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The MMCAC is a grassroots, community-based health organization that was formed in 1997 by a group of local respiratory therapists and nurses. Over the last decade the group has grown to a membership of over 150 individuals from diverse backgrounds including health professionals, healthcare organizations, parents of asthmatics, local political leaders, businesses and environmental groups. Since 2002, the MMCAC has been funded through the Community Action to Fight Asthma (CAFA) initiative sponsored by The California Endowment. The purpose of the CAFA initiative is to develop and implement intervention strategies to reduce asthma triggers in the immediate environments in which school-aged children live, learn, and play. Some accomplishments achieved under the CAFA initiative has included the installation of the Air Quality Flag program and accompanying Active Indoor Recess curriculum in over 138 educational, health, agency, and municipal sites over the last five years. The MMCAC has also worked with both rural and urban schools to implement the Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools program that reduces students' exposure to indoor asthma triggers throughout campus. In 2006, the MMCAC was refunded by the CAFA initiative as well as the Steven and Michele Kirsch Foundation and partnered with Golden Valley Health Centers to act as the coalition's fiscal sponsor and oversight for staff. With support of both of these foundations the MMCAC continued its work with schools and engaged community members to advocate for clean air throughout the San Joaquin Valley. Policies including the Valley's 8-hour ozone plan, PM 2.5 plan, and the school bus and diesel truck rules have catalyzed residents to speak out in favor of health protective measures that will reduce morbidity and mortality from asthma in the County. Recently, smaller projects have been funded through First 5 of Merced County and Catholic Healthcare West to expand the Air Quality Flag program to Head Start and Migrant Head Start sites and train 20 Freedom From Smoking facilitators to conduct smoking cessation peer-support classes in English and Spanish throughout the County. In addition to continuing the work of CAFA, the MMCAC is also currently working on a project funded by the Tides Foundation to make the community of South Merced a healthy place to live and work. This project aims at taking healthcare outside of the clinic walls at Golden Valley Health Centers to residents in such a way that empowers them to improve their neighborhoods. The list below is a brief outline of activities and accomplishments achieved by the Coalition since its inception!  1997: Coalition forms at Sutter Hospital in Merced 1998: 1999: Wee Wheezers classes, Asthma training for Merced & Mariposa County School Nurses 2000: Open Airways, Physician lecture, Castle health fair, Mercy Asthma classes 2001: Asthma 101 trainings, Regional Asthma Coalition meeting 2002: Awarded CAFA grant, health fairs, Awarded CHW grant 2003: Hired program staff, Physician lecture, World Asthma Day coloring contest and proclamation, appointed to Air District Citizen’s Advisory Committee, testify at Senate hearing on Respiratory Illness and air pollution, National Asthma Conference, Girl Scout Clean Air Badge program, Rx pad for asthma education, Tools for Schools training for maintenance staff, 1st Annual Social 2004: Air Quality Flag program training for School Nurses, Flag program kicks off with Press Conference at Merced County Office of Education, Merced City School District pilots Flag Program, Mercy Hospital Earth Day event, 2nd Annual Poster contest for World Asthma Day, World Asthma Day proclamations for Merced City, Merced & Mariposa Counties, Merced High & Livingston High fly flags, ABC 30 does story on flag program, Mercy Hospital uses flags, awarded California Breathing mini-grant (for Hmong refugee asthma education), 27 other schools/school districts both public and private start using air quality flags, Hmong refugee asthma classes begin, Support Air District $2 DMV charge to fund clean air programs in Valley, 2nd Annual Installation Social 2005: Flag program model spreads to all other seven San Joaquin Valley Counties, American Lung Association Capitol Lobby Day, World Asthma day proclamations and poster contest – winners receive a new bicycle for the first time, Community Asthma Classes begin at Mercy Hospital, media articles on flag program, testify at Senate Select hearing on Air District’s mitigation contracts, Installation Social, testify at Air District hearing in support of Indirect Source Review rule 2006: Tools for Schools conference in Washington D.C., Merced High signs Memorandum of Understanding with coalition to implement Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools program, 1st Board Retreat in Mariposa, attend Asthma Educator course in Las Vegas, World Asthma Day proclamations and poster contest, Press conference at UC Merced to raise air quality flags, train Merced High teachers on flag program and indoor air quality, flag program spreads to North Carolina, Phoenix, AZ, Southern California and Atlanta, GA, awarded CAFA II grant, awarded Kirsch Foundation grant, move coalition office to Golden Valley Health Centers, speak at Gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides press conference on childhood asthma in the Valley, Central Valley Air Quality coalition day at Capitol, Yes on 87 press conference, testify in support of a stronger School Bus fleet rule at Air District, Atwater Elementary School District develops flag policy, Tools for School walkthrough of Merced High, CBS 47 does news story on indoor air quality in homes and asthma, health fairs, Plainsburg School District signs MOU to implement Tools for Schools program, conduct training for Plainsburg teachers, coalition co-sponsors Chronic Disease conference at UCM, Installation Social 2007: Coalition takes formal position against proposed Wal-Mart distribution center, KVPT segment on asthma/flag program in schools, Merced River School District Tools for Schools, 8-hour ozone plan – hearings at Air District & CARB, 8-hour ozone task force, CBS 47 story on Wal-Mart, First 5 mini-grant awarded to coalition for Flag Program, attend Asthma Educator course in Santa Barbara, School nurse training, Plainsburg Tools for Schools, Winton School Board adopts flag policy, American Lung Association Lobby Day in Sacramento, Asthma Conference in Anaheim, World Asthma Day (May 1) activities: Poster contest, proclamations, bike presentations, Press conference at Merced High, EHLWG Education Days at Capitol, CVAQ Action Days at Capitol, Flag program at Head Start and Migrant Head Start sites, Merced County General Plan update workshops, focus groups, Green Buildings Grant awarded (GVHC grant), SB 719 passes (!), Merced Bike Coalition, Installation Social, Report Card grant awarded from TCE, Flag Program evaluation with American Lung Association, 2008: Flags at Merced City, Interviewed/selected preferred Valley Air Board candidates for public seats, SB 1548 passed, AB 2522 passed, Awarded Smoking Cessation Grant from CHW, trained Freedom From Smoking Facilitators, World Asthma Day Celebration at Merced College, Earth Day, PM 2.5 Plan, Diesel Truck Rule, Judy Case hearing, CEQA workshop, Awarded CAFA III grant, Merced River School Bat Box project, Hilmar School District Flag Program, Awarded Healthy South Merced Grant from Tides (GVHC grant), Merced County Asthma Report Card released, Awarded PG&E grant for flags in businesses, Breathe Well, Live Well classes, Smoking Cessation Classes, CNA training, TCE staff presentation, General Plan Update, G Street Undercrossing, MCAG CAC, South Merced Community Meeting, Lao Family Community meeting, Flags at: GVHC, LMG, Memorial Hospital, Hire first Community Liaison, AIR policy at Dos Palos School District, Environmental Justice Advisory Group, California Asthma Partners, Installation Social, Diesel Truck Rule CARB hearing
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