Many people consider Marin County to be one of the most beautiful places to live in the United States. It has some of the highest incomes per capita and one of the lowest unemployment rates. It also has the widest gap between rich and poor.
Marin County ranks among the most racially disparate counties in California across all indicators of well-being. In this county of plenty, the face of poverty is often invisible. The numbers, however, are clear. 37% percent of households in Marin do not earn enough income to make ends meet. For people of color, that figure exceeds 55%.
As the official anti-poverty agency for Marin County, Community Action Marin’s mission is to make it possible for people to achieve well-being by providing the vital services they need.
Working in partnership with community and a diversity of stakeholders, Community Action Marin leadership works to ensure that everyone in Marin can lead a life of dignity and attain self-sufficiency. We break down the barriers that get in the way of fair and lasting change in service to better outcomes for all.
The agency’s team holds a shared vision for equity that speaks to all who live, work, and visit Marin. We believe that everyone should experience fair and just inclusion. We act to rectify historic patterns of racial, class, and gender discrimination, ensuring that all see themselves reflected in decision making and that all can participate, prosper, and reach their full potential.
As one of 1,100 Community Action agencies across the county, we adhere to a Code of Ethics that outlines our dedication to eliminating poverty in the midst of plenty. The array of services we provide promote racial and economic equity by addressing the real and varied needs of individuals and families who lack the income to be self-sufficient. Explains Chandra Alexandre, CEO of Community Action Marin, in a recent communication to staff:
“Doing anti-racist work means dismantling institutional racism in our own agency and beyond. It means standing up for what is right, and it is work we have aligned around in service to mission and community. It is hard work, but this is why we’re here.”
Community Action Marin is committed to developing an anti-racist organization so that we can do the work of delivering on racial and economic justice. Our agency staff and leadership are dedicated to creating and sustaining a culture of equity and well-being, and we work together to foster belonging within our agency and across our community. We believe in growing a diverse workforce, and the diversity of the Community Action Marin team mirrors that of our Marin community.
Community Action Marin is a member of the Marin Promise Partnership and has adopted the following Racial Equity Statement:
“Racial equity for students in Marin will be achieved when race and ethnicity no longer predict the outcome of a young person’s educational future. As a Marin Promise Partner, Community Action Marin commits to identify and dismantle racial inequities, and to provide equity-based supports, so that our most vulnerable children can achieve their full potential.”
Our Equity and Well-Being Roadmap outlines four specific ways we are doing the work of racial and economic justice in our own agency through Learning and Growth, Pay Equity, Advocacy, and Celebration and Recognition. Grounded in our values of Relationship, Inclusion, Service, and Unity, our daily practice both recognizes and realizes the value of each employee and our human connection. Similarly, our CAM 2.0 goals – Each Employee Belongs, Access to Services, A Whole Person/Family Approach, and Continuous Improvement – ensure that our entire agency is aligned and moving together toward our shared vision in community.