Programs

Empowering Our Community Through Diverse Programs

At El Concilio, we are dedicated to enhancing the quality of life and advocating for the rights and needs of our community.

We offer a comprehensive range of programs designed to address various critical areas, from safety net navigation and individual support services to consumer protection, outreach and education, and environmental advocacy.

Our initiatives are crafted to ensure that every individual and family receives the support they need, from health services and legal aid to educational programs and climate justice.

Dive into our specific programs below to discover how we can assist you or how you can get involved in supporting our community's growth and resilience.

  • El Concilio provides safety net navigation and assistance to our community's critical needs. Our team of culturally and linguistically savvy case workers advocate and work with clients to help them navigate complicated systems to ensure they receive the assistance they need.

    Individual & Family Support Services

    El Concilio connects clients to critical support services either directly or via referral.

    • Interpretation and Translation Services

    • Application Assistance for Public Benefits such as CAPI, Medi-Cal, and CalFresh.

    • Appointment assistance for Consulate, Medical, Tax Aid, and others

    • Legal Aid referrals

    • Health insurance

    • Benefit Navigation

    • Rental assistance and Housing Navigation

    • DMV/Transportation Assistance


    Consumer Protection & Awareness

    El Concilio is a member of the TEAMS and CHANGES collaborative a program of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC). Through the TEAMS and CHANGES programs we advocate for our clients against deceptive practices and provides assistance applying to aid programs in times of financial hardship.

    • Consumer Protection and Energy Savings

    • Assistance with PG&E

    • Assistance with water bill

    • Telecommunication Education & Assistance Internet Access Bill Assistance

  • Promotoras

    El Concilio works directly with our communities to bring resources and opportunities to them. Our promotoras carry on the legacy of Nuestro Canto de Salud, our health education and prevention program, as trusted community partners. Our promotoras help increase community engagement, access to resources, and enrollment in services. They are advocates and leaders in their communities.

    Community Engagement

    El Concilio’s role as a trusted partner in the community has positioned us to work with various entities to promote and increase community engagement, especially with hard-to-reach communities. Recent initiatives include:

    • OYE Latinx Youth Conference: Annual education and leadership conference for youth and families exploring cultural identity, purpose, and issues of concern to them

    • Peninsula Clean Energy: Provide English and Spanish language outreach throughout San Mateo County about Peninsula Clean Energy. Includes helping customers reduce their utility bills through energy discounts and assistance programs

    • SamTrans 101 North County Corridor Project: Host a focus group to understand usage and identify priorities of the community

    • City of Redwood City’s Language Access Survey: Provide outreach and engagement with Spanish-speaking communities

  • El Concilio has a long history as a convening agency. As part of our public policy and advocacy goals, we seek to build authentic and strong partnerships with other community-based organizations with common goals. We currently convene the following collaborations:

    Public Health Community Collaborative

    The San Mateo County Public Health Community Collaborative promotes health equity by building and sustaining a formal structure for collaboration and power-sharing between the community, CBOs, and the county. We aim to promote communication, build new partnerships, share resources, and build trust between residents and local government to ensure priority populations are represented in decision-making.

    South San Francisco Community Collaborative for Children’s Success

    The Community Collaboration for Children’s Success is a multi-organizational initiative to address high needs among children and youth in South San Francisco.

    We are also a member of the following collaboratives:

    • Climate Ready North Fair Oaks

    • Redwood City Community Collaborative for Children’s Success

    • East Palo Alto Behavioral Health Advisory Group

    • San Mateo County Latinx Mental Health Assessment Committee

    Learn more about our coalition building efforts here.

  • As part of our commitment to advancing racial equity, we are targeting environmental injustice in our communities of color by advocating for better air quality, heat resiliency, and technology that is accessible. Our current projects include:

    Our Communities, Our Bay

    A community research partnership with Stanford, City Systems, and Climate Resilient Communities with the goal of understanding how our communities are impacted by climate hazards and finding practices to protect the health of families.

    Heat Resiliency Project

    A project comparing the efficacy of heat resilience approaches designed to be under the decision-making control of low-income, socially vulnerable renters. In partnership with San Mateo County’s Office of Sustainability.

    Green Business Initiative

    An outreach effort to provide Green Business Certificates and education on Energy Savings Programs to local small businesses in partnership with San Mateo County’s Office of Sustainability.

    Climate Ready Ambassadors

    El Concilio’s training program for promotores focused on climate change, identifying local vulnerabilities, assets, and resilience.

  • El Concilio continues to serve as a non-profit incubator serving as a fiscal agent for local grassroots organizations. Currently, we provide sponsorship to the following organizations: