How You Can Help

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"Research clearly shows that it is in the after school hours that children and youth are most at risk of being either victims or perpetuators of violence. Offering supervised activities during these hours is an effective strategy for channeling young energy positively. Finding room for such activities can sometimes be a challenge in Salinas, which has often been described as facility poor."

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Cultivating Peace in Salinas:
A FRAMEWORK FOR VIOLENCE PREVENTION

By: Larry Cohen, MSW
and Jeane Erlenborn, MPH

CHISPA has found that Community Building initiative are just as necessary as the living units, for the success and stability of the neighborhood it builds. Thus at each rental site developed in the past ten years, CHISPA has incorporated physical amenities from which the community at large, not just the residents, can benefit. These include recreational facilities such as playground equipment, basketball courts; public open spaces; and community centers housing kitchens, meeting rooms and computer labs. These centers are open for tenants and community partners providing services for tenants. These community rooms are our working goal towards creating healthy communities by combining housing with on-site activities.

CHISPA's affordable housing developments are located in many of the neediest-areas of the county. Thus the residents who are mostin need of community services are already in place, as are the community centers and recreational facilities. By providing on-site services at our developments, we feel that the number of families who will participate, including those who would not otherwise avail themselves of these services, will greatly improve coordination of social and community services.

By using CHISPA sites, it provides flexibility as well as a greater target audience thereby avoiding duplicative services. In other words,there are no new competing agencies being involved, just greater resources and more practical locations for consolidation of programs in order to provide social and community services to the families who need them most.

In addition CHISPA has a full time Community Services Coordinator to work with community partners to establish services at the rental properties. Currently, several of CHISPA's multi-family rental properties generate sustainable social service funds, however we continue to face difficulties within our other sites to generate funds for services provided.

If you or your organization are interested in providing services or making a monetary donation please contact the community service coordinator at:

Ruth Rodriguez
295 Main Street Suite 100
Salinas CA 93901
831-757-6251 x120
rrodriguez@chispahousing.org