90 Monterey County GIVES! 2024 mcgives.com DONate online mcgives.com Education & Youth Read to Me Project Year Founded: 2011 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 7 paid, 20 volunteers Budget: $496,550 275-1300 readtomeproject.org Big Idea: Young students who begin school without foundational skills in reading are unlikely to ever catch up—they typically remain two years behind their peers. The Read to Me Project provides a prevention-based solution for kids lacking those foundational skills so that they start kindergarten ready to learn how to read. The Read to Me Project’s Big Idea helps low-literacy families fill their homes with words by teaching fourth- to sixth-graders how to read books to their younger siblings. They get books and the skills to become the mentors younger siblings need. Reading to kids and making sure they hear a variety of words at home helps build foundational skills that will accelerate their literacy in kindergarten and beyond. “The Read to Me Project helped my students become leaders for their young relatives, inspiring a love of learning at all ages.” -Cris M. Restorative Justice Partners Year Founded: 1987 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 7 paid, 42 volunteers Budget: $415,601 869-7641 restorativejusticepartners.org Big Idea: Restorative Justice Partners brings together a wide coalition of leaders to discuss resolving conflict through restorative justice. Past community engagement events featured school stakeholders, city council members, law enforcement and families developing relationships and informing local best practices for a more healing justice system. This Big Idea’s goal is to expand the reach of restorative justice by teaching methods of system transformation as well as personalized conflict resolution skills for a lifetime. “Restorative Justice means restoring some things that may have been broken or damaged due to a crime, such as trust. It means the ability to forgive, a sense of security and making things right. This class was a real eye-opener and has definitely changed my perspective.” -Anonymous Salinas Regional Soccer Complex Year Founded: 2009 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 6 paid, 115 volunteers Budget: $1,232,990 756-6312 salinassoccer.org Big Idea: The Salinas Regional Soccer Complex is hard at work on a multi-phase expansion project, which will triple the current facilities. The Complex celebrates the cultural significance of soccer, providing a place for all ages to learn, practice and play the universal game. But this nonprofit’s Big Idea is màs que fútbol. This community gathering place also includes walking paths for community events like Walk with a Doc, and space for mobile clinic visits— no soccer playing required. “Community happens when you go beyond the soccer pitch, but the soccer pitch can bring us together and create that opportunity for us to connect. We believe that this soccer complex is more than just soccer; it is #MàsQueFútbol!” -Chris Lopez Seneca Central Coast Year Founded: 1984 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 1,507 paid, 150 volunteers Budget: $18,400,000 455-9965 senecafoa.org Big Idea: Seneca’s Resource Family program recruits, trains and certifies local resource families who step into challenging situations to help provide a stable, loving place to call home. Resource families can provide temporary care, support family reunifiRancho Cielo Youth Campus Year Founded: 2000 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 51 paid, 486 volunteers Budget: $5,717,048 444-3533 ranchocieloyc.org Big Idea: Donations to Rancho Cielo Youth Campus help this nonprofit continue to fund 100 percent of students’ academic and vocational education at this unique institution. This Big Idea helps 16- to 24-year-olds earn a high school diploma alongside hands-on vocational training in culinary, mechanical, welding, agricultural and other careers. Wraparound services help support student success, offering professional counseling, home-cooked meals and transportation. One year of tuition at Rancho Cielo costs $30,000 per student and donations help make it possible to educate more inspiring young people with bright futures. “My experience at Rancho Cielo has been nothing short of transformative. I’ve learned the art of creating a memorable experience for each guest [who dines at the Drummond Culinary Academy at Rancho Cielo]. These lessons have taught me the value of patience, teamwork and attention to detail. There’s nothing more magical than turning simple ingredients into a delightful pastry or a confection that brings smiles to everyone’s faces.” -Kaitlyn Davis spotlight “We are so blessed to have this park in our community.” -Bianca Reynoso, Tatum’s Garden Foundation
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