Communities of Care and Belonging (ECO Groups)
It has been more than 18 months since communities in the Northend first developed and began coordinating Equity Community Organizing Groups (ECO Groups) that are locally referred to as Communities of Care and Belonging. The groups address health inequities that older adults face in Imperial Valley. Key aspects of the work have been to elevate and center the voices and lived experiences of older adults to shift power back to the community by identifying and co-designing solutions that address the health inequities they are experiencing. (ECO Groups are funded by the SCAN Foundation, the California Health Care Foundation and the Metta Fund.)
Here are some recent events:
At a recent ECO group celebration in Calipatria, over 125 community members and representatives from local organizations gathered to reflect on the progress and collective efforts made to support older adults in the rural northend communities of Imperial County.
A Learning Exchange was held in April. It brought together 15 different agencies and community groups. The discussion focused on the results of a needs assessment that was conducted in the northend communities of Niland, Westmorland, Calipatria and Bombay Beach. The needs assessment resulted in the design of the Communities of Care and Belonging model. One of the outcomes from the gathering was that the Imperial County Transportation Commission provided bus transportation for the communities of Westmorland and Bombay Beach to attend the ECO Celebration in Calipatria. This meeting also assisted the agencies and communities in coming together to coordinate services and programs in their communities.
The coordinators of the ECO groups had a retreat in Bombay Beach. With a focus on team building and getting to know their towns and each other better. The group also reflected on their journey together, their accomplishments and planning for the future. One of the activities included an art project where each participant painted their own canvas and ultimately all canvases were joined to form a replica of The Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh. The canvas has been exhibited in Bombay Beach, Calipatria and will continue to tour the northend.
Building National Awareness for Imperial Valley
Spring tends to be a busy conference season for many sectors, philanthropy included. Here are the recent convenings that were attended by Roque Barros on behalf of IVWF.
The SCAN Foundation convened the funded organizations, including IVWF, of the Equity Community Organizing Groups to meet and share their experiences. Roque and members of the community participated to represent the work being done in the northend communities of Imperial Valley.
Grantmakers in Health conference in New Orleans, Forging Partnerships for a Better Tomorrow. Roque spoke on a panel with Sarah Lyman of Alliance Healthcare Foundation and Janice Luna Reynoso of Mundo Gardens. Their topic was “Using a Community First Mindset to Shift Power and Create Equitable Partnerships.” Also pictured: Barbara Orozco-Valdivia and Jawad Al Baghdadi.
Council on Foundations in Minneapolis, Leading Locally. Roque Barros was a panelist for a breakout session about Philanthropy, Journalism and Bridging Divides.
Making Space for Place | Cultivating the Next Generation of Place-Based Philanthropy. This conference was a coordinated event supported by The Colorado Health Foundation, the Kate B Reynolds Charitable Trust and The Ford Family Foundation.
Imperial Valley Wellness Fund in the News
In case you missed the interview…
“Sarah Lyman & Roque Barros on Trust, Power, and a $7.5M Investment” (dated 3/18/2025)
Maria Peinado, Imperial Valley Manager at Catalyst San Diego + Imperial Counties, sat down with AHF Executive Director Sarah Lyman and IVWF Executive Director Roque Barros for a Q&A about the vision, challenges, and impact of the $7.5 million direct cash transfer made from AHF to IVWF. Read full interview here.