Who We Are

The Cordova Community Collaborative (CCC) was originally launched in 1994 as one of the local collaboratives supported by the Sierra Health Foundation's Community Partnership for Healthy Children initiative. Its membership reflects a cross section of the Rancho Cordova community including parents, concerned citizens, youth business, civic and faith-based leaders, school district employees, local law enforcement, health and human service providers, recreation agencies, and many other organizations that provide services to children and families of the Rancho Cordova area. These community stakeholders are united in one common vision:

“We believe all children should grow up in a family and community that provides for their health and well being. We are committed to strengthening families and linking them to community resources that enhance self-reliance and promote community involvement.”

What We Do

The Cordova Community Collaborative convenes a General Body Meeting every month, Subcommittee Workgroups, and a monthly Networking Group (the Connections Café). Our governance model is based on consensus-based decision making and sits on a solid foundation of youth-development principles. Community governance positions include: Community Chairperson, Note Taker, and Timekeeper, which are filled by adults who are matched with a corresponding youth volunteer. Training and development on models such as consensus-based decision-making and leadership principles are offered on an on-going basis. Currently, the roles of the CCC in the Rancho Cordova community include:

• Assessing and addressing the needs of the community and seeking funding to support those needs.

• Administering and supporting community-wide Initiatives.

• Acting as the Community Advisory Board for several non-profits and community programs.

• Planning and executing community-driven events that enhance the education, health and well-being of the children and families of Rancho Cordova.

• Providing an opportunity for networking and sharing of resources to service providers. through the Connections Café in an effort to build collaborative partnerships while reducing duplication of services.
  

Current Community Initiatives:

I. REACH

Sierra Health Foundation’s newest grant program, REACH: Connecting Communities and Youth for a Healthy Future, focuses on that critical time in a young person’s life — primarily age 10 to 15 — when youth begin experiencing growing independence, and when decisions can have a profound effect on healthy development and successful progression to adulthood. It is also a time when, provided with sufficient skills and support, youth can make decisions to avoid risky behaviors such as drug and alcohol use (among others).

We believe youth have a better chance of succeeding if they are engaged in positive activities in and out of school. The REACH program focuses on:

• Increasing youth participation in quality programs

• Providing opportunities for youth to develop leadership skills while contributing to their communities

• Helping communities take action to create positive opportunities for youth
  

Guiding Principles

• Youth are an asset in a community to be nurtured and developed.

• Healthy adolescent development includes developing intellectually, socially, physically, psychologically and emotionally.

• Youth are more likely to successfully cope with challenges and adversity when supported by a nurturing adult; good role models; a safe, supportive environment; and opportunities to learn and contribute to family and community.

• All young people need to develop skills to become self-sufficient, participate fully in the workplace, assume family responsibilities and become engaged citizens.

• The most successful approaches to youth development will be created and developed in partnership with young people, their families, providers and the community.
  

REACH in the Rancho Cordova Community:

By increasing positive opportunities and support for youth in Rancho Cordova, we are making long-term, meaningful change for our community.

Opportunities for Youth to Serve as Leaders

We will create a community- wide Youth Advisory Council, which will give young people an opportunity to develop a youth policy agenda and represent Rancho Cordova youth while working with local government and policy-makers.

Innovative Youth Programs

Youth will oversee our coalition’s mini-grants program. During this first year, we will provide a grant to Soil Born Farm Urban Agriculture Project, which operates the 25-acre American River Farm. With this mini-grant, 30 youth from Cordova High School and Mills Middle School will have the opportunity to participate in an innovative program at the farm to learn about health, nutrition and the environment.

Positive, meaningful relationships between youth and adults

We will increase the number of caring, responsible adults to mentor and get involved with youth in Rancho Cordova.

Youth Volunteer Opportunities

We will develop a database of youth volunteer opportunities in Rancho Cordova and create a volunteer network of youth and adults. We also will work with organizations that offer youth volunteer opportunities to ensure they practice youth development principles.

II. Communities and Physicians Together

All children deserve the opportunity to achieve their physical, mental and social potential. Pediatricians have a broad responsibility to optimize child health and development by helping build capacity in communities and supporting families. Communities & Physicians Together (CPT) strives to give every child a healthy present and future by teaching pediatricians, both in training and in practice, how to make a difference through active community partnerships to support families in raising healthy children.

The goals of Community and Physicians Together are:

• Form strong and reciprocal relationships between Pediatric Residents and their partner communities

• Increase involvement of Community Physicians with Community Collaboratives and in CPT

• Document program efficacy and increase program awareness

• Develop and teach curricula and provide educational opportunities for residents, faculty and communities

Why Our Program Works

The CCC helps to build and support successful events like Kid’s Day in the Park and obtains relevant funding for Rancho Cordova projects like REACH and CPT because of active collaborative participation and the inviting and welcoming nature of the group and meetings. Collaborative members contribute their time and talents to both the subcommittees and the general meetings to create a more sustainable and self-sufficient Rancho Cordova. Some past successes of the CCC include:

• Implementation of a four year dental sealant program

• Implementation of childhood immunization clinics

• Assistance to hundreds of families seeking MediCal/Healthy Families insurance

• Annual co-sponsorship of the Kids' Day Health and Well-being expo that serves 2,000 people each year in Rancho Cordova

• Launch of the Federal Weed & Seed initiative in Rancho Cordova

• Completion  of multiple community assessments

• Implementation of the Health & Wellness Project

• Annual publication of the Rancho Cordova Community Resources Directory

• Serving as the designated community advisory group for the Rancho Cordova Birth & Beyond Program

Join Today!

Click here to download the CCC Membership Application.

Click here to download the REACH permission slip.

Click here to download the Youth Advisory Council application form.

The completed forms may be returned to the Eara E. Lovelace Power Center at 10455 Investment Circle, Rancho Cordova, CA 95670, or may be faxed to (916) 361-8683, ATTN: CCC.

How You Can Help

You can get involved with the CCC, or any of its initiatives, by downloading a CCC Membership Application. If you or your business would like to contribute food for a meeting or donate activity space, like a swimming pool or skating rink, for a youth development event, please contact Nicole Jarred at NJarred@FCCommunityPartnership.org.

Learn More

(PDF) Health and Wellness Project

(PDF) RC Asset Mapping