#60StoriesThatShapedUs: On Saturday, May 23, from 5 to 9 p.m., Merced will host its first arts festival to celebrate art and its ability to transform a community. Over six days, Merced AF (Arts Festival) will bring five large-scale murals and ten beautification installations to the downtown core. Artists will paint in public view throughout the week.
Pictured above, "Greetings from Merced" is a mural installed in the reception area at the El Capitan Hotel in downtown Merced.
The Womyn's mural, pictured above, was painted in collaboration with @faithinthevalley and local artists from Merced and the Central Valley and is located at Sam’s Cafe in Merced. The mural showcases three women of color, each representing a different community within Merced, including Hmong, African American, and Latino/Indigenous communities.
Learn more @merced.af and tap the link in bio to read the article.
#60YearsStrong #YearofJubilee
As they compiled research for the Central Valley Health Care Landscape Study, stakeholders discovered an alarming trend: many local hospitals are in the midst of a financial crisis. Low Medi‑Cal reimbursement rates, rising labor and regulatory costs, and years of underfunding are pushing facilities to the brink. In 2023, nearly half of the region’s acute‑care hospitals reported negative operating margins. Compared to other hospitals in the state of California, Central Valley hospitals earn 28% less per discharge and 19% less per Medi‑Cal discharge, putting essential services at risk for millions of residents.
To learn more about the state of the local health care system, tap the link in bio.
Join Fresno DRIVE tomorrow, May 9 for a free @hopsandtalks , featuring Alix Dick and Antero Garcia, the authors of “The Cost of being Undocumented.” Hear an eye-opening conversation about what it means to be undocumented in America and enjoy free tacos and complimentary beer.
🕐 1 to 3 p.m.
📍 Summer Fox Tower 1426 N. Van Ness Ave.
🔗 Register now at the link in bio.
#TheCostofBeingUndocumented #ImmigrantRights
#60StoriesThatShapedUs: Every May, people flock to the Central Valley town of Kingsburg for the annual Swedish festival. The ultimate Scandinavian immersion, traditionally held the third weekend in May, invites all to experience and taste the rich culture of Sweden in Kingsburg. This year's event will take place on Thursday, May 14 - Saturday, May 16, and will feature entertainment, food, and fun. It all begins on Thursday night with the pea soup and Swedish pancake supper. On Friday night, participants can enjoy a Swedish Smorgasbord and a Heritage Program. On Saturday, there is a festival with a parade, vendors, and heritage activities. Additionally, attendees can visit shops and restaurants on Draper Street in downtown Kingsburg and see the Swedish Cultural Village, where you can discover food and craft booths and enjoy the entertainment.
Kingsburg's historic water tower was built in 1911 and modified in 1985 to resemble a giant coffee pot after a resident visited Stanton, Iowa, and saw its similarly modified water tower. The tower is 122 feet tall and visible from Highway 99. The 60,000-gallon vessel could fill 1.28 million coffee cups and is lit at night.
For event details, visit @kingsburgchamber and tap the link in our bio to learn more about Kingsburg's Scandinavian roots.
#60YearsStrong #YearofJubilee
We closed out April with a Friends of the Foundation dinner, where we shared an overview of the Central Valley Community Foundation's Health Equity Initiative and the Health Care Landscape Study. Friends heard directly from local health leaders — including Fresno County Director of Public Health Joe Prado, Vice Dean of @ucsffresno José M. Barral Sánchez, and @black_wpc CEO Shantay Davies-Balch — in a panel conversation facilitated by Senior Health Equity Fellow Elize Bradley, DrPH, JD.
Their message was unmistakable: our region’s health care system faces significant challenges, and transformative, community‑driven change is essential to building a more equitable future.
To learn more about becoming a Friend of the Foundation and supporting local health equity efforts, tap the link in bio.
The Central Valley Community Foundation had the honor of hearing from Dr. Richard Florida, an economic geographer hosted by @thekresgefoundation , and urban planner Dan Zack about how geography can influence upward economic mobility. The discussion explored a vision for a thriving Fresno Chinatown where business growth and block‑level placemaking strengthen the connection between people and their environment. Subscribe to our quarterly newsletter at the link in bio for more updates on how big and lasting change is happening in the Central Valley.
The Central Valley Community Foundation hosted a legislative staff briefing on its Health Equity Initiative's Health Care Landscape Study to discuss the local health care system's challenges and possible solutions that can be implemented to address widespread health inequities. Representatives from @madhealthy_ , @fowlerpackingco , @unitedhealthcenters , and @ucsffresno provided insights on the importance of primary care provider accessibility and expanding the health care workforce and medical education opportunities.
To learn more about the Health Care Landscape Study, read the report at the link in bio and stay tuned for updates.
Join us for "Weave the People," an evening of connection with community members across Fresno and a kick-off to the Weaver Awards grantmaking program! "Weave the People" will introduce the community to the concept of weaving and foster a welcoming, inclusive environment with arts & culture, dialogues, and a shared meal.
📅 Thursday, June 4
🕠 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
📍 Table Mountain Rancheria 1121 S. Chance Ave. Fresno, CA 93702
As a 2026 Community Host of the Aspen Institute's @weavesocialfabric Project, DRIVE has the honor of selecting 20 local weavers to receive $2,500 each. Weaving is the practice of building meaningful relationships that set the conditions for social trust to grow in communities. The Weaver Awards are a constellation of activities designed to celebrate and support weavers — everyday neighbors who are building relationships, strengthening belonging, and weaving trust into the social fabric of their communities. DRIVE is excited to open the application period for the Weaver Awards this summer.
To learn more about "Weave the People" and to register, tap the link in bio.
#FresnoDRIVE #CreatingOurEconomy #ImAweaver
The Central Valley Community Foundation's Fresno DRIVE Initiative is vital to creating an inclusive economy for all in Fresno County. DRIVE works with 14 neighborhood hubs in Fresno that aim to strengthen their communities and increase inclusivity. @anotherleveltrainingacademy , led by Founder and CEO Nia Hodge, and @liveagainfresno , led by Founder and Executive Director Richard Burrell, are part of DRIVE's Civic Infrastructure Initiative. Both organizations are at the forefront of empowering communities through relationship and trust building at the neighborhood level. To learn more about Fresno DRIVE and the Civic Infrastructure Initiative, tap the link in bio.
#60StoriesThatShapedUs
#60StoriesThatShapedUs: A new community garden will soon take root in Visalia. Started as a community idea during the @s2j2initiative strategic planning phase in 2025, the garden is a collaboration between several entities, including @cityofvisalia , @cosgiant , the Rural Prosperity Center, the Community Services Employment Training program, @caff_famfarms , and others.
The community garden will provide a planned work-study program led by the College of the Sequoias. “This is an important step toward building steady, on-the-ground capacity for day-to-day garden operations — while creating meaningful learning experiences for students and strengthening the garden as a long-term community asset,” said Eduardo González, co-founder of the Rural Prosperity Center.
To learn more about Visalia's community garden, tap the link in bio.
#60YearsStrong #YearofJubilee
Join @ylinstitute for a free, youth-led gubernatorial candidate forum today from 5:30 to 7 p.m. @fresnoconventioncenter . You can also tune into the watch party at the link in bio. This special forum will amplify youth voices, highlight policies of concern to youth, and encourage active democratic participation. To learn more and to register for the event, tap the link in bio.
