MNC Inspiring Success

150 participants gathered at Potrero del Sol Park for MNC Family Engagement Day; a joyful community event to strengthen connections among families, promote positive parent-child relationships, and support family well-being.

Families, volunteers, and staff shared meaningful experiences, activities, enjoying a welcoming and supportive environment, creating valuable space for families to connect with one another, and the community.

One highlight was parents and children participating side by side in games, sports, and play. Children enjoyed the bounce house and face painting. A memorable moment was the drum circle, giving a powerful sense of unity, energy, and shared experience. MNC CEO Richard Ybarra raved about it. All expressed appreciation for the opportunity to slow down, spend quality time, and create memories.

Special shout-out and thank you to Roberto Hernandez, Arturo Carrillo, and Tito Hernandez from CANA, for leading and sharing this activity. Their efforts created joy, connection, and community for our families. Sincere gratitude to everyone who contributed to this success. Their effort, passion, and teamwork created joy, connection, and community.

Check out this story and more in our most recent Issue of Informes: https://conta.cc/4vNZvv9

For outreach we went all around and all out for May!

•We participated in Balboa Family Carnaval hosted by our partners at Family Connections.
•Increased our visibility in the Bayview Neighborhood with a neighborhood canvassing day
•Shared our Early Care and Education flyers at neighborhood locations, including the C*C (Community Youth Center), Bayview Catholic Charities Access Point, Bayview Open Door Legal, City College of San Francisco Bayview Campus, the Bayview Library, D10 Food Market, Bayview YMCA, and neighborhood businesses.
•Scheduled our participation in two of UMOJA Health Access Point’s Community Health fairs.
•Joined Bayview's San Francisco Pregnancy Village Fair catering to Black, pregnant & postpartum San Francisco Residents.
•Participated at the San Francisco Library - Eureka Valley Harvey Milk Memorial Branch Annual Open House and the Merced Branch Library Community baby shower.
•Coordinated neighborhood canvassing efforts promoting MNC Mission Bay Campus’s Ribbon Cutting/Open House. Walked neighborhood, housing, organizations, businesses, posing flyers on street poles.
•Invited to SF Fiestas Gigantes! We tabled at China Basin Park before the SF Giants connecting with fans and community! We worked with MNC Housing & Homeless Prevention Team. We received help from MNC Mission Bay Campus Parent Council member Eunice Marquez, who shared she loved engaging with community to share her positive experience with potential families.

Check out this story and more in our most recent Issue of Informes: https://conta.cc/4vNZvv9

MNC’s Early Care and Education Department hosted the Health and Mental Health Services Advisory Committee’s first in-person meeting in six years at MNC’s Wolfsohn Campus, Liliana’s Theater. After years of virtual meetings following COVID-19, the three Head Start grantees in San Francisco: MNC, Kai Ming, and WuYee came together in person, led by the Health and Mental Health Managers from each agency. The gathering drew 43 attendees including from all three groups, parents, and community members representing health, nutrition, mental health, and disabilities services across early childhood.

The meeting included cross-agency updates and sharing of health, mental health, and disabilities-related data, along with presentations from BrightLife Kids and the SFPDH Office of Childhood Hearing. It was an energizing time reminding us of all of the power of community. We look forward to continuing this collaborative work together.

Check out this story and more in our most recent Issue of Informes: https://conta.cc/3SdVK3z

15 mothers gathered at MNC Wolfsohn Campus to learn how breast cancer affects Latina women. Cindia Martinez served as workshop facilitator, covering key points —including statistics on Latina women, factors increasing risk, and factors that help reduce the likelihood of devel-oping the disease. The mothers left well-informed and fully aware of the importance of regular mammograms starting at age 40.

Check out this story and more in our most recent Issue of Informes: https://conta.cc/3SdVK3z

The MNC Youth Services and Early Care & Education teams participated in an in-person meeting designed to strengthen cross-department partnerships and coordinated support for children, youth, and families. Staff learned about each department’s services, goals, and approaches to family engagement, creating a stronger understanding of how each program contributes to the well-being and development of participants.

It was a valuable space for communication, relationship building, and idea exchange focused on improving collaboration and streamlining support for families accessing MNC services. Through these discussions, teams identified opportunities to work closely together to address academic, social-emotional, developmental, and family support needs of youth and families.

Staff also got a guided tour of the MNC Precita Campus, allowing everyone to become more familiar with the spaces, resources, and daily operations available to participants and families.

Check out this story and more in our most recent Issue of Informes: https://conta.cc/3SdVK3z

MNC Mission Bay campus celebrates Ricardo Ochoa, our preschool lead teacher, and Adriana Guerrero Lepe, our toddler lead teacher, graduating from their higher education programs. After two years, Ricardo receives his masters in Early Education and Adriana her Bachelors in Early Education. We applaud and remind them that there is no limit in obtaining their dreams. Congratulations!

Check out this story and more in our most recent Issue of Informes: https://conta.cc/3SdVK3z

We proudly celebrated the graduation of 24 parents from MNC Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors program. This eight-session series equips parents with leadership tools, advocacy and family well-being skills. Families, including children, attend to witness and celebrate their loved one’s achievements.

At the beginning, parents did not know one another. As the weeks went by, the group became a true community. Families created strong connections as a support system of their own.

We also select from each cohort a few parents to serve as Abriendo Puertas Ambassadors. In recognition of their dedication, they will support future classes by co-facilitating upcoming cohorts. They will join special events such as Parent Meetings and Parent Policy Council.

Parents’ Highlights

“This is my second time attending. I’ve learned so much and hope to share with others what I’ve learned. Thanks, MNC for this great opportunity.”

“I connect much better with my children. I’m more patient, and I feel more prepared to support them.”

“For me, it was an honor. My childhood was very hard, and I promised myself that I wanted to break those parenting cycles. Sometimes I doubt if I’m doing a good job, but recently my child sat next to me, hugged me and said, ‘You’re the best mom.’ That touched my heart and showed me that I’m doing the right thing. Thank you so much, MNC, for the support you give us.”

Congratulations and Happy Graduation to Ana Isabel Diaz Tobar, Araceli Aguilar Lopez, Cindy Lopez, Cristina Ochoa, Deyser Martinez, Elizabeth Palma, Esmeralda Silvano, Fabiola Torres, Gabriela Reynoso, Juan Ulloa, Leslie Argueta, Lorena Gutierrez, Maribel Gutierrez, Mario Fidel Meza, Marisol Gutierrez, Martha Buenfil, Neri Garcia Tellez, Osiris Estrada Sanchez, Paola Alvarez, Robert Sanchez, Rosaura Gonzalez, Selena Gaviria, Wendy Rodas, and Yaneth Perez Serceno.

Check out this story and more in our most recent Issue of Informes: https://conta.cc/3SdVK3z

MNC Mission Bay Campus celebrated the ribbon cutting of its new outdoor learning environment with an open house, welcoming families, funders, partners, and community members to experience the space together. The celebration marked a milestone for the campus and reflected MNC’s commitment to creating engaging outdoor spaces where children learn, explore, and thrive. Families enjoyed campus tours with staff, and the new outdoor space.

Our sincere gratitude to the San Francisco Department of Early Childhood and Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) for their support in helping fund and bring this project to life. We thank the Art.Garden.Design Team, San Francisco Recreation and Parks, Spiegel Aihara Workshop (SAW), and Dorman Associates for their collaboration. Their partnership brought to life a vibrant outdoor environment encouraging curiosity, creativity, movement, and nature connection for children and families served at MNC Mission Bay Campus.

We were honored by Senator Scott Wiener and Supervisor Matt Dorsey, Director of the Department of Early Childhood Ingrid Mezquita and LIIF ECE Deputy Director, San Francisco, Liz Winograd, highlighting the importance of investing in high-quality early learning spaces.

A heartfelt thank you goes to the MNC Mission Bay Campus team for the care, dedication, and passion they bring in creating outdoor learning experiences for children.

Check out this story and more in our most recent Issue of Informes: https://conta.cc/3SdVK3z

The Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD) has completed its monitoring of the San Francisco Emergency Rental Assistance Program. Philip Verma, the Housing Stabilization Program Officer, led this initiative, visiting all relevant campuses to gather feedback from staff members. This comprehensive assessment highlighted the various improvements made to the program implemented by MNC, as well as the valuable information it has provided to the community.

The MNC Housing and Homelessness Prevention team was alongside Philip Verma at different locations, including MNC 18th Street, Evans, Richmond campuses and the Mobile Office experience, showcasing their collaborative efforts in addressing housing stability and support for those in need.

MNC’s Youth Services facilitated an intergenerational experience with the MNC HADS Program (Healthy Aging and Disability Services). Activities included collaborative games, storytelling, art projects, and wellness-focused discussions encouraging empathy, respect, and social connection. This experience allowed youth to strengthen communication and leadership skills while gaining a deeper appreciation for the experiences and wisdom of older adults.

We proudly participated in a successful community resource event connecting families and community members with a wide range of MNC services. Staff engaged families, answered questions, distributed materials, and helped community members understand how MNC programs can support their individual and family needs. Attendance and participation reflected strong interest and highlighting accessible, culturally responsive resources.

We reached an important milestone by becoming fully staffed, allowing the team to strengthen operations, increase youth support, and improve collaboration across sites and services. To celebrate, staff participated in a team bonding potluck gathering focused on building relationships, morale, and team unity. The event promoted communication, wellness, and a renewed sense of motivation as the team continues working together to provide high-quality programming services to the community.

Check out this story and more in our most recent Issue of Informes: https://conta.cc/4u8H97b