1,520
services
950 individuals received consultations and 570 were represented.
Dear Friends & Allies,
Fiscal year 2019 was a pivotal year for Canal Alliance. With your partnership, we implemented the first year of our new strategic plan, making great strides in areas that are critical to improving economic outcomes for Latino immigrants and their families.
At the heart of our mission is the commitment to providing direct services in areas most needed by immigrants to overcome poverty. Our primary strategy is to offer immigration legal services and education programs that help clients obtain work authorization, citizenship and employment. To address the many barriers and challenges our clients face, we also offer social and behavioral health services.
To extend support for adults who have work authorization but lack a clear pathway to employment, we launched a new workforce development program. Our first pilot programs supported motivated students to access fast-track, intensive English classes and a job training program leading to career-path employment in the construction industry.
We published our first policy agenda and engaged in new efforts to change local policies and systems. We developed and launched the Canal Alliance mobile app to provide community members with a platform to voice their opinions on issues that impact them. We are also leading efforts to ensure that the 2020 Census includes an accurate and complete count of all at-risk communities in Marin County.
While we respond to the needs in our community, we are also preparing for the future. To ensure Canal Alliance remains scalable and sustainable, we are committed to achieving a positive net surplus on an annual basis, maintaining positive cash flow, and contributing to our cash reserves. In fiscal year 2019, we achieved a net surplus of $292,000 and increased our reserves to $2.1M, ensuring we have the resources to support continued program operations despite fluctuations in the economy.
We could not have realized these achievements without your trust and investment in our mission. Together, we are making Marin a place where everyone can live, work and succeed.
Thank you,
Nelson Lee
President, Board of Directors
Omar Carrera
Chief Executive Officer
Immigration Legal Services
Supporting New U.S. Citizens
Canal Alliance is the only provider of affordable and comprehensive immigration legal services in Marin County.
Meet The Garcia Family
Supporting New U.S. Citizens
The Garcia Family’s journey to a more stable future began 14 years ago with their escape from poverty and violence in Guatemala. After living in the U.S. with undocumented status for four years while raising a small child and working three housekeeping jobs to help support her family, Maria Garcia was referred to Canal Alliance.
As her first point of contact, a Case Manager on our Social Services team welcomed Maria, and became a long-term ally that helped support and empower her, and her husband, Rodolfo, to access resources and navigate the unfamiliar community and culture in which they found themselves.
In the months that followed, the Garcias met regularly with our team of Case Managers, who helped the family address their most urgent needs while also supporting them to develop a path toward achieving their long-term goals. The Garcias received support from our Behavioral Health team to address the trauma they’d experienced in Guatemala and during their journey to the U.S., and from our Immigration Legal Services team to help them secure work permits.
Over time, the Garcias began to reap the benefits of their hard work. With work authorization, they secured regular employment, and with more consistent work hours, they were able to enroll in our English as a Second Language (ESL) classes. As a result of their increased bilingual skills, Maria and Rodolfo both earned promotions at work, which provided them with the higher incomes they needed to secure more stable housing by purchasing their first home. Since then, the Garcias have had two more children who now attend San Rafael City Schools.
In 2018, with help from our Immigration Legal Services team, Maria and Rodolfo finally achieved their dreams of becoming US Citizens.
80
clients
Secured assistance to file naturalization applications.
1,450
individuals
Attended 40 outreach and education events.
College Access & Success
Boosting College Success
University Prep (UP!) is a college access and success program that supports Latino students from immigrant families to prepare for and complete a four-year college degree.
Meet Eneida
Boosting College Success
With support from UP!, Eneida recently graduated in Winter 2018 from the University of Redlands and received a BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders.
After immigrating to the United States, Eneida’s parents dreamed of a stable future for her and her siblings – a future where they didn’t have to worry about walking down the street to the store, where they didn’t have to work double-time to make ends meet, where they wouldn’t be taken advantage of, and where they could give their children a strong support system and see them flourish.
While her parents gave their children everything they could, they knew they couldn’t guide them through the most important system to break the cycle of poverty: higher education.
Eneida became part of the Canal Alliance UP! program in 2011, when she started her first year of high school. She has received invaluable support from the Canal Alliance staff – from tutors who helped her succeed in her AP classes to financial aid that allowed her to receive the best education.
Today, Eneida hopes to become a Nurse Practitioner and to practice in a community clinic where she can use her bilingual skills to communicate with the Latino community help prevent health disparities.
122
students
Participated in University Prep (UP!), our college access and success program.
1,525
hours
Personalized tutoring provided to 74 UP! students in grades 6-12.
$68,000+
Awarded in college scholarships to 44 students.
Workforce Development
Fostering Career Access & Success
Canal Alliance provides Career Education, including English classes and workforce development, to help adults secure career-path employment.
Meet Eduardo
Fostering Career Access and Success
Surrounded by violence, desperation and poverty, Eduardo made the seemingly impossible decision to leave Honduras for the U.S., where his paternal grandmother was living in San Rafael. Taking buses, walking and hitchhiking over 2,300 miles, it took him seven months to get to the U.S. border.
Once Eduardo arrived in the U.S., he spent three months in a detention center while his grandmother worked to get him out. In addition to the impacts of trauma he experienced, Eduardo felt lost and lacked a sense of purpose. He wanted to build a new life in the U.S., but he didn’t know how.
Eduardo found hope at Canal Alliance. While attending ESL classes to improve his English skills, staff soon noticed he was struggling and recommended that Eduardo make an appointment with our Immigration Legal Services department.
After working with Eduardo to explore his rights and options for obtaining legal status and work authorization, Immigration Legal Services staff helped him secure a work permit and referred him to a partner agency that offers paid job skills training, employment, and the opportunity to earn a GED.
As a result of the assistance provided by Canal Alliance, Eduardo has experienced a profound turnaround in his outlook and his confidence in pursuing his goals. Having a work permit allows him to envision a real future in the U.S.
He has become a motivated, enthusiastic student and employee, seeking out opportunities for growth and advancement, and now dreams about becoming a park ranger or a fireman. He recently expressed his gratitude to staff, saying, “I realize I don’t have to be sad all the time – I can be happy. You guys gave me hope.”
620
adult students
Developed their English skills by accessing Canal
Alliance ESL Classes.
28
students
Earned a skilled trade certificate through our Workforce Development Program.
100
hours
Career Development Coaching and Case Management services provided to adult students.
Advocacy & Housing
Advocating for Impact
Our new advocacy and policy efforts are aimed at engaging Latino immigrants to address the issues that impact them.
See Our TImeline
Advocating for Impact
2018 |
July | Published its first Public Policy Agenda. |
| August | Submitted public comments regarding the inclusion of the Citizenship Question on the 2020 U.S. Census. | |
| September | Marin County Census Forum cohosted with Dominican University and The County of Marin. | |
| December | TRUTH Act Forum cohosted with Canal Alliance and ILRC to shed light on local law enforcement entanglement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. |
2019 |
February | Announced partnership with EdTrust West to address the academic and racial inequity in Marin County Schools. |
| May | Launched Advocacy Campaign to encourage the adoption Renter Protections in the City of San Rafael. | |
| Led delegation of 50 youth advocates to Sacramento on Immigrant Day to meet with legislators. | ||
| June | Announced affiliate partnership with UnidosUS. | |
| Launched Canal Alliance Mobile App, a first of its kind critical community organizing and advocacy tool. | ||
| Appointed as Lead Agency for Marin County 2020 Census Outreach for Hard to Count Communities. |
Financials
July 1, 2018 – June 30, 2019
Preliminary Results
Revenues
Expenses
Leadership Circles
Angels
($250,000 +)
Maja Kristin Fund
Marin Community Foundation
Michael Moritz and Harriet Heyman
Tipping Point Community
Visionaries
($100,000 – $249,999)
Cohen Family Fund
Horace W. Goldsmith Foundation
Ambassadors
($50,000 – $99,999)
Anonymous x 3
Cold Mountain Fund of RSF Social Finance
The San Francisco Foundation
Advisors
($25,000 – $49,999)
Bella Vista Foundation
Christ Lutheran Church of Fairfax, California
Crescent Porter Hale Foundation
Peter & Ginnie Haas
Kelson Foundation
Kimball Foundation
Loud Hound Foundation
Morris Stulsaft Foundation
The Henry Mayo Newhall Foundation
The Randleigh Foundation Trust
Zellerbach Family Foundation
Advocates
($10,000 – $24,999)
Anonymous x 4
Alice Shaver Foundation
Isabel Allende Foundation
Bank of Marin
Amy E. Christensen Fund of the Christensen Family Foundation
Brian and Paula Daniels
Dodge & Cox
The Carl Gellert and Celia Berta Gellert Foundation
M.S. Grumbacher Foundation
Hilltop Group Charitable Foundation
The Kenan Family Foundation
Kaiser Permanente Northern California
Community Benefit Programs
Little Flower Foundation
Alexander M. & June L. Maisin Foundation, a supporting Foundation of the Jewish Community Federation and Endowment Fund
Annette Nibley Fund at the East Bay Community Foundation
Overlook International Foundation
Robert J. and Paula B. Reynolds Fund
Richard Robbins
George L. Shields Foundation
Solli Ball Family Fund
Stephen and Britt Thal Charitable Gift Fund
The Ticknor Foundation, Inc.
van Löben Sels/RembeRock Foundation
Venables Foundation
Wells Fargo Foundation
Zephyr Fund
Partners
($5,000 – $9,999)
Anonymous x 6
Winifred and Harry B. Allen Foundation
Bank of America
The Barron Family Charitable Giving Account
BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.
Steven Block
Nick and Joan Boodrookas
Sydne and Allan Bortel
The California Wellness Foundation
Gina and Al Claxton
Katherine Crecelius
Hugh and Elizabeth Fullerton Full Circle Fund
Fullerton Family Foundation
Mark and Melissa Goldman
Betsy Gordon Foundation
Laura Laurenson and John Foster
Michael Metzner
Pabst Family Charitable Fund
Pacific Gas and Electric Company
The Prospect Hill Foundation Inc.
Rjp True North
Michelle and Edward Sarti
The Skoll Foundation
Associates
($2,500 – $4,999)
Anonymous x 2
John Adler and Mary Margaret McClure
David Allen Family
The Anderson/Zand Family Charitable
Morris Beazley
Bertelsen Family Fund
A Better Place Foundation
Patti Breitman
Andrew and Kate Brooks
Caroline and James Burroughs
Chevron Humankind
David and Claudia Chittenden
Laura Cox and Jay Cohen
Wendy and Vincent Drucker
The EACH Foundation
Diane and Dan Farthing
Carole and John Garcia
Deborah and Jonathan Goldman
Steve and Mary Gorski
Carole and Gerald Gunn
Hooper, Lundy & Bookman, PC
David Horowitz and Colleen Horowitz
Ellen Hufbauer and Jack Resneck, Jr.
Keenan Kelsey
Margaret Keon
Nelson Lee and Lia Rudnick Lee
Marin Airporter
Vera and Kenneth Meislin
Melissa Nelken and Ronald Lee
Diane Ongaro
Allen and Lea Orwitz
Pledgeling Foundation
Purple Lady/Barbara J. Meislin Fund
Rudolf Cluff Family Fund
Michael Seaman
Christopher Senn and Inge Hendromartono
Andre and Lesley Shashaty
The Simon-Strauss Foundation
Rich Storek and Marla Wentner
Wendy Walsh
Westminster Presbyterian Church of Richardson Bay
Friends
($1,000- $2,499)
Anonymous x 5
Peg Atherton
Amy and Seth Barad Family Fund
Carl Bass and Daryl Austern
Matt Bearson
Jan Becker and Thomas Restaino
Katherine Bernheim
Melissa Bradley
Nelson and Ellen Branco
The Capital Group Companies Charitable Foundation
Corporate Matching Gift
Omar and Erin Carrera
Mario Castaneda
The Castellanos Family Trust
Edward Chen and Janet Lee
Christ Presbyterian Church in Terra Linda
Donald O. and Ronald R. Collins Fund
The Colwell Family Fund
Compass/Pacific Union Marin Community Fund
June Cooperman and Lawrence Litvak
CPi Developers
John and Barbara Crary
Joshua Davis and Jessica Nenner
Denison Family Foundation
Barbara and Bill Dittmann
Dominican Sisters of San Rafael
Jeremy and Natasha Drucker
Leslie and James Eichenberger
Steven and Marilyn Enos
EO Products
Louise and Timothy Erdman
Virginia L. Fifield
First Congregational Church of San Rafael
First Federal Savings & Loan Association of San Rafael
Christine and Darrell Friedman
Daniel Gelbaum and Terri Moreno Gelbaum
Susan and Dennis Gilardi
Paula and Jim Gorder
Ron and Christine Grossi
Terry Helbush
Alex and Myra Hooker
Lori and Mark Horne
Doris Hunker
IBM Employee Services
The James Irvine Foundation
Keep It Going Fund
Alicia and Tom Klein
Joyce and Robert Kleiner
Jeannie Kotoff
Michael and Marna Kramer
Joan and Martin Lasden
Sally Lewis
Rebecca and Christopher Lien
Rory and Jan Little
Michele Manos
Marin Charitable
Marin/San Francisco Jewish Teen Foundation
Sandra Massen
M. Sheila Merritt and Robert D. Mass Family Fund
William and Candy Mitchell
Eric Multhaup
Nightingale Fund
Gail Noah and Kenneth Witte
Frank and Lois Noonan
Gareth Noonan and Sarah Butler
Laura and Bruce Olcott
Fred and Amy Paulenich
Catherine and Caroline Ramberg
Joyce and Gary Rifkind
Sandy Rolleri
Karen Rosenquist and Matthew Kropp
Jessie Rountree
Miguel Ruelas and Sid Hartman Fund
Marywynn Ryan
William and Stephanie Ryder
Sachleben Sullivan Family Fund
Samuel & Irene Saligman Charitable Trust
Richard and Diana Shore
Roberta Silverstein and Stephen Sperber
Vera Sparre and Scott Richards
David and Jacquie Spielberg
David Thompson and Maureen Broderick
Jane and William Thornton
The Uplands Family Foundation
Villegas Carrera, LLP
Susan Wolf
Jeffrey Wright
Annual Report Design by Ziller Design / Development by Mission Minded
Social Services
Strengthening
Family Stability
The Canal Alliance Social Services team helps individuals and families access resources to support their safety, health and wellness, and financial stability.
Meet Oscar & Alexander
Strengthening Family Stability
Canal Alliance Case Managers provide direct social services to immigrants and their families, many of whom walk into our office for the first time with a look of trepidation – they have been through so much. As they sit down with us, we make a point of first asking, “¿Cómo le fue?”, or, “how was your journey?” We know this can be a painful topic, but when we ask about their experience, many people visibly relax as they sense our genuine concern for their well-being. Our goal is to develop a relationship with them so they trust us to be a true partner in the work of building their new lives.
Oscar and his seven-year-old son, Alexander are just one example of the recently arrived families that we work with every day. They arrived in San Rafael after spending two weeks in ‘la hielera’, or ‘the icebox’, which are freezing cold rooms at detention centers where officials place immigrants to pressure them into rescinding their asylum claims and leaving the United States. The room was so cold that Oscar and his son had to hold tight throughout the day just to stay warm. Oscar told Canal Alliance Case Managers, “my biggest fear was that they’d take my son away. I wouldn’t wish what happened to us on anyone.”
For Oscar and Alexander, it was essential that they received prompt medical care, especially since so many people have gotten sick at detention centers. Our Case Managers referred them to the community health clinic and ensured that Alexander received his immunizations. They are now getting to work on pursuing the dreams that brought them to the United States: Oscar is learning English through our Adult and Career Education program, and we’ve helped Oscar enroll Alexander in school. He is excited to be attending school as a second grader.
1,171
Individuals & families
Accessed our Food Pantry an average of 7 times.
177
Clients
Received Behavioral Health Services by our licensed clinical staff.
1,711
individuals & families
Received support and resources to strengthen individual and family stability.