roberta turmah, rosita rojada, dorian webb. those are the first four names. [inaudible] >> i am melena herrerra. i am part of the bernal heights program. i am here to tell you about the

after-school program and what it does for the youth. we go to school. what do we have to do after? we can go walk around. we have after-school programs with things we enjoy. they have activities. we are building our knowledge outside of school. it also ties in with violence. that is something we do not want to have a lot of in the city. this is our community. after-school programs kind of cuts it down. think about it, if we do not have after-school programs, where are we going to go? we need things that make us happy. we go to school. we work hard. we want fun things to do after. how about if we need help after? it is a place we feel safe at. why would we get rid of

something that helps and builds our community? thank you. [applause] >> that is an excellent question. one of the agencies that deals with a lot of the after-school programs is the department of children, youth, and families. there are many programs represented here. any thoughts on that point? >> i am from the department of children and families. thank you for having us here. the director and i have worked in the non-profit sector for many years. that includes mental health, violence prevention, shelters. we know what it is like to face a budget impact. we have direct experiences working with clients when services are eliminated.

when we do have service reduction, it is agonizing for us. we want to create some rhyme and reason when we come to the budget reductions and arias. in our funding process, we have a three-year cycle. it starts with our community needs assessment, funding allocation plan, and request for proposal. last year, we created our rp and had a lot of agencies respond. we are funding on a three-year cycle. when we are doing funding production, we're doing our best to maintain the three-year commitment we have by making three-year contracts with our agencies. this time around, we will not reduce those agencies in the three-year cycle. the city has a limited budget resources. this time around and we do the reduction, we're looking at doing that without touching

agencies funded on the three- year cycle. that includes work force services, early care education, and violence reduction and intervention. we do not have the best approach in terms of answering to budget response. we do have to meet our budget needs. we're doing our best to maintain the level of services. >> thank you. next? >> good evening. i am the director of one of the services for direct -- domestic violence survivors. in san francisco, we have three shelters funded and many programs involved with domestic violence and violence against women.

those budgets are funded through the department on the status of women. we have just gone through a proposal for the next three-year funding. what we do, domestic violence services in this city, have done several things. working with survivors, we spend a lot less than what city services would have to pay to help survivors the second thing we do that is really important for you to realize is that in terms of the homicides that have occurred, we have reduced those down to numbers that are less than double digits. when we think about the effect

of what we have done it and help with in the community, we have to consider those two things. the other thing you have to realize is the budget for the status of women is the smallest budget you will see in the city department. we have 22 different agencies that get funded through that. cutting this budget affects us deeply. we have small, tiny budgets. most of it is allocated to the shelters. we have three shelters, 72 beds for all of san francisco. i am pleading, asking, hoping that the city would not cut the budget for the department on the status of women. [applause]

supervisor campos: the issue of domestic violence has been a very serious one in san francisco. let's hear from the budget director. >> i am greg wagner, the budget director. i agree with the comment. a i think we all understand the importance of the services. over the last several budgets despite proposals for reductions in domestic violence programs, we have been able to protect those programs and have not made reductions to those programs. we're trying to work with the department on the status of women to see if there are other options that we can look at. there may be revenues we can bring in through fees or other

sources we can use to create savings without having to make reductions. we are very concerned about this issue. we are working closely with the department and the mayor's office. we very much understand the comment and concerned about the importance of those services in the community and city. supervisor campos: thank you, greg. let's hear from our next questioner. sfgov.o[inaudible] >> [speaking spanish]

[applause] >> get negative evening. i am translating for her. -- good evening. she came here to testify. she wants to thank carlos, the senior law coordinator. she had a case with the office. they did not want to give her

disability. she has been fighting the case since 2009. she won the case. she won the case this month. this past week, she received a check from the social security office. [applause] supervisor campos: thank you. >> my name is dorian webb women's initiative. we are here in the mission on valencia. for every dollar donated to the organization, we generate $30 to help low income women start their own businesses.

within two years of women going through the course, their assets and income tripled. i think this is a wonderful organization. if small business growth is not a priority, if helping women within the community is not a priority, is seeing low income women rise up the ladder of success is not a priority, i would like to know what is. [applause] supervisor campos: thank you. we honored the women's initiative at the board of supervisors. they do an incredible job of empowering women, many of them low income, some victims of domestic violence. many are immigrant women.

we see success story after success story. i do knownot know if anyone woud want to say something about our commitment to that kind of entrepreneurship on the part of women or groups who have traditionally not have the opportunity to have that kind of success. we're seeing that replicated throughout the mission in business after fish breeding business. the mayor himself wants to say something about that. [applause] mayor lee: i used to be the head of the human rights commission. one of my responsibilities was to make sure that we identified and grew women-owned businesses in the city and make sure that those and others shared with the way that we do contracts in the city. that is a commitment i will continue to make. the agencies that train women to become entrepreneurial and

provide skills, i recognize how important that is. and recognize the need for independence and for us to support those growing businesses. with our local hire that strengthens the ability of women to get into the workforce, we will continue to provide support to the human rights commission so we have a strong, local business ordnance that supports businesses to make sure that they get a fair share and its support to -- and its support to thrive. i am keeping a close eye on this. i am happy to hear the testimony tonight. [applause] supervisor campos: thank you, mr. mayor. for those of you who are not able to speak, on the wall we have a place for you to put

comments on specific topics. we will be collecting those. this is not clear. mission girls, come on up. [applause] i think you are just going to have one person? ok, all right. we know they were just visited by mayor lee a few days ago. here you go. >> my name is kathy. i am part of the youth council. one day i got caught drunk.

mission girls helped me talk about my problems and how to solve them and talk to my mom. i know if i had been on the streets, i could have been arrested, gone on record, and not been able to talk to my mom about the issues i was going through. having mission girls kept me off the street and helped me deal with the issues i had going on. they also come from communities like mine and help me understand what i am going through. that is why i am a technician grows. please do not cut the budget for the program. -- that is why i am at mission girls. please do not cut the budget for the program. [applause] >> my name is marjorie. i am 13 and part of the mission girl's youth council. i have been part of mission girls for six years. they have helped me through a lot. they have kept me off the street. if they were not here, i would have stayed on the streets doing

things i am not supposed to. they have helped me express myself in a way where i do not hurt things or people. they have helped me at home with my family and a school. they back me up 100% in care about what i go through. mission girls is all girls. they really understand me and my problems. i am able to be myself and get along. it helps me get a long with girls and not fight and argue. i am able to concentrate on myself and growing as a person. mission girls is my home and family. do not cut off mission girls. [applause] supervisor campos: thank you very much. very powerful comments. i do not know if anyone wants to respond. we see that there are so many programs, whether it is after- school programs, programs that do work throughout the day and

weekends, summer programs -- they are keeping kids busy doing things to help the committee. how do we keep those programs going? we have fiphil ginsberg, from parks and recreation. >> i encourage all families to please participate in our recreation programs, facilities, and summer camps. we have a tremendous amount of programs. even in tough budget times, we have been working with agencies to figure out how to continue to provide programming for our kids. even though summer school programs have been cut short, we have expanded our summer camps. they are available to anybody regardless of ability to pay. i am the father of two young daughters. we're very focused on girls'

sports and recreational activities. come play with us. it is safe and fun. thank you. supervisor campos: next speakers. please come on up. i would ask the speakers to slow down oncso that proper translatn can take place. >> [speaking spanish] >> good evening. i am a mother of the latino community in district 9. >> [speaking spanish] >> i am very grateful for the programs offered in district 9

by nonprofits. >> [speaking spanish] >> they provide education and opportunities for the parents and children. >> [speaking spanish] >> if they cut these programs, how will we continue to move forward? >> [speaking spanish] >> i believe that this is our country. we should continue -- [unintelligible]

>> [speaking spanish] >> i believe all of these programs are really great. >> [speaking spanish] >> with the education we receive, we can give back education to the country. >> [speaking spanish] we work with these institutions whether it be volunteering our time or finding work. we have to continue with these programs. thank you. [applause] supervisor campos: thank you. next? >> good evening. my name is daniel.

i am here to give you a bit of my story on why i believe that you should not cut education or the community-based organizations. first of all, i grew up troubled. i did not have a set guideline or way of life. i had little education. my mom could barely tell me anything. i had to learn things the hard way on my own. i found myself in places where i did not want to be. fortunately, the last five or six years i have been trying to get it back together. it is only through the help of the community-based

organizations and the educational system of san francisco. i literally found myself in san quentin state prison. it is not the place you want to beat or vacation to. anyway -- it is not a place you want to be or vacation to. that is a bit about my background. as a community member and us youth in the community using the services, i am amazed that i am still your speaking to you. at my age, there are couple places a young person could be. prison, dead, the street, on drugs. i am fortunate not to be in any of those places. i chose to go to school. school has been my savior in real life. [applause]

it has been a struggle. honestly, i could be in other places instead of your speaking to you. when you make these budget decisions, keep in mind that education is the future. education does save people. it saved me. i am alive. [applause] supervisor campos: a queue. one of the recurring themes we're hearing from the speakers -- thank you. one of the recurring themes we're hearing from the speakers is the the programs are literally saving lives. how do we deal with that as a city? last year, we added about about $1.7 million in violence

prevention funding. there is a real danger that a lot of that will be eliminated t. how do we deal with that? what happens in our community? >> i am with the health department. i wanted to talk about the community-based organizations. we have several hundred organizations. it represents about half a billion dollars for the city. for the last two years, it has been bringing the organizations together to talk about how we can strengthen the partnership between the city and the community-based organizations. they provided great foundation for the community as a whole. the stronger the organizations are in being able to manage finances and programs with the city dollars, the better and stronger they are. this is an important partnership we have with these organizations. we're only as strong as the organization's.

we need to be able to support them around their finances. we found we have lost organizations -- not because of the passion -- because of their ability to provide and manage their dollars. we have to get in front of the issues so the organizations can be around to provide the kind of services we have heard about tonight. [applause] supervisor campos: thank you. mr. mayor? mayor lee: this is a good time to make sure you know this. there is something new we are going to do this year for departments and community-based agencies. we're going to start looking at five-year plans. we have to. it is what barbara just said. we cannot have sustainable services unless you plan for them in the long run.

what are you going to do next year when the state cuts you? what are you going to do if the federal government cut you? what is your private funds dry up? we have to ask these questions now. plan with us for five years ahead so we know where the strength of the organizations will be working with us. that is how you start planning. that is the best way to do it. do not do your to your review your to your planning any more. it is not good enough. -- do not do year-to-year planning. it is not good enough. i will ask every department and agency to start planning five years in advance. [applause] supervisor campos: thank you, mr. mayor. one thought on that. i see some of the planning is difficult because of the way the budget process works. many of these organizations are

on the chopping block every year. in a given year, they do not know if they will be around. it is important that we look at the long term. it is important to create continuity. we recognize a lot of these organizations are doing a lot with very little. they are doing things with that dollar that other agencies probably could not do. it is a balance. we look forward to continuing that discussion. next question? >> [speaking spanish] [applause] >> good evening, everybody. i work in the collective for women. >> [speaking spanish]

[applause] >> it is difficult to hear about the budget cuts for the youth, families, housing. >> [speaking spanish] >> the immigrant population will be very effective -- affected. >> [speaking spanish]

>> how can we work together with the organizations so the budget cuts do not affect the immigrant families? >> [speaking spanish] [applause] >> [speaking spanish] [applause]