The strategies adopted within several low-income California Latino communities were explored during evaluations of three larger initiatives designed to strengthen neighborhoods and improve the health and well-being of children and families. A model is proposed which depicts the interrelationships between culture, health, and the larger environmental context, factors which will become more important as political and economic constructs become increasingly globalized. Three interventions, the promotora outreach model, a neighborhood resource center, and a parent school-based safety patrol are discussed from the viewpoint of this multi-layered contextual analysis. The lessons learned from these interventions provide insight to practitioners working with diverse ethnic and socio-economic groups migrating across national boundaries.
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