Experts such as Georgetown University’s National Center for Cultural Competence (NCCC) agree that partnerships across cultures must allow for the self-determination of the community being served.  This means that organizations not led by or identified as being a “Latino,”  “African American”, “LGBTQ,” “Low Income,” etc., organization must work in conjunction with natural, informal and formal networks within culturally diverse communities.

At the same time, the communities being served must determine their own needs, be full partners in decision making, and benefit from such collaboration.    Finally, effective partnerships across cultures should result in the reciprocal transfer of knowledge and skills among all collaborators and partners.

(Please, click here to read “Assets for Cultural Champions” and learn more about becoming a culturally competent organization).

Mano a Mano Family Center serves a dual role in our area, as both a service provider and a cultural connector.  This means our partnerships and collaborations are many and varied, ranging from mutual referral of clients, to formal collaboration agreements.  It is the guiding principles above that we use in determining our formal collaborations.

We connect our clients to such organizations as Mid Willamette Valley Women’s Crisis Center, North West Human Services, Mid Willamette Valley Community Action Agency, HOME, HOST, YWCA, Salem Outreach Shelter, The Salvation Army, Congregations Helping People, and others.

Our work could not be implemented without the valued support of the following organizations and business partners, through formal partnerships and collaboration agreements (in no particular order):