SF Makes Community Ambassador Program A Permanent Fixture
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS) – San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee is making a successful pilot program a permanent fixture by renewing the Community Ambassadors Program.
More than a year ago, there were several attacks on seniors at San Francisco Municipal Transportation Authority stops in District 10.
Community leaders knew they had to do something and working with City Hall, came up with the idea of setting up community ambassadors to bridge tensions in the community.
KCBS' Susan Kennedy Reports:
Mayor Lee was part of the initial discussions on the safety program.
"This is such a wonderful idea of a public-private partnership aimed at making sure that hot spots along the T line and the San Bruno line were going to be safer," Lee said.
And after a year, Ashley Chang and the other eleven ambassadors have had over 22,000 interactions with residents, helping them resolve minor conflicts, report crimes and provide language assistance.
"I've seen first hand what a big difference we can make in the community, especially for those who speak limited English," said Chang.
The ambassadors speak eight languages and the pilot program has been so successful that now, through the San Francisco Jobs Now program, the ambassadors, sporting bright yellow jackets, will be a permanent presence on the Muni T line and #9 San Bruno bus route.
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