(Santa Rosa, CA, May 2024) —- Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County’s (CAP Sonoma’s) Board of Directors and staff are thrilled to reintroduce itself to the community as Sonoma Community Action Network, or Sonoma CAN. Over the past year, the agency has undergone exciting and transformative changes to help staff lead whole family programs with a more integrated, values-based, and data-driven approach.
As part of this growth, Sonoma CAN has revised its mission and vision statements and adopted a set of shared organizational values that recognize the strengths and opportunities found in Sonoma County.
The organization worked with the design firm Catch Creative to arrive at a new name and brand assets that reflect the organization’s roots in Sonoma County and symbolizes the strength and collective spirit of the community.
“Our new name, mission, vision, values, and brand identity holds the legacy of the journey our organization has been on over the past 56 years and embraces the vibrant future we are moving into,” said Sonoma CAN CEO Cynthia King. “As we transition to new ways of working, we will align and collaborate with our local partners to ensure that there are no gaps in meeting community needs. We know that poverty does not end with short term access to food and housing; but these are important services to provide while simultaneously advocating to repair systemic inequity and oppressive policies that created the need for them in the first place. Together we will create an equitable and inclusive Sonoma County. We invite everyone in the community to join us and be part of this transformation. We know Sonoma CAN!”
The organization started as the Sonoma County People for Economic Opportunity (SCPEO) in 1967, led by community activist Eddie Mae Sloan. Soon afterward, SCPEO joined the national Community Action Partnership network, created as part of President Johnson’s “War on Poverty” movement to end poverty in local communities with boots-on-the-ground tactics and shared leadership.
SCPEO became Community Action Partnership of Sonoma County (CAP Sonoma) and for more than 50 years has joined with over 1,000 Community Action Agencies nationwide to offer resources, financial assistance, and educational opportunities to help families thrive, and ensure a more equitable society for future generations. In 1968, CAP Sonoma joined the Head Start network, which has proven over the decades to disrupt generational poverty. For over five decades, CAP Sonoma has served thousands of families through Head Start and other vital programs, and recently joined forces with LifeWorks of Sonoma County, a mental and behavioral health agency.
Now named Sonoma CAN, the organization continues to have a powerful and important legacy in the community while embracing a new approach to ending poverty by fighting for social, economic and racial justice.
SONOMA CAN’S MISSION:
Sonoma Community Action Network is a catalyst of equitable transformation, aligning partners and resources to implement values-based, data-driven, community-led solutions that help families reach their full potential.
SONOMA CAN’S VISION:
We see our Sonoma County transformed into an empowered community of thriving families where every child is raised with joy, justice, and connection.
SONOMA CAN’S VALUES:
Joy, Amor, Esperanza, Equity, Fuerza, Dignity, and Inclusión
COMMUNITY ACTION PROMISE:
Community Action changes people’s lives, embodies the spirit of hope, improves communities, and makes America a better place to live. We care about the entire community and we are dedicated to helping people help themselves and each other.
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Contact
Genesis Vondergeest, Communications and Content Manager
Email: gvondergeest@capsonoma.org