Thai CDC CARES

Since the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, Thai CDC monitored the adverse impact on vulnerable members of our community, namely, the undocumented, Limited English Proficient (LEP), trafficked victims, welfare recipients, the medically indigent, housing insecured, low wage workers, low-income families and seniors, domestic violence victims, and small businesses. Our low-income community members live in one of the most expensive metropolitan areas. They are rent burdened, paying over 60% of their income on rent. This translates to extreme unstable housing, high rates of overcrowding, and a disproportionate risk of losing their homes. In times of economic instability, our community members are even more vulnerable to homelessness.  

These community members are also unable to access benefits and services due to their undocumented status and/or their limited proficiency in English. The first prevents them from accessing any benefit causing them to have no safety net to fall back on and the second keeps them from accessing services and local health directives. When they are both undocumented and LEP, they are truly marginalized and vulnerable and at risk of precarity.