SBCS is thrilled to announce that our own Salvador Garcia has been selected as the 2021 Promotor and Community Health Worker of the Year, celebrating his nearly decade-long dedication to serving communities in need. Congratulations, Sal, and thank you for your years of service to your neighbors!

Each year the San Diego County Promotores Coalition selects a Promotor/Community Health Worker of the Year recognizing an experienced Promotor(a) who demonstrates extensive involvement in the projects and initiatives that improve the health and well-being of families.

“Sal has been a committed and hardworking advocate for his community for more than eight years. He demonstrates the skills and personal qualities so unique and essential to his work as a Promotor every day,” said SBCS Community Engagement Director Rachel Morineau. “Our team and our community are grateful for his work and we’re proud to see him receive this well-deserved recognition as Promotor of the Year.”

Sal first began working with SBCS as a volunteer in our Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood program in 2013 immediately after becoming a U.S. citizen and moving to the Chula Vista Promise Neighborhood area. Through his volunteer work, SBCS quickly saw he had the perfect skill-set to be an effective Promotor, so they recruited him and the rest is history— a history we honor as we celebrate Salvador’s accomplishments in his work to support his community.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began to strain local families, Salvador stepped up to help strengthen them in their time of need. Over the course of the pandemic he has made an incalculable impact on our region through:

• Leading food distributions that served more than 91,000 community members, including coordinating 50 supporting staff members
• Serving as contact tracer to support individuals who tested positive for COVID-19
• Providing more than 662 individuals with resources and education at Castle Park Middle School Parent Center

At SBCS, we are humbled by Salvador’s devotion to his neighbors and we’re grateful for the difference he will continue to make for our community through his work as a Promotor. From your team at SBCS, thank you Sal!