Comite Civico del Valle is creating strong bonds in the Imperial Valley, aiming to achieve collective community resilience and overcome the impacts that the COVID-19 is posing in our communities. Bringing founders, partners, staff, and volunteers from the very communities we serve together to help aid those that have been the most impacted and provide them with necessary resources and personal protective equipment to help them stay safe during these difficult times.
Comite Civico Del Valle successfully launched an initiative for much-needed Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, locating their first charger in the City of Brawley.
Project Information - More details here
Access Clean California
Education, Outreach, Research, Policy & Advocacy
Trusted Messengers is a network of community-based organizations that provide valuable information to our communities in California. Comite Civico del Valle is collaborating with The Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications (OCPSC) focusing on promoting resourceful educational programs for our communities in the state of California.
The California Workplace Outreach Project (CWOP) is a worker rights and safety initiative launched in 2020 by the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). Comite Civico del Valle (CCV) serves as a trusted advocate under this program, aiming to educate the community about workers' rights, safety, and health.
The Driving Clean Assistance Program (DCAP) is a program promoted by Comite Civico del Valle that increases accessibility to cleaner air vehicles for our community. This program is funded by the California Air Resources Board (CARB). DCAP offers two incentives for the community: Clean Cars 4 All and Financial Assistance.
Respira Sano Program is a program that is part of the CalEPA EJ action grant program. This program offers a comprehensive asthma education and intervention program to help Imperial Valley residents diagnosed with asthma improve their quality of life in order to reduce the negative consequences of living with uncontrolled asthma...
The Asthma Management Academy (AsMA) is a program in which Comite Civico del Valle collaborates with Breathing California, the state asthma program, to provide an intensive 3-day academy to other organizations establishing asthma management services in their communities. The AsMA trains community health workers (CHWs) and other health educators how to deliver evidence-based asthma education to individuals and families with asthma.
Weather Resilience is a collaborative effort between GoFundMe.org and Comite Civico del Valle in which they aim to mitigate the health risks that affect our communities through extreme weather conditions. This program was launched in May 2024 and aims to initially help 100 families in the Imperial Valley region. With this program, low income families may qualify for up to three incentives including: reverse osmosis water filtration system, an air purifier, and a HVAC system to improve the indoor air, water quality and to shield families from extreme heat conditions. In order to qualify one must be equal to or fall under the 300% federal poverty level.
Taking on the Heat is a program collaboration between SDSU and Comite Civico del Valle based off of Phoenix Arizona’s Heat Action Plan. The goal of this program is to reduce health impacts of extreme heat by providing heat mitigation and adaptation strategies for our at-risk populations. The heat mitigation and adaptation strategies are specifically designed to improve our communities living conditions and understand the long term impacts of extreme heat exposure. We have gathered a Community Advisory Board with leaders from the community with exceptional expertise in combating extreme heat. This program will implement a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach in order to collect and implement community knowledge and input into our program.
Comite Civico Del Valle successfully launched an initiative for much-needed Electric Vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, locating their first charger in the City of Brawley. This initiative is a community owned non-profit model to construct and operate an EV charging station network in the Imperial Valley. With Imperial County having the lowest rate of EV chargers per capita of all 58 counties in California, our goal is to install 40 publicly accessible charging stations thus, producing local green jobs, boosting tourism, creating STEM Education Opportunities, and reducing harmful air pollution. Therefore, achieving EV Equity and Environmental Justice for disadvantaged communities of the Salton Sea California Border Region. As of December 2024, CCV has successfully installed EV fast chargers in the City of Calexico and in the City of Calipatria.
Access Clean California is a statewide project that connects income-qualified residents with California’s clean energy and transportation equity programs, including grants and rebates for new and used hybrid and electric vehicles, transit vouchers, and shared mobility, as well as no-cost rooftop solar power. Our simple online benefits finder helps you find all the state-funded benefits you are eligible for, start your application process, and get into an affordable electric vehicle or other clean transportation that works for you.
The Salton Sea Community, Outreach, Education, and Engagement (COEE) program has been implemented by Comite Civico del Valle in partnership with the Department of Water Resources since April 2017. With an endeavor of informing and educating the communities of Imperial and Coachella Valley, COEE engages the community about the past, current, and future situation of the receding Salton Sea. COEE seeks to inform the public about health impacts, future projects and encourages them to practice participation in any decision made in the benefit of the Salton Sea.
IVAN (Identifying Violations Affecting Neighborhoods) is a community-based environmental enforcement reporting site that connects residents of the Imperial Valley with the proper agencies that can help solve local environmental problems. A report can take as little as 5 minutes to submit. Comite Civico del Valle encourages residents to advocate for environmental concerns. This no cost tool also has a network of an estimated 62 air monitors that communities can utilize to receive real-time updates on air quality trends in their neighborhood. Whether you're at home, work, or play, IVAN is available to you and your community to report, document, and resolve environmental concerns.
Comite Civico Del Valle pioneered a program called the Youth Environmental Health Internship in partnership with Tracking California, funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH). The internship focused on preparing Imperial County high school students to become the next leaders in environmental health. Interns acquired knowledge in different aspects relating to air quality, advocacy, environmental justice, and the policymaking process. In addition, participants learned about the IVAN Air Monitoring program to inform and educate the community about air quality and how to sign up for air quality alerts. Not only did the interns learn about the environment and how it can affect our health, but they were able to voice their concerns to legislators and pose solutions to those problems in their community.
The Immigration Information Program is a project started in early 2016 in collaboration with Alliance San Diego; focused on informing the Imperial Valley community about the latest immigration news and the guidelines for a correct legal stay in the United States. The project focuses on reaching out to undocumented community members or individuals under DACA/DAPA, but also provides information to residents about Public Charge who want to obtain their U.S. Citizenship and Know You Rights Information. Individuals are referred to Alliance San Diego Free to Low-Cost Legal Service Providers, a supporting partner, who can provide legal assistance and in some cases complete an evaluation to determine if they can provide assistance in reducing costs or paperwork.
The AIRE study aims to assess the impacts of chronic exposure of particulate matter on longitudinal respiratory health and atopic conditions in elementary school-aged children, build an evidence base to inform the participation of families in decision-making processes on the Salton Sea and expand the capacity of local institutions and residents to meaningfully address environmental health disparities.
The Canal Water Study goal is to conduct a community-engaged study in which there can be identification and quantification of contaminants in the canal water at connections to Imperial County households, as well as work alongside the community during planning, sampling, and result dissemination, and conduct an educational campaign tailored to community needs.
Community members in Brawley, CA, have long expressed concerns about suspected exposures and health outcomes related to pollution from nearby sources, including a former agrochemical plant, an animal rendering and slaughterhouse, pesticide applications on nearby farms, a cooling facility, and mobile source emissions from roadways.
The Lithium Valley Community Coalition undertakes a task to meet the needs of the communities located in Lithium Valley in an equitable, environmentally friendly, and community-conscious manner.
This initiative was founded in response to the health and safety risks in which essential farmworkers who cross daily the US Customs and Border Protection were not being given the proper conditions to socially distance themselves, have no access to sanitary facilities, and shortage of personal protective equipment. This initiative has since expanded across Imperial County and Coachella Valley.
Partners
Through partnerships improve access to health services, research, community service programs, and environmental justice to disadvantaged communities by way of education, capacity building, and civic participation.
The Identifying Violations Affecting Neighborhoods (IVAN) self-reporting tool is an online resource that allows members of the community to report any environmental violations that are occurring around them to the proper authorities.
The Salton Sea Community, Outreach, Education, and Engagement (COEE) program has been implemented by Comite Civico del Valle in partnership with the Department of Water Resources since April 2017.
Allies in Reducing Emissions (AIRE) is a concerted effort comprised of several leading environmental justice organizations throughout California addressing pollution and air quality concerns at the local and state-wide level.
