La Esperanza - 3rd Quarter 2013 Newsletter

7/27/2019 La Esperanza - 3rd Quarter 2013 Newsletter

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In this issue:

La Esperanza held its 2ndAnnual Family Festival at Georgetowns Bedford Paon Saturday, June 22, 2013. During the event, people gathered from all acroSussex County to celebrate a day filled with fun for our community and thfamilies. There were two live music performances including one by a local batitled: Pega Pega Tropical. Board member Peg Hertrich spent some time gettisoaked at the dunking booth while i.g. Burton, Mary Kay, Parent InformatiCenter and Girls, Inc. of Delaware were providing information and produabout their organizations and services. Children were at the moon bounces ga snow cone or two. Hispanic radio hosts from Maxima 900 were live playimusic and promoting the event. What was the best part? La Esperanza stmember Kelley Tindle and founder Sister Rosa dancing away with our frienthe clown (portrayed by Fernando Ramirez).

Top: Some of La Esperanzas staff pose for a photo from left to right: Ethel Sayles, Kel

Tindle, Anita Costales, Monserrat Celayos, Sister Ascension Banegas, Mayra Cruz, Marc

Morillo, Deysy Ojeda and Sister Rosa Alvarez.

013 Family Festival

he Victims Department Moves Out

harpening Our Skills: Trainingspdates from the PASA Program

And Were Live on the Air

Our Executive Director in New Orleans

urprise Times Two!

Whats New in the Outreach Program?

A Success Story: Rony Lopez

itizenship Courses Kick Off Again!

A Visit from the Attorney General

ou All Get a Van!

inner with Chicks for Charity

A Note from the Executive Director

La Esperanza Community Center216 North Race Street Georgetown, DE 19947

302-854-9262 www.laesperanza.org3rdQuarter Volume 1, Issue 2

www.facebook.com/LaEsperanza.Inc

La Esperanza supports the

in tegration and empowerment of

Latino immigrants

as productive and contri buting

residents of Sussex County,

Delaware.
http://www.laesperanza.org/http://www.laesperanza.org/


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age 2 Volume 1, Is

If you thought La Esperanza was getting rid of its victim services department, thinkagain! . . . Although, you were not totally off. However, as an agency we havegreatly grown in number recently so La Esperanza is happy to announce that someof its staff will be relocating to a new facility just down the street from the mainoffice. Our victim immigration attorney, mental health therapist and two victimadvocates will now be seeing clients in a new environment that is sure to providemore safety, security, and confidentially for victims of crime and abuse. They will

also be receiving more assistance with the addition of a new member to the team:a victim immigration assistant that will help with the initial intake of the clients aswell as support the staff to accommodate ourclients needs. And the feeling ofexcitement is unanimous as confirmed by victim advocate, Monserrat Celayos: Iam very excited to be moving into the new building. I believe this is a very positivemove for the Victims Department as a whole. Clients we serve will be positivelyimpacted and it will also be a place for them to feel secure as we work on policies

to ensure our clients safety. For more information about the new building or tocontact the victim services department directly, please refer to the informationbelow.

Top right: La Esperanzas main office.

Bottom right: The new victims department building located on North Race Street.

Contact Claudia Pea Porretti for further information via email [email protected] Services Department Information:

Telephone: (302) 858-4215Fax number: (302) 858-4217

Staff at La Esperanza has been keeping busy and sharpening their skills throughdifferent trainings, conferences and seminars that have been held throughout the year.In May the victim services department traveled to Rehoboth Beach for a two-daytraining hosted by the Delaware Coalition against Domestic Violence. Several staff

members also went to Providence, Rhode Island for further conferences and trainingon sexual assault abuse. In July, Marcela Morillo flew to the National Healthy Homesand Lead Poisoning Prevention training in Chicago, Illinois and most recently, Adrianand Anita from the prevention program attended some workshops at the 2013 SummerInstitute in northern Delaware. The trainings have benefitted the staff in serving clientsmore efficiently and in new ways. They received new information to pass along andshare with other employees at La Esperanza and they havent stopped there. There aremore trainings scheduled for the remainder of 2013 which means more challenges,more work, but more importantly more knowledge.

From the Victim Services Department, Monserrat Celayos (right) and

Jess Santana (bottom) both attend a victims advocacy

retreat in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

SIDE NOTE:

The Importance of Trainings & ConferencesTraining presents a prime opportunity to expand the

knowledge base of all employees. The investmentin training shows the employees they are valued.

Shelley Frost
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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age 3 Volume 1, Is

Above: Anita Costales and Christopher Fillat accompanied byMaxima900s staff members.

During the month of July, Anita Costales and ChrisFillat had the opportunity to visit radio stations LaExistosa and Maxima900. At La Exitosa, the focuswas on La Esperanzas PASA youth program andthe goals for the younger generation. Although theinformation presented at Maxima 900 was the same,the attention shifted to focus on the legal aspects ofdriving while the under influence ofsubstance/alcohol, as well as immigration issues.Both interviews were geared at informing the Latinocommunity of the dangers of alcohol and substance

abuse as part of La Esperanzas prevention initiative.

Adrian Giorgi and Anita Costales are hard at workpromoting the new PASA program as an outreach effort forheir prevention program. The prevention specialists now have

a core group consisting of ten youths, along with the supportof their parents, to begin building foundations for the future ofhe program. But the group is not alone anymore! Nyisha

Williams has now come on board as PASAs ProgramManager. Nyisha will be overseeing the groups projects,activities and will be collaborating with the preventionspecialists to make the PASA program even stronger.

In July, Adrian, Anita, Maria Porras and a volunteer parentchaperoned a group of fifteen adolescents as they took awildlife field trip to Assateague Island. The group was alsoable to come together for the Delaware Teen Idol event whichwas held in Dover this year. Participants were asked toshowcase their talents while relating their audition to one offive topics: HIV/AIDS, teen pregnancy prevention, fatherhoodnvolvement, violence prevention, mental health or substance

abuse prevention.Top right: PASA Youth group meeting with staff members from the DelawarePrevention Coalition. Bottom right: The PASA Youth group at Assateaguesland on a nature and wildlife tour as an activity providing an alternative to

alcohol and substance abuse.

Above: Claudia Porretti with other Delaware Latino advocates at the

NCLR Annual Conference.

La Esperanzas executive director, Claudia Pea Porretti, traveleto New Orleans, Louisiana from July 19th through July 24th for thNCLR Annual Conference. Among the panelists and speakers thwere present were First Lady Michelle Obama, TV personaliMaria Celeste Arraras and actress and activist Eva Longoria. ThNCLR Conference offered workshops that shed light on the neeof the Hispanic community and advanced their mission, which to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans through thrvalues: excellence, respect and accountability. Topics discusseincluded immigration, education, health and communiempowerment. The conference week ended with the NCLAnnual Awards Gala which honors members and/or contributo

of or to the Latino community.


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Our education coordinator, Kelley Tindle, received a pleasantsurprise from not one, but two of her ESL classes at the end of eachcourse. As Kelley was preparing to hand out certificates to students,they were preparing a small party to celebrate completion of thecourses as well as to thank Miss Kelley for her efforts. Kelleysaid that she knew that the morning class was preparing something

because she had been involved in the planning but it was a surpriseto her to have something presented by her evening class. But ofcourse, its not just all fun in Kelleys English classes or maybe

it is. She continues to make the classes as interactive as possiblewith individual, partner and group participations, and despite thechallenges that may arise due to the language learning process,Kelley says, I always try to make a joke or two, which definitely

keeps the classes lighthearted and comfortable for the students.Kelley has a third level English class as well as a second levelcomputer literacy class. They start in mid-September and continuefor sixteen weeks. For more information, please contact Kelley

Tindle, education coordinator, at (302) 854-9262 or via email [email protected].

Top rightphoto: Students from Kelleys evening class serving the food they

prepared for the end of the course celebration.Bottom right photo: Students from the evening English course pose for the

camera and proudly display their certificates.

For our outreach coordinator, Marcela Morillo, the summer

2013 has been anything but calm. With health fairs, poultry planand other organizations wanting La Esperanza to providinformation and materials about our programs and services onwonders: where does Marcela find the time to do it all? It is neasy, but she knows the outreach has to be done and she enjoyeducating the community. As our executive director once said describe the success of the outreach program, Where theres

health fair, Marcela is there. And another place where Marcewas this past July was Chicago, Illinois. She had the opportunito attend the National Healthy Homes and Lead PoisoninPrevention Training where she gathered with community actiomembers, state and local policy makers, graduate students, another folks interested in learning about the dangers of leapoisoning as well as the ways to prevent it. Marcela has alattended workshops for home visiting, care coordinator anreferrals as a focus for La Esperanzas healthy homes program.

Congratulations, Marcela, on becoming

a certified Healthy Homes Specialist!

Top left: From left to right, Kelley Tindle, Christopher Fillat,

Claudia Pea Porretti, and Adrian Giorgi.

Bottom left: Photo from the 19 th Annual Hispanic Festival held in Millsbor

Delaware.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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age 5 Volume 1, Is

La Esperanzas Programs & ServicesFamily Development

Outreach PASA Youth Program Pre & Post-Natal Care

Immigration ServicesVictim ServicesEducation Program

READ ALL ABOUT IT!

For the latest events and announcements,please visit our website at:

www.laesperanza.orgor our Facebook page at:

www.facebook.com/LaEsperanza.Inc.

Becoming a U.S. citizen is a hopeful aspiration for many immigrants. For Rony Lopeof Lincoln, Delaware, this dream became a reality on May 2, 2013. Rony had preparhimself by taking the citizenship course offered at La Esperanza. He knew he wready to take the exam as he walked into the examination room, but he could not hebut feel nervous. As he was answering each question, he wondered, Will I pass ttest? One question after another and soon he was done. Soon, officials gave Rony tnews that he had successfully passed the examination and his nervousness went aw

and he was immediately filled with overwhelming excitement and joy. The next stwas more important: Rony traveled to Wilmington where 80 to 100 successfapplicants were waiting for their opportunity to be sworn in as U.S. citizens. He sathe experience felt strange to him at first because his permanent residency carcommonly called a green card, was taken from him. It felt strange to no longer beresident but a citizen as his certificate was handed to him. Rony visited La Esperanwith his certificate to give the current citizenship students encouragement and to taabout of the benefits of becoming a citizen. Now Rony has another message for trest of the immigrant community that hopes for immigration reform: Keep fightindo what is right in the eyes of the law, learn English, and educate yourselves as muas possible about the USA, so when immigration reform comes around, you too, cqualify.

Above: Rony Lopez, proudly displaying his

U.S. citizenship certificate

for the world to see.

After a brief hiatus, the citizenship courses at La Esperanza are up and runningonce again. Al Potter, citizenship instructor, was eager to begin a new cycle oflasses and it shows. Al is always well prepared to teach the history and civics

of the United States. Topics that are covered during these classes include: thepilgrimage of European settlers, the American Revolution, the drafting of theU.S. Constitution, the Civil War and slavery, the Great Depression, both WorldWars, U.S. presidents, and the current formation of the U.S. government, amongothers. Each week students come to learn and to improve their reading, writingnd communication skills all to prepare for their citizenship exam. They alsoeceive weekly homework assignments. One of the students commented on her

own experience. Sometimes I do not want to come to class because it is difficultt times, but my children push me and say, Mommy, you have to do this. No

one else, not even us, will do it for you. Then I realized that my children areight. It is about time I took the citizenship classes and make myself a U.S.

Citizen. The students are also provided with up-to-date information on nationalnd international news and are given photographs and newspaper clippings to

help them get further help from outside sources. Once the classes finish, though,Al does not want them to stop learning. He says, Schedule your citizenshipnterview as soon as possible but keep up with everything and continue studying.

Otherwise, youll forget everything youve learned.Above: Al Potter (center) with two students, Mari

(left) and Alicia (right), from the citizenship course
http://www.laesperanza.org/http://www.laesperanza.org/http://www.laesperanza.org/


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Above: Two of the three vans purchased from i.g. Burton

Well, not everyone gets a van but, La Esperanza did receive $63from a Longwood Foundation grant to support three of our progr

the Family Development program, Domestic Violence and SeAssault program, and PASA Youth program. The generous grant

used to purchase three 2013 Dodge Caravan vans, which wpurchased from i.g. Burton in Milford. The new vans significantly increase transportation services for clients whoparticipants of each program. Since 1996, La Esperanza has bproviding programs and services to meet the needs of Laimmigrants residing in Sussex County and the surrounding

serving approximately 10,000 adults, children, and families each y

Above: Attorney General Beau Biden speaking during the pressconference held at La Esperanza.

Esperanza received a visit from state Attorney General,au Biden, on June 12, 2013. He organized a pressnference to discuss the importance of working togetherth community agencies, such as La Esperanza, to provide

e community with the necessary resources needed toport scams and frauds, which have been on the rise latelypecially within the Hispanic community. Among othersat were also present were George Camacho of Troop 4 andse Ortiz the Chief Investigator win the Consumerotection Unit. There was also media coverage includingat of WBOC 16, WMDT 47, Maxima 900, and the

anish newspaper HOY En Delaware.

On June 18, 2013 La Esperanza had the opportunity toattend a charity event that was organized by Chicks forCharity of Southern Delaware. The event featured a nightof dinner followed by a raffle of donated items withproceeds going to La Esperanzas domestic violence

program. Claudia Pea Porretti spoke about the programsand services offered at La Esperanza and informed dinnerguests about the dangers that our clients are facing as wellas the success stories that have come as a result of the helpthey receive. The event was held at Fish-On Restaurant inLewes, Delaware. Other community leaders andsupporters present were La Esperanzas board presidentMatt Haley, Peg Hertrich and Margaret Reyes.Chicks forCharity of Southern Delaware was established in the cityof Lewes, Delaware and is dedicated to assisting the lessfortunate. For more information on Chicks for Charity,please visit their website atwww.chicksforcharity.us.

Top: From right to left, Maria Porras, Marcela Morillo, Chris Fillat,

and Ethel Sayles. Bottom left photo: Sister Rosa Alvarez. Bottom

right photo: Sister Ascension Banegas and Neda Biggs.
http://www.chicksforcharity.us/http://www.chicksforcharity.us/http://www.chicksforcharity.us/http://www.chicksforcharity.us/


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A Note from the Executive DirectorOur logo includes a sun, which represents a new beginning for people coming to a new land, a n

beginning for Latino immigrants arriving to Sussex County with hope (esperanza) for a new life.

Even though the sun sets earlier now, La Esperanza continues to shine brightly each day. This ywith the help of individuals like you, we have been able to clearly see the bright possibilities fo

Esperanzas future. In 2013, we have been able to grow, thereby strengthening our programs

services that we provide to the Sussex County Hispanic communities. Through our P.A.S.A. (Prev

Alcohol and Substance Abuse) Youth Program, our Latino youth spend their afternoons engage

meaningful activities that help them combat the use of alcohol or drugs. Through our Victims Serv

Program, our victim clients feel empowered and secure in a new location designated solely for t

safety. Through our Healthy Homes program that is a part of our Family Development program,

Latino families are learning about the dangers of toxins and hazardous materials and chemicals in t

homes. Through our Education program, our adult students are learning English and computer s

to help them become more productive in their communities. And lastly, through our Immigra

Program, our Latino immigrant clients receive a broad range of legal services to help them at

permanent status and eventual United States citizenship.

As an agency, the growth was essential to provide our core services and programs. As a commu

the growth was necessary to assist the 16,000 Latino immigrants living in Sussex County and

surrounding areas. As a state, the growth was mandatory to support the many Latino immigrants

continue to migrate to Sussex County and call Delaware home.

Alas, with growth comes the need for more funding. La Esperanza needs the vital financial suppo

other agencies, Delaware communities, and the state if we are to continue to support the Latino Su

County communities. Specifically, we need essential funding to support our day-to-day operati

Through agency, community, and state collaborative efforts, we believe we can sustain our m

needed programs and services. As a society, it is imperative that we come together to discuss way

financially support La Esperanza and the work we do to provide our clients with a bright, hopeful fut

La Esperanzas

Board of Directors

Matthew Haley, President

Charles Burton, Vice-President

Randall Kunkle, Treasurer

Sr. Maria Mairlot, Secretary

Joel Diaz

Dr. Ileana Smith

Eugene S. Dvornick, Jr.

Randy McCreary

Peg Hertrich

age 7 Volume 1, Is

Our Staff MembersClaudia Pea Porretti

Maureen Horton GrossDeysy Ojeda

Maria Porras

Sister Rosa Alvarez

Sister Ascensin Banegas

Christopher A. Fillat

Neda Biggs

Ethel Sayles

Jess Santana

Monserrat Celayos

Mayra L. Cruz

Kelley TindleMarcela Morillo

Nyisha Williams

Anita Costales

It all starts with you!There are as many ways to support La Esperanza as there are

ways to give. We all have a success story that we have sharedWithout your support and the support of Sussex County and

Delaware communities, we could not touch so many who nowhave their own success stories. Working together, we can reac

thousands who will transform themselves, their communities

and the State of Delaware for the better. You can help usachieve our mission by making a financial contribution to

support our services or by volunteering your time.

DonationsGive online today atwww.laesperanza.organd help us provid

the ongoing support needed to help Latino adults, children,youth, and families living in Sussex County.

Volunteer OpportunitiesVolunteering at La Esperanza is a rewarding experience. We

offer numerous ways for you to get involved and help make adifference in the lives of Sussex County Latino families and

communities.

For more information about giving opportunities, please contaClaudia Pea Porretti via email at [email protected]

or by calling (302) 854-9262.
http://www.laesperanza.org/http://www.laesperanza.org/http://www.laesperanza.org/http://www.laesperanza.org/http://www.uwde.org/


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Building Bridges for Community Integration

216 North Race StreetGeorgetown, DE 19947

La Esperanza - 3rd Quarter 2013 Newsletter

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