Partnership for Children, a Salinas nonprofit that has quietly helped families caring for children with serious illnesses manage everyday tasks, from getting to medical appointments to buying groceries and paying rent, is celebrating 10 years of service.
“When we first started, we were providing transportation services to about 50 kids,” Executive Director Jennifer Ramirez said. “Over the years, we’ve grown both in the number of children and families we serve and in the depth of services we provide.”
Without a local children specialty hospital, kids and their family have to travel to the Bay Area for care at Stanford or UCSF Children’s Hospital, Ramirez said.
“We remove the transportation barrier to make sure they can access that care,” she added.
From its initial group of 50 children, the nonprofit now serves approximately 260 families each year across the Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito tri-county region.
In addition to transportation, Partnership for Children provides financial assistance for rent, utilities and other basic living expenses, and also coordinates grocery deliveries.
“In partnership with the Food Bank for Monterey County, we provide practical supports such as a consistent supply of diapers, car seats and household goods,” Ramirez said. “We also have our family connections program, which includes social outings, holiday celebrations and other activities that help families connect with our organization and with others facing similar challenges.”
Over the past decade, the nonprofit has also shifted how it connects families to services.
“In the beginning, families would call us with a need, we would meet that need within our funding restrictions, and then wait to hear from them again,” Ramirez said. “Now, we’re more intentional about checking in with families to make sure they’re being served. We’re not waiting for them to call us.”
The organization carries out its work with a small team of three full-time staff members, including Ramirez, and five part-time drivers.
“We like to say we’re small but mighty,” Ramirez said. “We’re really efficient, and we truly love what we do.”
New offices in Salinas
On Jan. 29, Partnership for Children marked both its 10-year anniversary and the opening of its new offices at 427 Pajaro St., Suite 5, inside the Rodgers Center for Children’s Health.
The new location follows two major moves in recent years and places the nonprofit alongside Coastal Kids Home Care, a 20-year-old agency serving medically fragile children with complex needs.
Last year, Coastal Kids Home Care received a $250,000 donation from Valeta and T.J. Rodgers to expand its Salinas headquarters and meet growing demand for specialized health and mental health services for children. The funding allowed the organization to double its office space, add two counseling rooms, expand physical and occupational therapy areas and provide space for another local nonprofit.
“Coastal Kids Home Care is thrilled to have Partnership for Children join us at the Rodgers Center for Children’s Health,” said Margy Mayfield, founder and CEO of Coastal Kids Home Care. “Building on our long history of working together, this closer collaboration will allow us to provide more comprehensive, coordinated care for children with complex medical needs and extend services to more families in our community.”
This article originally appeared on Salinas Californian: Partnership for Children celebrates 10 years and new Salinas offices
Reporting by Roseann Cattani, Salinas Californian / Salinas Californian
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
