The Crier Landing Page >>
CANAL ALLIANCE — 40 YEARS OF SUPPORTING IMMIGRANTS IN MARIN
Because Everyone Has The Right To Achieve Their Dreams
By: Ibis Teasdale | September 9, 2021
When a new immigrant moves to Marin County they can feel scared, overwhelmed and a little lost. These new members of our community are often challenged by a lack of resources, and overwhelmed trying to settle into an unfamiliar environment.
This is where Canal Alliance steps in. The organization’s primary objective is to break the cycle of poverty for Marin immigrants and their families by lifting their barriers to success. These barriers can range from putting food on the table, to learning English, to graduating from college. Canal Alliance has resources to support every facet of an immigrant’s life in our county.
I recently spoke with Sara Matson, Director of Development for CA (Canal Alliance) and she elaborated on several of their amazing programs for the LatinX community in the Canal neighborhood in San Rafael and throughout Marin.
She began by explaining the incredible work CA is doing to help to get COVID information and vaccines into the community. During the height of the pandemic, the Canal neighborhood was a hot spot for the virus, because families are doubled and tripled up in apartments full of critical community workers: grocery store clerks, restaurant staff, nannies, and others who make up a large part of the Marin workforce.
So, as the critical pandemic needs grew, explained Sara, “We moved into public health last year for the first time because it was a necessity. Although it is not a part of our core services, our leadership stepped up. We provided the information in Spanish and English to access testing, results and information.”
Canal Alliance was the first organization to offer free on-site testing for COVID right in the middle of the Canal, where it was needed most. And currently, while the greater part of our state’s LatinX community is limited in having received the vaccine, the Canal neighborhood is on track with the rest of Marin at over 75% vaccinated (as of June, 2021).
When they aren’t pivoting their resources to manage a pandemic, the routine services that CA provides are wide-ranging. For all families, CA offers integration of social services for those seeking asylum from an unsafe environment in their native country. Specifically for adults, they offer job force training in construction as well as English as a Second Language classes for all levels. For youth, CA focuses on education and workforce programs starting in 6th grade and supports the students all the way through college graduation.
Sara emphasized how all services provided are so necessary to the community. “Marin County has the highest rates of inequity of all the counties in California, both in education and workforce,” she says.
According to the organization Race Counts, the work CA provides is critical for our community to thrive. Their data shows that in 2019 nearly 80% of white families in Marin were living above the cost of living for our community, but less than 40% of LatinX families held the same comfort level. For a clear picture of what that looks like, of those renting Marin County, the LatinX households on average keep only $16,367 for all other expenses while white households keep $59,304.
There is work to be done, and Canal Alliance is showing up to make it happen. They believe everyone has the right to achieve their dreams. And, because of the work they do to support immigrants, Marin can become a place where everyone can live, learn, work and succeed.
Congratulations to celebrating 40 years of helping Marin become a brighter and more equitable place for all!
Ibis Teasdale Wells is a native to Marin, mom of two young boys, and an educator. She enjoys all things local: hikes, wines and cheeses! After teaching elementary school for over 10 years, Ibis has a deep passion for books and reading, which is why she’s loved working on the book list since 2018. Ibis can be reached at Teasdale15@gmail.com
More from this issue:
Why Can’t Moms Take Sick Days? Read >>
Should I Hire a Postpartum Doula? Read >>
Top Tips for Parents Buying a Family Home Read >>
Dinner at my House Read >>
Buglet Learns to Fly Read >>