Spotlight

Happy May!  New month new events!

Spring is officially here! Make sure to check out what events we have going on here at CHD in the month of April. For any questions, please feel free to contact us.

Esmeralda came to CHD looking for an opportunity to better assist her mom. Esmeralda’s mom is a farmworker, she specifically works in the grape fields. As the second oldest sibling, Esmeralda felt helpless and sad to see her mother get up early in the morning with freezing temperatures. The struggles weren’t better during the hot […]

Everyone comes from different walks of life but we all share one thing in common; we strive for a better life for ourselves and for our loved ones. Felipe is a client who was referred by a friend to come inquire about our services here at California Human Development. Felipe came to the United States […]

Our disABILITY Services Program spent this holiday season honoring previous and current employees as well as their clients and their families. To begin, their first Community Celebration and Fundraiser was hosted back on November 13, 2021. Our disABILITY Services Program was honoring former Program Director, Mary Biggs, and her years of service to the program. […]

Pictured: Senior Case Manager Asucena Zentino   Josefina is a 54-year-old native of Mexico. She first came to CHD in August of 2020 to apply for US Citizenship. Her application was approved and a year later she was scheduled for her citizenship interview. She was elated to finally accomplish her goal of becoming a US […]

The end of the year is approaching us. Check out what is going on with CHD in the month of December. For any questions, please feel free to contact us. Enjoy the rest of this year!

Tera was a member of our Clerical Supported Employment Group at disABILITY Services for many years, where she received paid employment training in administrative duties. Over the years, she has attended Santa Rosa Junior College in hopes of receiving her AA and she even received a certificate in administrative assistance from Santa Rosa Junior College […]

Brooke Ross is another shining example of the kind of life the women of Athena House can have when they work hard and decide that recovery is worth it. It was more than five years ago that Brooke first walked through the doors of Stonehouse hoping that something could change for her. Brooke had not […]

Hello November! Months are flying by and we aren’t stopping. Come check out what we have planned for the month of November. You don’t wanna miss out! If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to the staff listed on the events list below for more information about their events.

One year ago, I arrived at CHD and the first person I encountered was Debbie Guerrero, Receptionist at SRHQ, who gave me a very gracious and warm welcome. That memory will stay with me. I felt recognized. I felt welcome. Now an HR Assistant, Debbie and Paula Boris, HR Representative, provide that same daily warm […]

Our name – California Human Development – encompasses who we are and what we do for our community. The Immigration and Citizenship Lodi office was presented with another opportunity to make a difference in the life of someone who had no one to turn to. Through the assistance of our case managers, Faryal was able […]

CHD has some exciting events coming this month of September so make sure to see what we are up to. Feel free to reach out to the staff listed on the events list below for more information about their events.  

At California Human Development (CHD), we believe that every person deserves the opportunity to have pathways created and doors opened. Our employee, Rosalina Montanez, is an excellent example of what new possibilities are in reach due to these created opportunities. Rosalina Montanez came to the United States in 1985 during the Reagan Administration in search […]

disABILITY Services like many others had to adjust and adapt to the changes that were incurred due to the pandemic. Virtual support was offered through multiple daily classes on Zoom. Adjusting to an online platform made it challenging to provide community integration for our participants. We worked tirelessly to provide a curriculum and supportive services […]

Cesar Chavez and his commitment to advocating for the farmworker is something that’s intertwined heavily with California Human Development’s (CHD) history. CHD has its roots based in supporting Cesar Chavez’s movement so much so that in fact, our founders marched with him on the frontlines of activism during the Civil Rights Era. Cesar Chavez fought […]

This past April, the women of Athena House had the opportunity to venture off the grounds of their residential community to get together in nature for a camping trip. The women of Athena House are experiencing the transformational journey of substance recovery and the outdoors and can dramatically enrich that process. Throughout Athena House’s history, […]

The challenges associated with immigrating to the USA can be significant. The red tape and wait times alone can be exhausting, not to mention the interview process which most clients say is “SCARY”. The long journey for this young couple started in 2016. Born in Laos and desiring to get married and live their life […]

Here is where you’ll be able to connect with CHD at our events this May! For more details please reach out to the staff members on the listings.  

Our Farmworker Services & Workforce Development Division is always succeeding in finding new ways to exceed expectations. Our team is given annual performance goals to accomplish each program year for the Department of Labor for the National Farmworker Jobs Program. The goals measure a cohort’s employment rate, measurable skills gained, credentials earned, and other similar […]

Eric Cosgrove has 30 years of construction experience and is a California Human Development (CHD) Anthony Soto Employment Training (ASET) Center Construction Program Instructor. We asked him to share what CHD has meant to him and how he found his passion for opening doors and creating opportunities for those underserved. Eric grew up in a […]

disABILITY Services is prepping for one of the biggest virtual events for their students. Through this Career Discovery Series, many of the students will start to discover a potential career path. For more information on this Career Discovery Series contact Tyler Wallace at 707.542.5609 or Tyler.Wallace@cahumandevelopment.org    

Take some time to read and mark your calendars to join CHD at some of our upcoming events!    

September was a time of growth and being in the community for California Human Development. Our team in San Joaquin was able to get out into the local community and support the area’s farmworkers through supplies distributions. These workers are essential and support the infrastructure of not just California, but our country overall. In this […]

This spring across northern California, CHD’s Farmworker Services staff met face-to-face with those in our communities who struggle most to survive, asking what it is they need to break the cycle of poverty. CHD hosted 10 public hearings in accordance with its Community Services Block Grant. The hearings offered a powerful reminder of why we […]

CHD’s new affordable housing complex for farmworker families in Santa Rosa is filling up quickly, but it’s not too late to apply for a handful of units still available. Rents in these homes are capped at 30% of family income. The homes are brand new, two bedroom, one-and-a-half bathroom apartments located in Santa Rosa’s Larkfield […]

Social justice for northern California’s poorest residents will take center stage in Napa on June 2nd as Cesar Chavez’s granddaughter keynotes The Big 50 Fiesta! The event, hosted by California Human Development (CHD), celebrates the anti-poverty agency’s 50th Anniversary and will feature a talk by Julie Chavez Rodriguez—state director to Senator Kamala Harris, former senior […]

Bright sunshine and green grass greeted a steady stream of volunteers recently at Middletown Trailside Nature Preserve. They arrived by the hundreds with shovels in hand to plant upwards of 3,000 fresh Ponderosa Pine seedlings. Their beloved county park, ravaged by fire in 2015, will soon once again be full of lush green trees. It’s a dream come true […]

No one would argue that its been a tough few years for Lake County. Prolonged drought left many farm laborers and others out of work. Then came unprecedented fires, including the devastating Valley Fire. The blazes made hundreds more homeless and unemployed. And to top it off, recent pounding rain caused flooding in Lakeport. More than 40 people […]

A new contribution to the Dream Fund is infusing more than just financial support to California Human Development’s (CHD) work for young immigrant “Dreamers,” who are protected by DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). “I believe the support of our Dream Fund very clearly signifies that many within our community stand behind our Dreamers and are opposed […]

The Times They Are a Changin’ It was the turbulent ‘60s, a time of intense strife and historic social change. Martin Luther King Jr. rallied for equal rights and Cesar Chavez called farmworkers to unite. In small town Santa Rosa, CA this passionate cry for change—for opportunity for all—struck a chord in the hearts of […]

From seasonal farmworker earning poverty wages to lead driver for El & El Wood Products in Galt! Today, Victor Perez proudly supports his growing family and is thrilled to be “living the American Dream!” A hard-working family man from Mexico, Victor spent years in California’s San Joaquin Valley making what few would consider a living […]

Northern California social service agency seeks CEO successor Today, the Board of Directors of California Human Development (CHD) announces the upcoming retirement of Christopher Paige, chief executive officer and leading advocate in the fight against poverty for farmworkers and others across northern California. The announcement kicks off a search for Paige’s successor as he works […]

Farmworkers, family and others across 11 counties to gain assistance Today, California Human Development (CHD) learned it will receive $188,000 to provide immigration services across 11 northern California counties in 2017. The funding comes from the State of California, Department of Social Services and allows important grant-funded work that began last year to continue. CHD is […]

Bi-National Health Week is in full swing in Sonoma County, offering a series of free health fairs that deliver important health services to those who often go without. Now in its 16th year, Binational Health Week addresses health disparities of the Latino community living in the U.S. and Canada.  Services are provided through a collaboration of […]

disABILITY Services wins three-year accreditation from CARF  Today, California Human Development’s disABILITY Services division received an important and prestigious thumbs up from the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF)—an independent, nonprofit accreditor of health and human services worldwide. CARF issued a three-year endorsement, saying “the achievement is an indication of your organization’s dedication and commitment to improving the […]

On Monday in a historic move, the California Legislature voted in favor of new overtime laws for farmworkers. If Governor Jerry Brown signs the bill, those who tend and harvest our state’s plentiful and diverse bounty will receive overtime pay just like all other workers in the state. The bill proposes time-and-a-half pay for farm laborers […]

“Creating Opportunities to End Poverty” California Human Development (CHD) is seeking an executive leader to fight poverty in Northern California. A non-profit social service agency with a 50 year history, CHD is based in Santa Rosa in the heart of Sonoma Wine Country and has locations throughout Northern California serving 31 counties. The agency has a $15 million […]

Bonnie Bishop, a single mom, wakes early to get to the job site near Middletown. She works in the blazing sun to cut up and remove burned trees destroyed by the Valley Fire. It’s hard, hot, dirty work but she’s grateful for it beyond measure…because finally things are looking up. “This job means I can get […]

Today’s ruling by the Supreme Court means U.S. born children will continue to live in fear of being separated from their parents or being forced to leave the only homes they’ve known. The decision upholds a lower court injunction against Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) and expanded Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). “On […]

On Friday, April 29th, California Human Development celebrated a milestone accomplishment—40 years of Farmworker Services and Workforce Development in Northern California. Supporters and partners from every sector gathered in Stockton to mark the occasion and to savor, truly relish and enjoy, in the power of what people can do together when they join hands and […]

This video by Petaluma Pie Company shows why we insist on lowercasing the “dis” and augmenting the “ABILITY” in our disABILITY Services program. So proud of our clients and grateful to community-minded folks like Petaluma Pie for employing them and being committed to their success. Thank you!      

Expanded immigration assistance is underway for farmworkers, families, and others who live in California’s North Bay, North Coast, and Central Valley regions. California Human Development (CHD) has received a $136,600 grant from the Department of Social Services to provide increased immigration education and assistance in these areas. Extended help made possible through the new funding […]

A hearty congratulations to Placido Garcia— CHD’s Farmworker of the Year! We’re honored to recognize Placido for his decades of hard work and success. At age 20, Placido came to the U.S. and went to work picking fruits and vegetables across California. He wanted more for his life and sought help from CHD to improve […]

For seven days and nights, Tesfahiwet walked through the wilds of the notoriously dangerous Sudan—dodging authorities and wild animals alike. It was the beginning of a two-year journey, ultimately leading him to Northern California where he would be reunited with his fiancé and baby daughter.