Six Degrees: Pam Castro

 Long before she became the force behind Moorpark's Treasure Box, Pam Castro was an active member of the community.

Since moving to Moorpark in 1955 when she moved with her parents and eight siblings to a ranch where Moorpark College now stands. The whole family was involved in walnut picking.

In high school, she and her future husband starting rallying the students at Moorpark High School around equality rights and anti-discrimination laws.

"We formed the first historical walk out of Moorpark High.  We had one hundred percent participation of students," she said. "We rallied because there were no Hispanics employed by Moorpark Unified School District and Spanish was not offered as a second language. We said , 'Why not? You offer French. What are we going to do with that?' And we started requesting at least one Hispanic be hired for the whole unified school district."

After college, Castro and her husband started a local group called Our Town Teens.

"Anyone who was a known or suspected gang member was asked to join the group and we tried to keep them busy in a positive manner," said Castro. "We did this for two to three years, but then burn-out occurred because it's a 24-hour kind of thing. We were on suicide watch, had court appearances and everything else that goes along with this kind of work. It was a positive and helpful experience, but difficult because of the time necessary to give it our all."

Castro, with the help of her husband, father-in-law, and local volunteers and workers, ran a number of successful community programs throughout the next two decades. She simultaneously ran an affordable preschool for locals and helped young women in need of resources and direction after escaping abusive and dangerous home lives. 

"I was made for exactly what I was supposed to do and I did it.  There is pure satisfaction in using everything god gave you to help others," Castro said.

Her most recent project is working for the local chapter of the national food relief organization, Treasure Box.  She chose this particular organization because she felt it most effectively filled the current needs of a large local demographic.

"It's about being in tune with everyone around you and the needs of each individual," she said.

Castro is especially concerned with those whose jobs are forcing furloughs on their workers.

"People are worried about losing their car because that's one whole car payment. Especially with the middle class," Castro said. "They're the ones stuck with the furloughs and the home foreclosures and they don't have the agencies there to help them out because they're not in the category of total poverty. All they need is just a little break to get them over the hump."

 She said, with Treasure Box, she can help give them that break.

"I could help provide these people with a way to put food on the table, to not have to cheat on having fresh meat for dinner, to have veggies—all of it for $30 to $40. That can help and have an impact," Castro said.

Castro stresses the importance of never giving up.

"The world is open to whatever you work your hardest for. If there's a wall, don't just whine, 'I can't do it.' Find a way to go around it or crawl over it. Just don't stop there," she said. "Don't listen to anyone telling you that you can't, whether it's a parent or a teacher. If you want something, go get it. The resources exist if you work hard."