COPA is non-partisan and does not endorse political candidates, but the success of COPA’s work depends on our creating a relationship of mutual accountability with elected officials. Unlike the contentious, partisan politics one sees on television, every issue COPA has brought to the Monterey County Board of Supervisors has passed unanimously.

On Sunday afternoon, February 16th, COPA is hosting an event that will give candidates for the 4th Supervisor District an opportunity to hear stories about life on the Central Coast. Then they will have a chance to react, and hopefully, commit to working with COPA to address the community’s problems. District 4 is the only district that is contested this year.

For St. Mary’s parishioners it is an opportunity to hear about the life experiences of our neighbors in Seaside, Marina, and south-west Salinas that are quite different than our own. It gives us a chance to stand with them and show the candidates that there is broad support in the County to address issues like access to healthcare, affordable housing, protection for renters, and access to behavioral health services.

By investing 2 hours (3:00 – 5:00 PM on Sunday February 16th, at Martin Luther King Jr. School of the Arts, 1713 Broadway, Seaside) you will expand your neighborhood and help COPA build a relationship that will be valuable, whoever is elected supervisor in District 4.

St. Mary’s Walking Together ministry is a founding member of COPA, a broad-based organization of 28 member institutions, churches, synagogues, schools, and non-profits that work together to address the problems that confront families in Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties.

To sign up to attend the event, or for further information, contact Jack & Kathy Herbig, (831)649-3087 or Jackie Frey, (408)602-0098.