Ashland Cherryland Together (ACT), a community collaborative supported by La Familia staff, joined ALL IN Alameda County in their effort to end poverty. ALL IN funded Listening Sessions throughout Alameda County to hear directly from residents about what’s working, what’s not working, and what should change in their communities.
ACT hosted a listening session at the Hayward Adult School on Wednesday, December 7, 2016 and supported three additional sessions facilitated through partners with Resources for Community Development and The Hayward Center for Education and Careers. Each listening session provided food, incentives, and opportunities for further engagement, including membership in an ACT Work-group.
Thirteen members from the communities of Ashland and Cherryland attended ACT’s listening session. They had ardent discussions around issues and solutions revolving jobs, housing, safety/environment, food, schools, health, and the community having a voice. Despite the numerous gaps found in these areas, participants realized there are many services and programs that are working and generated creative solutions to a lot of the issues. ACT staff are confident that the voices of residents all over Alameda County will be instrumental to the planning and strategizing of future projects.
“It’s important that individuals who live in the communities have an equal voice to those of us who work in the communities and ALL IN is doing a good job promoting that,” said Jennifer Ellis, who administers ACT for La Familia.
Ashland Cherryland Together (ACT) is a community coalition that has served the Ashland and Cherryland communities of unincorporated Alameda County since 2008. As a Drug-Free Communities Support Program grantee, Ashland Cherryland Together is dedicated to reducing substance use and misuse by educating youth, empowering stakeholders, mobilizing the community, and shaping environmental policies. Partners of the coalition include Alameda County Sheriff’s Office and Supervisor Nate Miley’s Office. La Familia provides staffing support and fiscal administration services to support the Ashland Cherryland Together coalition.
