The Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF), the nation’s largest Latino-serving social service organization, has been helping children and families in need since 1963.
MAOF Leadership
A message from Martin Castro
For over four decades, the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF) has provided human services to under served communities in California. From its humble beginnings in East Los Angeles, today our geographical service area includes seven California counties. It is a tradition that continues to be unmatched by any Latino non-profit service organization and supports the claim that MAOF is the largest Hispanic non-profit in the Country, as noted by Hispanic Business Magazine each of the last four years. From a well-established base of 28 licensed child care and development centers serving 3,000 preschool children, to serving another 5,000 children in our CalWORKS Program to help parents move from public assistance to gainful employment, to serving youths and adults with job training and job placement services, to providing senior citizens with a myriad of services in their golden years, MAOF serves well over 100,000 California residents each year.

We are proud to be joined by our corporate partners in providing additional services through their generous contributions. These services include Financial Literacy programs funded by HSBC; nutrition programs funded by Kraft Foods; early childhood education programs funded by AT&T and the Metro Jobs program funded by Eastside LRT Constructors. I am pleased to be joined in our efforts by a great team of dedicated professionals who have chosen MAOF as their employer of choice and by a truly supportive and passionate board of directors led by Frank Ayala of the Southern California Gas Company. Together, we have set some ambitious goals for 2006 and beyond that include geographic expansion and harnessing additional corporate support to expand and improve our services.

We welcome all of you to be a part of our rich tradition by supporting MAOF in any way you can. Please contact us with your thoughts and ideas of how we can work together.

Martin Castro, President and CEO Biography
401 N. Garfield Avenue
Montebello, CA 90640
(323) 890-9600
(323) 890-9637 fax


Board Chair
Christopher M. Hernandez
Term: 2009-2011


Christopher M. Hernandez, Sector Vice President of Northrop Grumman Corporation, has been elected as the new Chair of the Board of Directors for the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF). Hernandez, a board member since 2001, assumes leadership for a two-year term on January 22, 2009.

"I'm honored to lead MAOF during these challenging economic times," Hernandez said. "Education and training will be major goals, especially in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) programs to encourage our young people to pursue careers in those disciplines."

"Mr. Hernandez is well-suited to lead us," said Martin Castro, MAOF President & CEO. "He brings an impressive background in science and technology in the aerospace industry, including his work on development of unmanned aircraft systems, the B-2 stealth bomber, NASA's Space Shuttle and advanced space launch vehicle concepts."

Hernandez also serves on the Industrial Advisory Board to the College of Engineering at California State University, Long Beach, and is active with the Boy Scouts of America.

He received a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering from California State University, Long Beach, and a master's degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan Fellows program.