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MC GIVES!

The Center for Community Advocacy’s (CCA) mission is to help farmworkers and low-income families help themselves by training community leaders who advocate for improved conditions and opportunities in their communities. CCA is hoping its supporters will donate to the campaign when MCGives! becomes active on its website on Nov. 14, 2024 and runs through Dec. 31, 2024.

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Welcome to
CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ADVOCACY

CCA is able to “help farmworkers help themselves” because of the generous support of our local community, foundations and private donors. If you would like to support the work of the CCA, please contact our office or make a tax-deductible donation.

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ABOUT CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ADVOCACY

The Center for Community Advocacy (CCA) is an organization that was born to support and build leadership within our community and in particular our farmworkers and their families. As such, we have worked side by side with them to help improve their living conditions, advocating to have more affordable housing and access to health services and resources.

MEET OUR HEROES

The Community Advocacy Center awards the 2011 Ben Heller Award for Leadership and Courage to the Salinas Valley Health Clinic (Clinic) and its General Director, Dr. Maximiliano Cuevas.

Clínica has been providing low-cost health services to families in the Salinas and Pájaro valleys since 1981, when a group of community volunteers and volunteer physicians came together to design a program to bring health services to agricultural workers. 

OUR HOUSING PROGRAM

We help farmworkers organize housing-site committees for the purpose of improving substandard conditions in the housing units that they occupy. CCA also helps farmworkers to mobilize members from the various housing committees to advocate for the construction of new, quality, affordable housing for farmworkers and other low-income working families.

If you think you would like to establish a neighborhood committee to help you resolve your housing or health issues, contact CCA for assistance. We will make every effort to assist you or refer you to the appropriate individual or agency!

BE THE GOOD YOU WANT TO SEE

CCA is able to “help farmworkers help themselves” because of the generous support of our local community, foundations and private donors. If you would like to support the work of the CCA, please contact our office or make a tax-deductible donation.

ABOUT US

CCA trains farmworkers to form and lead community-based committees to advocate for improved housing and health conditions.

STRONG FAMILIES PROGRAM

Strong Families Program is focused on youth violence prevention by strengthening families.

REACH OUT FOR US

If you think you would like to establish a neighborhood committee to help you resolve your housing or health issues, contact us.

YOUTH FOR CHANGE

Youth For Change: Young people discover their collective power through organizing together.

These youth are interested and inspired to go to university, but they don’t know, and their parents don’t know what the pathway is, so they are building their own pathway plan.

In collaboration with various programs in Salinas, the idea is to construct a simple resource that any student and parent can use to plan options.

OUR HEROES

Please welcome the Recipients of our Ben Heller Award for Leadership and Courage and our Sam Karas Farmworker Leadership Awardees. We look to recognize these people for their tireless efforts to promote the CCA’s mission and values through contributions of their time and talent.

Strong Families

CCA’s Strong Families Program strives to reduce violence and other forms of abusive behavior by teaching strategies that strengthen family relationships. CCA trains neighborhood leaders to help their peers incorporate certain strategies into their familial relationships.

HEALTH

CCA trains neighborhood leaders to act as promotores comunitarios, or health promoters. After being trained, the promotores deliver, to their peers, preventative health information/ interventions in the following areas: chronic diseases, behavioral health and youth violence prevention.

HOW WE HELP

CCA serves farmworkers and other low-income working families in Monterey and Santa Cruz counties. We give preference to families or groups residing in substandard housing sites. Our services are provided free of charge.

Guiding Our Mission: A Joint Message from the Executive Director and Board President

As we navigate 2024, our commitment to the well-being of our community and environment has never been stronger. From enhancing housing conditions and tenant rights to safeguarding our natural surroundings, both our Executive Director and Board President share important updates on the strides we've made and the initiatives ahead. Together, we are building a healthier, more sustainable future for...

Empowering Communities: Achievements and Goals in Housing Advocacy

At the Center for Community Advocacy, we are dedicated to empowering individuals and communities to fight for their housing rights. Our housing organizers have been working tirelessly to improve living conditions, advocate for policies that ensure affordable housing, and foster a sense of unity among residents. Here's a look at some of the significant achievements and future goals of our housing...

Monterey County Gives!

The Center for Community Advocacy's Big Idea Project has been accepted by the Monterey County Weekly's Monterey County Gives! Program to raise funds for local nonprofits. The Center for Community Advocacy (CCA) is an organization that was born to support and build leadership within our community and in particular our farmworkers and their families. As such, we have worked side by side with them...

CCA Community Message Re: Covid-19

Dear Community Members and Partners, As the Executive Director for the Center for Community Advocacy (CCA), I feel it is important that as an organization we address the current state of emergency faced by our country, state and community over the Coronavirus pandemic. There’s no other way to say it, this has caused concern for all of us and our families. This is impacting many aspects of our...

30 Years

In 1992, farmworkers in the Salinas Valley were discovered living in squalid and unsafe conditions in lean-tos and caves, without running water, heat or toilet facilities. The discovery became national news, giving rise to such headlines as “Harvest of Despair”; the living quarters were called “Rancho de Cuevas,” or Cave Ranch. It was a seminal and catalytic moment for the recently formed...

Coastal Growers | Spring 2018 CCA Promotoras Program

By Sabino Lopez, Interim Executive Director Literally defined, “promotoras” simply means "promoters.” They have also been called camp health aides, colonia health workers, lay health advisors, outreach workers, community health representatives, indigenous or village health workers, and non-traditional health workers. Our volunteer health promoters are one of the most significant pillars of...

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