Our Story
The term "Only in Santa Cruz" is true of many aspects of our unique community, not the least of which is the pride we take in knowing this is a community where people care about other people. It is also home to one of the first groups in the United States formed solely to ensure that everyone has access to the services they need to support wellness.
In 1986 severe budget cuts and increased competition for funding arrived in Santa Cruz. Some nonprofits were told that their agencies would likely remain funded while others would be left out entirely. These nonprofits became some of the 38 that made a crucial decision to band together rather than compete against each other for local funds. In this spirit of collaboration, these agencies developed a revenue-sharing task force known as the Human Care Alliance. As a united front, representatives from the Human Care Alliance asked the county and the cities of Watsonville, Scotts Valley, Capitola and Santa Cruz to stand up for essential services of the working class and low-income in Santa Cruz County by supporting what was then known as Health and Human Services.
The Alliance had great success. The County CAO recognized that the services HCA agencies provided were vital to the health of our community and agreed to fund them as a regular program in their yearly budget under “Community Programs”; they also encouraged cities to contribute their fair share of funding.
These founding members realized the benefit of networking, learning from one another, and collaboration around shared areas of interest. Thirty-five years later, the legacy of nonprofits coming together to advocate for and increase equity, client wellbeing, and
sustainability continues.
The Human Care Alliance ensures effective, efficient services by promoting diversity, communication and mutual assistance.
Human Care Alliance Board
Chair, Julie P. Macecevic, Ph.D, Executive Director of Walnut Avenue Family & Women’s Center
Treasurer, Ray Cancino, Executive Director of Community Bridges
Secretary, Kate Hinnenkamp, Assistant/Interim Program Director, Santa Cruz County
Immigration Project, Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County
Lejla Bratovic, Executive Director of Conflict Resolution Center
Serg Kagno, Executive Director of Recovery Cafe Santa Cruz
Our Mission
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To educate the public and advocate for health and human services.
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To increase public safety by enabling people to take care of themselves.
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To ensure effective and efficient services by promoting diversity, communication, collaboration, and mutual assistance among nonprofit providers.
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To maintain service through cooperative cultivation of public and private funding and support.
Our Vision
To be the place where local nonprofits come together to learn, advocate and create positive change in our community.
Why Donate to Us
Have you ever wondered who supports the heroes who work at nonprofits? As it turns out, these folks need help too. They are often so busy making sure others get support, that they struggle to advocate for themselves, decide which trainings to attend, find out what happened at important events they couldn’t attend, keep track of interagency opportunities, make connections to increase collaboration, interact with all the partner agencies, talk to the businesses around them and follow events/legislation happening locally and regionally.
