SIEMBRA LATINOS FUND Year Founded: 2017 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 3 paid, 10 volunteers Budget: $25,000 (831) 375-9712 cfmco.org BIG IDEA: The Siembra Latinos Fund (housed at the Community Foundation for Monterey County) has awarded more than $175,000 in grants that elevate the future of local Latinos, including workforce development, youth engagement and support for families. Guided by a local advisory council focused on pathways to long-term success, recent grants have supplied paid tech internships for young adults and supported early literacy programs. Your donation joins a collective effort to lift up and celebrate Monterey County’s Latino community. “This journey is not just about funding; it’s about the relentless pursuit of equity, opportunity and empowerment for our Latino community.” -Dr. Ida Lopez Chan SUN STREET CENTERS Year Founded: 1968 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 191 paid, 143 volunteers Budget: $17,500,000 (831) 753-5144 sunstreetcenters.org BIG IDEA: Sun Street Centers is dedicated to raising awareness about substance abuse in an effort to decrease school dropout and delinquency rates. Big Idea programs like Road to Success intervene when youth are at risk of school failure or juvenile detention, helping parents and kids adopt healthier behaviors. After three to six months of LifeSkills Training, the evidence-based curriculum used by Road to Success, 83 percent of participants reported they “do not drink or use drugs now.” “If it wasn’t for this program, I wouldn’t have learned how to look at things in a different perspective. I learned how to build the confidence in advocating for myself and being able to communicate and be open with the way I am feeling. The [Road to Success] program helps a lot with seeing yourself in a different light, allowing you to see that you are worthy of so much more than what those around you may be making you feel.” -Aaron Preston Penamante THE VILLAGE PROJECT, INC. Year Founded: 2008 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 20 paid, 7 volunteers Budget: $2,870,252 (831) 392-1500 villageprojectinc.org BIG IDEA: Families, youth and adults needing behavioral health and social justice services are welcome at The Village Project. This Big Idea covers everything from mental health counseling and substance use disorder treatment to school-based behavioral health, restorative justice and reentry services. These evidence-based efforts reach more than 300 individuals annually, including through Freedom Reins. An equine-assisted therapy program in partnership with Bay Laurel Ranch in Carmel Valley, Freedom Reins promotes emotional healing and confidence through meaningful connections with horses and nature. “Being part of this work has opened my eyes to the power of culturally rooted healing. Freedom Reins is more than therapy—it’s community restoration.” -High school student, Monterey YOUNG ADULTS WITH EPILEPSY Year Founded: 2023 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 10 paid, 10 volunteers Budget: $126,198 (831) 288-1542 youngadultswithepilepsy.org BIG IDEA: More than 4,000 people in Monterey County live with epilepsy, but stigma and lack of education persist. Awareness and inclusion are especially needed in Spanish-speaking communities. Young Adults with Epilepsy (YAWE) promotes seizure safety, providing in-demand resources in both English and Spanish. YAWE is also conducting a groundbreaking neurofeedback research study on non-pharmacological interventions that may alleviate epileptic symptoms. Donations support this organization’s Big Idea to become a model of seizure safety. “A seizure should never become a source of shame or make someone feel like a burden. With the right education, people can learn how to stay calm, create safety, give space when needed, and help life return to normal afterward. For me, YAWE represents the kind of understanding I wish more people had when I was growing up. Support does not have to be dramatic or overbearing. Sometimes the most powerful thing someone can do is stay calm, listen without judgment, respect independence and remind the person they are not alone. My hope is that YAWE helps create the kind of understanding I wish existed when I was younger, so the next person who has a seizure is met with support, not shame.” -Austin Cole YWCA MONTEREY COUNTY Year Founded: 1972 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 15 paid, 5 volunteers Budget: $2,446,033 (831) 422-8602 ywcamc.org BIG IDEA: YWCA Monterey County is focused on victims of domestic violence and violent crimes. Through its 24-hour crisis line, emergency shelter and housing assistance, YWCA clients can begin to stabilize their lives. Additional resources, like mental health care and financial literacy education, offer the next level of support. Donations to this Big Idea support the comprehensive, trauma-informed services that have helped survivors rebuild for more than 50 years. “I came in as a scared and unsure single mother. The YWCA helped me by not only giving my son and I a place to put our heads at night—they helped me feel more confident about doing what was right for my son. They provided me with support and open arms.” -Confidential 84 Monterey County GIVES! 2026 mcgives.com COMMUNITY & SOCIAL SERVICES DONATE ONLINE MCGIVES.COM “I have regained my self-respect and my will to live a clean, sober life.” -T.C., Interim, Inc.
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