Orange County Multi Ethnic Collaborative Of Community Agencies
OUR STORY
MECCA was founded by a collaborative of Orange County community-based organizations that saw the same challenge across different communities: too many residents were being left out of systems of care because services were not always designed with their language, culture, identity, or lived experience in mind.
Our founding collaborative members came together to create a shared voice for Orange County’s diverse communities and to advance a mission of reducing racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic disparities. Today, MECCA continues that mission through a countywide collaborative of nine community-based agencies: Asian American Senior Citizens Service Center, Abrazar Inc., Access California Services, The Cambodian Family, KCS Health Center, Orange County Children’s Therapeutic Arts Center, OMID Multicultural Institute for Development, Southland Integrated Services, and Viet Rainbow of Orange County.
Together, MECCA and its member agencies strengthen access to culturally and linguistically responsive services, support trusted community-based organizations, and help local systems better respond to the needs of underserved residents.
MECCA’s work is grounded in equity. Through our collaborative network, we support immigrant and refugee communities, communities of color, older adults, youth and young adults, families, individuals with limited English proficiency, and residents facing barriers related to housing, behavioral health, substance use, aging, and social service access.
By working together, MECCA and its member agencies help connect Orange County residents to services that reflect who they are, while also advocating for systems that are more inclusive, responsive, and equitable for all communities.
Mission Statement
The mission of the Multi-Ethnic Collaborative of Community Agencies (MECCA) is to reduce racial disparities and ensure the delivery of culturally and linguistically responsive services.
Background Statement
The Multi-Ethnic Collaborative of Community Agencies, known as MECCA, is an Orange County-based collaborative of culturally rooted community-based organizations working to reduce racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic disparities. MECCA serves as a backbone organization that supports coordination, capacity building, training, funding alignment, and systems-level collaboration among trusted community partners.
Through its collaborative network, MECCA helps ensure that underserved multi-ethnic communities across Orange County can access culturally and linguistically responsive services, outreach, education, navigation, and support.
Impact Statement
MECCA’s impact is rooted in community trust and collaboration. Through its partner agencies, MECCA reaches Orange County residents who may face barriers related to language, culture, stigma, immigration concerns, housing instability, behavioral health needs, substance use, aging, or difficulty navigating complex systems.
MECCA strengthens access to care through culturally responsive outreach, case management, housing navigation, youth and older adult support, behavioral health connections, substance use prevention and recovery linkages, training, and referrals. MECCA also supports systems change by identifying service gaps, improving referral pathways, and helping local systems better respond to Orange County’s diverse communities.
Needs Statement
Many Orange County residents face barriers to accessing services, including limited English proficiency, lack of trusted information, stigma, transportation challenges, economic instability, housing insecurity, and complex health and social service systems. These barriers are especially significant for immigrant and refugee communities, communities of color, older adults, youth and young adults, and residents impacted by behavioral health or substance use needs.
MECCA needs continued support to expand culturally and linguistically responsive outreach, navigation, training, technical assistance, and collaborative infrastructure. Investment in MECCA helps strengthen trusted access points and reduce disparities across Orange County.
Geographic Areas Served
MECCA serves Orange County, California. Through its collaborative network of community-based partner agencies, MECCA reaches residents across North, Central, South, and coastal Orange County.
MECCA focuses on underserved multi-ethnic communities, immigrant and refugee communities, communities of color, older adults, youth and young adults, individuals and families with limited English proficiency, and residents experiencing barriers to housing, behavioral health, substance use support, aging services, and social service access.
Top Three Populations Served
- All Populations
- Households with limited English proficiency
- Immigrants and Refugees
CONTACT
Orange County Multi Ethnic Collaborative Of Community Agencies
1505 E 17 Th St Ste 123
Santa Ana, CA 92705-8520