Centro Corazon De Maria Inc

TO PROVIDE A PLACE OF WELCOME AND HOPE FOR IMMIGRANTS THROUGH EDUCATION, DIRECT SERVICE AND PUBLIC ADVOCACY.

EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE - RESPONDS TO THE NEEDS OF NEWLY ARRIVED INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILY UNITS AS WELL AS OTHER INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE UNABLE TO PAY RENT DUE TO ILLNESS OR LOSS OF WORK. MORE THAN 80% OF THE MONEY GOES TO RENT ASSISTANCE. THE OTHER 20% IS GIVEN FOR MEDICINE, PHYSICAL THERAPY, UTILITY BILLS AND FAMILY COURT SERVICE. WE INCLUDE MONEY SPENT ON FOOD GIFT CARDS IN THIS CATEGORY. ALL APPLICANTS ARE SCREENED TO DETERMINE THE URGENCY OF THE NEED, AND TO ASCERTAIN THAT ALL OTHER OPTIONS HAVE BEEN EXPLORED. FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS YEAR, WE RECEIVED 27 NEWLY ARRIVED FAMILIES MOST OF WHOM RECEIVED A MODEST SUM TO HELP WITH EXPENSES OF SETTING UP THEIR HOUSEHOLD. PERSONS WHO ENTER THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY ARE NOT ENTITLED TO ANY GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE AND ARE INELIGIBLE FOR UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE. MINOR NON-CITIZEN CHILDREN CAN RECEIVE MEDICAL INSURNACE. 122 FAMILIES WERE SERVED IN 2022.

MOTHERS AS PROTAGONISTS- IN JANUARY, NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER WE SERVED 17 SINGLE LATINO MOTHERS AND THEIR 18 PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN IN AN INTENSIVE INTERVENTION TO ADDRESS MOTHERS' ISOLATION AND CHILDREN'S LACK OF ACCESS TO EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION. CRITERIA FOR INCLUSION WAS INCOME BASED. MOTHERS ATTENDED A WEEKLY CLASS WITH THEIR CHILDREN, AND PARTICIPATED VIRTUALLY IN A WEEKLY PARENTING CLASS. A STIPEND OF $1000, PROVIDED BY A GENEROUS PRIVATE DONOR, WAS GIVEN TO MOTHERS MONTHLY FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROGRAMS.

CASE MANAGEMENT- THIS COVERS MANY VARIED INTERACTIONS WITH CLIENTS WHO BELONG TO THE IMMIGRANT LATINO COMMUNITY. THE MAJORITY OF OUR CLIENTS LACK LEGAL STATUS IN THE US. WE HAVE A DROP IN CENTER,5 DAYS A WEEK, OUR SERVICES ARE FREE, AND CLINETS GENERALLY SEEK SHORT-TERM HELP OR ORIENTATION ABOUT HOW TO HANDLE A CRISIS. OUR STAFF HAS A BROAD KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL SERVICES AND HOW THEY FUNCTION. WE DO INDIVIDUAL EVALUATION AND REFERRAL TO LEGAL, HEALTH AND HOUSING SERVICES;FILE APPLICATIONS FOR GOV'T PROGRAMS;WRITE CHARACTER AFFIDAVITS FOR IMMIGRATION COURT;PROVIDE SHORT-TERM COUNSELING, AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT, IN 2022, WE HAD 701 VISITS, REPRESENTING 895 ADULTS AND 763 CHILDREN IN 2022.