Have you bumped into Natividad’s hardworking outreach team? It wouldn’t be surprising if you had: They make a point of showing up for as many Monterey County events as possible. From community events to school resource fairs to health fairs and more, our outreach team is building relationships that inspire healthy lives.

Health Education Assistants Melissa Raya Contreras and Alma Mandujano-Orta are the backbone of our outreach team. They attend many of Natividad’s community events. They’ve been doing outreach for a combined 15 years; each has been at Natividad for three years.

“It’s important for us to connect with the community,” Melissa said. “We meet a lot of people who were patients at Natividad or had family here. These personal connections make our work even more meaningful.”

While attending events, our outreach team members are often called on to answer questions about Natividad’s wide variety of services. They also help community members find insurance and access health care.

“Melissa and Alma are a leading edge of the Natividad team and serve as excellent resources for our patients and residents of Monterey County,” said Natividad CEO Dr. Chad Harris. “We’re proud that Natividad’s staff are mission-driven and serve our community. After all, the community is us and our friends, family and neighbors.”

In addition to their community outreach roles, Melissa and Alma spend half their time in the office assisting people with signing up for medical insurance assistance such as Medi-Cal, Covered California and the Medi-Cal Access Program, which is also known as MCAP, the Medi-Cal coverage for pregnant people whose income is too high for Medi-Cal. “Navigating insurance coverage like Covered California can be very complicated for some families,” Melissa said.

“We guide patients through the application process, provide support and ensure they understand their coverage,” Alma said. “It feels good to know that we’re making a meaningful difference in their lives and protecting them from financial hardship.”

Last year, Natividad participated in more than 60 events, reaching over 10,000 people in Monterey County. The following is just a sampling of events where you’ll find our outreach team:

• Ciclovia — Salinas and South County
• Diabetes Awareness Day
• Pride events
• Juneteenth
• Farmers’ markets
• Community, school and employer events
• Monterey County Fair
• Trauma community outreach programs
• Blue Zones Project events
• Ag business health fairs
• Monthly CISNE (Monterey County Immigration Services Network) forums hosted by volunteer community members from Natividad, Red Cross, Hartnell College, UFW Foundation and Monterey County Office of Education — Migrant Education

Photo: County of Monterey Supervisor Luis Alejo with Natividad’s Melissa Raya Contreras and Alma Mandujano-Orta at Salinas Juneteenth at Hartnell College