Ventures’ mission is to create compassionate and equitable local economies that contribute to the well-being of our communities. We achieve this by partnering with rural Latine working-class families to ensure a shared and equitable economic future for all where zip code, race, gender, or immigration status do not dictate income or wealth.
Our three aims:
• Improve early childhood development.
• Raise expectations for higher education.
• Build dedicated savings for postsecondary education and healthy lifelong financial habits.
Semillitas opens a college savings account (CSA) for every baby born in Santa Cruz County and automatically makes their first deposit. Studies show that kids with CSAs are 3 times more likely to go to college and 4 times more likely to graduate than kids without one, even with an account balance of only $1 AND these accounts have a greater impact on children from working class households.
Our Santa Cruz Gives project is to deposit $50 in the CSA of every baby born into a working-class household: approximately 1,000 babies per year.
I became the guardian of my autistic grandson while battling cancer. I believe autism shouldn't limit his potential. Semillitas inspires me to ensure he has opportunities for higher education and the brighter tomorrow he deserves.
Lupe, Watsonville
