CAMINOS Pathways Learning Center

Background

The San Francisco Bay Area is home to thousands of recently-arrived immigrant women from Latin America. With many having never completed grade school or high school, the majority of these women live in economic-inequity, often unemployed or underemployed.

This underserved population especially needs an opportunity to raise themselves out of low-paying service jobs into skill-based employment and a better potential for earning and advancement. Access to practical resources and training can help bridge this digital divide between those who can benefit from technology and those who cannot.

Organization Mission

Located in the heart of San Francisco's Mission District, CAMINOS Pathways Learning Centerr provides access to technology and computer training to low-income immigrant women to create opportunities for self and economic improvement. Caminos classes provide job training and leadership opportunities for students and its computer-repair shop provides services to the community.

Full Circle Fund Role

A Technology Impact Circle team helped Caminos to build capacity by strengthening its marketing and fundraising tools. Specifically, Full Circle Fund assisted Caminos with:

• Upgrading its outdated database with assistance from Full Circle Fund grant partner CompuMentor/TechSoup
• Connecting its leadership with the Wireless Expert Council advising San Francisco's TechConnect project to provide the organization access and exposure to City leadership and potential funders

Impact

As a result of the grant from Full Circle Fund, Caminos now has:

• A promotional video and a set of professional-quality marketing materials and compelling student testimonials for use in fundraising and board development
• A new governance structure designed to improve fundraising
• An expanded and up-to-date database for tracking results and benchmarks

Grantee Perspective

Watch this video to hear Caminos/Pathways Learning Center Founder and Executive Director, Sister Petra Chavez, speak about her experience partnering with Full Circle Fund.

NAME: Caminos/Pathways Learning Center
LOCATION: San Francisco
WEB: caminossf.org
GRANT TERM: 2005
TEAM LEAD: Shirin Dewani Belur

"The Full Circle Team has been so dedicated to building Caminos' capacity - from promoting fundraisers, drafting marketing collateral, securing database consultants, and helping with our newsletter. Full Circle has become an important part of our long-term sustainability."

Sister Petra Chavez

Founder and Executive, Caminos/Pathways Learning Center