“In Long Beach, there’s a misconception of prosperity,” says Jessica Quintana, Executive Director. “We’re addressing disparities through advocacy groups and coalitions, ensuring voices from historically neglected areas are heard. Our strong resident leadership, including women, men, and youths, advocates for justice and equality, making a tangible difference in City Council and beyond,” she adds.

Established in 1992 and officially incorporated in 1999, Centro CHA has remained steadfast in its mission to uplift the Latino/Hispanic community through social and economic development initiatives. At the core of Centro CHA’s ethos lies a commitment to fostering a thriving community where investments in low-income neighborhoods are prioritized and residents are empowered to lead sustainable lives. Their vision extends beyond more service provision; it encompasses a holistic approach to community development that addresses interconnected housing, education, employment, and civic engagement issues. “We have weathered peaks and valleys, facing unique challenges as a Latino-led organization in Long Beach,” says Quintana. “Proudly, our leadership, vision, and team are focused on uplifting our community, especially during crises like the pandemic. When our Latino community was disproportionately hit by economic downturns and faced hardships, our resilient team ensured that essential services continued despite personal risks. Our dedication remains steadfast in providing economic development and immigration support to our seniors, parents, youths, and children,” says Quintana.

Centro CHA’s future is brighter because of a planned Latino Cultural Center. With $4 million earmarked, the organization is making strides towards its realization, alongside a Mercado for economic empowerment and a hub space for workforce development, signaling a new era of ownership and impact.

Unlike other organizations, Centro CHA’s integrated approach ensures that individuals accessing their services are not limited to a single program. Instead, they are welcomed 9 SER America · Spring 2024into a supportive network offering a myriad of resources tailored to their needs. This commitment to holistic support has earned Centro CHA the trust and respect of its community members, fostering long-term relationships built on mutual understanding and collaboration.

Quintana says none of this progress has been by chance. “Our board’s diverse expertise fortifies Centro CHA’s mission. With a retired city manager offering institutional insights, a union leader bringing resources for advocacy and job creation, and an immigration lawyer ensuring compliance with data, is crucial. Our Latino Economic Impact Report revealed the overlooked contributions of our community, demanding overdue reinvestment,” she adds. legal obligations, our team is robust. As our organization evolves, we seek additional talents to bolster our efforts in economic development and immigration services. Together, we navigate challenges and envision a brighter future for our community.”

Economic inclusion serves as a cornerstone of Centro CHA’s work. Recognizing the Latino community’s systemic barriers, Centro CHA tirelessly advocates for equitable access to resources and opportunities. For them, creating a more just and equitable Long Beach is not just a goal—it’s a moral imperative ingrained in every aspect of their organization.

Quintana said leadership has been vital to the organization’s progress. “We were very strategic in organizing a board aligned with our mission and vision, tapping into the wealth of expertise within our community’s strong leaders, many of whom grew up in Long Beach and rose to executive positions. It’s crucial to have leadership deeply connected to the community’s needs and aspirations,” declares Quintana.

Centro CHA’s impact extends beyond its physical location; it reverberates throughout the city, shaping policies and attitudes toward economic and social justice. Through its team’s dedication and community leaders’ support, Centro CHA envisions a future where unemployment rates plummet, neighborhoods thrive, and every resident can reach their full potential.

“Taking control of our future is exhilarating yet demanding,” Quintana admits. “Yet, for the first time, there’s widespread investment in our community’s needs. Advocacy, backed by data, is crucial. Our Latino Economic Impact Report revealed the overlooked contributions of our community, demanding overdue reinvestment,” she adds.

The economic report isn’t just a compilation of data; it’s the cornerstone upon which Centro CHA designs its strategic programming, filling crucial voids in community services. Similarly, the organization’s dedication extends beyond its walls, as local government agencies and partners eagerly await this vital information to inform their initiatives.

“Addressing youth poverty is one of my imperatives,” says Jessica, who grew up in Long Beach. “Schools lack the necessary pathways, and parental guidance is often limited. Leadership is vital in creating and engaging young minds in economic opportunities. Even above minimum wage, the current economy isn’t sufficient, exacerbating economic disparities among young people.”

Through one-on-one relationships with case managers, youths benefit from a roadmap to success and the keys to unlocking their full potential. Whether preparing paperwork for GED courses or navigating financial aid options, Centro CHA is a steadfast companion on every step of the journey.

Similarly, for over two decades, Centro CHA has stood as a stalwart advocate for immigrant rights in the Greater Long Beach community, with a steadfast commitment to empowering its residents. In a world where immigrant rights are often challenged, Centro CHA is a testament to the power of compassion and collaboration in creating a brighter future for all. “The key lies in vigilance, strategic connections, and clarity about our community’s needs,” vows Quintana.

“Promising relationships with local officials, educational institutions, and state entities signal progress. The pandemic exacerbated existing disparities, demanding innovation and intentional action. We must work together for positive change to prevent further marginalization of the Latino community in Long Beach. We can and must deliver the opportunity of a promising future for all.”

“Much of our community’s resilience stems from a shared struggle to nurture what exists today,” says Juan Ramos, Executive Director. “Puerto Ricans, alongside other communities like Dominicans and Mexicans, opened doors and forged bonds. Despite
our diverse origins, unity became our strength. When faced with challenges, we rallied together, fighting for our identity and representation. In time and through initiatives like our community art gallery, we have come to ŷ��˿������ our heritage, ensuring our
story endures and inspiring the present and future generations,” adds Ramos.

With only a handful of volunteers and minimal staff, they took on the monumental task of rebuilding their beloved Southside community. Their vision was clear: reclaiming control over their housing and future. It was a fight not just for physical buildings but for the very soul of their neighborhood.

“Growing up in a struggling community, I witnessed firsthand the impact of gentrification and the challenges faced by seniors and victims of violence,” recalls Ramos. “Today, my personal experiences drive my commitment to this work. Our organization stands as a beacon of resistance against displacement. Despite our community’s transformation, we refuse to be priced out. We fight
to preserve our presence and advocate for our right to remain in our neighborhood.”

Fast-forward 51 years, and the landscape
of Williamsburg has undergone a profound transformation. What was once an affordable haven has become a magnet for a burgeoning artistic community, driving up rents and leaving longtime residents struggling to make ends meet. In the face
of this gentrification tsunami, Los Sures is a bastion of hope and support for those in need. Ramos expresses gratitude for the vision and actions of earlier advocates. “History grounds us, anchoring our organization and me in this community’s journey,” he states. “Our predecessors’ resilience birthed our existence, providing a foundation of purpose. As torchbearers, we must advance their legacy, fostering resistance and guiding future leaders. We’re entrusted with empowering others and ensuring our community’s
ongoing evolution. It’s a cycle of resilience and progress, a testament to our collective strength,” he adds.

The organization has evolved to meet the changing needs of its community, offering a diverse array of resources and services. From affordable housing and tenant organizing to senior residential and recreation centers, a hydroponic farm, and a local food pantry, Los Sures is a lifeline for countless individuals and families facing economic hardship. At the core of its mission, the Real Estate
Development Department tirelessly acquires and develops low-income housing, breathing new life into neglected buildings. With over 5,000 units rehabilitated and constructed, they pave the way for affordable living, empowering local families to thrive.
Their funding sources, from governmental entities to financial institutions, underscore their dedication to accessible housing.

“Los Sures faces unique challenges as a nonprofit management and development company. We lack the same opportunities as for-profit developers, and maintaining affordable housing becomes increasingly difficult with rising costs. Balancing affordability while covering expenses requires creativity and accessing subsidies for tenants. We’ve learned that offering affordable housing
isn’t enough; wrap-around services are essential. Residents shouldn’t have to choose between basic
needs and housing.”

Meanwhile, the Tenant and Community Organizing Departments form the backbone of grassroots advocacy, rallying residents
around vital issues. From tenants’ rights to civic engagement, these departments foster solidarity, ensuring that the voices of the South Side are heard. Through education and empowerment, they cultivate a sense of ownership and agency within the community.

In tandem, the Social Services Department offers a lifeline to those in need, employing a holistic, community-based approach. From individual case management to crisis intervention, they provide comprehensive support, guiding formerly homeless tenants toward stability. With its innovative Hydroponic Farm, the bustling Los Sures Food Pantry nourishes over 800 individuals monthly, addressing food insecurity at its root.

Amidst this tapestry of support, the Los Sures “David Santiago” Senior Center stands as a vibrant hub of companionship and care. Here, eighty seniors find nourishment for both body and soul daily, enjoying hearty lunches and engaging in social recreation.
“Being recognized by a national organization of committed Latinos is an honor, acknowledging our agency’s efforts to empower our community. It underscores our unity and the importance of sharing opportunities and camaraderie among Latino leaders and organizations. This exchange of information fosters collective progress and strengthens our bonds.”

United in purpose, the departments of Los Sures exemplify the transformative power of community-driven initiatives. Together, they weave a safety net of support, empowering residents to build brighter futures in the heart of Brooklyn’s South Side.

“Looking ahead, the next phase involves welcoming new community members and ensuring our developments cater to their needs,”
says Ramos. “Completing projects like housing 94 low-income senior units with adequate social services is just the beginning. Our efforts in the next years will shape the legacy of Southside United for the next 51 years. Inspiring young leaders ensures our organization’s continued impact and relevance,” he says.

MCIP is where dreams take flight, barriers are shattered, and lives are transformed for the betterment of oneself and the uplifting of all touched by its profound influence. Welcome to MCIP, where the journey of discovery knows no bounds. “Our focus is on preparing young people to succeed in academics and to be leaders in their community,” says Maria Tukeva, MCIP Founder. “This also means becoming leaders in the quest for social justice, and we do this through providing them with educational experiences that help them become designers of their future,” she adds.

The year was 1979 when a beacon of hope first emerged on the educational horizon – the inception of MCIP. Founded with a noble purpose, MCIP aimed to cater to the overlooked potentials of promising students, many of whom hailed from low-income backgrounds and belonged to linguistic minority groups. “From the beginning, we had a long-standing commitment to college and career success for not only Latino young people but all young people of color and that as a school and its associated foundation, they were and are today our number one priority,” she says. Yet, Tukeva saw that these bright minds were slipping through the crevices of the SER America · Spring 2024 16efficient model where the school does instructional services during the day. MCIP does enhanced and extended instructional services after school through the evening. Our efficiency benefits every student because we have different grants that complement what the school does. It perfectly complements the instructional vision and the idea of 100% college attendance preparation and resilience. If college is not attainable, we endeavor 100% career viability, so no child is left behind.” conventional public schooling system or had already been discarded from its confines. Maria identified many factors contributing to this educational exodus: an absence of cultural and linguistic sensitivity, systemic apathy, and a deficiency in teacher training and support. Moreover, low expectations existed for student achievement, inadequate curricular offerings, and a heavy reliance on punitive measures like suspensions and expulsions.

Maria saw a better way, and so did the community that joined her. To combat this educational injustice, they embarked on a journey over three decades ago, initially welcoming 40 students who had either been pushed out or had willingly dropped out of the District of Columbia public schools. By the close of a decade, in 1989, MCIP had blossomed into a full-fledged alternative school, serving a daily cohort of 600 students. This marked the genesis of BMHS – Bell Multicultural High School – born from the merger of MCIP’s core instructional program with the Bell Career Development Center.

Despite many challenges, MCIP surged forward, adapting its methodologies to meet the evolving needs of the BMHS student body. A significant milestone was reached in 2008 with the merger of BMHS and Lincoln Multicultural Middle School, giving rise to the Columbia Heights Educational Campus (CHEC), a groundbreaking institution spanning grades 6 through 12 – a first in Washington D.C. history.

Along the way, Kapindi Kroma joined MCIP and helped Maria and the leadership team expand services to fulfill the mission. Today, he serves as Executive Director of MCIP. “Our programs are run as an efficient model where the school does instructional services during the day. MCIP does enhanced and extended instructional services after school through the evening. Our efficiency benefits every student because we have different grants that complement what the school does. It perfectly complements the instructional vision and the idea of 100% college attendance preparation and resilience. If college is not attainable, we endeavor 100% career viability, so no child is left behind.”

For Maria and Kapindi today, inclusiveness at MCIP is more than just a word. “One thing that we realized when students returned from the pandemic was that engagement was never what we wanted it to be,” says Maria. “After the pandemic, it was even more challenging, and students had decided to do other things. So, we realized we had to change how we were doing things. We needed to know what they wanted, so we’ve focused on student voice and choice over the past two years. We are incorporating what students wish to do in everything from the cafeteria food to the curriculum to how we do the master schedule for the day.”

Kapindi echoes those sentiments and speaks of the strength that comes from a united effort. “Voice and choice are powerful, and the MCIP board has always had student representation. Our bylaws call for at least three student representatives. Now, the school is incorporating that voice and choice philosophy into its strategies and structures. We instill in all of our students that if they take the work seriously, there is nothing that they can’t do. This belief is why we have a delinquency intervention program plus targeted literacy intervention. During the school day, we ask struggling students to come to one-on-one sessions where they can counsel and instruct so they know we care and we’re here to help them succeed.”

This union has broadened MCIP’s outreach and diversified its efforts to encompass middle school education. Today, MCIP stands as a beacon of educational equity, offering myriad evidence-based instructional and support services to bridge the achievement gap for the 1400 students and families comprising CHEC. MCIP continues to pave the path toward a brighter future for all through unwavering dedication and innovative approaches.

“It is wonderful that SER National recognizes MCIP, but mostly because that’s how we started,” recalls Maria fondly. “We would not be here if it weren’t for SER National. We go back to 1979 when I first worked on the proposal for the school with a team of people from SER National. Seeing how far this initiative has gone and can continue for many years is exciting and personally rewarding to experience,” she adds.

Kapindi speaks of the ambitious opportunities beyond the horizon that MCIP is also working to realize. “We are on a journey to create the nation’s first youth-run community development corporation, or CDC, where students come to school and learn the tools to solve problems within their community. Their education is no longer something that they must wait ten years to start applying. Now, reading makes sense, and math makes sense. So do negotiation debates and understanding contracts. All these types of things are relevant and important right now. When we create the CDC, it will be student led and a component to really refining public education that rarely ever changes.”

What does Maria see ahead? The path is promising for her and closely linked to those who will help shape it. “I see us becoming even more of a youth-oriented agency where we incorporate youth voices, not just like a little committee here and there, but everywhere because they are our future. I see us as an organization incorporating them into everything we do and create for tomorrow. What we can achieve is limitless and exciting.”

Established in 2013 by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden, Casa San Jose was born out of a deep-seated commitment to uplift and empower the region’s burgeoning Latino population. The richly faceted social services agency embodies the resilience and empowerment that define the organization’s mission.

Monica Ruiz, Executive Director of Casa San Jose in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, readily acknowledges the challenges and growth of the Latino community. She states, “I think that for us here in Pittsburgh, PA, Latinos are less than 2% of the population, but we have grown more than 80% in the last ten years. Before, Latinos came for work and then left to return to their homes, returning seasonally. But then, they began to settle here and stayed to raise their families.”

As the city witnessed an influx of newcomers, Casa San Jose emerged as a lifeline, filling in the gaps for services that the community desperately needed but were unavailable. Monica’s vision extended beyond immediate aid; she aimed to create bridges within institutions and processes that have seen little change in decades.

Monica laments, recounting the countless instances where community members were stranded because of a lack of linguistic support in crucial institutions. “Language access remains a significant barrier,” Ruiz states. “Language access must be our greatest barrier at present. You go into a city or county office, and they have nothing in Spanish for residents. Even healthcare services lack language and cultural accessibility. For example, we only have two Spanish-speaking pediatricians,” she says.

The organization’s staff reflects the community they serve. Ruiz notes, “We have a staff of 27, and out of these individuals, maybe six or seven were born here in the United States. Everyone else is from somewhere else or has received services from us. Their lived experience is invaluable as they now help others. We have a great mix of people,” Monica beams, highlighting their shared experiences as immigrants and their dedication to the cause.

“Casa San Jose fills gaps in services for the community,” Ruiz emphasizes. “However, we want people to acquire the skills and knowledge to learn how to navigate the services themselves in this city. This is a very complex process, but we’re building resiliency within folks as they experience success,” she adds.

Casa San Jose is a resource hub for Latino immigrants seeking assistance and guidance from weekly clinics and food pantries to Know Your Rights sessions and summer camps. Its comprehensive programs encompass social services, emergency aid, community advocacy, English language classes, mental health support, housing assistance, and specialized programs for children with autism.

As importantly, Casa San Jose champions amplifying inclusion at every level within the larger community, ensuring that the voices of those they serve are heard and elevated. “Representation is essential,” emphasizes Monica. Particularly important is pushing for inclusivity in decision-making processes in programs and services that impact the Latino population. Ruiz explains, “Representation means having people with a voice and viewpoint authentic to the issue or need we are addressing in our city.“

One central area of focus of Casa San Jose is working with local youths through several of the organization’s programs: Jóvenes Con Propósito fosters a vibrant community of Latino youth, championing immigrant rights and igniting social change. With a firm belief in the current leadership of today’s youth, the program meets weekly during the academic year, nurturing empowerment and activism.

Puentes Hacia el Futuro, tailored for ages 6-14, cultivates cultural identity and leadership skills through trust-building activities, discussions, and educational pursuits, preparing youth for a dynamic future blending Latino and American cultures.

Campamento Sonrisa offers an enriching summer experience for youths aged 7-14, blending education, outdoor adventures, and sports. Participants enjoy nutritious meals throughout the structured camp, including breakfast, lunch, and snacks. The elementary session runs from June to July, while the middle school session spans from mid-July to August, providing an inclusive opportunity for all applicants at no cost.

Casa San Jose serves multi-generational families in tangible, practical ways every day. For its stakeholders, it is both about the here and now and the future of the Latino comunidad. “We are learning from other larger cities with decades of experience working within significantly bigger Latino populations,” says Ruiz. “At the same time, I hope that we can offer smaller communities near and around us an example of how to build resilience and help our people not just survive but thrive for years to come,” she adds.

“Their work revolves around the people facing challenging situations every day,” says Manuela M. Zarate, Vice-President and Chief Operations Officer of SER Metro Detroit (SMD). “We all realize that we share many of the same beliefs and commitments to serving our community. For us, making an impact in the neighborhoods is being right where the people are; being where they live and work, so they see you every day, not in remote executive offices on State Street or Michigan Avenue in Downtown Chicago. CSS is embedded in communities like Little Village or reaching across Greater Chicago, Cook and Kane Counties, and the State of Illinois at large. CSS and SERCO in Illinois offer a wide range of services for youth and adults of all ages. These include after-school tutoring and mentoring, GED, vocational and pre-apprenticeship training; in partnership with Apple, we offer Coding and ŷ��˿������, among many other services. SERCO in Illinois is the South Suburban American Jobs Center operator in North Riverside, Il, and a training partner of the Kane County Workforce Board in Aurora, Il. We are essentially among the people we serve,” she adds. For Zarate, that same clear focus of purpose continues to be a hallmark of her career and understanding of what it means to help an individual who walks into a SER site today. “I say to our staff, always look at the person that’s coming in for a service with care and respect. That’s the only way you’re going to be able to assess their needs – by caring truly. You have to make sure that we not only look at the immediate needs, but how can we open additional opportunities for that person? The answer may come, not just through the person sitting in front of you; rather, it may be that we need to help the family to address other, underlying challenges they are facing,” she adds.

The Little Village team at SER is focused on outreach and education within one of America’s most diverse inner-city neighborhoods in the Midwest. Team members attribute the successes of CSS to understanding firsthand what residents need and the services that can help address those needs. “As servant leaders and role models, we have to remember who our customers are and what they expect from us. This purpose is why we are here and entrusted with public funding. This work is how we meet our responsibilities,” says Zarate.

Zarate says CSS and SERCO in Illinois have achieved respect for consistently meeting and exceeding the benchmarks of program performance. Its stakeholder partners include the State of Illinois, the Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, the City of Chicago, the Illinois Department of Human Services, the Kane County Workforce Board, and many other governmental agencies, foundations, and philanthropists. “We have to be accountable to them while at the same time remembering that the most important measures of our work are the results that we see in the people we serve,” she adds.

Zarate cites one example of that holistic approach to community service that now includes offering more than 100 different social service programs and services across a broad spectrum. “We have one particular program that transformed our service delivery model through a grant we received back in 2008 to start the Center for Working Families.

The project is a financial education program that acts as an umbrella incorporating financial literacy and education, income supports, and workforce development into every service and program we offer. These services are available to the community at large. In this program, we take a deep dive into the participant’s financial needs and explore additional economic supports they might need. We then qualify our participants for the most suitable services: financial aid, public support, and a comprehensive financial education package offered in partnership with partner financial institutions while working towards their self-sufficiency. The goal is to help them through transformative change that breaks a socio-economic cycle so they can become self-sustaining long-term.”

Zarate and the CSS leadership team share another passion readily apparent to anyone who speaks with them. They see their role in their work as planting seeds of social change for future generations. “In Chicago, I know we are making an impact beginning with staff,” says Zarate. “Many of them are former program participants and come out of challenging backgrounds themselves, so they know in very personal terms the kind of help our customers are desperately seeking, and they do everything they can to reach out and take the hand that the system has often slapped away. We may well be the first and only people who have ever said to that young man or woman, I believe in you, or I know you can do it. Those simple gestures can mean so much to people, and we never know when we will have that opportunity.”

Manuela M. Zarate and the CSS leadership team exemplify the true spirit of people serving people. Zarate’s journey from a young student applicant to eventually becoming one of the organization’s top leaders results from answering a personal calling of caring for others. “At SER, we are all innovators, so we continuously reinvent ourselves. Together, we will continue to lead SER to be consistently present and relevant to the needs of those we serve. So, even if the entire world was employed and well trained, we can be sure to find a way to provide needed services. This is because people’s lives are always changing, and human nature is to want to improve and advance,” concludes Zarate.
With the dedication of that caliber, there is no doubt that Little Village and Greater Chicago will continue to benefit from the services of Central States SER.

The true secret to LaAmistad’s success over the years in serving thousands of families is its team members’ commitment to genuinely caring about every person they touch and striving for excellence. The dedication is across the board and includes LaAmistad’s staff and community partners. Also, program funders not only help sustain the work financially. They join in by donating their time personally and rolling up their sleeves to help as volunteers. Funders say the experience gained through these mentoring opportunities has been the most beneficial. They can see firsthand and understand how their financial assistance makes a tangible change in people’s lives and the return on their investment is beyond their wildest expectations.

“The knowledge that a volunteer cares about a student’s success inspires gains in their academic performance, language fluency, and overall quality of life,” says Cat McAfee, Executive Director. “Proof of this is stories like that of Vanessa C., who initially attended LaAmistad’s after-school program as a first-grader. Her parents migrated to the United States from Mexico, and they made sure that Vanessa continued in our programs through high school. They also enrolled Vanessa’s siblings, and then Mom took our ESL course and graduated successfully. After Vanessa earns her college degree, we dream that she might come back and become a part of LaAmistad’s team. Now that would be exciting and a great example for other young people and families,” adds McAfee.

A recent major demonstration of LaAmistad’s keen understanding of its critical role for the Latino communities the organization serves happened when COVID19 led to massive school closures. “This meant that many of the students who depend on school lunches would have missed out on one or more of the most critical meals of their day,” recalls McAfee. “We adapted our school transportation bus into a meal delivery vehicle to reach and nourish our school-age students. During the past two years, we delivered more than 40,000 meals. This is a major achievement, and I am grateful to everyone who made this possible,” adds McAfee.

Atlanta is projected to continue being one of the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan regions with a robust Latino presence in virtually every sector of its economy. LaAmistad is poised to grow with this population, which is younger, more mobile, and eager to gain an education, plus a good-paying job that provides for its families and ensures their future. Traditional county and local government agencies realize that reaching and serving this population segment presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Community education programs on such issues as preventative health care can help stem the need for more expensive acute care. Also, housing assistance and nutrition programs work best when coordinated with community agencies on the ground where the need is greatest. Local safety nets now include faith-based, secular, and business partners working together to forge solutions that address specific needs systematically.

LaAmistad has made tremendous strides by meeting stakeholders where they live and work. Sometimes the initial outreach and contact may be at a neighborhood church or social services distribution center. “The first step is building trust with new families, many of whom have heard of LaAmistad but may not know how to enroll or apply,” says Brendon Jaramillo, LaAmistad’s Communications Manager. “We are moving now into being very laser-focused with our messaging so that we can locate, identify and engage with multi-generational Latino households and be able to provide a value proposition for each member to become involved. Our access to technology enables us to geo-fence a specific five-mile radius and target whom we reach and what we say. By enabling our leadership and team to analyze big data collaboratively, we are able to leverage all of our resources and maximize our quality,” adds Jaramillo.

At the same time, LaAmistad is constantly taking the pulse of critical people in its service family. Jaramillo continues by saying, “I think one of the most vital activities we invest in involves constantly surveying students, volunteers, and staff asking how we can improve programs? Also, how can we make our communication processes smoother, better, and continuous? As importantly, LaAmistad is always interested in being on the leading edge of education, so we are always working to improve the learning materials we utilize at every level.” McAfee affirms that strategy and sees the opportunity to expand efficiently and effectively as LaAmistad increases its move to tap into new technological pools of knowledge. “Our decision-making remains data-driven, as we utilize the most current research and practices to inform the services we provide. We see both the need and the space to provide services beyond Metro Atlanta into other regions of Georgia and even beyond. We will examine each opportunity on its merit to see whether it aligns with our vision for the future to deliver educational services through a holistic approach. LaAmistad wants to understand and respond to all those factors that impact both school-age and adult students. Another cornerstone of LaAmistad we pledge to continue supporting is being an organization that welcomes and fully embraces all who wish to volunteer and be active agents of change for the better in their communities. Progress takes place incrementally, and every volunteer helps along the way. In this way, we can be true to the mission Bill Maness envisioned from the beginning and meet our commitment today to our wonderful sponsors and program partners who help sustain this work,” she adds.

To learn more about LaAmistad, check out their website .