The McKinleyville Family Resource Center  

The McKinleyville Family Resource Center (McKFRC) was founded in 2002 with a mission to facilitate the collaboration of community entities, and to develop programs that support, enrich and sustain healthy community life. In so doing, it also created an environment where employees could engage their passions for community development and social justice. When the center (1615 Heartwood Drive, McKinleyville, 707-840-0905) opened in April of 2022, staff could not have been happier. A years-long, multi-partner plan came to fruition, the birth of an integrated service center designed to help community members navigate needed services. The community had a new location to access all those programs in one place. Staff rolled up their sleeves and got to work. Then they nominated McKFRC as Humboldt’s Best Company to Work For.

Many of us have never had to search out social services in a time of crisis. For those who do, the Center serves Northern Humboldt with a small staff of 10 supported by a board of five, providing 3,000 residents annually with programs including a food pantry, asthma home visits and case management services. Staff take the duty of inclusivity seriously. The Ama Tu Vecindad (Love Your Neighborhood) program offers resources and events in Spanish, including community organizing. Youth leadership and workforce development programs provide project experience for teens and young adults. McKFRC’s programs center on equity, focusing on racial and economic justice, which appeals to their staff whose passions align with the mission at hand.

Staff were given a clue that the center would be an excellent workplace through employment ads and websites (mcfrc.org, thecenteratmckinleyville. com, Facebook) that clearly spelled out a philosophy of cultural humility, inclusivity and acceptance. The resource center makes sure that its mission is valid for staff and community alike.

Office Manager Linaya DiNoto appreciates that the center also provides an environment that encourages staff to contribute. “As a team, we focus on healthy communication and change-oriented collaboration … for the first time in my professional career it feels like I am making a difference in my community. I actually look forward to heading into work every day.”

No wonder the McKinleyville Family Resource Center was voted the Best Company to Work For by employees whose input is valued. This collaborative environment helped the staff carry out a community mission that saw a dramatic increase in service use when a global pandemic sent ripples throughout Humboldt County. One McKFRC response was to offer multi-lingual technical assistance for California’s COVID eviction prevention program. Staff rose to the challenge, supported from within.

Bringing up the next generation of social work professionals is crucial. The center takes its position as a mentor resource seriously. Three paid interns from California Poly Humboldt are given the opportunity to work in their field, gaining valuable experience as they work toward a degree in social work.

Intern Kathlina Eayre recently joined the team. She says, “I have been welcomed in with open arms. The amount of inclusivity and support here is magnificent. I can’t stress enough how awesome everyone is here.”

McKFRC manages the center as lead partner, with partners including Open Door Community Health Centers, Trinidad Rancheria Tribal Social Services, North Coast Regional Department of Child Support Services – Humboldt Branch, Cal Poly Humboldt’s Social Work Department, and the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services. This impressive array of resources gives the interns a well-rounded exposure to different organizational cultures and the many communities of Humboldt.

The community-focused mission needs a dedicated staff to carry it out. It takes caring and sympathetic individuals to work in social services without falling prey to burnout. McKFRC provides its employees with the support they need, too.

DiNoto points out the impact of this focus, saying, “It has been a new experience to work in an atmosphere that values personal care and health. Having supervisors who want you to take care of yourself is a game-changer, both physically and mentally.”

McKFRC provides the resources for volunteers to accomplish their goals, as well. One of the two current Assisting Families Access Change through

Resources-AmeriCorps volunteers on staff is a Humboldt native. A former AFACTR-AmeriCorps volunteer who served McKFRC in the past is now the youth workforce development coordinator working on their masters degree in social work. Their work fulfills their passion to support diverse youth, a winwin situation for all!

Robin Baker was a lead case manager and chief operating officer for McKFRC before leaving to continue her education. She recently returned to the center, an employer she could depend on as a collaborator in providing accessible and equitable community care. Baker is now proud to be the Asthma Home Visiting Program project manager.

Speaking with Artistea Salusbury, the excitement in her voice is obvious. “We recently received $2.6 million from the California Department of Social Services to be one of seven pilot sites for a Guaranteed Income Pilot Program. It will provide a basic income of $1,000 per month to 150 pregnant and parenting families in Humboldt County.” Her belief in economic justice makes her eager to get the program moving, and keeps her an engaged and happy employee.

It is obvious that the McKinleyville Family Resource Center staff love what they do. The center’s mission, “a vibrant community where people are healthy and connected,” starts from within its dedicated staff. Congratulations to a well-earned Best Company to Work For!