Step Up Silicon Valley strives to increase its visibility and educates the community about the realities of local poverty, along with the programs and initiatives aimed at reducing poverty through a combination of relationship building and by engaging a wide variety of stakeholders. We achieve this through:
Creating Poverty Convening – Community Action Poverty Simulations (CAPS) are a unique tool to educate everyone from policy makers to community leaders about the day-to-day realities of life with a shortage of money and an abundance of stress. During a simulation, participants role-play the lives of low-income families. Each “family” must find food, shelter, and other basic necessities while interacting with various “community resources” represented by volunteers who are themselves from low-income families.
By the end of 2011 we will have completed 40 poverty simulations, raising awareness to over a thousand throughout the valley. Help us continue to challenge our community by hosting a poverty simulation at your work, local organization, church, or school. For more information about hosting this event, please contact at [email protected].
Building Alliances to Leverage Resources – Engage with faith based organizations, government offices, media agencies, and community organizations to ensure that they are able to pass on information to their constituents.
Developing Champions at Corporations – Identify and cultivate potential champions at major Silicon Valley corporations to gain financial support and disseminate the SUSV message.
Tapping into Social Media Marketing – Join the conversation by following us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube where we will frequently update the community on latest news and achievements on the campaign to cut poverty.
Engaged Communities
Bank of America
Bellarmine High School
Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County
Church of the Chimes
Cisco Systems, Inc.
Los Gatos Presbyterian Church
Menlo Middle School
Mercy High School
Most Holy Trinity Middle School
Neighborhood Housing Services Silicon Valley
Piedmont Hill High School
Presentation High School
Sacred Heart Community Services
San Jose Leadership Group
San Jose State University
Santa Clara University
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Social Innovation Fund
Stanford University
Step Up California (Sacramento)
Synaptics, Inc.
Willow Glen Methodist Church