Volunteers

MICOP, CAUSE volunteers give back to historically underserved communities and rally for change

Several organizations are dedicated to advocating for policy change to better serve communities in need of greater assistance—or that have been historically underserved.  The Mixteco/Indígena Community Organizing Project (MICOP) and the Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) are two of many nonprofits working on the Central Coast that people can volunteer with while learning more about advocacy efforts and helping their communities.  MICOP was founded in 2001 by Nurse Practitioner Sarah Young to address the immediate needs of Indigenous communities in Oxnard. Years later, the nonprofit has expanded to 20 different programs, offices in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, and has helped dozens of Indigenous families through advocacy and outreach.  Santa Maria Program Director Ana Huynh told the Sun that MICOP needs the most volunteers for its monthly food distributions, which provide food for up to 300 farmworker families in the area...