In the small unincorporated community of Lost Hills in California’s Central Valley, residents lack sidewalks, bus stops, libraries, clean water, sports fields and even a high school. The rate of unemployment is a high 23%, and only 13 percent of residents have a high school diploma.
To address these challenges and foster community-led change, the Women’s Foundation of California is collaborating with Roll International. On the 100th anniversary of International Women’s Day, the two organizations held a summit and invited community members and leaders to discuss challenges and solutions.
Despite not having access to basic services, residents of Lost Hills spoke appreciatively of the unity and community of their town. Hearing their stories first-hand was extremely inspiring and reminded me that change is possible.
It was also inspiring to hear from community leaders from other parts of the Central Valley. They described how funding resources, training and building networks have already made a difference in other Central Valley communities – improved health, safety, and economic opportunities.
Over the past nine years, the Women’s Foundation of California has invested more than $3 million in grants and capacity building resources to women leaders and their organizations in the Central Valley. Read more about our continued investment on our website.