Help is on the way for flood-stricken Pajaro residents.

Celia Jiménez here, thinking about Pajaro and the program that will soon roll out to help families and business owners that were affected by the floods. 

I’ve been covering the flood and its impacts since the day Pajaro went under water, nearly one year ago. I went back in recent weeks to get updates from residents for the Weekly’s latest cover story. 

I’ve learned that despite many people having returned to work, their everyday lives haven’t returned to normal. 

Dozens of people have spoken to me since March 11, 2023, who’ve shared their hopes and struggles. One of them is Maria de Jesus Martinez. Martinez, her husband Victor Diaz and five children ranging in age from 5-19 stayed at their apartment in Nuevo Amanecer during the evacuation. 

Martinez says her family and 19 others in the apartments decided to stay in the town. To survive, they opened fire hydrants and gathered rain for water. For food, Martinez volunteered to get it at the levee bridge and distribute it to the other residents who decided to stay. 

“All the help we got was from people who donated food or water,” Martinez says. 

Her kids missed several days of school. “They fell behind,” Martinez points out.

Martinez says despite not losing furniture or home appliances, the flood hurt them financially since her husband, who works in construction, didn’t work while the town was under evacuation orders.

“We haven’t received any type of help,” she says. “It’s been a year since that happened, and no, we haven’t recovered. ‘What happened to us?’ my husband said.”

Organizations such as Casa de la Cultura, Community Bridges, Raices y Cariño, Catholic Charities Diocese of Monterey and many others volunteered during the emergency providing aid and comfort. 

Pajaro’s recovery is slower than what its residents would like, but help is on its way. On Tuesday, Feb. 27, the Monterey County Board of Supervisors approved a program that will help those affected by the flood. The funds for this program, $10 million, are from the $20 million the state of California set aside for the long-term recovery in Pajaro. The aid will be provided for people regardless of their immigration status and for losses that weren’t covered by other flood assistance programs.

In March, the county will hold four community meetings to explain the program and help with the application process. The meetings will be from 6-7pm at Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 100 Salinas Road, and take place on Wednesdays March 6 and March 13, and Thursdays March 7 and March 14.

For information about the program, visit Ready Monterey County or call 755-3400.

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