START Center News

Summer 2013
START Center News
Vol. 1 Issue 1
Thank you AEP! / Gracias AEP!
All smiles! The START Center receives a welcome donation
from Frank Espinoza, AEP. L to R: Yvonne Mendez; Frank
Espinoza-AEP, Jose Medrano and Oneida Villarreal.
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START Center has always had a friend in AEP, and that
was recently confirmed with a generous donation to our
ESG (Emergency Solutions Grant) Family Fund. Through
the due diligence of the ESG Case Management Team, we
were able to determine that our clients, not only, need
financial resources to get them back on their feet, but
many with infants and small children also need extra
supplies. Once AEP heard about this need, Frank
Espinoza, Manager of Community Affairs and his team
quickly came to our aid to help establish a fund to support
many incidental items not covered by the project. The
good news is that YOU, too, can now donate! Call or
come by the Center and ask how.
Gracias a AEP y al Sr. Frank Espinoza por su apoyo y
donacion a nuestro programa de emergencia ESG que
ayuda a familias en transición. Gracias AEP!
Spring Session Ends
Se termina la sesion de Primavera
Felicidades a nuestros alumnus del GED, clase de Ingles y los
de la Plaza Comunitaria en San Benito. Sinceras gracias a las
maestras Martha Cuellar y Rosa Vukmer.
Make your summer donation now!
Log onPLACE
to www.startcenter.org
and click
PHOTO HERE,
on the pay-pal button. We make it easy!
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743 N. Sam Houston
San Benito, Texas 78586
www.startcenter.org
E: [email protected]
P: 956 399-7818
M: 877-478-2781
F: 956-361-9033
The end of May is a time for celebration at the
START Center. It is a time marked by the success of
the spring session and our hopes and wishes for
students and teachers to have an awesome summer.
We would like to take this time to wish you all and
our students a wonderful summer as they prepare for
the new 2014 GED format that will begin in January.
Call the Center for more information about the NEW
GED format. We look forward to seeing you in
September! Be careful and enjoy your time off!
___________________________________________
El fin de Mayo es tiempo de celebracion en START
Center. Este mes marca el éxito que tuvieron los
alumnos durante la primavera en 2013, junto con
nuestros deseos de un maravilloso verano para
nuestros alumnos y Maestras. Acuerdense que el
formato del GED cambia en enero 2014. Llamen al
START Center para mas información. Disfruten de
sus vacaciones! Ahora si….. a la Isla del Padre!
Immigration Reform : Reforma Migratoria
Vol. 1 Issue 1
Summer 2013
Immigration Reform / Thank You
Congresista Luis Gutierrez en UTB
La Reforma Migratoria / Gracias
In the spring of 2013, START Center was very
involved with our Equal Voice and NCLR, National
Council of La Raza Partners in activities showing our
support for Comprehensive Iimmigration Reform.
START Center participated in many activities
including a vigil at Senator John Cornyn’s
Harlingen office where we met with his local
Chief of Staff, Ana Garcia, to discuss the
desperate need of families looking for the
Senator’s support on a bill towards
Comprehensive Immigration Reform..
One of the highlight events was START Center’s
participation with our Equal Voice partners, and
supported by our NCLR family, at an Immigration
Reform Rally on the UTB Campus. This event
was organized by Congressmen Filemon Vela and
Ruben Hinojosa, with special guest speak
Congressman Luis Gutierrez from Michigan and a
member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus.
Durante la primavera miembros del START
Center participaron en varios actividades tocante
la reforma migratoria. Junto con otros miembros
de la Red de Equal Voice, Voces Unidas, fuimos
parte de foros, demostraciones y reuniones con
nuestros legisladores tocante su apoyo de la
reforma migratoria. En particular, tuvimos 2
reuniones con la Directora de la Oficina del
Senador Cornyn en Harlingen, Ana Garcia, sobre
este tema tan importante para nuestras familias.
Uno de las eventos mas impactantes fue la session
organizado en UTB por los Congresistas Filemon
Vela y Ruben Hinojosa que se llevo acabo en
Abril. En el foro sobre la reforma migratoria
hablo el Congresista Luis Gutierrez de Michigan,
sobre la necesisdad de esta legislación sumamente
importante para nuestras familias.
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STARTOTHERWISE
Center: Impactante!
• Over 100 literacy students served annually
in GED/ESL & in our Plaza Comunitaria
• START Center has an 88% completion rate
• Community Organizing through Advocacy
• Over 1000 families served through outreach
education on important concerns for families.
• Creating an Involved Community
• START Center Registered over 500 new
voters in Cameron County in 2013.
.
•
.
____ You can feed a man a fish for a day……
•Or
Listteach
yourhim
services
orfish
products
here.
how to
for a lifetime….
• List your services or products here.
START: In the community / En la comunidad
Vol. 1 Issue 1
Summer 2013
There is help available for families
in a housing crisis!
Existe Ayuda para familias en
crisis por una vivienda!
In the fall of 2012, START Center was excited to
partner with La Posada Providencia through a
collaborative grant to help educate and provide
transitional assistance to families in crisis and in need
of emergency housing assistance. Since it’s inception,
Case Mangement Team, Yvonne Mendez and Oneida
Villarreal have provided financial assistance to over 30
families in Cameron County meeting the ESG program
guidelines. During these difficult economic times, many
families have found themselves needing emergency
re-housing assistance. If you would like more
information, please contact the ESG Program located
at the START Center or call us at 956-399-1322 .
____________________________________________
En el otono del 2012, START Center colaboro con La
Posada Providencia en un programa para educar y proveer
asistencia transicional a familias en crisis por el
procedimiento del desalojo. Ivonne Mendez y Oneida
Villarreal, del Equipo de Programación ESG, estan
dispuestas a ayudar a individuales y familias que se hayan
en esta grave situación. Desde su inicio, el Programa ha
asistido a mas de 30 familias en el Condado de Cameron. En
estos tiempos difíciles, muchas de nuestras familias se
hayan en una situación necesitadas de este tipo de ayuda.
Para mas información sobre este programa importantisimo,
marca al 956-399-1322 y pregunta por Ivonne o Oneida.
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United We Can / Unidos Podemos
With the support of our Equal Voice Community
Network of Organizations, LUPE, ARISE and TOP START Center helped educate Colonia Residents
about the Hurricane Dolly Relief Funds that would be
made available to over 800 Rio Grande Valley
Families to help them rebuild, rehab or relocate due to
housing damages created by the devastation of
Hurricane Dolly in 2008. We hope to see some of
those homes being built in Green Valley Farms and La
Paloma Colonias before the end of the year. We
would, especially, like to thank START Center
Community Organizers, Julio Santana III and Elsa
Gonzalez, Community Leader from Green Valley
Farms for their help in creating new opportunities for
families who were not aware that help was available.
Con el apoyo de la Red de Equal Voice/Voces Unidas
y nuestros colegas de LUPE, ARISE y TOP, START
Center ayudo en la educación de los residentes de
Green Valley Farms y La Paloma sobre los fondos
que van estar dispuestos para familias que tuvieron
dano a sus hogares durante el Huracán Dolly en 2008.
Esperamos ver a las primeras casas bajo construccion
en el Condado de Cameron antes del fin del ano.
Queremos, específicamente, dar gracias al Sr. Julio
Santana III, Coordinador en START Center, y la Sra.
Elsa Gonzalez lider de su comunidad en Green Valley
Farms, quienes tuvieron todo que ver en crear nuevas
oportunidades para las familias mas necesitadas.
“JUNTOS PODEMOS
TOGETHER WE CAN”
START Center
Summer 2013
Vol. 1 Issue 1
20 Years Serving Our community / 20 Anos Sirviendo a Nuestra Comunidad
th
START Center quietly observed our 20 year of quality educational programs and increased community advocacy in
September, 2012. It has been a wonderful journey for Board Members and staff, alike. From the first discussion in 1992
around a small kitchen table in San Benito about the literacy needs of our community, to taking our place at the regional
table creating new opportunities for families in the Lower Rio Grande Valley Region. START Center has been the quiet
resource that has always kept our families’ dreams in focus. Help us maintain that focus through the ” START Center
Vision 20/20” campaign to keep moving families from the kitchen table to the regional decision making table, and help
support our education programs that visualizes taking our students from the waiting room to the board room.
“Many of us have been blessed to see life through a journey of different perspectives. What you now choose to do with
that information……and whom you choose to support through life’s journey….is entirely up to you.”
En Septiembre del 2012, su Centro Comunitario START observo nuestro 20 aniversario proveendo programas educativos
y servicios a la comunidad de San Benito y en el Condado Cameron. Ha sido un viaje maravilloso, desde la primera
conversación alrededor de una mesita en una cocinita humilde de uno de nuestros fundadores, hasta tomar nuestro lugar
en 2013 en la mesa directiva regional del Valle ayudando a familias llegar a su suenos en nuestra region. START Center
ha sido un recurso que siempre mantiene a nuestras familias en la vista. Ayudanos mantener este enfoque por medio de
nuestra campana “START Center Vision 20/20” para continuar moviendo a nuestras familias desde la mesita humilde
hasta la mesa directiva. Pedimos su apoya para nuestros programas educativos que visualizan llevar a nuestros jóvenes
del salon de espera hasta el salon de la mesa directiva. Gracias por dejarnos servir. Gracias por su apoyo.
START Center
743 N. Sam Houston
San Benito, Texas 78586