Girls Inc. of the Central Coast began in 1999 in one high school as one program: Education, Careers, Health, Opportunities (ECHO). In 2001, the ACTION Council of Monterey County adopted ECHO as its major project with the intention of expanding services, developing organizational capacity and sustainability, and when ready spinning it off as an independent non-profit organization. In 2006, we received our 501(c) (3) designation and became an affilitate of Girls Incorporpated. In 2010, a steering committee was formed to prepare for the agency’s transition to an independent non-profit. On July 1, 2011, Girls Inc. of the Central Coast became an independent organization with a 15-member Board of Directors (BoD) after ten years of stewardship under the ACTION Council. Girls Inc. has grown to serve more than 1,700 girls each year with seven programs, in 41 schools throughout 10 cities and rural Monterey, San Benito and most recently Santa Cruz County.