Case Studies
Centro
Background
Centro de Servicios was established in 1974 as a 501c3 nonprofit to provide social services and legal aid to low-income Union City families. There was great public interest and support for the concept, and between 15 and 20 people were involved in governing the organization in its early years. Some of the original board members of Centro included Richard Valle, now Alameda County Supervisor, attorney Frank Roesch, and community activist Bert Perez, among others. Jaime Jaramillo, who later became Centro’s Executive Director, was one of the original founders of Centro.
When Centro moved into the Quonset hut in the 1970s, Union City was primarily a Latino community, composed of farmworkers, cannery workers, steel mill employees, and other blue-collar laborers. There were two main districts, Decoto and Alvarado, and Centro was established in the heart of Decoto, on the East side of the city.
Challenge
Over the years, Centro was forced to further reduce its service offerings as larger agencies in the region secured greater operational funding and provided more aid programs. Centro once again began to thrive and fulfill its mission to serve. The life cycle of a nonprofit always includes periods when its operating income is threatened and shoestring budgets are stretched to the limit. The dawn of the 21st century was one of those times. A major source of funding for Centro had been a recurring community development block grant, Nimbus Design need to expand Centro’s accessibility of their services by redesigning and refreshing their messaging.
Solution
Today, the Centro Store is thriving. Food is given away daily, and staff provides advice, support, and referrals in the areas of immigration, family law, housing, employment, and much more. The doors are open, and everyone is welcome.