Partners for Peace Homepage

Executive Summary | Project Description | Methodology | Members

Partners for Peace Overview

Partners for Peace (PFP), a public health initiative which began in 1991, was incorporated in 1996 as a 501(c)(3) by the Violent Injury Prevention Coalition of Salinas. A comprehensive framework for violence prevention entitled "Cultivating Peace in Salinas" (www.pforp.org) was developed and PFP and its partners received three year funding from the Packard Foundation and the federal government, a multi-million dollar Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant. As the grants ended, the collaborative, led by PFP was so successful that Monterey County and the City of Salinas were poised to include the grants in their ongoing budgets. Unfortunately, the State budget crisis eviscerated public agency budgets undermining these commitments. Now, PFP has reorganized to focus on sustainable partnerships operating at a community level, while strengthening its infrastructure.

PFP’s strength is the community resources it can convene. PFP Board members are affiliated with the media, agri-business, the public and nonprofit sector, small business, the faith community, neighborhood activists and the community hospital. From a policy level to grassroots, PFP has developed an approach that allows for an unprecedented level of multi-tiered collaboration throughout the city. The program areas PFP oversees include:

Policy Advisory:      The annual Salinas 100 Meeting convenes over 100 influential leaders in Salinas and the quarterly Policy Makers Advisory Group engages the City of Salinas, Chamber of Commerce, the County Supervisors and all the School District trustees and Superintendents, in violence prevention.

Gang Prevention:      Gang Violence Prevention Team convenes nonprofits, City and County agencies, Chamber of Commerce, and School Districts to identify gaps, develop strategies and coordinate services. The Strengthening Families Program employs former gang members to teach parents family management skills and engage high risk youth to learn how to handle stress and strong emotions, set goals, be responsible and improve communication skills.

Youth Employment:       The Youth Employment Services Program (YES), offers students who are unlikely to graduate, an opportunity to attend summer school, earn credits and obtain job training. Partners include the High School District, Chamber of Commerce, Regional Occupational Program, Second Chance, Office of Employment Training, Probation Department, Salinas Police Department and Chartwell School.

Youth Development:      The Latina Teen Empowerment Project offers teens an alternative to gang membership. Teens are offered social support and are encouraged to be self sufficient. Teens learn to understand strong emotions, study body image, learn to communicate and plan and organize community service projects.

Parent Organizing:      Parent Patrol Project connects farmworker, immigrant parents to educational opportunities, parenting skills workshops and services.

Peace Activities:      The Annual Peace Summit and monthly PeaceNotes newsletter promotes community education about peace and the root causes of violence and encourages community participation.

Literacy:      A weeklong Salinas Reads and ongoing Reading for Peace Project improves literacy rates for young children using volunteers.

Farmworkers: The Farmworker Welcome Project orients farmworkers to community services, provides safety information and conveys an appreciation for the labor they provide in the community.

A Vision of the Community: Strategizing for Success

Our Vision...To create a community with a strong culture of caring based on values of respect, responsibility and compassion.

2007 Partners for Peace Achievements

• 443 farm worker parents received safety education information.

• 205 parents received gang prevention/intervention education.

• 300 families referred to adult education or social services.

• 487 adult volunteers read at 24 schools during Salinas Reads Week.

• 13,598 students had books read to them during Salinas Reads.

• 25 Parent and community leaders read one-on-one to 60 students for 880 hours through our Reading for Peace program in collaboration with the Panetta Institute at CSUMB.

• 4646 farm workers throughout Salinas Valley received information on banking, health, safety and housing through the Farm Worker Welcome Project.

• 123 students participated in the Youth Employment Services (YES)program earning 1508 high school credits---an average of 12.68 credits per students with an average 3.5 GPA.

• Over 100 parents and youth participated (many former gang members) in a seven week program that builds communication and listening skills through our Strengthening Families program.

• 345 community members attended the Peace Summit.

Executive Summary | Project Description | Methodology | Members

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