Dear Watsonville Patch Editor,
This letter is to clarify some inaccurate information that was provided about Plaza Vigil and its management on your online news outlet.
Plaza Vigil is managed by El Pájaro Community Development Corporation (El Pajaro CDC,) a private not for profit corporation, that was formed in 1979 with the mission of “Promoting equal access to economic opportunity.” This organization is led by a board of 7 members of the community with diverse background and expertise that serve on a volunteer basis.
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Over the years, El Pajaro CDC has successfully assisted thousands of small businesses with technical assistance, loans, business plans, marketing, management, business technology applications and accounting/bookkeeping. Plaza Vigil, a retail incubator, is just one of El Pajaro CDC programs.
Every year, El Pajaro CDC delivers microenterprise development services to 300 individuals/businesses through various programs that include: The Incubator Without Walls, CalWorks- Microenterprise, Childcare Ventures Program, The Business Education and Loan Program and the new Kitchen Incubator Program. El Pajaro CDC also collaborates with the local credit union to provide microlending services. All of these services are delivered in both English and Spanish. The participants of these programs represent the diversity of the community that we serve.
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These programs are funded by diverse sources that include local, regional and national foundations, corporate funds and state and federal funds.
All the Plaza Vigil tenants pay rent that covers the management and maintenance of the building, as well as technical assistance. The Plaza Vigil businesses create local jobs and pay local and state taxes. There is no language requirement to participate in the program. The Plaza Vigil business owners are hardworking people that provide goods and services that have a demand in this market. This includes being a lunch spot for the downtown working community and students from Watsonville High School and Cabrillo College. Many of the Plaza Vigil clients are farm working families.
El Pajaro CDC collaborates with other partner organizations that include: the Central Coast Small Business Development Center (Cabrillo College), Santa Cruz Community Credit Union, the City of Watsonville, the County of Santa Cruz CalWorks Program, the County Office of Education, the Watsonville Childcare Association, the Watsonville Community Collaborative , the Watsonville Law Center and ALBA among others.
El Pajaro CDC is very excited to share with the community its newest program: the Community Kitchen Incubator (CKI). This kitchen has been developed in 22,000 sq. ft. facility that had been vacant for 5 years. This project is evolving in to a “food cluster” which also houses ALBA Organics’ wholesale distribution – a drop-off point for farmers and a pick-up location for distributors. The CKI provides access to an affordable, shared use commercial kitchen that meets industry health and food safety regulations. Together, El Pajaro CDC and some its partners , will leverage their significant yet independent programs connecting aspiring and skilled entrepreneurial farmers and food producers with new, potentially lucrative markets to create sustainable livelihoods and much needed jobs for our community. Stay tuned for the upcoming Kitchen’s grand opening. For more information at El Pajaro CDC and its programs visit www.elpajarocdc.org
Best regards,
Carmen Herrera Mansir
Executive Director,
El Pajaro Community Development Corporation
