Community briefs: El Camino Health named top hospital, Mountain View kicks off summer music and CalFresh Food deadline looms

El Camino Health named one of America's best maternity hospitals

El Camino Health was honored as one of the nation's top maternity hospitals by Newsweek's 2023 list of America's Best Maternity Hospitals. El Camino Health received top honors by being designated as a five ribbon hospital.

According to an El Camino Health statement, "the distinction recognizes facilities that have provided exceptional care to mothers, newborns and their families, as verified by Statista Inc."

El Camino Health CEO Dan Woods said that the hospital delivers more babies than any other healthcare provider in the area, and "families choose to deliver here because we have excellent physicians and seasoned caregivers, and soon we will have a completely remodeled women's hospital."

The hospital delivers more than 5,000 babies every year, the statement said, and is in the process of expanding the women's hospital at the Mountain View campus to accommodate more patients.

When the remodel is complete, the facility will have 66% more patient rooms in labor and delivery, 44% more rooms in the mother-baby unit and 20% more neonatal ICU beds.

"A new NICU and maternity unit is scheduled to be completed this summer, with the fully remodeled facility scheduled to be completed in 2024," the statement said. "El Camino Health is currently the only healthcare system in the San Francisco Bay Area with a dedicated women's hospital."

The full list of Newsweek's 2023 best maternity hospitals can be found here.

Mountain View kicks off two free summer music series

The city of Mountain View is gearing up for a summer of outdoor tunes.

Between the city's new Music on Castro series and the well-loved tradition of Concerts on the Plaza, there's a musical act for everyone this summer.

"Music on Castro is a new music series featured in downtown Mountain View," the city said. "Every Wednesday from 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., singer/songwriters will perform live music while the community shops and dines downtown."

The performances will be on the 200 block of Castro Street and are slated for Wednesdays through the early fall, according to the city. Upcoming performances in June include Isaiah Pekary (June 7), Rick Sanders (June 14), The Song Gardeners (June 21) and Owen Evans (June 28).

The city also recently kicked off its annual Concerts on the Plaza series, which will take place every Friday, June through September, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

"Join your friends and neighbors and bring your blanket or lawn chair down to the Civic Center Plaza, located at 500 Castro Street, for a variety of musical performances," the city said. "Beer and wine will be available for purchase through the Bean Scene."

Upcoming performers include Dolce Grande on June 9, Mercy and Heartbeats on June 16, Traveling Wilbury Revue on June 23 and Jean Fineberg & JAZZphoria on June 30.

County encourages college students to apply for expanded food benefits while they still can

With the deadline just around the corner, Santa Clara County is encouraging eligible college students to apply for CalFresh Food, which helps low-income individuals and families purchase food and groceries.

Eligibility rules that specifically impact college students were expanded during the pandemic, but will revert back to normal on June 10, which is why the county is encouraging students to apply before that date.

"Before the pandemic, college students who worked 20 hours or more per week were eligible for CalFresh Food. If they participated in the Federal Work-Study Program, however, they qualified regardless of how many hours they worked," the county said in a statement.

But in reaction to COVID-19, the state loosened the requirements "so that merely being eligible for the Federal Work-Study Program, and not necessarily participating, qualifies students for CalFresh Food," the statement said. "Students are also eligible for CalFresh Food, under the pandemic rules, if they do not receive any financial support from their family toward their education."

Those who are currently eligible under these two pandemic exemptions and who apply for CalFresh Food by June 10 can receive benefits for a year, so long as they continue to qualify, the county said. CalFresh Food benefits can range anywhere from $23 to $234 a month.

"Food insecurity is a serious problem that affects far too many young people in Santa Clara County," said Angela Shing, director of the Department of Employment and Benefit Services within the County's Social Services Agency, according to the statement. "Students need all the help they can get to begin their adult lives and prepare for their careers."

More information can be found on the county's CalFresh webpage in English, Spanish or Vietnamese.