START WITH JOY

Making tamales is a vibrant and joyous tradition that brings families and friends together in a delightful collective effort, transforming a simple culinary task into a heartwarming community celebration. As the tantalizing aroma of masa and spices fills the air, laughter and chatter echo around the kitchen, creating an atmosphere of warmth and connection. Each participant plays a vital role—some prepare the fillings, others spread the masa, and a few expertly wrap the tamales in corn husks, all while sharing stories and reminiscing about past gatherings. This nurturing process results in a delicious treat and strengthens bonds and fosters a sense of belonging. Whether it’s a holiday gathering or a casual weekend get-together, making tamales is more than just cooking; it’s a joyful ritual that nourishes both the body and the soul, reminding us of the power of togetherness and the simple pleasures of life.

SPRINKLE IN A SHARED VISION

Just as making tamales brings families and friends together in a joyous, collective effort, the 100% San Juan initiative unites the community with a shared vision of ensuring ten vital services for all families across the county. This collaborative process, involving county governments and public and private sector partners, is infused with the same warmth and spirit of togetherness that characterizes a tamale-making gathering. The initiative’s current focus on fundraising to support the transformation of adverse social drivers of health into positive ones is like preparing the ingredients for a feast of community well-being.

The centerpiece of this effort, the 100% Family Center: One Stop Services Hub, is akin to the kitchen where tamales are lovingly prepared. It’s a place where all visitors can be connected to ten vital services online, onsite, or through staff navigators, much like how each tamale is carefully filled and wrapped. The hub’s mission to grow services and address workforce shortages in healthcare providers, teachers, and social workers is like expanding the tamale-making party, inviting more hands to join the vital work. As the community comes together to support these activities, there’s a palpable sense of excitement and purpose reminiscent of the laughter and chatter that fill a home during a tamale-making session. This collective effort is not just about providing services; it’s about nurturing the community, strengthening bonds, and creating a legacy of care and support for all San Juan County residents.

OUR RECIPE FOR FUNDING

In addition to building relationships with state lawmakers and exploring funding opportunities with the multi-million dollar state departments of health, education, and early childhood learning and care, we are prioritizing fundraising for the 100% Service Hub.

Thanks to a broad public awareness campaign across the county, we were approached by an anonymous donor with $100,000 to provide to support the 100% Service Hub, which we call the Community Compass Center. We continue to communicate with our fiscal agent, the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, on how to identify funders and cultivate relationships with them. We have been approached by public and private organizations who wish to grow the services they offer, from behavioral health care to job training. However, this requires more proposal writing as they don’t arrive with funding already secured. We are fostering a relationship with Presbyterian Medical Services and the San Juan County Government to support the complete 100% Service Hub model that addresses all service barriers.

Next, we collaborated with 100% of Chaves and the evaluation team of the Anna, Age Eight Institute, to develop a federal grant with the prospect of four years of funding at $50,000 each. We submitted a proposal to the Con Alma Foundation for $30,000. A new proposal for the McCune Foundation for $35,000 is now on the drawing point and desktop. Amid grant research and writing, I took the free NMSU online grant class., It was beneficial. I also took the Anna, Age Eight Institute course on “How to develop a 100% Family Center” with a sample proposal ready to download. The San Juan Regional Medical Center was also given a proposal for marketing the Community Compass Center. The 100% San Juan initiative remains hopeful about potential support from the Anna, Age Eight Institute’s mini-grants program, which could provide valuable resources for small-scale projects. While this funding may be months away, it represents a step in the right direction for our community.

THE 100% RECIPE: VISION AND PERSEVERANCE

However, we must acknowledge that addressing the deep-rooted issues of poverty and trauma that have affected our children, students, and families for generations requires more than small grants or minor adjustments. Our goal of ensuring vital services across the county demands a more comprehensive and sustainable approach. The type of one-stop service hub required is part university research agency, part prevention services to reduce family’s child welfare involvement, part family resource center, and part workforce development process to grow healthcare providers. These are all components of a countywide social determinants of health project that could cost many millions of dollars but we seek $900,000 in the start-up phase. The return on investment comes in the form of safer kids, successful students, and self-sufficient families ready to join a growing workforce. This center, once fully staffed and resourced, can also prevent most of our challenges related to substance use disorders, violence, and food and home insecurity, which have a very long history in New Mexico.

Currently, our development work relies heavily on the dedication of volunteers. While their community-minded spirit has been instrumental in our progress, we recognize that long-term sustainability requires more substantial and consistent funding. The vision for our 100% Service Hub includes full-time staff to connect people with services and develop projects and secure grants that can expand our reach and impact.

WE HAVE A BOOK OF RECIPES

We are guided by the story of eight-year-old Anna. We are also guided by the model presented in 100% Community: Ensuring 10 vital services for surviving and thriving, which proposes the “1% for 100%” funding strategy. This approach suggests allocating 1% of city and county budgets to ensure vital services for all families. If applied to the state budget of $10 billion, this strategy could provide funding for 100% Service Hubs in all counties, including ours. There is also the opportunity to tap the “rainy day” funds of approximately 35 billion dollars that the New Mexico government has available. 

This level of investment would be truly transformative, creating a systemic change that could break the cycles of poverty and trauma that have persisted for so long. While we continue to work diligently with the resources at hand, we remain committed to advocating for this larger vision. By demonstrating the impact of our current efforts, we can build a compelling case for the kind of substantial, sustained funding that could ensure 100% of our families have access to the vital services they need to thrive.

As we move forward, we hold onto hope and determination. Every small step brings us closer to our goal, and we are grateful for the community’s ongoing support. Together, we can create a future where every child, student, and family in San Juan County has the opportunity to flourish.

THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT: LOVE

The Community Compass Center is like the heart of the larger work done by the 100% San Juan initiative. Just as the heart pumps vital nutrients to sustain the body, the Community Compass Center connects residents with essential services across all 10 vital areas, ensuring that the entire community thrives. This central hub not only coordinates resources but also amplifies the impact of our collaborative efforts, making it the lifeline that supports and sustains the broader goals of the 100% San Juan initiative

In the end, whether we’re gathering in the kitchen to make tamales for a community event or coming together to build the 100% Service Hub, it all boils down to one beautiful truth: it’s about the care in our hearts. Each tamale wrapped with love and every service provided with compassion reflects our shared commitment to nurturing our community. When we unite with a common vision, we create not just delicious meals or essential services, but a vibrant tapestry of support, connection, and joy. Together, we can transform our dreams into reality, ensuring that every family feels the warmth of community care and the spirit of togetherness. So let’s keep the laughter flowing, the ingredients mixing, and the hearts open, as we celebrate the power of collaboration and the love that binds us all!