Whistlestop Multicultural

The Multicultural Program seeks to maintain or improve the well-being of seniors of various ethnicities in Marin by linking them to necessary services and providing opportunities for socialization, education and assistance with U.S. citizenship. Presently, the largest groups we serve are from the Hispanic, Vietnamese, Persian and Russian communities. The Multicultural Program seeks to provide the following services to ethnically diverse seniors:

• Information, referral and translation to elders seeking medical services
• Housing, transportation, legal assistance
• In-home support, health insurance, INS services, and all matters related to basic well-being.

We also provide on-going individual assistance as needed to many seniors.

We have cultural activities and programs such as:

• Weekly social gatherings, multicultural picnics, luncheons and celebrations for culturally specific holidays such as Tet Festival, (Vietnamese/Chinese New Year), Cinco de Mayo and Persian New Year.
• ESL classes sponsored by College of Marin Emeritus program meet twice per week at Beginning and Advanced levels. Students with an impressive array of first languages attend these classes.
• Educational presentations on important issues such as preventative health care, MediCal & Medicare, Social Security & SSI, disaster preparedness, fall prevention and a variety of subjects are given in different languages.
• Assistance with U.S. Citizenship is available from initial filing of the application through completion of the naturalization process. Weekly citizenship classes are held on an on-going basis. The department also hosts educational workshops on voter and civic participation for new citizens.
• Senior Peer Counseling in Spanish is a collaborative effort with Community Mental Health Services of Marin County. The program, called Amigos Consejeros a Su Alcance or A.C.A.S.A., utilizes the skills and experiences of older adults in a self-help approach to wellness.