Nuestra Casa de East Palo Alto

Environmental justice program - we're proud to be leading an environmental justice initiative that extends beyond our local communities to encompass broader san mateo county. Nuestra Casa advocates, informs, and trains members of our frontline community to become environmental justice leaders. By teaching and unlocking our communitys leadership potential, they can prioritize local solutions for addressing environmental equity and justice issues. We believe our community can do more than survive but thrive in this climate reality. Our programming in this area includes our environmental justice academy and water justice initiative, community engagement efforts that connect residents to government processes, our food distribution program, and participation in numerous collaborative efforts in south san mateo county, such as the safer bay project and the Palo Alto horizontal levee project

Policy/advocacy program - our policy & advocacy work involves co-learning about issues that affect our community with our community, prioritizing the issues that matter most to them, and identifying and advocating for solutions. These efforts include building community members capacity to confidently participate in government processes that affect their neighborhoods and families. As part of this work, our staff members collaborate with other organizations, lead important efforts, and achieve wins for our community.

RED COMUNITARIA PROGRAM - OUR RED COMUNITARIA PROGRAM TRAINS, SUPPORTS, AND COACHES LOCAL WOMEN TO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOOD AND BECOME PROMOTORAS (COMMUNITY OUTREACH WORKERS). THESE PASSIONATE LEADERS ARE PARENTS AND TRUSTED MESSENGERS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO CARE DEEPLY ABOUT JUSTICE AND EQUITY. THEY ORGANIZE NEIGHBORS, FACILITATE WORKSHOPS, AND GUIDE OUR PROGRAMMATIC PRIORITIES. WE REGULARLY TRAIN PROMOTORAS TO BUILD UPON THEIR LEADERSHIP, ADVOCACY, OUTREACH SKILLS, AND KNOWLEDGE OF COMMUNITY RESOURCES AND INITIATIVES. OUR PROMOTORA PROGRAM IS A CORE COMPONENT OF THE LIBRE PROJECT, A COLLABORATIVE THAT PLAYS A PIVOTAL ROLE IN HELPING OUR IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY UNDERSTAND AND NAVIGATE AN ARRAY OF SAFETY NET SERVICES. AS THE FIRST POINT OF CONTACT FOR 1,000s OF LOCAL IMMIGRANT FAMILIES, OUR PROMOTORAS EDUCATE FAMILIES WITH QUESTIONS ABOUT BENEFITS. THEY CONNECT INDIVIDUALS TO A NUESTRA CASA ASSISTOR OR ONE OF OUR PARTNERS FOR LEGAL ASSISTANCE OR AID IN APPLYING FOR BENEFITS.