A new study from the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute highlights how nonprofit organizations in San Ysidro, a predominantly Latino border community, stepped in to address critical health and economic needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. When official systems failed to deliver equitable support, local groups filled the gap with culturally informed, rapid-response initiatives.
San Ysidro experienced some of the highest infection and mortality rates in San Diego County, with cases nearly double the county average and deaths more than triple. Despite this disproportionate impact, federal relief funding reached the area at significantly lower rates. Businesses in the community received approximately $2,300 per job and $500 per resident through the Paycheck Protection Program—less than half the countywide averages. Only 13% of eligible local businesses secured loans, compared to 95% in wealthier, majority-white areas like Carlsbad and Poway.
In response, organizations such as Lifeline Community Services, the Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty (MAAC), and Casa Familiar mobilized quickly. They distributed food, provided cash assistance, expanded internet access for students, and supported migrant children with shelter. MAAC’s CEO, Arnulfo Manriquez, described their efforts as going beyond immediate relief: “We were literally signing checks to car loans, paying Cox Communications for the internet.” These actions helped maintain educational continuity and mental well-being.
Casa Familiar deployed a team of promotoras de salud—trusted neighborhood health workers—who partnered with county officials to conduct door-to-door outreach, helping Spanish-speaking families schedule vaccinations. This culturally competent approach contributed to San Ysidro achieving the highest vaccination rate of any ZIP code in the county by 2023.
The nonprofits also helped form the South Bay Equity and Economic Recovery Task Force, collaborating with local government and businesses to coordinate recovery efforts. Researchers emphasize that the organizations’ deep community ties and shared identity with the population they serve were key to their effectiveness.
Looking ahead, long-term resilience is a priority. Casa Familiar has launched a community land trust to preserve affordable housing and prevent displacement. It is also constructing La Semilla Community Resiliency Center, which will function as a cooling shelter, emergency refuge, and hub for civic engagement.
The study also examined Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood, revealing similar patterns of community resilience. Silvia González, the institute’s research director, stressed that investing in grassroots organizations as equal partners can amplify models of inclusive development. “Bring the voices of the people to the recommendations, and you will begin to hear different recommendations,” Manriquez added. “Representation matters on all levels.”
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UCLA study: Nonprofits filled economic, health gaps in San Ysidro
Why this matters
nThe research from the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute documents how Latino communities responded to a COVID-19 pandemic that exacerbated inequities in their area.
Nonprofit organizations in San Ysidro played a critical role in filling health and economic gaps during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the border community faced some of the region’s highest case and death rates, a new UC Los Angeles study found.
The report from researchers at the UCLA Latino Policy and Politics Institute said San Ysidro offers a model for crisis response and equitable development: Local nonprofits stepped in when formal systems fell short, mobilizing quickly to deliver food, vaccination awareness, cash assistance and shelter for migrant children.
Their work, researchers say, not only stabilized families during the pandemic but also laid a foundation for long-term “economic resilience.” The nonprofits’ Latino identity also was a unique aid in rolling out crisis help.
The study highlights the role of three community-based organizations: Lifeline Community Services, the Metropolitan Area Advisory Committee on Anti-Poverty and Casa Familiar. These groups, led largely by Latinos, were able to respond with speed and cultural fluency.
Casa Familiar’s “health promoters,” or promotoras de salúd in Spanish, were a team of trusted neighborhood health workers who collaborated with San Diego County officials and went door to door to help Spanish-speaking families schedule vaccine appointments, the report said.
Nonprofits also worked with county officials and businesses to launch a South Bay Equity and Economic Recovery Task Force, which furthered vaccination efforts.
By 2023, San Ysidro recorded the highest COVID vaccination rate of any ZIP code in the county.
“We doubled down on our work,” MAAC CEO Arnulfo Manriquez told researchers. “Our staff mirrors the communities that we serve.”
COVID-19 cases in San Ysidro reached nearly twice the countywide average, and death rates were more than triple, data showed. Despite the disproportionate toll, businesses and residents there received significantly less federal aid than other parts of the county, researchers said.
San Ysidro businesses received about $2,300 per job and $500 per resident through the Paycheck Protection Program — less than half of the countywide averages. And only 13% of eligible local businesses received loans, compared to 95% in some wealthier, majority-white areas in Carlsbad and Poway.
MAAC and Casa Familiar distributed direct cash aid, delivered meals and expanded digital access for students.
“We were literally signing checks to car loans, paying Cox Communications for the internet,” Manriquez told researchers. “But this wasn’t just about relief, it was about preserving educational continuity, mental health, and digital equity.”
He added: “Bring the voices of the people to the recommendations, and you will begin to hear different recommendations … Representation matters on all levels.”
The report also points to some of the border town’s unique challenges: Residents face high pollution levels linked to motorists, low incomes, and its “physical and political distance” from San Diego City Hall. Two-thirds of households are renters, and median incomes are only 63% of the citywide median.
Nonprofits are now pursuing long-term solutions. Casa Familiar launched a community land trust to preserve affordable housing and prevent displacement. It also began construction of La Semilla Community Resiliency Center, which will serve as a cooling hub, emergency shelter and space for community organizing.
Along with San Ysidro, UCLA researchers also studied Oakland’s Fruitvale neighborhood. Silvia González, the institute’s director of research, said the reports show the “extraordinary resilience” of the Latino communities.
“By investing in community-based organizations as equal partners, policymakers and funders can amplify these models of inclusive growth that honor local voices and prevent displacement,” González said in a news release.
inewsource’s coverage on efforts to maintain the San Ysidro Business Improvement District was also cited in the study.