Parenting Connection of Monterey County began with a notebook and a mother’s heart for families. In the late 1990s, Gail Root (now Board President of the Birth Network of Monterey County) was teaching parenting classes at Parents’ Place when she started keeping an “Angel Account” to hold small donations from families who wanted to help. Those dollars covered guest speakers, art supplies, and the little things that made her classes feel special.

One day, her daughter Wendy Root Askew came home from college, spotted the notebook labeled Angel Account, and gently said, “Mom, I think we need to make this official.” That moment sparked the creation of Friends of Parents’ Place, a way to legitimize the giving that had already been happening in community spirit. With Wendy’s business background and Gail’s dedication to families, the small act of keeping track of kindness grew into a nonprofit rooted in care and connection.

As the landscape of public funding changed, the organization evolved—expanding from Parents’ Place to serve families throughout the county. They rented classrooms, built partnerships, and created welcoming spaces where parents and caregivers could learn, share, and grow together. Over time, Friends of Parents’ Place became Parenting Connection of Monterey County, carrying forward the same vision: community care that meets families where they are.

From those early days of passing the hat to today’s thriving programs like the Doula Hub and Family Circles, PCMC continues to nurture that original spirit—helping families feel seen, supported, and connected from the very beginning.

Diversity Equity Inclusion and Belonging

The Parenting Connection of Monterey County is dedicated to reproductive justice and improving maternal mental health in our county by being a source of acceptance, belonging, community, and empowerment for the communities of Monterey County that we proudly serve. Recognizing the history rooted in racist and patriarchal systems, cultural pluralism, and intersectionality that is represented in our diverse community we have made the following commitments to Diversity Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging as an organization:

• Continue to meet families where they are in all ways including but not limited to:  geographically, linguistically, culturally, emotionally, and economically
• Maintain and continuously seek to have a diverse board and staff that represents the communities we serve
• Foster community partnerships and uplifting organizations committed to common principles
• Advocate for birth justice and systems change in the perinatal mental health landscape of our county by recognizing and addressing roles within systems of oppression and working actively towards dismantling them
• By centering the perspectives from historically disenfranchised groups in our community we uplift their voices as partners in our work
• Provide accessible and loving safe spaces that offer a sense of community where differences are both respected and nurtured
• Be brave in our commitment to listening and learning to the birthing people we serve, always operating from a mindset of cultural humility and continually evaluating the organization to ensure accountability to the aforementioned commitments