Hispanic Resource Center Fiesta to Help Pay for More ESL

10th Anniversary Gala Also Supports Social Services for 1500 Families

by Harold Wolfson; photos by Myra Hafetz

(October 23, 2008) When the Hispanic Resource Center (HRC) was founded in 1998, it had no office of its own, no funding, only hope and enthusiasm.

Today it serves more than 1500 families and individuals from two facilities with 10 staff members, an executive director, dedicated volunteers and strong community support.

Much of HRC’s ongoing work of helping local immigrants will be on the line on Thursday, November 6th when it conducts its single most important fundraising activity, its 10th anniversary Fiesta, 6:30 – 10 pm at the Hampshire Country Club.

Funds raised will help support the recently announced expanded ESL program at
Mamaroneck Avenue School, jointly run by HRC and the Mamaroneck School district. It combines ESL training for adults with an enriched education program for their children, fostering learning within families. (See: Schools & Hispanic Resource Center to Launch Expanded ESL.)

ESL program co-coordinator Jennifer Dolan-Waldman (left) is among those being honored.

“Until someone can speak the language, it is difficult for him or her to find steady work, navigate social and educational systems or become fully integrated in the community,” explained HRC’s executive director, Mariana Boneo.

By way of spotlighting the importance of its ongoing ESL program, HRC will present its Amigo award to its ESL volunteers during the Fiesta. Pro bono coordinators Dr. Jennifer Dolan-Waldman and Joan Gottesman will accept the award along with 50 volunteers.

“What makes the ESL program unique is a remarkably high retention of volunteers who devote an enormous amount of time and energy to making this program work,” Dr. Dolan-Waldman said. “They see how our students struggle to attend classes, often juggling commitments to one or two jobs as well as child care responsibilities. Our students come with their distinct needs and the teachers try to balance our desire to be organized and have structure with what our students need to know immediately.”

Joan Gottesman, ESL program co-coordinator is being honored along with all of the many ESL volunteer teachers.

Funds raised at the Fiesta also will support programs to assist immigrants with housing, health, wage collection, job and civic training.

Many early supporters and present community leaders will participate in the Fiesta to celebrate HRC’s tenth anniversary, and the Fiesta journal will carry material on its early history.

Mamaroneck Town Supervisor Valerie O’Keeffe, who has closely followed HRC since its beginning, recently offered this assessment of the first decade. “What’s amazing to me,” she said, “is that in the short span of ten years, this community, through its generosity and sense of fairness, could come up with a full-blown social agency of the quality of HRC. I don’t know of any community agency that has more dedicated residents helping it or a more talented and stronger board.”

Fiesta!

Naomi Lowenthal and Melina Vourlekis, chairpersons of the Fiesta, have promised that while the goals of the fundraiser are serious, the Fiesta will not be. It will be great fun, they promise. The benefit will feature dancing to live music of Blackout 77, and a sampling of Latin American foods such as empanadas, arepas, roast pig, arroz con pollo and sangria from the Liquor Pantry.

Auction & Raffle: There will be a live auction for vacations in St. Maarten and Quisisana in Maine, tickets to Z-100’s Jingle Ball and the Daily Show with Jon Stewart as well as a gourmet authentic Cuban dinner at a private home. A raffle featuring Giants tickets, a photograph by local artist Palmer Davis, jewelry by Pam Older and Priscilla Warner, cooking classes by Renee Cohen, an I-Touch and certificates for clothing from Etdcetera and Designer One will round out the festivities.

Tickets are $125 per person and are available by calling HRC at 835-1512. Further information is available from Naomi Lowenthal (833-2958) or Melina Vourlekis (834-7865).

Honorees: The ESL volunteers, past and present being honored at the Fiesta are: Susan Adler, Nadia Ahmad, Diane Andersen, James Austrian, Harriet Barrish, Laura Bigaouette, Helene Buchen, Manuel Boado, Evelyn Carbone, Jennifer Batterman Carlson, Pat Carroll, Katie Christiansen, Ella Cohen, Ana Corten, Barbara Cronin, Andrew Dyson, Barbara Flickinger, Alex Gottesman, Jackie Israel, Sharon Jacobs, Marie Johnston, Eric Jones, Joan Gould Kleinband, Amy Kriss, Elizabeth Linder, Chloe Liscio, Ruth Lowy, Katie Madsen, Kimberly Martinez, John McIntyre, Michael Miller, Scott Miller, Peggy Parrott, Andrea Potash, David Reeder, Jennifer Frey Reibstein, Michael Rosenbaum, Bob Saenger, Elizabeth Saenger, Margarita Sawhney, Carol Scharff, Emily Seife, Mary Silk, Mary Sobel, Lizette Soto, Ruth Spiro, Barbara Staffaroni, Allyson Stavis, Catherine Sullivan, Kevin Sullivan, Nora Tulchin, David Weiss and Susan Ziluca.

Harold Wolfson is on the board of the Hispanic Resource Center.

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