job placement

Connects workers and employers in a safe and supportive environment. The Day Worker Center helps match the
appropriate workers for a job.

Workers are most often employed for yard work, housecleaning and moving.

In 2022 The Day Worker Center connected 11,586 job placements

That’s an average of 965.5 jobs per month!

Visit our For Employers page for more information

healthy meals

Provides members of our community access to healthy and balanced meals. We currently offer fresh hot take out meals Monday to Saturday for breakfast and lunch. On Sundays we offer lunch and dinner. As part of our sustainability efforts, all of the utensils and take out trays provided are compostable.

This month, the most popular dish was:

Shrimp, fish and vegetable soup served with a cracker, an orange and strawberry juice.

That’s an average of 1,519 meals per month and an increase of 21% from 2021!

SEWING PROGRAM

• In the year 2021, over 15,000 masks were made

  • Of those 15,000 over 11,000 were donated at the Center to community members and organizations such as:

  • El Camino Hospital

  • Hope’s Corner

  • Upward Scholars

  • The Navajo Nation

  • The Salinas United Farm Workers

  • Vino Locale

  • The National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON)

  • Grupo Maiz of San Jose

• Other than the masks donated at the Center, through our WISE program 5,000 masks have been donated during our outreach.

During the pandemic and times of uncertainty, we banded together seeking to address the pandemic challenges as a community. The Center and a small group of day workers came together to sew and distribute protective face masks. In addition to face masks, workers also made hand sanitizer, which was donated to community members. To make this project possible, many people and organizations donated fabric and materials for the initiative.

outreach and education initiative

As a community partner of Santa Clara County's Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE) and the Fair Workplace Collaborative (FWC), we, along our partners, work to ensure that workers in Santa Clara County are informed/educated of their rights in the workplace and know where to turn to if they have problems.

Olse (Mon-Fri, 9AM - 5PM) 1-866-877-7725 for all work related problems

As a part of our Outreach and Education Initiative:

workers InITIAtive secure encounter (WISE)

Our WISE project brings information and resources to the community through our mobile unit. We strive to bring information and resources to the community in a manner that is more direct such as:

• Free masks and hand sanitizers in addition to providing vital information to survive this pandemic

• Information about centers where to get tested for COVID-19

• Support making appointments for the COVID-19 vaccine

• Local resources where you can find legal support and guidance for wage claims and everything related to worker rights

• Referrals to basic social services

Health Services

The Day Worker Center has a partnership with Gardner Health Services Healthcare for the Homeless (HCH). Once a week, the Gardner Health Van comes to the Center to provide health services at no cost to the workers.

*Due to the pandemic, the health van is currently on hold

During the pandemic, the Center has offered free COVID-19 testing and supports making COVID-19 vaccine appointments

Technology literacy

In the technology literacy classes, students learn basic technology skills such as learning to use a computer, navigating the internet and using email before moving onto web design and other advanced skills. Classes are offered in Spanish.

preparation classes for Written driver’s license exam

Classes are offered to the community to prepare for passing their written driver’s license exam. To facilitate the classes, instructors rely on the California Driver’s Manual and the Traffic Signs sheet. Preparation classes are offered in Spanish and currently held through Zoom.

Students of different academic abilities and knowledge who have taken the classes have been able to pass their written exam, allowing them to take the exam behind the wheel and thanks to their perseverance they have obtained their license.

To learn more, please scan the QR code below or click HERE to fill out the interest form.

training

Each Wednesday morning, representatives of different local organizations and/or volunteers come to the Center to provide informational presentations to workers. Topics include financial skills, health awareness, and community resources available.

English as a second language (esl)

English as a Second Language (ESL) classes offered focus on improving the English speaking capacity of day workers so they can be successful at work and in their communities. Volunteer teachers prepare and deliver beginner and intermediate classes in contexts pertinent to the needs and interests of workers: workplace language, job skills, communicating with others, daily life, family, culture, and living in California and the United States.

Spanish as a second language

Classes are led by native Spanish speakers and consist of a conversation group that meets for 14 weeks. During the classes, participants learn about the topic of Mexican culture.

Racial Justice Project

The purpose of the project is to create a safe environment to start conversations with participants about racism, oppression, and various other topics that impact a person’s self-esteem and identity. Due to the pandemic we are unable to meet in person so we have had to incorporate electronic devices to meet virtually. Because not all participants have the same level of knowledge of technology, part of the program includes technology education.