”I WAS RAISED IN BOLINAS, and I lived there for twenty-two years. Divorce happened, then my truck broke down, and I became truly homeless. Community Action Marin basically saved my life. They got me a case manager who kept telling me, ‘I’m not ever going to let you go back to the streets.’ She kept her word, just pure dedication, not giving up. REALLY IN YOUR CORNER. REALLY THERE FOR YOU.”
KELLI MCMAINS, 2022 COMMUNITY COURAGE AWARD RECIPIENT
Helping People.
changing lives.
A Message from the CEO
DEAR COLLEAGUES, FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY,
As the world stumbles into its new normal, we continue to feel unsteady progress toward an equitable recovery. People of low income and communities of color across our county, state, and nation have made their challenges known. It is our responsibility to help include their stories, their successes, and their realities as we seek to transform the systems that have only widened the gap between rich and poor among us.
In this Annual Report, you will read about some of the bright spots as the team at Community Action Marin, along with volunteers and dedicated supporters like you, shows how they’ve made a difference. From daily efforts with those unhoused, to offering financial coaching, rental assistance, and high-quality, free and affordable childcare—among other services—staff members have helped people and changed lives because they care passionately about our community.
The people whose stories are shared here are our heroes. They labor in essential services or have found their entrepreneurial spirit born of pandemic layoffs. They give us hope. These individuals have proven their strength and resourcefulness. To say they’re resilient understates the power of their will and their vision of what’s possible for themselves, their families, and those they love. There is no going back! They inspire us, and we cherish the trust we have earned over the past year in service to better outcomes for all.
Finally, this report opens a window into new wisdom by offering a space for the accomplishments of so many when given access and opportunity. Listening and learning over the past year, we have pushed levers for change to “ON,” and we have stepped up with so many in Marin to advocate for justice. As you turn these pages, know that despite myriad challenges, we are creating new ways of being with one another. Optimism carries us forward and we will persevere. COME WITH US!
WITH SPIRIT AND IN SOLIDARITY,
Chandra Alexandre
Chief Executive Officer
OUR MISSION.
We make it possible for people to achieve well-being by providing the education, mental health, and vital services they need. Together, we break down the barriers that get in the way of fair and lasting change in service to better outcomes for all.
SAFETY NET
HELPING MAKE ENDS MEET.
“I RECEIVED EMERGENCY CASH to help repair my automobile. Thankfully it’s running again. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank Community Action Marin for its generosity and kindness. Without this financial assistance I would be without a car. I would like you to know how much I appreciate your generosity to me and my family.”
Janis Olson, Emergency Cash Recipient
SAFETY NET PROGRAMS OPERATED YEAR-ROUND TO MEET EMERGENCY NEEDS FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES IN MARIN. These services are designed to cover unexpected financial emergencies so that people can stay safe, keep the lights on at home, and find security:
❯ Rental assistance, mortgage payments, and housing deposits
❯ Energy and water assistance
❯ Cash for car repairs, medicine, and other essential needs
❯ Emergency food
❯ Homeless outreach and navigation
❯ POP-UPS CREATED MEANINGFUL CONNECTIONS
Meeting people where they are is important, and pop-up events helped to build and strengthen relationships this year. When community members met our staff in person, they were more likely to get needed help and refer their friends, family members, and neighbors for services.
The team created nine pop-up events in San Rafael, Novato, Marin City, and Bolinas. Pop-ups featured a full range of services: energy and rental assistance, referrals for housing, cash assistance, financial and career coaching, and public benefit applications, as well as access to workforce programs and childcare services. Pop-ups also included the agency’s CARE Teams, working to connect people living on the streets to outreach support.
❯ WATER BILL ASSISTANCE LAUNCHED
For over 30 years, Community Action Marin has played an important role in helping people across the county to keep the lights on and meet their energy needs. The agency administers the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and helped over 30 more clients than last year because of increased need and additional funding.
Many households experienced financial setbacks during the last two years—and some fell behind on their water bills too. Community Action Marin was able to help through the new Low-Income Home Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). The program, launched in July 2022 and running through August 2023, provides support with both water and wastewater charges as a one-time benefit.
❯ CASI: STRENGTH THROUGH PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS
Community Action Marin was one of only six agencies nationwide selected to participate in the COVID and Safety Net Innovation (CASI) Technical Assistant Initiative, designed to explore the resiliency of safety net systems in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The agency partnered with the county’s Health and Human Services team focused on delivery of safety net support. Team collaborators focused on designing and planning new approaches to increase awareness and access to services, improve service delivery, make the system more efficient and effective, remove barriers, share data, and improve communication to help get people what they need.
IMPACT AT A GLANCE
Cash Assistance
$130K
provided to 276 households
Energy Assistance
$714K
provided to over 941 families and individuals
Rental Assistance
$1M
provided to over 339 families and individuals
Homeless Outreach
60+/month
homeless people served
+20 tents, 40 sleeping bags, 3,000 bag lunches, and
150 hygiene kits distributed to the unhoused
“WHILE I HAD BEEN SICK WITH HEART FAILURE, my electricity got disconnected. The cost had already been skyrocketing and was close to $500 for the month. I was in a panic when I heard about Community Action Marin. They helped me get help from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program. As a result, I was able to get financial relief and move forward. Community Action Marin is conscious of the struggles that people are having.”
LEE MCROY, HOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE RECIPIENT
“I WANT TO EXPRESS MY APPRECIATION to Community Action Marin for having provided me with rental support during these trying times. It has made an immense difference in my life. The financial support has lessened my anxiety considerably and increased my determination to get back to a balanced lifestyle. You’ve made a permanent imprint on my life. Thank you!”
ARLENE N.,
RENTAL ASSISTANCE RECIPIENT
CHILDREN AND FAMILIES
HOPEFUL FUTURES.
”COMMUNITY ACTION MARIN offers both Early Head Start and Head Start. You can start in the program when you are pregnant and they guide you how to take care of your baby, which is a huge help. They even have an option to come visit new parents at home. They have staff that speak both English and Spanish. They have a parent advisory group that is always ensuring that the community gets what it needs.”
MARIA P., PROGRAM PARTICIPANT
THE CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES TEAM OF EARLY EDUCATION professionals provided free and affordable childcare, health, nutrition, and social support to over 500 children and their families. Our team afforded eligible families quality early childhood development programs for ages 0-5 and an after school program for children age 5+.
❯ EXPANDING CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES IN SAN RAFAEL
In August 2021, the agency opened a new location to help meet the community need. The De Colores Children’s Center is easily accessible by public transportation and close to high-need neighborhoods. Located at 1123 Court Street, and housed in partnership with Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church, the site is a comprehensive services center offering childcare, family services, and access to safety net supports.
Families needing rent, energy, and cash assistance or referrals to other services have ready access to friendly and knowledgeable Community Action Marin Success Coaches.
The agency’s whole family approach ensures that children get a great start to their education, families can count on high-quality care, and across generations, people are supported in reaching their dreams.
❯ PARENT VOICES MATTER
Parents are a powerful part of planning a successful year for the children at our centers, in home-visiting programs, and in family childcare homes. Over 40 parents gave their input regularly each month on key decisions, from policies and spending to collaborations with community partners.
With a focus on enhancing well-being, parents also learned about safety protocols, positive parenting skills, and how to engage as part of the school and local community.
❯ OUTDOOR LEARNING CLASSROOMS
Parents and staff worked together to build new planting boxes, retaining walls, a greenhouse, and irrigation system. Dulce Hernandez, Garden Committee President shared: “Being part of the Garden Committee has been an extraordinary experience. Seeing our families come together and work as one is a sight to behold. Seeing our kids smile with excitement as they wait for our garden to be completed has been heartwarming.”
IMPACT AT A GLANCE
LANGUAGE & LITERACY
88%
of students showed improvement
SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT
88%
of students showed improvement
PARENT SATISFACTION
98%
of parents said their children are happy, safe, and feel like they belong
PARENT SATISFACTION
94%
of parents said the program helped them with employment, education, or caregiving
”THIS PROGRAM AND STAFF ARE CONSTANTLY GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND to meet my family needs. I couldn’t be more satisfied with their support. Thank you for the support you bring to the parents by caring for our children while at work.”
PROGRAM PARTICIPANT
teacher spotlight
trisha follins
Trisha has been working for Community Action Marin for the past 26 years and is currently Lead Teacher at the Canal Childcare Center. The job provides her with security but, “it’s the love for the children and families” that keeps her teaching. She explains: “I love to interact, teach, and nurture. I’ve built relationships. When I go to work at Canal, I know that parents can go to work and know their kids are well taken care of.”
The job has been especially stressful this past year due to teacher shortages, behavioral issues in the classroom, and some health challenges, but things are now improving. “We lost a lot of teachers during the pandemic. The increase in wages that Community Action Marin provided really helped many to stay.”
food justice
good food for all through access and advocacy
“AS THE CENTRAL KITCHEN MANAGER, I’m responsible for feeding all the kids in our programs every day. It’s a big responsibility and I love what I’m doing to help our kids, because we use fresh ingredients, and provide healthy, nutritious food to everyone.”
JOSE RODRIGUEZ, KITCHEN MANAGER AND CHEF
THE FOOD JUSTICE TEAM WORKED TO ADDRESS AND ELIMINATE FOOD INSECURITY. Since 2019, agency staff and volunteers have grown food and strengthened partnerships across the county to eliminate hunger and raise awareness about food system inequities. This year, we worked to ensure that healthy, organic, nutrient-dense, and culturally-responsive food was accessible to more people in our community. We fed hundreds of children in our care good food each day to keep minds, bodies, and spirits healthy. Food justice efforts also focused on campaigns to lift up voices across the community and spotlight actions we all can take to make change possible.
❯ BREAKING NEW GROUND: A PRODUCTION FARM IN FULL BLOOM
Farming at a childcare site is a replicable and scalable model for creating a sustainable community resource for good, healthy food. At one site, we turned 15,000 square feet of land into dedicated orchards and organic crops. Can you believe that we grew 750 pounds of produce over the past year?
Fresh ingredients from the farm and school gardens are put back into our agency’s food cycle, feeding children each day in our early-education classrooms.
Building on the success of the agency’s Production Farm in San Rafael, a group of parent volunteers developed another farm location at the Hamilton Children’s Center in Novato. Part garden and farm, the Hamilton project allowed parents and teachers to both grow and educate, and build a sustainable community resource for organic, fresh, local, and seasonal food.
❯ GOT FIVE MINUTES FOR FOOD?
In October 2021, Community Action Marin launched its #FiveMinutesforFood campaign to deepen an important conversation—taking food into the heart of our actions for justice and into conversations about how we can recover from the pandemic together. Food is a meaningful part of our county’s safety net. It unites us as people in ways that can help to drive an equitable response to current and persistent challenges. It is a powerful symbol of our connections to land, community and one another across generations.
In November, we brought people from different walks of life together at our Old Gallinas Children’s Center & Production Farm to break bread, see the farm, and learn about food justice.
❯ FEEDING OLDER ADULTS IN MARIN
More people are aging into poverty. Community Action Marin will soon begin providing healthy meals to seniors at community centers and day homes from Southern Marin to Novato. The agency has been awarded a county contract made possible by the federal Older Americans Act Congregate Meal Program, and the team is taking on private contracts too, with the Central Kitchen team helping to ensure that more people across generations who may be at risk of losing their independence have community-based nutrition services available to them.
IMPACT AT A GLANCE
EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT
550
CHILDREN
MEALS AND SNACKS MADE AND SERVED
341,693
of students showed improvement
PRODUCE GROWN
750 LBS
FIVE EASY & MEANINGFUL
ACTIONS TO TAKE TODAY
❯ Give at a food drive
❯ Invest in a community garden
❯ Teach youngsters where their food comes from
❯ Help grow an outdoor learning classroom
❯ Talk about food security and food justice for all
ECONOMIC JUSTICE
GIVING PEOPLE A STEP UP.
“I CAME TO COMMUNITY ACTION MARIN to get help with my credit which was terrible. They gave me a strategy of how to change my credit. The light went on and within seven months my credit score went from 480 to 760.”
DARYL B., CREDIT COACHING PARTICIPANT
ECONOMIC JUSTICE PROGRAMS PROMOTED PROSPERITY AND HOPE through a powerful set of financial empowerment and workforce development programs. The consistent aim is to give individuals and families the tools and guidance needed to improve their financial future. Step-by-step plans helped people in all kinds of financial situations. For some, coaches helped to create a household budget. For others, efforts went to rebuilding a credit score and managing debt. People also got trained for a new career via apprenticeship programs that got them closer to sound financial footing—and in a few cases, a job of their dreams!
❯ WORKFORCE ACCELERATOR 10.0
With over $300,000 in funding from the State of California, the agency’s Road to Self-Sufficiency program launched with five participants. This workforce development initiative is designed to move 72 precariously housed women from homelessness to employment and self-sufficiency.
❯ EXPANSION OF FINANCIAL COACHING
Economic Justice’s long-term Volunteer Financial Coach recruited and trained four new volunteer coaches who began in October 2022. This will vastly increase the availability of high-touch coaching services to those looking to achieve financial self-sufficiency.
❯ DRIVING TO SUCCESS
In partnership with Vivalon, Community Action Marin began a commercial driver’s license training academy to make living-wage jobs possible for more people. From an idea seeded before the shelter-in-place ordinance, the program launched with behind-the-wheel and classroom instruction to prepare participants to successfully pass DMV written exams andfield tests. The first driver academy participant graduated in August 2022.
❯ EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
The agency is leading the way to help alleviate the childcare workforce shortage. Bringing together eight key stakeholders, Community Action Marin recently launched the Early Care & Education Pathways to Success (ECEPTS) apprenticeship program. This is a two-year registered apprenticeship program for associate teachers that will help 25 Spanish- and/or English-speaking individuals access jobs. Apprentices will complete 2,000 hours of paid, supervised work in classrooms with one of two employer partners while earning 12 Early Childhood Education (ECE) units at College of Marin. Once trained, they will fill needed positions in support of increased well-being for families of low income that need childcare to get to school or work.
❯ $169,000 IN TAX REFUNDS
Free tax preparation services are available annually through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA). Community Action Marin coordinates trained volunteers to help people of low income maximize their refunds—last year returning $169,000 to the community! Making sure that tax filers receive credits for which they are eligible is one of the most effective ways to fight poverty. Filing a return often unlocks a cash infusion that can make a big difference, helping people to meet their needs and even to start saving for the future.
❯ KITCHEN APPRENTICESHIP LAUNCHED
In partnership with the County of Marin’s Healthy Eating Active Living Collaborative, Community Action Marin launched a paid apprenticeship program at its Central Kitchen with five participants. They first received an initial kitchen skills training and orientation. With two more training courses, these apprentices will be prepared to pass the ServSafe exam. This will enable them to work alongside a mentor from among the food businesses currently renting space at the Central Kitchen. Once the apprenticeship is completed, graduates will receive small business advising, career counseling, financial coaching, and other services to help ensure their success!
“I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR YOUR FREE VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) tax preparation service’s volunteers in Tax Assistance. I am a single mother of a young daughter and I simply could never afford to pay for those services!”
L.R. BROWN, VOLUNTEER TAX ASSISTANCE RECIPIENT
IMPACT AT A GLANCE
Enrolled In or Maintained Public Benefits
118
participants
Maintained or Improved Financial Status
90%
of participants
Improvements in Savings, Credit or Debt by 30%
63%
of participants
Feel More Confident
in Themselves
71%
of participants
“THEY TEACH YOU ALL THE BEST THINGS about the road, especially how to be a good, safe driver. I started out knowing very little about traffic laws, but now I feel very confident. I’m excited to begin my commercial truck driving career working for a company in the U.S.”
HOMAYOON A., FIRST COMMERCIAL DRIVER’S LICENSE TRAINING ACADEMY GRADUATE
mental health & well-being
putting recovery within reach.
“MY SON WAS INCREASINGLY PARANOID, VOLATILE, AND ISOLATED, and I needed help. The Family Partners team helped me to navigate the county’s mental health system, join a support group, and become an advocate for what my son needed.”
PHYLLIS, PROGRAM PARTICIPANT
MENTAL HEALTH & WELL-BEING SERVICES PROVIDED AN ATMOSPHERE OF WARMTH AND CARING
to help people living with mental illness and the challenges of poverty to find their own way to thrive. Through one-on-one counseling and group sessions, the agency’s trained Peer Specialists (professionals who have lived through their own experiences with mental health challenges) and Success Coaches offered an evidence-based model of support that produced better outcomes and gave the staff team stronger pathways to recovery too. The team also strengthened its targeted work with the most vulnerable Medi-Cal beneficiaries.
❯ WORKING TO END CHRONIC HOMELESSNESS
As a participant in the county’s Whole Person Care efforts for a coordinated system of care across health and social sectors, Community Action Marin’s team partnered with Health and Human Services and community-based partners to meet the needs of Medi-Cal beneficiaries more efficiently and effectively. The agency won contracts to support a variety of efforts, including Housing Case Management, homelessness related services, and a care coordination platform and network. Recently, Community Action Marin received a capacity-building grant from Partnership HealthPlan of California for a variety of new services under California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM) Community Supports. This grant will enable the agency to target Marin’s most vulnerable residents, such as individuals experiencing homelessness, those needing behavioral health care access, children with complex care needs, the growing number of justice-involved populations who have significant clinical needs, and the growing aging population.
❯ APPROVED! PEER CERTIFICATION TRAINING
Community Action Marin received approval by the California Mental Health Services Authority to provide Medi-Cal Peer Support Specialist Certification Training. In late 2022, the agency will offer comprehensive training in a hybrid model for Peer Support Specialists leading to certification examination. The training will focus on mental health and substance use disorders and support the agency’s objective to help strengthen peer involvement across social services and public health.
IMPACT AT A GLANCE
HOMELESS OUTREACH SERVICES
50+
unique contacts per month
ONE-ON-ONE COUNSELING SESSIONS
595
GROUP COUNSELING SESSIONS
63
CLIENTS RECEIVING FAMILY PARTNER SERVICES
86
CLIENTS RECEIVING YOUTH MENTOR SERVICES
37
CLIENTS RECEIVING CRISIS PLANNING
63
“MY LIFE IS GOING TO CHANGE SO MUCH; it has already been a struggle. I really appreciate having another mother to talk to now. I have new motivation to stay clean and sober.”
ALLISON, PROGRAM PARTICIPANT
equity initiatives
pushing for racial and economic justice.
MARIN COUNTY RANKS AMONG THE MOST RACIALLY DISPARATE COUNTIES IN CALIFORNIA across all indicators of well-being. Community Action Marin leadership worked together with partners across government, grassroots organizations, and the private sector to ensure that everyone in Marin could lead a life of dignity and attain self-sufficiency. With a shared vision for equity, our work together moved action for change to create new laws and policies that protected thousands.
❯ RENTAL ASSISTANCE AND EVICTION MORATORIUM
In the face of a growing housing crisis, Marin County ramped up distribution of $16M in rental aid with Community Action Marin as the fiscal administrator of all county funds. The agency provided in-person rental assistance support to tenants and landlords while also advocating for improved access to meet community need. We successfully advocated for an extension of local eviction moratoria across the County to provide stability to tenants while assistance funds were being distributed.
❯ $60,000 AWARDED TO ADVANCE RACIAL AND ECONOMIC EQUITY
In July 2021, Community Action Marin received a $60,000 grant from Bank of America to support a continuum of financial services, safety net, workforce development, entrepreneurship, childcare, and mental health programs.
This contribution enabled the agency to increase self-sufficiency for more than 50 households and helped individuals to participate more actively in civil society. These efforts worked in tandem to transform systems and structures that reduced barriers and created new pathways to thriving.
❯ PAY EQUITY
Doing anti-racist work in community and holding a steadfast commitment to equity included a focus on the agency’s internal progress on pay equity commitments to staff: we increased the agency-wide minimum wage to $18.50 and provided supplemental pay increases for frontline staff. Community Action Marin’s board also approved a cost-of-living adjustment for all staff alongside continued frontline COVID supplemental pay, and a new monthly retention bonus through June 30, 2023.
❯ EQUITABLE PANDEMIC RECOVERY STRATEGIES
The pandemic highlighted many longstanding inequities in our community. With local recovery efforts as an opportunity to do things differently, we advocated for policies to include Marin County’s low-income, immigrant, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), and historically undercounted residents in shared prosperity. We released a report detailing systemic inequities in housing insecurity, economic instability, and persistent COVID-related health emergencies and put forth a call-to-action for equitable recovery. We advocated for rent freezes, local eviction moratoriums, tenant protections, and investments in the early childhood workforce
VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE CRITICAL SUPPORT
OVER 9,000 HOURS BY DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS provided skills and time to strengthen impact against Community Action Marin’s mission to alleviate the causes and consequences of poverty. BECOME A VOLUNTEER TODAY! Visit camarin.org/volunteer to get started.
IMPACT AT A GLANCE
TOTAL VOLUNTEERS
75
TOTAL HOURS REPORTED
9,000
volunteer spotlight
stephanie hart
STEPHANIE CAME BACK FOR ANOTHER YEAR TO MAKE AN IMPACT ON THE MARIN COMMUNITY ONE CHILD AT A TIME. Stephanie always wanted to volunteer with children and started working with mothers who had just given birth. She especially loved working with babies. After a career selling educational toys, Stephanie went back to school at College of Marin to earn her Childhood Education Certificate. She subbed at a local school and started volunteering at Community Action Marin at the Hamilton Childcare Center in Novato. She loved developing critical thinking skills with the preschoolers and teaching about the outdoor environment.
volunteer spotlight
leslie klow
LESLIE HAS ALWAYS BEEN ACTIVE IN THE NON-PROFIT WORLD. She knew about Community Action Marin and became a volunteer to help provide housing information (formerly referred to as Housing Navigation) to those in need in the community. There are long waiting lists for housing (up to 7 years), and Leslie helps people understand their options. “This is something I enjoy doing,” explains Leslie. “Housing is people’s #1 concern. With COVID and not being able to pay rent, it’s traumatic. I know people feel trapped and scared. I tell them their options and I’m their cheerleader. I know it can be difficult. I can’t solve all their problems. They are so big. I can just help with the housing process and support them along the way.”
VISION
ALL OF US IN MARIN HAVE AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY TO LIVE OUR LIVES WITH DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
“A lot of my job is ensuring that I’m hearing what people are saying. Connecting to where we want to go and helping bring people into a vision of what’s possible for themselves. ONE OF MY GREATEST DREAMS IS THAT WE REALLY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LIFT UP THE WHOLE OF MARIN COUNTY AS A PROOF POINT FOR WHAT’S POSSIBLE AROUND RACIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE IN THIS COUNTRY.”
CHANDRA ALEXANDRE, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
FINANCIALS
Revenues continue to perform strongly for the fourth year in a row at $19.4 million, increasing by 14% compared to FY20 and down slightly against one-time FY21 government funding for pandemic response. Government funding to meet priority community needs positively impacted federal, state, and county grants. Notably, the agency took on fiscal administration of County of Marin rental assistance efforts, distributing funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.
For every $1 of federal Community Services Block Grant funds, the agency leveraged $37.83 from other federal, state, and local government sources. Additionally, our fundraising efforts yielded 3.6 times in private contributions for every $1 dollar invested.
BOARD PRESIDENT MESSAGE
dear supporters AND NEIGHBORS
I’M WRITING TO YOU TODAY with a sense of pride and hopefulness. Each day, our agency colleagues have encountered crisis, longing, anxiety, and heightened stress in those they work to support. But every day too, they have given encouragement to people in need, provided a compassionate ear, and they have offered the help necessary to move our neighbors toward stability and success.
Community Action Marin staff and board are pushing toward a tomorrow that meets urgent needs and sustains us into the future. The work is hard. It takes courage and determination to get out of bed each morning and say it’s worth the effort. But that’s exactly what the people at this agency do. They have weathered the storm because they know what‘s right, and they believe in the power of the people. They trust—as Dr. Martin Luther King said, “the arc of the moral universe,” which “bends toward justice.”
Today, I invite you to join me and those who volunteer their time on the Board of Directors to be part of what is helping to create and sustain change for the better in Marin County. We have ignited a sense of purposefulness, and it is time to move into action. The incredible team at Community Action Marin offers us a way forward, enriches our thinking, and tells us what we need to know so that we can do meaningful things together.
On behalf of the entire board, I thank you for your willingness to be with us as we take our next steps. Find comfort in the pages of this report as you bear witness to incredible accomplishments and know that we can do even more together. I look forward to being with you on the journey.
Sincerely yours,
Roger Crawford, Board Chair
OUR TEAM REFLECTS THE LARGER MARIN COMMUNITY in its diversity and representation of those we assist along pathways to self-sufficiency. These caring people are passionate about the agency’s mission and work hard each day for a better, more equitable place to live, work, play, and serve.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Roger Crawford
Christopher Carey
Mary Donovan
James McClean
Maria Frias
Merdith Parnell
Tony Psychoyos
Jennifer McInnis
Samantha Ramirez
Joe Simmons
Cheryl Timoney
Nicolette Van Exel
LEADERSHIP TEAM
Chandra Alexandre
Heather Bettini
Rommel Carrera
Michelle Fox
Gina Guillemette
Dawn Hensley
Laurel Hill
Kelsey Lombardi
Korinna Pedrosa
Jennifer Thater
Shuddha Butler
Elizabeth Valone
OUR TEAM
Erika Acosta
Workforce Development Coordinator
Marlene Adam
Infant/Toddler Teacher
Maira Aguilar
Infant/Toddler Teacher
Cindy Aguilera
Teachers Assistant I
Maria Alcaraz
Specialist, Client Intake
Rosa Alvarado
Teachers Assistant II
Arturo Eduardo Alvarez
Bilingual Financial Coach
Zully Marcela Angulo
Preschool Teacher
Najma Azam
Preschool Teacher
Yolanda
Barahona-Castaneda
Family Advocate
Shardae Barb
Mobile Outreach Peer Support Specialist
Andreza Delimara Barriola
Mentor Teacher
Ayda Barrios Huinil
De Perez
Associate Teacher
Maria Marisol Barrios
Associate Teacher
Jennifer Bell
Manager,
Disability &
Inclusion Services
Diana Boykin
Mobile Outreach Peer Support Specialist
Debra Brown
Credit Coach & VITA Site Coordinator
Maribel
Cabrera-Borloz
Bilingual Career Coach
Berta Calero
Associate Teacher
Cinthia M
Carrasco-Oyuela
Preschool Teacher
Valerie Carver
Associate Teacher
Martha Castillo
Teachers Assistant I
Jennifer Castro
Associate Teacher
Maria A Cauich
Associate Teacher
Honorina Cervantes
Teachers Assistant I
Sheila Chambers
Preschool Teacher
Aria Cielo De Leon
Associate Teacher
Paula Cifuentes
Site Area Manager
Fabiola Clerveaux
Head Cook
Ericka Corado
Associate Teacher
Maria Correa
Family Advocate
Amelia Cortes
Associate Teacher
Jose E De Anda
Human Resources Business Partner
Elena De La Rosa
Associate Teacher
Delma Deleon
Teachers Assistant II
Mayra Diaz
Family Advocate
Diana Karina
Esquivel Anguiano
Teachers Assistant I
Trisha Follins
Preschool Teacher
Luz Fuentes
Teachers Assistant II
Angelica Galindo
Associate Teacher
Yolanda Gallegos
Infant/Toddler Teacher
Allanah Garcia
Office & Operations Coordinator
Esmeralda Garcia
Program Support Manager
Valentina Garcia
Teachers Assistant I
Quincy Gilliam
Mental Health Whole Person Care & Integrated Services Manager
Ashley Girdler
Preschool Teacher
Maria Gonzalez
Associate Teacher
Roselia Gonzalez
Infant/Toddler Teacher
Jennifer Gravez
Associate Teacher
Cerbelio Gilberto Grijalva Reyes
Whole Person Care Coach
Dayra Gutierrez
Teachers Assistant II
Olga Guzman
Associate Teacher
Rosina Jazmin Guzman
Family Advocate
Susana Guzman
Coordinator, ERSEA Eligibility & Enrollment
Marivic Hammari
Preschool Teacher
Firouzeh Heidarpour
Infant/Toddler Teacher
Deepika Herathpathirana
Preschool Teacher
Ana Luisa Hernandez
Associate Teacher
Gabriel Hernandez
Family Advocate
Juana Hernandez
Associate Teacher
Olimpia Hernandez
Janitor
Guadalupe
Hernandez-Sanchez
Associate Teacher
Ronaldo Herrera Campos
Mobile Outreach Peer Support Specialist
Timothy Hicks
Associate Teacher
Jasmin Huerta
Preschool Teacher
Guadalupe Jarquin
Associate Teacher
Poonam Jha
Specialist,
Revenue & Budget
Loenndy Jorge
De Leon
Teachers Assistant II
Meena Kim
Social Emotional Support Specialist
Jazmelina Ledesma
Specialist,
Client Intake - Data Entry
Alida Leon
Site Area Manager
Maria Lindo
Associate Teacher
Luz Lopez
Family Advocate
Delia Lucio
Family Advocate
Maria Macias
Family Advocate
Dilma Maldonado
Teachers Assistant I
Irene Maldonado
Administrative Assistant, ERSEA Enrollment Specialist
Carmen Manzanilla
Associate Teacher
Iris Marin-Lima
Site Area Manager
Ana Luisa Martinez
Associate Teacher
Juan Martinez
Manager,
Farm and
Landscape Project
Zoila Yanira Martinez Infant/Toddler Teacher
Norma Rubi
Martinez-Pereira
Associate Teacher
Leydis Mata
Manager,
Infant/Toddler
Norma J Medina
Director, ERSEA
Melissa
Medina-Sanchez
Administrative Assistant, ERSEA Data & Compliance
Sanaa Mehtar
Preschool Teacher
Franco Meoli
Mobile Outreach Peer Support Specialist
Christopher Miranda
Manager,
Safety Net Services
Blanca Molina
Preschool Teacher
Nidia Mora
Infant/Toddler Teacher
Mayra Morales
Teachers Assistant I
Grace Morris
Manager,
Health Services
Gary Neal
Manager,
Facilities
Traci Nicolay
Manager,
Family Advocate
Lorena Nunez-Guzman
Food Services/
Kitchen Aide
Rebeca Ochoa
De Ochoa
Teachers Assistant II
Debora Osorio
Preschool Teacher
Mortila Parada
Teachers Assistant I
Celestina Paredes Associate Teacher
Norma Pereira
Teachers Assistant II
Sarah Philipsheck
Manager,
Operations & Transportation
Ana Pineda
Site Area Manager
Lisbeth Pineda
Associate Teacher
Estefani Portillo
Associate Teacher
Ruth Soraya Rabanales
Family Advocate
Gloria Karina Ramirez
Infant/Toddler Teacher
Ana Ramos
Associate Teacher
Cindy Ramos
Teachers Assistant I
Carmen Renderos
Teachers Assistant II
Emelisa Reyes
Teachers Assistant I
Irsa Reyes
Teachers Assistant I
Rubia Reyes
Teachers Assistant I
Brian Riordan
Accountant
Flor Rodas
Preschool Teacher
Yuselmi
Rodas-Cifuentes
Preschool Teacher
Glendy Rodas-Diaz
Associate Teacher
Sheily Rodas-Martinez
Site Operations Assistant
Jose Rodriguez
Manager,
Kitchen
Debora Rogers
Manager,
Success Coach
Cynthia Roldan
Human Resources Coordinator
Irma Salinas
Program Assistant
Madeleine S Sanchez
Bilingual Home Visitor
Odilia Sanchez
Janitor
Rosa Sanchez
Janitor
Silvia Sanchez
Associate Teacher
Annette Schies
Manager,
Family Advocate
Marisela Scott
Specialist, Client Intake
Loyola Sedano Astete
Janitor
Alicia Shafer
Coordinator,
Accounts Payable
Sara Straw
Associate Teacher
Janis Sturdevant
Brand &
Communications Manager
Claudia Suarez
Data Specialist
Angel Tanem
Facilities Assistant
Elvira Tapia De Chavez
Teachers Assistant I
Lidia Tejeda
Infant/Toddler Teacher
Fatai Tokolahi
Manager,
Mobile Outreach PSP
Vanessa Trejo-Perez
Family Advocate
Nghi Trieu
Infant/Toddler Teacher
Blanca Umana
Infant/Toddler Teacher
Maria Urias Monge
Teachers Assistant I
Buntawan Vamnutjinda
Site Area Manager
Gilma Beatriz
Vargas Martinez
Bilingual Home Visitor
Maria Vargas
Janitor
Miguel Vargas
Janitor
Jennyfer Esther Vasquez
Bilingual Home Visitor
Paola
Vasquez-Martinez
Infant/Toddler Teacher
Rosa Vazquez
Associate Teacher
Mario Velasquez
Janitor
Margarita Vences Baez
Preschool Teacher
Sheila Beatriz
Vicente Velasquez
Teachers Assistant I
Yoselin Vicente
Teachers Assistant I
Juan Vidal
Client Intake/
Data Specialist
Sabah Wadera
Associate Teacher
Jea Lea Wagner
Preschool Teacher
Michelle Weber
Preschool Teacher
Reyna Zamarripa
Teachers Assistant I
Thank YOU
TO OUR DONORS
OVER $1 MILLION
California Department of Education
California Department of Social Services
County of Marin
U.S Department of Health and Human Services (Office of Head Start)
$100,000 TO $999,999
Charles Mullen Testamentary Trust
Chronicle Season of Sharing Fund
Marin Community Foundation
$25,000 TO $99,999
Bank of America
Kaiser Permanente Foundation
Leestma Family Foundation
Marin Community Foundation
United Way Bay Area
Wells Fargo Foundation
$5,000 TO $24,999
Anonymous
Bank of Marin
Capital One
Denise Cutler
Gruber Family Foundation
Heffernan Group Foundation
Hilltop Foundation
Impact Launch
Alton Lo
Marin Health Foundation
Barbara and Michael McLean
Nimesh Narayan
Tony Psychoyos
Redwood Credit Union
Beth Roy Jenkyn
Dennis Ryan
The Isabel Allende Foundation
The Kirkpatrick Family Charitable Fund
The Lakeview Foundation
The San Francisco Foundation
Union Bank Foundation
Wardell-Smith Raabe Family Fund
West Marin Fund
$1,000 TO $4,999
Ted Abe
Adobe Systems
Jeffrey Amen
Charles Schwab Foundation
Debra Charlesworth
Kate Colin
Cook Silverman Search
OMW CORP
Judith Coy
ShineMaker Foundation
Michelle Groleau
Hershey Baer Fund
Joe Kendrick
Rose Meadows
Gail Noah
Alexander N. Pascua Fong
Kenneth Perlmutter
Robert Half International
Rotary Club of San Rafael Harbor
Rotary Club of Tiburon-Belvedere Foundation
ShineMaker Foundation
Bruce Stein
The Leighty Foundation
D Toy
Wardell-Smith Raabe Family Fund
Wright Architecture
$1 TO $999
Anonymous
Lani Alo
Amazon Smile Foundation
Sara Aminzadeh
Kathy Armbruster
Kim Baenisch
Barbara P. Baratta
Frank Baratta
Whitney Bardwick
Caroline Barlerin
Gretchen Bartlett
Lisa Barto
Pat Becker
Marshall Bentley
Lisa Beritzhoff
Andrew Bettini
Brian Bettini
John Beuttler
Irma Botvin
Sunny Branson
Suzanne Brice
Bright Funds
Stuart Brown
Susan Brown
Ronald J. Burlick
John Burnham
Fabia Butler
Brian Calder
Lisa Canin
Herbert Cano
Amie Carter
W.B. Chipman
Paul Clanon
Pablo Collazo
$1 TO $999
Romario Conrado
Liz Darby
Bob Davisson
Robert & Ruth Dell
Ron DeMatei
Mary K. Dinday
Lynne Dixon
Donald Dodelson
Ylva Dominy
Patrick Donohew
Brian Donohue
Mary Donovan
Judith Dowling
DPPM Project Management
Tammy Edmonson
Jillian Elliott
Daniel Epstein
Herve Ernest
Michelle Fadelli
Feat2Eat
Jeanne Felton
Paul Finkle
David Finnane
Marc Flax
Adam & Alissa C. Fong
Julia S. Frank
Maria Frias
Elinor Gale
Patricia Garcia
Caren Gately
Give Lively Foundation
Denis G. Gleason
Robert Gloistein
Teresa Goebel
Darlene Goins
Lorrie Goldin
Chris Gospodnetich
Stan & Joan Green Family Fund
Jean Greenbaum
Emily Grossman
Carlos Guerrero
David J. Guggenhime
Robert Guice
Gina Guillemette
Joel Gumbiner
Patricia Hager
Margaret R. Hallett
Robert P. Haro
Nancy Head
David Heneghan
Marcia Hewitt
Christina Hickey
Jill Hinds
Jim Hogeboom
Patrick Holman
Barbara Holmes
Henry Hopkins
Theresa T. Hove
Monique Humphrey
Rosenblatt Jannick
Jacqueline Janssen
Bill Jones
$1 TO $999
Keller Foundation
Sita Khufu
Alison Kihara
Aimee Kilmer
Catherine King
Joseph Kitterman
Pamela Klein
Greg Knell
Brenda Kohn
Violeta Krasnic
Chris Kughn
Charles Kuhn
Joel Kurzman
Beth Law
Dr. Donald E. Leisey
Jeff Lemontt
Diana Lightman
Magali Limeta
Normand Lundberg
Carl Macki
Rosalie Marcovecchio
Alora Martin
Esther Mata Perez
Ann Mathieson
Steve McClure
Chris McCrum
Roger McGee
Jennifer McInnis
B McLarin
Laura McMann
Doyleen McMurtry
Roland T. Minami
Donna F. Morris
Motion Picture Counseling
Elizabeth Muir
Hugh Murphy
Laurean Nardone
Network for Good
Nora Niesen
Nadav Nur
Daniel L. Ohlson
Ron Olson
Abby Ottenhoff
Meredith Parnell
Alexander N. Pascua Fong
Calvin Patton
Anne Pearl
Madeline Perez
Charlene Pickus
Jeff Porter
Dennis Potts
Madeleine Provost
Steve Quarles
Julie A. Quater
Susan Quater
Casey Quigley
Lisa Raffel
Samantha Ramirez
Katherine Randolph
Katrina Redahan
Redwood Credit Union
$1 TO $999
Louis Reilly
Paul Remer
Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc.
Katie Rice
Colleen Richardson
Sarah Richmond
Lauren Roscoe
Janine P. Rosenblatt
Jannick M Rosenblatt
Peggy Rubens
Mary Sackett
Iris Saligman
Bricia Sanchez
Paula Sauve
Ruth Schafran
Juliet Schiller
Richard M. Schlobohm
Steve Schneider
David L. Schreck
Ann W. Schweichle
William See
Justin Semion
Mark Shemaria
Kathy Shumaker
Victoria Silverman
Ellis J. Simmons
Mara Snipes
Mark Solomons
Marcy St. John
Michael Stein
Lindsay Stewart
Ronald L. Stolowitz
Daniel Stuempfig
The Blackbaud Giving Fund
The Robert J. Duncan Trust
The William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
Gail Theller
Wilma Thomas
Andrea & Steve Thompson
Patricia Thompson
Cheryl & Vince Timoney
Wendy Todd
Elaine Tokolahi
Fatai Tokolahi
Brian Topham
Samantha Tradelius
United Way Worldwide
Shirin Vakharia
Buntawan Vamnutjinda
Nicolette Van Exel
Constance Vandament
Claudia Vargas
Nick Versaggi
Diane Wagner
Debra Walker
Karee Wallach
Phyllis Weber
LeiAnn Werner
Julie Whyte
John Wright
Carolyn Zwicker
WE ARE GRATEFUL for our many donors and occasionally are not able to list a generous supporter. If you would like to be acknowledged for your gift, please contact our team at development@camarin.org.
COMMUNITY ACTION CHANGES PEOPLE’S LIVES, EMBODIES THE SPIRIT OF HOPE, IMPROVES COMMUNITIES, AND MAKES AMERICA A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE. WE CARE ABOUT THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY, AND WE ARE DEDICATED TO HELPING PEOPLE HELP THEMSELVES AND EACH OTHER.
OUR PROMISE
“I’M GRATEFUL THAT I GREW UP IN THE CANAL NEIGHBORHOOD because I was lucky to have had programs like Community Action Marin. They helped my family and made me realize that it is possible for every child and for every family to have the opportunity to have what I had. Without organizations like Community Action Marin, those opportunities would never be there.”
JOHN LAM,
PRINCIPAL DANCER, BOSTON BALLET
FORMER PRESCHOOL PARTICIPANT
Get the 2022 Annual Report Now
