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 Chairman
Teresa Sanchez-Gordon
MAOF Board Chairperson
2007-2008

Teresa Sanchez Gordon, Chairperson 2007-2008

At its January 2007 board meeting, the board of directors unanimously elected the Honorable Teresa Sanchez Gordon as Chairperson for 2007 – 08. Ms Sanchez Gordon joined the board of directors in 1999. She was elected to the East Los Angeles Municipal Court in 1996 and took office in January 1997. In 2000, she was assigned to the Superior Court in Alhambra And in 2001 she began her current assignment as Superior Court Judge in Downtown Los Angeles.

During her distinguished career, she has received numerous honors including Judge of the Year from the Mexican American Bar Association. Prior to her election as Judge, Teresa worked as an elementary school teacher. She is married to Attorney Walter L. Gordon.

Immediately following her election as Chairperson, Ms. Sanchez stated, “I look forward to working with my board colleagues in furthering the mission of MAOF in the communities we serve"

One of her first items of business was to schedule a board retreat to prioritize goals for her two year term.