Dear Community Member:

For the past eight years, I have had the honor and the privilege to serve on the Community Action Board for San Benito County. Initially, I began as a board member representing the Private Sector for District 1 and now serve as the Community Action Board Chair. My journey began as a resident who simply wanted to be involved in serving the community in which I lived and help to better meet the felt needs of our vulnerable populations here within the county. It is here that I discovered a team of people made up of board members and staff, working under the direction of the Board of Supervisors, that not only deeply care about our county, but are actively engaged in helping to make a difference!

Our vision is "Ending Poverty by Empowering People". We seek to do this by serving our vulnerable populations with the resources needed to obtain skills, knowledge, and the opportunities needed to be more self-sufficient. Currently, we are updating our strategic plan so that we can identify the evolving needs of our stakeholders and focus our efforts to meet the specific needs of our community. This strategic plan also serves as a guideline with specific goals identified that reflect the input we have received from the community. As we continue to work together as a team, we are also excited to find new ways that we can network and partner with community leaders to broaden our resources in an effort to eliminate poverty. It is my great joy to continue in this work and I look forward to what new doors will open in the future to accomplish this vision together!

Ellen Laitinen

CAB Board Chair