Pictured left to right: Father Bob Moran, John Rinaldi, Maria Marroquin, Josefina Fregoso, Father Jim O’Donnell, and Job Lopez† on the Center’s 10th anniversary
Established in 1996 by day workers, community of faith, elected officials and leaders from local businesses, the Center provides job-matching services for hundreds of local homeowners and businesses annually.
Who are the day workers?
Day workers are among the most vulnerable members of the economy; the least paid, most unprotected, and most frequently injured members of the domestic work force and with the least access to resources.
They are front-line targets of anti-immigrant hostility and anti-soliciting ordinances, Day Workers on the street are often exploited by unscrupulous employers who take advantage of their lack of English and ignorance of basic rights. *From the article: On the Corner: Day Labor in the United States by Abel Valenzuela Jr, Nik Theodore, Edwin Meléndez; Ana Luz Gonzalez (2006)
Meet the Executive Director
María Marroquín serves as Executive Director for the Day Workers' Center of Mountain View, and as Treasurer of the Board of Directors of NDLON (National Day Labor Organizing Network). María oversees day-to-day operations at the center and serves as liaison with local employers and the community. Her passion is to empower workers to become members of the community. María is also a graduate of the center's programs.
Maria says:
“When I finished my first job, I felt like a heroine, that I'm really strong, I'm a survivor. I felt that I was capable of changing my life. More importantly, I became passionate about the day workers. I saw how they struggle, and how they suffer.
This was a great discovery for me and it changed my life. I began coming to the Center to give the workers rides to work, and started to volunteer in the office. I helped to organize the workers: I got involved with community activism, and started going to City Council meetings. At one point, I took English classes at a school that is sponsored by Philanthropic Ventures. Today, they are one of the foundations that supports our work in the community, and I have become the Executive Director of the Center. My story isn't unique. This could be repeated many, many times, thanks to organizations like the Day Worker Center, and the opportunities that they provide.”
STAFF
In alphabetical order:
Alejandra Pinto-Garcia, Volunteer Coordinator - alejandra@dayworkercentermv.org
Angelica Saldivar, Administrative Assistant - angelicasaldivar@dayworkercentermv.org
Carla E. Dardon, Workforce Development Coordinator -carla@dayworkercentermv.org
Edith Gomez, Outreach & Education Coordinator - edith@dayworkercentermv.org
Luis de la Concha, Programs Coordinator - luisdelaconcha@dayworkercentermv.org
Maria Marroquin, Executive Director - maria@dayworkercentermv.org
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors is made up of people who are committed to assisting the Center and achieving its mission. Our board members are successful business leaders, community leaders and activists, and members of the day laborer community.
In alphabetical order:
Armando Espitia - Vice President
Daniel Dabek
Fr. Robert Moran
Gabe Kronstadt
Josefina Bailon - President
Laura Macias - Secretary
Marco Antonio Cedillo - Treasurer
Marco Galindo
Ruth Silver-Taube
Our Facilities
Our worker-maintained facility is centered around a large multi-purpose room where we hold weekly worker meetings, classes, and events. Volunteer-led classes include: English as a Second Language (ESL), technology literacy, sewing, cooking, and more!
In 2008, the purchase of the property at 113 Escuela Avenue in Mountain View was made possible thanks to the generous support of the community. After a successful capital campaign, we were thrilled to move into our fully remodeled community center. The single-story 3,496 square foot warehouse has been upgraded to include new electrical and heating/ventilation systems, kitchen, bathrooms, patio area, and solar panels.
Our organization receives financial support to operate from various sources including private donors, faith communities, foundations, and public funds. We collaborate with a wide variety of non-profit agencies (see our Partners section for more information). In our permanent location, we are able to save on rental costs and allow us to use our resources for programs and other services.