Hundreds of people moved from booth-to-booth in the parking lot of the North County Superior Court in Vista Thursday, Feb. 20 seeking some welcoming help as they work to successfully reenter and rejoin their neighborhoods and communities.
They had come to the first North County Community Resource Fair, organized by the San Diego County Probation Department and the state Division of Adult Parole Operations.
The free event that featured roughly 90 organizations was designed to provide the help those people were looking for, all in one spot. Support to find housing, jobs, healthcare, food, access to CalFresh, clothing, documents, mental health support, and substance use disorder services. There were even free showers and haircuts.
The event was primarily to help people on probation or parole. But it was also open to the public, with support for anyone needing help.
One of those attending the event was a young man named Jason. He said he once attended similar events in the past to seek help, but that he was there Wednesday to offer help instead, as he now works for a mental health provider in Oceanside.
Jason said he remembered just how helpful events like resource fair had been to him. He said he was able to immediately get access to services such as ID vouchers, help with birth certificates, food stamps, general relief, and referrals for employment and education.
Eddie Head, division chief for the reentry and pretrial services with the County of San Diego Probation Department, said it took a full year to put Wednesday’s event together. He said it was modeled on a successful resource fair the Probation Department hosted at the East County Courthouse in April 2024.
“Our department ensures client accountability,” Head said, “but our mission also includes providing the highest quality of services. We aim to help our clients and connect them to appropriate resources. We achieve this by offering opportunities like this fair to link them to the services they need.”
Some of the groups, agencies and organizations that were at Wednesday’s event included: the County’s Live Well on Wheels bus, the San Diego Access and Crisis Line, the Vista Community Clinic, the Women’s Resource Center, the Center for Community Solutions, One Safe Place, the San Diego Rescue Mission, Alcoholics Anonymous of San Diego, the Center for Employment Opportunities, Goodwill Industries, and Home Start.
John, a probationer, came to the event and said he hoped to find a job.
He said events like the resource fair were not only important for the tangible help they provide, but also for the hope they give to the people who come to them.
“Seeing these (community) fairs are important,” he said. “You know, because sometimes you feel alone. You see the community that’s really cheering for you, it’s beneficial for all of us—to heal.”
Gig Conaughton is a communications specialist with the County of San Diego Communications Office. Contact Gig here.
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