Equity Community Organizing (ECO) Group

In 2023, the Healthcare Foundation secured funding and joined with local partners to create an Equity Community Organizing (ECO) Group in Cloverdale that engages older adults, and other stakeholders, in identifying the drivers of health inequities for older residents while exploring solutions for aging in health, wellbeing and community. The ECO Group supports the county effort around California’s Master Plan for Aging, a developing “blueprint” for state and local government. Partnering organizations include Alexander Valley Healthcare, Cloverdale Multi-Purpose Senior Center, La Familia Sana, Nuestra Comunidad, On the Margins, and Sonoma County’s Council on Aging.

Launched in January 2024 with an 18-month timeline, the ECO Group has met regularly each month at the Cloverdale Senior Center to share experiences, identify priorities and solutions, and collaborate on ideas. Facilitated by On the Margins in collaboration with partnering organizations, the data and experiences collected, and the solutions explored, in these meetings will culminate in a final report shared with Cloverdale residents and government and other stakeholders as a tool to catalyze change. In response to the wishes of the participants themselves, and the success of the project to date, the Healthcare Foundation is in the process of securing funding to extend the ECO Group for at least one year beyond the 18-month pilot phase to continue learning from residents while connecting them to information and services and building community.

We gratefully acknowledge support from The SCAN Foundation and the California Health Care Foundation in making possible the Cloverdale ECO Group project.