Campaign helps community organization help others

<p></p>
<figure id="attachment_30402" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-30402" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/stories/campaign-helps-community-organizat…; rel="attachment wp-att-30402"><img loading="lazy" class="size-medium wp-image-30402" src="http://laprensa-sandiego.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/Alliance-San-Di…; alt="Alliance San Diego’s Christian Ramirez standing shoulder to shoulder with community members and allies to support President Obama’s executive action to keep immigrant families together. " width="300" height="204"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-30402" class="wp-caption-text">Alliance San Diego’s Christian Ramirez standing shoulder to shoulder with community members and allies to support President Obama’s executive action to keep immigrant families together.</figcaption></figure>
<p>A non-profit organization that offers a variety of social services in some of San Diego’s underserved communities has launched its annual individual giving campaign.</p>
<p>The “I Have a Voice” campaign is Alliance San Diego’s fundraiser where the organization invites San Diegans to become partners in change by making a contribution.</p>
<p>“Contributions received through the ‘I Have a Voice’ campaign help us create a San Diego where all people can achieve their full potential in an environment of harmony, safety, equality, and justice,” said Matt Yagyagan, development manager for Alliance San Diego, an organization focused on building coalitions to promote social justice and social change through community programs and services.</p>
<p>Yagyagan said that the funds will help cover the costs of programs “which aim to create a San Diego where all people can achieve their full potential.”</p>
<p>He said that a vast part of those benefited through these programs include the Latino population in San Diego.</p>
<p>In education, Alliance San Diego is working closely with school districts with Latino majorities to “ensure all students are prepared for the 21st century,” Yagyagan said.</p>
<p>He added that the organization has already moved San Diego Unified (which is around 50 percent Latino) and Sweetwater Union (with close to 80 percent Latino) to “change their policies to provide and career prep courses to all students, beginning with the graduating Class of 2016.”</p>
<p>The development director also said that Alliance San Diego wants to “ensure all border residents are treated with dignity and respect.”</p>
<p>Yagyagan pointed out that Alliance San Diego is working to hold the Border Patrol accountable to the same professional standards as other law enforcement agencies.</p>
<p>“As a result of our national campaign, the Border Patrol has committed to take steps to be more transparent and accountable to their actions in border communities, which are majority Latino,” he said.</p>
<p>Another major campaign Alliance San Diego has pursued is encouraging people to vote, ensuring “that a majority of voters in all neighborhoods are using their voices,” Yagyagan said.</p>
<p>“Together, we have already mobilized 50,000 voters in the City of San Diego from low-voting precincts to support ballot measures like Prop. 30 and Prop. 47, which restore funding to public education and other essential community services.”</p>
<p>Alliance San Diego uses all funds towards social campaigns. For example, $1,000 cover the cost of an entire policy advocacy campaign, while $250 funds leadership training. With only $100 the organization is able to hold a community meeting.</p>
<p>“We are building coalitions, creating solutions, preparing community leaders, and mobilizing people to advocate for change in San Diego,” Yagyagan said. We invite you to join us and mobilize for change by making a tax-deductible donation today.”</p>
<p>Alliance San Diego was founded in 2007 as the Equality Alliance of San Diego County.</p>
<p>“Alliance San Diego has focused on reaching out to individuals in underserved communities and communities of color to inspire and educate them about their rights and responsibilities as citizens–and the power for change they possess that begins with voting,” reads the organization’s history on its website.</p>
<p>From immigration to education in the community, your contribution to Alliance San Diego will be money well spent. With life-long human and immigrant rights activist Christian Ramirez and educator and SDSU professor Isidro Ortiz on board, Alliance San Diego is trully representative of the community.</p>
<p>To make a donation and to learn more about the organization’s mission, please visit <a href="http://www.alliancesd.org/joinus&quot; target="_blank">www.alliancesd.org/joinus</a>.</p&gt;