Providing high-quality early education gives children the foundation they need to arrive at kindergarten ready to learn and succeed.

At Community Action Marin’s early education centers, family child care homes, and socialization sites supporting home visits, children learn through play, build relationships, explore new ideas, and develop the social and emotional skills they carry with them into school and life.

For many families in Marin, however, high-quality early education is out of reach without assistance. Licensed child care in Marin County now costs an average of $2,315 per month per child, a 38% increase since 2018.*

As Marin County’s Head Start and Early Head Start grant recipient, Community Action Marin provides free and affordable, high-quality early education to more than 500 children each year—children who might otherwise have no opportunity to attend preschool.

Early education addresses the needs of the whole child, preparing them for life. Children in our programs receive nutritious meals, developmental screenings, health and dental support, and opportunities to build healthy routines. Families receive resources and connections to help their children grow and to pursue their own goals.

When children have a safe, nurturing place to learn, parents can work, pursue an education, and build greater stability for their families.

Every child deserves the opportunity to start school ready to learn and succeed. Making that possible is an investment in children, families, and the future of our community.

*marinij.com/2026/07/18/marin-childcare-tax-measure-slated-for-fall-election

Working hard and doing everything you can to get ahead does not always cover the costs of the basics.

In Marin, 79% of extremely low-income households spend more than half their income on housing.* Add the rising costs of food, child care, health care, transportation, and utilities, and a household budget can quickly become overwhelmed. For individuals and families, that can mean difficult choices about what to pay for and what to go without.

Community Action Marin works to remove barriers to basic necessities so that children, families, and older adults have access to what they need.

In our early education programs, we make sure children have nutritious food every school day. Fresh meals are prepared in our Central Kitchen, and produce from CAM’s Production Farm makes its way into children’s meals and, when available, home with families. Through nutrition education and gardening, children also learn where their food comes from and how healthy choices become part of everyday life.

Our Economic Justice team helps people apply for CalFresh and Medi-Cal, access home energy assistance, receive emergency food and housing support, and connect with resources through the Season of Sharing Fund. We help people navigate systems that can be difficult to access, especially when a family is already under financial strain.

These are basic needs we all have; access to food, housing, and healthcare should not depend on a family’s income.

*calhousingpartnership.org/housing-needs

Atenea Portillo Hernandez was working two jobs and expecting her second child when she sought a way to continue her education. Through CAM’s Early Childhood Education Apprenticeship (ECEPTS) and classes at College of Marin, she earned her associate degree in early care and education—building a new path for herself and her children.

For Atenea, continuing her education opened a path toward greater financial stability. For others, the next step might be finding a job, building savings, or getting help with everyday expenses.

We believe people should have the opportunity to determine what comes next in their own lives. The goal is not simply to help someone get through a difficult month; rather, it is to create more choices, build financial stability, and open doors to what comes next. Our Benefits Enrollment Center helps people understand and access benefits that can make a meaningful difference in a household budget. Through our VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program, eligible households receive free tax preparation and assistance accessing tax credits and benefits they have earned.

Whether it means putting more money back into a household, gaining a new skill, earning a degree, or finding a path to a career, these opportunities can change what is possible. Self-determination means having the resources and choices to shape your own future. That is the opportunity we work to create.

To learn more about ECEPTS, visit www.ecepts.org.

Home is more than a roof or an address. It is the feeling of belonging, of being able to plant roots, build relationships, and be part of the community. For too many people in Marin, that sense of belonging is threatened by the high cost of housing.

Community Action Marin advocates for fair and just housing policies so that anyone who wants to call Marin home has a real opportunity to do so.

Our Housing Justice team helps people navigate the immediate realities of housing instability, from accessing emergency assistance and avoiding eviction to navigating displacement and finding a path forward after a crisis. We also provide housing support to transitional-age youth at College of Marin, helping young people pursue their education while building greater stability.

For immigrant families facing the sudden detention or deportation of a loved one, our Immigrant Emergency Assistance Fund provides emergency financial assistance, legal support, and help navigating the crises that can follow when a household suddenly loses income or stability.

But direct support is only part of the work. When 12 families were displaced from Novato’s Romar Court in 2025, CAM and community partners helped provide emergency housing, food, and other immediate support. We also stood with affected families as they advocated for stronger renter protections. Their advocacy contributed to Novato’s Tenant Protections Ordinance, adopted in April 2026. CAM is now working with partners to bring the conversation about stronger tenant protections to San Rafael and other cities across Marin.

The Realities of Poverty

Poverty is not simply about income.

It is about the policies, systems, and conditions that shape people’s choices and opportunities. These realities shape how we approach our work. We respond to immediate needs, while also asking what created those needs in the first place and what we can change together.

We know what happens when a community shows up, when  neighbors organize, advocate, and invest in one another.

Our community is a shared community. Together, we must work to ensure a democratic, fair, and just society.

The future we want will not happen on its own. It will take all of us: listening to our neighbors, understanding the challenges facing our community, making resources easier to reach, advocating for policies that produce equity, and investing in the people and organizations doing this work.

The work is ours—a collective effort. For 60 years, Community Action Marin has been powered by community.

The next 60 years will be, too.

Download 2026 Impact Report