What is Compassionate California?

Compassionate California provides information, resources, connection, support, guidance and opportunities for engagement to communities interested in implementing care-based initiatives that are in alignment with California Legislative SCR-18.

Compassionate California provides a strategy and tool kit for community governments and stakeholders/Partners working together to build safe, healthy, creative, and prosperous environments. Compassionate California connects Communities and Partners across the State so we can all learn from, support and enhance each other’s efforts.

Who is included in Compassionate California?

Compassionate California is comprised of a growing number of Compassionate Communities and California-based Partners. 

Compassionate Communities: Cities, Counties, California State (may include Neighborhood Councils, Regions).

Compassionate Partners:  Non-profit organizations, businesses, schools/universities and other institutions, self-categorized by the Sectors of society that they serve.

Learn about some of California’s Compassionate Communities

Visit our Compassionate California Partners

How does a Community become a Compassionate Community?

Most often the process of becoming a Compassionate Community begins at the grassroots level with non-profit organizations, businesses, educational institutions, interfaith networks and others expressing a desire to improve their community.
 
While neither Compassionate California, nor the Charter for Compassion, prescribe any one path, we do recommend that the process be designed and carried out by a diverse and inclusive coalition of people so that all voices within the community are heard, and the significant issues are addressed.

Step 1.  Grassroot organizing team members sign the Charter for Compassion as individuals and organizations.  Details here.

Step 2.  The grassroot organizing team in partnership with community organizations, stakeholders and residents join forces with the community’s governing body (City Council, County Board of Supervisors, Neighborhood Council Board of Directors) in taking substantial actions to address the community’s greatest points of suffering.

Step 3. With a shared vision and plan in place, the grassroot organizing team drafts a Compassionate Community Resolution for the governing body to adopt.

Step 4.  Together, the organizing team, community partners, residents and local government commit to continue working towards the sustainable and lasting change that should occur in order to maintain a Compassionate Community.

How to Become an Official Partner for Safe, Healthy, Creative, and Prosperous Environments

Within each city, community members—from individuals to organizations—sign the Charter for Compassion and make a commitment and take action to work together to establish a care-based city.  In this process, they become Partners.
Organizations that become a Partner self-categorize within one or two of 12 different sectors of society.  These include: arts; business; education; environment; health care; peace; restorative justice; science and research; social/racial justice; social services; spirituality (religion, spirituality,  interfaith); and women and girls.

What are the benefits of becoming a Compassionate Community?

The Compassionate Community work is values-driven, proactive and collaborative work with all community stakeholders. It’s intentional, roll-up-your-sleeves, strong, demanding work that brings added meaning to the lives of those who engage in the work, and enhances the effectiveness of the work itself as well as the solutions to the challenges being addressed.  Research demonstrates that practicing compassion produces positive benefits in all sectors of civic and community life.

Active California Compassionate Cities report significant improvements in collaboration within and between community partners/stakeholders and city elected officials/staff, netting positive results from their collective, focused work on some of the top challenges facing their communities.  

The work of Compassionate Communities is enhanced by connecting with other Communities across the State that have had considerable success in dealing with the same challenges/issues they may be facing. Or, they can receive encouragement, wise advice and support on getting a new compassionate community initiative off the ground.  

Likewise, community Partners can be connected with other Partners across the State that may be able to share or help with their efforts to bring compassion to their communities, or be connected with like-minded organizations doing work that may compliment their efforts and help foster new relationships and opportunities for collaboration, or just feel connected to one another in common cause.