My 35-Year Story with MAAC

By John Whittle

The military brought me to California, and when I was discharged from the Marine Corps, I decided to stay. I went back to carpentry, which I had done before my service, but once I started a family, I knew I needed stable work with medical benefits. I became a bus driver for the school district, and because California is expensive, I also worked a second job at the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

At the time, I was living in Vista and saw an open bus driver position at MAAC, which was based in Oceanside. I also applied for a driver position at Hollandia Dairy. Both offered me the job, so I took time to research which company I wanted to work for. MAAC was a small company that had been known for doing great work in the community for low-income families and the program director that interviewed me was very personable, so I decided to work at MAAC as a bus driver in Vista.

When I started at MAAC, there were only five schools, and the staff truly felt like a family. Staff and management worked together to support children and families in need. Looking back over the last 35 years, time has flown by. In that time, MAAC has grown immensely, always adapting as the needs of the community change. What began as a program only serving Head Start children, expanded to include Early Head Start as the need became clear.

As a bus driver, I loved the children, families and staff so much that I would stay and volunteer in the classroom to learn how I could further support them. This inspired me to go to college for child development so I could better understand the work other staff did and help me become a better parent. I think my success in MAAC came from learning what everyone does, including understanding what management did behind the scenes. As opportunities opened in the transportation and facilities departments, I was prepared. I became the transportation manager and later the operations manager, overseeing transportation and facilities for many years. MAAC then expanded to other cities in North County and almost doubled in size. Safety became a high priority with both the Office of Head Start and MAAC, so I was promoted to my current role of safety and transportation manager.

I have seen many changes here at MAAC and seen how families have grown in the community. There are more families advocating for their children and participating in their children’s school planning and activities. I am most proud of MAAC, when I see the children we serve graduate high school and go on to college or begin their careers. I have had children, now adults, come up to me and say they remember me and thank me. I have seen this experience with other teachers and the smile it brings to them. This impact is truly special and the feeling is indescribable.

I continue to work at MAAC, because I believe in the work we do for the community and the countless times we have helped a family in need. I still believe our staff are great at working with families and working as a team, they are another reason I continue to come to work every day. I do hope MAAC continues to pivot and adjust to our community needs in the future, keeping our staff familiar with the tools and resources needed to help the community. It does take a village to succeed in the business of helping others.

Last but not least, I want to give a shout-out to all the staff here at MAAC. I am incredibly proud of the work you do, and I thank you for your service.

John Whittle 

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