Community & Social Services DONate online mcgives.com One Starfish Safe Parking and Supportive Services Year Founded: 2014 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 4 paid, 0 volunteers Budget: $125,612 204-0230 onestarfishsafeparking.org Big Idea: Nearly every city in Monterey County enforces an ordinance against sleeping in your car, even though many individuals are forced to use their vehicles for shelter. One Starfish’s Big Idea serves the unhoused women of Monterey County by providing a safe place for them to park overnight. This first step helps One Starfish support a transition back into traditional housing for these women, providing wraparound case management and financial assistance to promote stability and peace of mind. “I would like to tell you about a very special person who was in the One Starfish program. This lady had a career background. She was living the American Dream. Could have been your neighbor next door. Turn of events: Lady is living in hotels; her things in storage; bank account runs out. Fate takes her to Starfish. The ladies there have stories like her own: Engine light comes on. Lady could have been stranded on the side of the road. Starfish covers repairs. Keeps the SUV on the road. Time and again, until the lady gets housing. I can tell you. Starfish cares. Yes, I’m that special person who was in Starfish.” -Diana Demille Restorative Justice Partners, Inc. Year Founded: 1987 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 7 paid, 42 volunteers Budget: $421,601 869-7641 restorativejusticepartners.org Big Idea: This nonprofit’s Big Idea seeks to expand awareness of its core idea: restorative justice. Restorative Justice Partners provides support and education to encourage accountability, empathy and reparation during confrontations. The nonprofit plans to host multiple community engagement events to learn how to advocate for and facilitate a restorative justice solution. Within the last year, trainings for adults and students throughout Monterey County educated 345 people on how to bring healing and resolution to relationships disrupted by conflict. “RJP’s partnership has been invaluable. Implementation of restorative justice practices has absolutely transformed our school climate, response to problematic behaviors and our disciplinary processes. It has made for more positive, fair and equitable experiences for our students. To actually see disparities in disciplinary response be effectively addressed is one of the outcomes I am most proud of. I cannot express how much gratitude I have for you all—you are one of the best groups of staff I have had the honor to work with.” -School administrator Salvation Army Monterey Corps Year Founded: 1900 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 20 paid, 19 volunteers Budget: $3,300,000 899-4911 tsamonterey.org Big Idea: The Salvation Army’s Good Samaritan Center in Sand City provides unhoused individuals with food, showers and laundry services as immediate comfort. Beyond basic needs, this nonprofit also connects clients with social workers to help provide skilled assistance with other barriers to stability, and administers two programs for homeless families: Frederiksen House Emergency Shelter, for up to 90 days, and transitional housing for up to 24 months. The Salvation Army’s Big Idea is to connect families to transitional housing if they are facing evictions or other obstacles. Donations help support this agency’s efforts to shelter our vulnerable neighbors. “When I started the Salvation Army’s two-year transitional housing program, I felt lost and scared. Now, as I am graduating two years later, I am confident and optimistic about my future. This program has put my life on a trajectory of success and independence. I attribute my success in this program mostly to my case manager. Meeting with her regularly taught me important life skills, including money management and financial responsibility. As we worked together, she became part of my support system. I will be forever grateful to her, and to this program, for changing my life.” -Anonymous client Seneca Family of Agencies—Central Coast Year Founded: 1984 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 81 paid, 25 volunteers Budget: $5,980,415 455-9965 senecafoa.org Big Idea: Donors can choose to support Seneca Family of Agencies—Central Coast and its mission to recruit and train resource families for youth in foster care. After foster-involved youth are placed with a resource family, the nonprofit’s Big Idea funds ongoing assistance with social-emotional, behavioral and family functioning services to ensure the success and stability of each placement. The Family Resource Monterey County Rape Crisis Center Year Founded: 1973 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 23 paid, 35 volunteers Budget: $2,292,345 373-3955 mtryrapecrisis.org Big Idea: This year’s Big Idea from the Monterey Rape Crisis Center focuses on prevention. In 2022, MCRCC provided 1,245 survivors and significant others with support, from crisis intervention to advocacy and counseling. While crisis care is a priority for this nonprofit, they also believe prevention is possible. The MCRCC invests in research-informed, evidence-based, and culturally relevant education to deliver age-appropriate prevention education and clubs like Our Voice, for students from kindergarten to college. “My favorite part of the Our Voice Club was coming together to fight for what’s right and spread awareness about sexual violence on campus.” -16-year-old Seaside High School student, Our Voice Club participant spotlight 72 Monterey County GIVES! 2023 mcgives.com
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