CZI Changes Lives
Building Skills Partnership (BSP) secured a $150,000 grant over two years from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Community Fund to expand its impact in San Mateo County. The grant focuses on bolstering BSP's holistic model of support for low-wage immigrant workers and their families.
Key initiatives funded by this grant include Health and Wellness, Parent Engagement and College Readiness, English as a Second Language, Citizenship and Civic Engagement, and Financial Capability programs, which are opportunities that exist under BSP’s Community Advancement and Immigrant Inclusion pillars.
These programs are designed to address the unique challenges faced by immigrant communities in the region, including high living costs, language barriers, and limited access to resources.
The funding has also enabled BSP to open a new office in Palo Alto, providing a central hub for delivering these critical services and deepening its impact in the community. Through this support, BSP is working towards a more equitable and inclusive future for immigrant workers and families in San Mateo County.
CZI has supported numerous BSP programs in Northern California
In 2020, BSP secured an $80,000 grant from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which successfully expanded our innovative workforce development programs to better serve low-wage immigrant property service workers in Silicon Valley.
The grant has enabled BSP to launch a first-of-its-kind Infectious Disease Certification program, training and certifying 129 essential workers across the state. Additionally, BSP has expanded its flagship ADVANCE Vocational ESL program and Green Janitor Education Program (GJEP), providing janitors with critical language and job skills to enhance their career prospects.
Despite challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, BSP has adapted its outreach strategies and transitioned to virtual programming to ensure continued support for its community. The grant has also facilitated the development of a comprehensive digital access plan to bridge the digital divide among immigrant workers.
Thank you so much to the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative for their generous support!