Blog
Local Business Spotlight: Surisadai Cuervo of L&M and S&H Cleaners
Posted: June 3, 2022
Surisadai Cuervo, who goes by Suri, is a successful businesswoman who kept L&M cleaners afloat through the pandemic and despite a competitive market by focusing on customer service and at-home delivery, S&H Cleaners.
Seniors share their plans on College Signing Day
Posted: June 3, 2022
High school students filter into the large meeting room in the Education Building at Canal Alliance after finishing up their tutoring and after-school activities in smaller adjoining classrooms, each room named after a California university.
Andrea Rivas Iraheta connects with newly arrived immigrant youth
Posted: April 12, 2022
A case worker helps young people connect to education and employment, build community, and pursue their goals.
A young person’s path to citizenship
Posted: February 15, 2022
Timoteo Vasquez-Mendez left his home in Guatemala, fleeing difficult conditions in his country, and traveled to the United States in search of a better future. He was stopped by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) as he tried to cross the border then sent to a detention center in New York, then released to stay with his uncle Jesus Vasquez in San Rafael. He was 17 years old.
Q&A with Elaine Tannous, Bilingual Mental Health Clinician
Posted: December 9, 2021
Elaine Tannous is Canal Alliance’s Bilingual Mental Health Clinician. We asked her about mental health needs and the impact of our services.
Meet Francisco Gomez: entrepreneur and successful small business owner
Posted: November 4, 2021
What does it take to launch a successful small business during a pandemic? For Francisco Gomez, it required hard work, careful planning, and the application of practical skills acquired through the Workforce Program. We caught up with this busy entrepreneur to learn about his journey, over eight years in the United States, and his plans to grow F.G. Window Cleaning.
Stories from the front lines: Henry Velasquez, Youth Education Manager
Posted: August 12, 2021
When schools first went to remote teaching, Henry Velasquez, UP! Youth Education Manager, worked with a student who had no internet access and as a result, was completely disconnected from teachers, classes, and assignments. One year later, Henry reports that based on the persistence of the student, and with support from UP! staff, the student is on track.
Once a newcomer, Ana Tafolla is using her Master’s Degree to build a path for new immigrant youth
Posted: August 12, 2021
When Ana Tafolla arrived in Marin as a teenager, she began high school in San Rafael and joined the afterschool program for newcomers at Canal Alliance. Today, Ana is Senior Manager for Social Services and leads a critical new initiative for newly arrived immigrant youth known as Opportunity for Youth (OFY).
Stories from the Front Lines: One Year Later
Posted: July 22, 2021
Laura Jiménez-Diecks, Supervising Case Manager, shared a client story that spoke to the severe impact of COVID-19 on immigrant families in Marin. Now, about a year later, Laura reflects on the response effort, a “metamorphosis over the course of the pandemic.”
Jhovanny, Workforce Development graduate builds a career in construction
Posted: July 22, 2021
Jhovanny, a Workforce Development graduate says he “advanced five years in my career by taking the three-month Construction Classes”
