Two of our social workers in Child Welfare Services were nominated by a local nonprofit for the City of Santa Maria Hometown Hero program for 2021: Leticia Zamudio (top pic) and Monica Palacios (bottom pic). The 2021 class includes not only veterans and active military members, but also essential workers in the medical field, social services and agriculture who have been recognized as heroes in their own right for their work during the pandemic. This program was developed by the City of Santa Maria in 2016 to recognize Veterans and Active Military, but this year they encouraged the community to also nominate first responders, health care professionals and other essential workers. Twenty-Two honorees were included in the 2021 class. The Honorees were honored at the Santa Maria Veterans Center on 9/7/21, and received certificates of appreciation from the Santa Maria City Counsel and a banner displaying their individual photographs will be hung on College Drive for the next six months.