Corazón Healdsburg Empowers, Advocates and Unites

Interview with Marcy Flores

PHOTOS BY PAIGE GREEN

Made Local Magazine: Corazón Healdsburg is deeply rooted in serving the local community. Can you share the core mission of Corazón Healdsburg and how it informs your daily work and long-term goals?

Marcy Flores: Our core mission is to build a more just and compassionate community by empowering and dignifying individuals and families, advocating against injustices, and uniting people to celebrate diversity. We operate a bilingual family resource center, offer family-centered case management and provide cradle-to-career education support. Long-term, we focus on overcoming cycles of poverty and strengthening the fabric of our community by developing new relationships across diverse backgrounds. Through our work, we aim to create a more inclusive and equitable community where all residents can thrive.

MLM: How do you identify the most pressing needs of the community, and how does that shape your programs?

MF: Our bilingual and bicultural approach allows us to connect deeply with the Latin American community we support. We emphasize community wealth and community-led change. Comité is a group of community leaders that provides valuable insights and direction for our work at their monthly meetings. Our Promotoras are trained community health workers and act as bridges between Corazón and local families, ensuring we remain responsive to evolving needs.

MLM: What are some of the most impactful programs that you currently offer?

MF: All our programs are interconnected. Our Family Resource Center (FRC) is at the heart of our work, having supported 551 unique households last year. The FRC offers holistic case management, financial coaching, direct financial assistance, and wraparound services, empowering families to navigate challenges, build stability and pursue their aspirations. Mi Bebé y Yo, our prenatal workshop and support group, equips expectant parents with essential knowledge and community connections. Our Libros y Raíces program promotes early literacy and cultural pride through bilingual storytimes and activities. As children grow, our FirstGen College Counseling program provides personalized guidance for high school students aspiring to be the first in their families to attend a four-year university. This academic year, we have 17 FirstGen seniors at Healdsburg High School currently applying for college. Our Promotoras program trains community health workers and our Comité of engaged resident leaders provides valuable insights and direction. The annual Día de Muertos event strengthens intergenerational bonds and promotes cross-cultural understanding.

MLM: Can you share a success story of how one of your programs has made a difference in someone’s life or in the community at large?

MF: One of our most inspiring stories comes from a family who has been deeply involved with multiple Corazón initiatives for years now. The parents, originally from Mexico, have lived in Healdsburg for decades and are an integral part of the local community.

When their oldest daughter became pregnant at 15, the family faced a challenging decision. Despite the obstacles, they rallied around her, supporting her choice to continue her education and her participation in our FirstGen program. She recently graduated from Sonoma State University while raising her young daughter and is now applying to nursing school.

Their second daughter is now a FirstGen senior applying to college, while their two younger sons have been involved in Corazón early education initiatives to open a college savings account and to develop a love for reading through our bilingual family reading program, setting a strong foundation for their future academic success.

The parents are each committed community leaders and incredible volunteers. The father helped start our community garden and is a dedicated member of our Comité. The mother was one of our first Promotoras and is now the president of our Comité. Their journey from program participants to community leaders underscores how individuals can leverage their lived experiences to empower others and strengthen their community.

MLM: How does Corazón Healdsburg collaborate with other organizations, businesses, and local governments to further its mission?

MF: We work with Farm to Pantry to provide 200 food boxes monthly, providing fresh, organic produce, meat and eggs to families facing food insecurity. The City of Healdsburg collaborates with us on community engagement, disaster resiliency programs and our annual Día de Muertos event. We work closely with Healdsburg Unified School District for our FirstGen College Counseling program.

Corazón also hosts co-located service providers on-site to increase access to support that would otherwise be unattainable for many in our community. These partnerships include the Employment Development Department, which assists with unemployment, paid family leave, job searches, and disability claims; Pasitos through Sonoma CAN, supporting early childhood learning for parents and children; Redwood Empire Food Bank, helping with CalFresh and Medi-Cal applications; and Humanidad Therapy, providing mental health support through individual therapy sessions.

Beyond these partnerships, we collaborate with local healthcare providers, disaster response organizations like Sonoma County Emergency Management and COPE (Citizens Organized to Prepare for Emergencies), as well as our local police department. We also work alongside organizations such as Reach For Home for housing security, La Familia Sana to share resources for families in Geyserville and Cloverdale, Legal Aid of Sonoma County, the Family Justice Center to support domestic violence cases, and IIBA (Immigration Institute of the Bay Area) to bring more resources to underserved areas in northern Sonoma County. These collaborations allow us to leverage collective impact, mobilizing resources to achieve equity and improve well-being for all in our community.

MLM: What role does advocacy play in the work of Corazón Healdsburg, and how do you approach issues of social justice in your programming?

MF: We recognize that while providing direct services is crucial, true social justice requires addressing the root causes of inequity. Our approach is twofold: empowering individuals and families to advocate for themselves, and actively working to address systemic barriers. We empower our community members through education and skill-building programs that equip them with the tools to navigate and challenge systemic inequities. On a broader scale, we actively work to address systemic barriers by collaborating with local government, businesses, and other organizations to advocate for policies that promote equity and inclusion. Our goal is not just to provide temporary relief but to equip our community members with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to create sustainable change and break cycles of inequity.

MLM: What have you learned from your time leading Corazón Healdsburg, and how has this experience shaped your view of community work?

MF: My personal experiences deeply inform my approach to this work. As a Chicana woman in this role, I’ve seen firsthand how important it is for our community members to see themselves reflected in the organizations serving them. We quickly learned that as a collective, we must prioritize supporting one another, not only to sustain our individual well-being but to ensure that we continue leading strong, healthy organizations. This experience has strengthened my belief in the wealth of knowledge and skills that BIPOC individuals bring to leadership positions. By investing in BIPOC women leaders, we not only strengthen communities but empower the very people who hold them together.

MLM: What Corazón Healdsburg’s future goals, and how do you plan to expand or refine your programs in the coming years?

MF: We are launching a new strategic planning process to guide our efforts over the next several years, ensuring that our programs remain responsive to the evolving needs of our community. A key focus will be on strengthening our Promotora program, which empowers community members as health workers and liaisons. Additionally, we aim to deepen our educational support, and we also recognize the growing need for accessible mental health services in this area with culturally responsive care.

MLM: How can the broader Sonoma County community support your work and contribute to the success of Corazón Healdsburg?

MF: Community members can engage by attending our events, cultural celebrations, and educational workshops. Individuals can volunteer, helping us to better serve our community. Financial contributions, regardless of size, are essential—we encourage individuals to consider becoming monthly donors for ongoing support. Advocacy is equally important; by using their voices to support policies that promote equity and inclusion, community members can help shape a more equitable Sonoma County.

corazonhealdsburg.org  •  707-615-4567

Mailing address:         

Corazón Healdsburg, PO Box 1004,                                                                                                               

Healdsburg, CA 95448

Visit the website to donate or volunteer.

 

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