MENDOCINO COAST CHILDRENS FUND

MCCF is committed to creating a community of supportive services for children that model respect, compassion, efficiency and effectiveness. We lead by example and work with over fifty agencies and school sites to provide resources, research, needed services and connectivity.

Serving a small remote geographical area, we want to build on our community's strengths. Our independence and experience in solving problems allows us to help our schools, agencies and community organizations serve families and children despite a lack of staff and satellite offices in our communities.

Our thirty years of leadership in the area of child advocacy and community collaboratives is the foundation for dealing with an every changing community challenges.

We partner and provide support to all coast agencies and organizations that work directly with children. We provide SOS funds to social workers, teachers, health professionals, pre school directors, homeless programs and domestic violence organizations to make sure that they can respond immediately to children in crisis when there are no other answers.

We believe that all children need to be able to experience their own joy, competency and creativity. We underwrite sports, dance, recreation, and a wide variety of camps.

We also believe that vulnerable parents need support whether it is a hug, an extra box of diapers, a listening ear or a referral to a service they are unaware of. We respond in appropriate ways while respecting the dignity of the child and the family. We do not shame or blame people. We provide compassion, hope and practical solutions.

We figure out a way to ease the situation, lessen the anxiety, strengthen the family and to encircle our community of children with love, support and concern.

We have been serving children for 30 years. We are honored to be beloved and respected by our community. We reach out with the story of what is needed while at the same time protecting the confidentiality of the children and their families.

We are trusted by our local and county agencies, community organizations and families. We engage community volunteers partnered with community professionals. We are innovative and accountable and effective.

Agency staff relies on us to know the agency, resource, solution to getting a child services, items or experiences that are essential to a healthy childhood.

We have implemented wisdom circles where the community advises us on how best to meet the needs of children.

We are honored to serve our communities in this way.

This year we are 30 years old. We have raised over $3.5 million dollars in that time with a 30 year historical expense ratio below 10 % paid from separate designated bequests and donations so that 100 percent of general donor contributions can go to the children and families we serve.

The County of Mendocino recently renewed our lease to a rent free office for sixty months (2021-26). The office is located at 430 No. Franklin Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437 in the oldest building in Fort Bragg. We are next to Fort Bragg City Hall and co-tenants with Congressman Jared Huffman's field office. MCCF mail is received at P O Box 1616, Mendocino, CA 95460. Our office location allows us to participate in the vibrant farmer's market right outside our doors. Additonally, we have opened a family resource service center located on the Fort Bragg USD property that co-houses Mendocino Coast Clinics staff and is adjacent to the Fort Bragg HS Teen Center at 208 Dana Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437.

We have received a wide range of city, county, congressional and service club awards.We are convening a wisdom council with over 50 community leaders, parents and students attending by Zoom and will be having these quarterly going forward.

For 2022, we have started our strategic planning for the next 10 years. We are transitioning our model from all volunteer to a mix of community volunteers, key paid staf, interns and consultants.

We want to provide job opportunities and stability as we grow. Providing role models for our parents and children and job opportunities helps stablize our community and our children.

We want to add a financial literacy program for youth and young families. We want to do a better job of telling the stories of how essential MCCF services are to the well being of our young and their families and the economic stablity of our schools and community.

Our executive director is mentoring new staff and board members and leading our succession planning so her retirement will be seamless and well planned for. Our board is engaged, committed and bring great skill sets to our programs.

Our board is expanding and we have added new members. Our goals for 2022 are a board of seven and to document all procedures and policies. We are expanding our Spanish translation of our services and policies. We are planning an outreach campaign to fund these goals while continuing our commitment to our community children and families.