ShootClean.org

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Needle Exchange in Santa Cruz - Call 831 239 0657

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SOS News - January 2010

We dropped the Watsonville Wednesday site because so few people were showing up, but we now have a volunteer doing a "satellite" exchange there instead. Leave a message at the number above if you want to know more.

HRC is doing a fundraiser in San Francisco:

Celebration of the Federal Needle Exchange funding ban LIFT! & Emergency CA Needle Exchange Program Fund Benefit

Silent Auction, Entertainment, Food & Drink, Fabulous People

January 28, 2010
6 pm to midnight
111 Minna St, San Francisco, CA
$25 Suggested Door

Emergency Fund Website: http://saveneedleexchange.wordpress.com/

Why it Matters: http://www.punkglobe.com/thethingisarticle0110.html

Co-sponsors include: Harm Reduction Coalition, Cannabis Buyer's Club of Berkeley, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Harvey Milk Democratic Club, Drug Policy Alliance, El Camino Wellness Center Collective

SOS News - December 2009

Since September we've been the only needle exchange provider in Santa Cruz County. We're surviving on donations and fundraisers and volunteers putting in time. The Alley Cat bike race was a great success and everyone had a good time. We just added Watsonville to the schedule (on Wednesdays).The County Health Services Agency is letting us use the Community Health Outreach van for exchange sites.

Bike Race Flier

SOS News - November 2009

We're now officially authorized by County Public Health. We're providing needle exchange four days a week at Lower Ocean Street and home deliveries on Thursdays. See the schedule page for more details.

SOS News - October 2009

SOS is now the only needle exchange provider in the County. We're a volunteer-run, street-based group and we depend on donations to operate.

Beer-a-thon!

We had a great party at Zami and raised some money for needle exchange. Thanks to all who helped and donated and showed up and drank . . . particularly the Zami family and Uncommon Brewers.

The next fundraiser is an Alley-cat bike race on November 14th - more details soon.

SOS News - September 2009

The Drop In Center closed officially on September 15th, after 14 years, and the staff were all laid off. Fernando (who ran the SCAP Watsonville exchange) ran a minimal service in the Front Street building until the end of the month.

SCAP is no longer doing exchange. SOS is hustling to get County Public Health to recognise us as an "authorized exchange".

That authorization is waiting on us getting the liability insurance the County Counsel requires - this may cost $800 - $1200. We've raised about $700 so far - donations are welcome.

SOS News - August 2009

SCAP has closed all the volunteer-run exchange sites - that's Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. That adds up to almost one third of the days in a year. We're hoping that SOS can somehow provide needle exchange services on the days when the Drop In Center is closed. We're working with County Health to become an "authorized syringe exchange project."

SOS news - July 2009

Since December 2008, the Santa Cruz Needle Exchange has been depending on SOS for most of their syringes and harm reduction supplies. They only have enough funds for rent and salaries (and they've recently cut back staff hours). They have been able to order some stuff a few times in the last three months, but it's never enough . . .

SOS has been getting donations from other exchanges - and buying the stuff we can't get for free. We have fundraising events. We have our own FedEx account and a storage unit so we can ship and store donations.

We've started helping the Salinas exchange also: they've been laying off staff and cutting hours.

MRSA

We now have a page of MRSA info (above, under Resources). It's a staph infection that starts by causing abscesses and - if not properly treated - can be fatal. Wash your hands often!

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