Supporting Our Safety Net
From left: CEO Susan True, Dientes Executive Director Laura Marcus, Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County CEO Erica Padilla-Chavez, Community Bridges Marketing and Communications Director and Pajaro Valley Health Care District Board Chair Tony Nuñez, Salud Para La Gente CEO Donna Young, Community Action Board Santa Cruz County CEO MariaElena De La Garza, and Director of Engagement and Impact Kevin Heuer.
As the effects of the ongoing government shutdown and H.R. 1, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, take hold nationwide, the challenges our communities and local nonprofits face right now are deeply felt.
Together, we are wrapping our arms around our local safety net to help keep critical services intact. Kindness, warmth, attention, giving, and action are what's needed most right now.
Nonprofit leaders recently came together at the Community Foundation to discuss how they are responding to these unprecedented challenges. You can read more about the event in the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
Our local safety net is relying on our continued support, collaboration, and collective action. Here are ideas of what you can do to help.
Second Harvest Food Bank Santa Cruz County
- Help glean, pack, or deliver food to families unable to access distribution sites
- Sponsor a meal or pantry day around the holidays and volunteer to see the impact
Community Action Board Santa Cruz County
- Volunteer on the Childcare Safety Plan Coalition (plans in case of detention or deportation)
- Sign up for Immigration Project newsletter
- Become a legal observer, report suspected ICE activity by calling the hotline: 831-239-4289
Dientes Community Dental
- Tour the new Watsonville clinic on Penny Lane
- Attend an Oral Health Access SC County meeting to learn about their county-wide collaborative efforts
- Advocate for oral health: Share personal stories with legislators
Community Bridges
- Volunteer with Community Bridges to help local seniors, families, and youth
Watsonville Community Hospital Foundation
- Read about the Watsonville Community Hospital | Sign up for WCH eNews
- Meet and Greet with Hospital CEO and Foundation Executive Director
- Find out more about the Pajaro Valley Healthcare District Project
Grey Bears
- Take a tour of Grey Bears to learn how they help seniors and reduce waste
- Volunteer at the Holiday Drive-Thru to distribute meals to seniors
Jacob's Heart Children's Cancer Support Services
- Volunteer to pack and deliver groceries to families facing childhood cancer
- Tour the Family Center to see how they support families with critically ill children
Planned Parenthood Mar Monte
- Read the 2025 Gratitude Report
- Utilize the Take Action Volunteer Toolkit
Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes
- Volunteer at a meal or pantry day
Due to the rapidly changing challenges facing our non-profit communities, we feel that the Community Foundation has the knowledge and expertise to evaluate where funds can best be allocated. They are truly our designated Rapid Response Team!
- Margaret Leonard and Clare Sheils
Give to Greatest Needs
In 2021, the Community Foundation started the Greatest Needs Fund. It enables immediate impact on the community’s most pressing challenges, giving people a simple, powerful way to respond to urgent needs.
As we move into the new era of H.R.1 and all its impacts, gifts to the Greatest Needs Fund will help provide flexible, rapid-response funding to allow our local safety net organizations to adapt to shifting needs and keep staff in place.
- For Community Foundation DAF Holders, donate to these organizations or the Greatest Needs Fund through your Donor Portal. For assistance accessing your donor portal, please contact Abbey Ohtake, aohtake@cfscc.org
- To stay well-informed, you can explore a timeline of local impact here.
- If you’d like to connect further and learn more about the issues discussed, please contact us.
