorrow, October 15. THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO BE COUNTED! If you are undocumented, on a visa, a green card holder or a US citizen and were in the US on April 1, 2020, you should be counted in the 2020 Census. Go to my2020census.gov and complete your Census TODAY! If you have any questions or concerns, please email Celine at [email protected] or call 415.432.2550.... Every person counted in the Census will bring $20,000 in Federal funding to San Francisco and California over the next ten years. Federal funding has never been more necessary than in 2020. STAND UP AND BE COUNTED!!! Please Share!