Staff Spotlight: Maritza Salinas

Years at Children’s Council:

3 years

How I contribute to the success of Children’s Council: 

I provide support, guidance and coaching to three teams at Children’s Council: Community Outreach and Education, Resource and Referral, and Client Relations.

Each of these teams is the first point of contact for families, either at a community event or our welcoming front desk. Through feedback and collaboration, I find opportunities for improvement and efficiency in the day-to-day work to better support families looking for child care.

Proudest moment: 

As a Mexican immigrant woman and the daughter of a hard-working single mother, I experienced firsthand the challenges of navigating and accessing the resources we needed. Today, I play a crucial role in ensuring families can access the resources Children’s Council offers, including child care and referrals to other services in their neighborhood. I’m very proud when I hear from staff members about the impact they have had on a family, and how proud they are of their work.

What inspires you each day:

The families and the people I work with. I work with incredible individuals who are passionate and committed to making a difference in the community. The families are resilient, caring, strong, and the best advocates for themselves. 

Favorite thing about working at Children’s Council:

My colleagues show up daily with smiles on their faces and are ready to serve our community. I am also a fan of the unique resources we offer such as referrals, workshops, classes for new child care providers and more. 

Greatest challenge:

Capacity and time. As a nonprofit serving families from all walks of life, we work with some who feel empowered to advocate for their families, ask for the needed resources, and navigate the complexities of systems, and others who need additional time and help to figure things out. Children’s Council gives families the time they need and deserve.

What you would do with a large donation: 

I am interested in providing basic needs for families without access to food, toiletries, diapers and wipes. Additionally, I would like to continue investing in personalized one-on-one support for families and focus on addressing specific barriers that each family is facing.