"When Families Thrive, Children Succeed": How the Mission Economic Development Agency Created a Transformational Prenatal-to-Career Model

The Mission District has served for decades as the vibrant epicenter of the San Francisco Bay Area’s Latino community. The Mission faces the challenges associated with neighborhoods characterized by poverty and gentrification. Under the umbrella of the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA), founded in 1973, the Mission has become a national model for place-based prenatal-to-career strategies designed to “build Latino prosperity, community ownership, and civic power."  For the people who live there, MEDA has been a lifeline, providing access to stable housing, affordable childcare, afterschool programs, mental health support, financial capability coaching, small business loans, and a host of other services.

EdRedesign documented MEDA’s development and impact in this case study, authored by Lynne Sacks and Michelle Sedaca, that highlights the strategic steps that propelled MEDA’s growth into one of the leading examples of how place-based collaboration can change the life trajectories of local residents while maintaining the culture and heritage of the community. The case aims to help community leaders, policy makers, and practitioners understand the prenatal-to-career infrastructure MEDA has built, the impact it has had, and how to replicate the core practices within different local contexts.

Read the full case, English, and Spanish highlights.