With its parent foundations’ legacies, the community foundation has the opportunity to support a regional, well-coordinated immigrant integration approach, with up-to-date research that builds upon existing programs and services that support legal services, adult education and outreach, and cultural bridgebuilding among all community members.
Over the past 10 years in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, planning and coordinating efforts have had limited success in leveraging new partnerships with community agencies and funders, given county cutbacks and the loss of financial revenues due to the state’s economic woes.
Despite these limitations, many immigrant-serving providers continue to foster multicultural communities
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and promote the integration of immigrant communities. The community foundation is in a unique position to take a leadership role on convening and research
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in Silicon Valley around current immigrant integration needs and policies. The community foundation can also help spur cross-county immigrant service provider networks and a new organizational system that informs the general public about the contributions of immigrants and refugees and that shares information with local and state policymakers to promote the rights of immigrants and refugees to full and equal participation in our region.
The community foundation is fortunate to have significant staff expertise in this area. Manuel J. Santamaria, the program officer who prepared this research paper, joined the community foundation in 1999 and has extensive community-building and philanthropic experience. Prior to his work with the community foundation, he developed and led initiatives for a network of family resource centers; helped develop education programs for children and adults; and has worked with local organizations that advocate for the protection of immigrant rights.