Monterey County Local News: Community Service & Support


All Local Community Service & Support News articles contributed by our local media allies and other local newsrooms.

Image caption: Kerry Wood, CEO of the Sacramento Region Community Foundation, says the organization researches areas of need to help donors direct their contributions.
What Is a Community Foundation?

By channeling funds to a number of nonprofits working on various issues in a given region, community foundations help solve big problems throughout California.

Image caption: There are more than 300 community service districts in California.
Community Services Districts, Explained

Community service districts can do most anything a city government can do. Here’s how they work and how to start one.

Image caption:
Celebrating Veterans Every Day

About 1.8 million veterans live in California. Here are some organizations dedicated to serving the needs of those who served America.

Image caption: Stand Down events provide veterans with valuable resources including housing assistance, medical care, and a solid community of support.
Veterans in Need ‘Stand Down’

At hundreds of Stand Down events throughout California, veterans agencies and organizations come together to deliver life’s necessities.

King City Rustler logo From King City Rustler...

05/08/2025
Image for display with article titled Beltran Named 2025 Salinas Valley Fair Heritage Foundation Scholarship Winner

Salinas Valley Fair Heritage Foundation has announced Valeria Beltran, a junior at Gonzales High School, as the recipient of the 2025 Heritage Foundation Scholarship.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

04/28/2025
Groups that support California crime victims and attempt to reduce gun violence lost millions of dollars in grants when the Trump administration pulled funding.

California Local Pin Marker From Monterey Herald...

04/25/2025
The Monterey Peninsula Foundation has awarded a grant of $60,000 to local nonprofit Community Human Services to fund two programs helping homeless youth.

California Local Pin Marker From Monterey Herald...

04/18/2025
Red Dress Day is May 3 in Seaside, a commemorative event to bring awareness to the issue of violence against Indigenous people.

King City Rustler logo From King City Rustler...

04/14/2025
Image for display with article titled Raley’s, FirstFruits Farms Deliver 30,000 Pounds of Apples to Food Bank for Monterey Country

Raley’s and Washington-based FirstFruits Farms donated 30,000 pounds of fresh apples on April 1 to the Food Bank for Monterey County.

Salinas Valley Tribune logo From Salinas Valley Tribune...

04/11/2025
Image for display with article titled Monterey County CAP Seeks Input on Draft 2026-27 Community Action Plan

Monterey County Community Action Partnership is inviting residents to participate in a public hearing on April 14 aimed at gathering feedback on the draft version of the 2026-27 Community Action Plan.

The Pajaronian logo From The Pajaronian...

03/28/2025
Image for display with article titled Donations Provide a New Dining Area at Salvation Army

Donations from local agencies have led to the completion of a new outdoor dining area at the Salvation Army in Watsonville.

California Local Pin Marker From Monterey Herald...

03/28/2025
The nonprofit Veterans Transition Center's Lightfighter Village in Marina has been completed, and the 71-unit veterans transitional living facility is welcoming its first tenants.

Monterey County Weekly logo From Monterey County Weekly...

03/26/2025
Image for display with article titled Isaura Arreguin Steps Up to Represent Her Community on the Salinas Valley Health Board.

Isaura Arreguin says she had her two daughters in mind, as well as many other Latina girls and young women, when she applied to fulfill an unexpired elected term on the Salinas Valley Health Board of Directors.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/26/2025
Food aid is one of numerous competing priorities California lawmakers will have to juggle in the face of steep potential federal cuts.

Monterey County Weekly logo From Monterey County Weekly...

03/19/2025
Image for display with article titled The Blind & Visually Impaired Center Is Set to Help More People at New Salinas Clinic.

The need for the services of The Blind & Visually Impaired Center of Monterey County is growing. In 2023, the nonprofit had 343 clients, helping them with eye exams, adaptive equipment and training, according to Executive Director Steven Macias

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/17/2025
Ruby Marichalar couldn’t get an in-person meeting after California’s crime victim compensation fund denied her claim. She wasn’t the only one.

California Local Pin Marker From CalMatters...

03/17/2025
A $5 billion pot of federal money set aside to help people on the verge of homelessness pay the rent is running out of cash — and no one has a plan to keep the roughly 60,000 renters, more than 15,000 of them in California — from losing their housing after the last dollar is spent.

King City Rustler logo From King City Rustler...

03/13/2025
Image for display with article titled Sol Treasures Executive Director Resigns, Interim Leader Appointed

Sol Treasures, the nonprofit arts organization dedicated to enriching the cultural landscape of South Monterey County, has accepted the resignation of its long-serving executive director, Jeff Hinderscheid.

The Pajaronian logo From The Pajaronian...

03/11/2025
Image for display with article titled Recurso De Fuerza: The Homeless Housing Project at Westview Presbyterian Church

In Watsonville, we see the human cost of California's housing crisis every day. As homelessness rises, we face a critical choice: continue with inadequate approaches or embrace innovative solutions reflecting our values of compassion and dignity for all.

Salinas Valley Tribune logo From Salinas Valley Tribune...

03/07/2025
Image for display with article titled At&T and Partners Donate 185 Laptops to Address Digital Divide in Greenfield

AT&T, Monterey Peninsula Foundation and Human-I-T have provided 185 refurbished laptops to Greenfield Community Science Workshop and Foundation for Monterey County Free Libraries for distributing to Monterey County residents in need.

King City Rustler logo From King City Rustler...

03/06/2025
Image for display with article titled Photo | King City Council Presents ‘Day of Peace’ Proclamation to Local Pastor

First Baptist Church Pastor Ken Reese was honored Feb. 25 by King City Council members with a proclamation aimed at commemorating the victims of last year’s tragic mass shooting, recognizing the local church and other faith-based organizations in leading the community’s healing process.

King City Rustler logo From King City Rustler...

03/06/2025
Image for display with article titled Community Food Pantry of King City Teams Up With Goodwill for Donation Drive

Community Food Pantry of King City is again partnering with Goodwill Industries for another collection drive later this month.

Monterey County Weekly logo From Monterey County Weekly...

03/05/2025
Image for display with article titled The Bridge Drug Treatment Program Closes Escrow on a More Expansive Location.

Space was tight at The Bridge Restoration Ministry in Pacific Grove, a multi-phase drug rehabilitation program begun in 2006 in a historic eight-bedroom home where 22 men live and receive treatment.

Salinas Valley Tribune logo From Salinas Valley Tribune...

03/05/2025
Image for display with article titled Community Foundation for Monterey County Offers $1.5M in Scholarships for Local Students

Many Monterey County students aspire to attend college, but the cost of higher education keeps them from achieving that dream.