Community Update | Quarter 3 | July 2026

By Beth Martinez, Community Advocacy Manager

With the school year’s end, we want to celebrate the dedication and engagement of the parents, guardians, and caregivers who continue to guide our work. During our final Parent Council meeting of the year, we reflected on the progress Cradle 2 Career has made and the many ways families have helped shape our efforts. From participating in network meetings and advocacy opportunities, such as Day on the Hill, to supporting our second Parent Advocacy Cohort, family voices have remained at the center of everything we do. Their experiences, insights, and leadership are the authentic foundation of our "why," and we are grateful for their continued partnership.

Parent Council meeting

We are also excited to continue offering College Financial Aid Support Sessions for youth and families in our community. Please see “Upcoming Events” at the bottom of this newsletter for more information on our July session. Students and families are welcome to attend and receive personalized assistance with any portion of the financial aid process. We remain committed to expanding access to these services and are actively seeking additional funding and community partnerships to bring more financial aid support opportunities throughout our region. If your organization is interested in collaborating to host a future session, we would love to connect. Please email our Community Advocacy Manager, Beth Martinez, at bethm@c2cmn.com.

Building strong partnerships with community-based organizations is another important way we support student success. This year, we were proud to partner with the Alliance of Chicanos, Hispanics and Latin Americans (ACHLA) to help facilitate and provide backbone support for their after-school programming, which created additional learning and enrichment opportunities for students. This summer, we are eager to continue this partnership by helping facilitate family enrichment activities that bring families together and strengthen community connections.

ACHLA family summer trip

Working alongside our community partners allows us to stay informed about the authentic needs, strengths, and successes of the families we serve. We look forward to continuing existing partnerships and building new ones that help create opportunities for all children and families to thrive.