Hispanic Unity Of Florida Inc

EMPOWERING IMMIGRANTS AND OTHERS TO BECOME SELF-SUFFICIENT, PRODUCTIVE AND CIVICALLY ENGAGED.

LANGUAGE & EDUCATION PROGRAM EDUCATION DEPARTMENT: 2,046 INDIVIDUALS SERVED FAMILY STRENGTHENING PROGRAM (FSP) FSP IS A PARENT-EDUCATION PROGRAM THAT TEACHES THE IMPORTANCE OF NURTURING BEHAVIORS AND PROMOTES HEALTHY PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN CHILDREN. WE SERVED 320 INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING CHILDREN AND PARENTS/CAREGIVERS. UNITY 4KIDS (U4K) EARLY LEARNING CENTER U4K REMAINED CLOSED FOR MUCH OF 2021 DUE TO THE HIGH POSITIVITY COVID-19 RATE IN BROWARD COUNTY. FAMILIES WERE REFERRED TO OTHER HUF PROGRAMS AND COMMUNITY RESOURCES TO MEET THEIR EMERGENT NEEDS. U4K SAFELY REOPENED IN AUGUST 2021, AND SERVED 34 INDIVIDUALS, INCLUDING PARENTS AND CHILDREN. ENGLISH FOR SPEAKERS OF OTHER LANGUAGES (ESOL) THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED FOR ADULT STUDENTS, 18 YEARS AND OLDER, TO COMMUNICATE COMPETENTLY IN ENGLISH AND PERFORM IN THE SKILL AREAS OF LISTENING, SPEAKING, READING, AND WRITING. 140 STUDENTS LEARNED ENGLISH VIA IN-PERSON ESOL CLASSES IN PARTNERSHIP WITH BROWARD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, BETWEEN AUGUST AND DECEMBER. UNITY 4TEENS (U4T) PROGRAM OUR YEAR-ROUND PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL AGE YOUTH PROVIDES EDUCATION AND ENRICHMENT ACTIVITIES. AS SCHOOLS REOPENED IN THE LATER PART OF THE YEAR, OUR FOCUS CONTINUED TO BE CONNECTING WITH FAMILIES AND ASSISTING THEM IN ACCESSING RESOURCES. THE ACADEMIC YEAR STARTED WITH IN- PERSON CLASSES IN AUGUST 2021 AND SO DID OUR RECRUITMENT EFFORTS FOR IN- PERSON YOUTH DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMING. WE WORKED WITH A TOTAL OF 830 STUDENTS FROM APOLLO, ATTUCKS, MCNICOL AND OLSEN MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND 722 STUDENTS FROM MIRAMAR, DEERFIELD BEACH AND HOLLYWOOD HILLS HIGH SCHOOL.

ECONOMIC MOBILITY, ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND HEALTH & WELLBEING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT: 11,574 INDIVIDUALS SERVED COVID UPDATE HUF'S COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS (CHW) FOCUSED ON PROVIDING VACCINE EDUCATION AND ACCESS TO OUR COMMUNITY RESOURCES, INCLUDING ON-SITE VACCINATIONS. WE SERVED A TOTAL OF 4,426 INDIVIDUALS IN OUR EFFORTS. MAIN NUMBER CONTINUED TO SERVE AS EMERGENCY HOTLINE COMMUNITY MEMBERS MADE 4,498 CALLS SEEKING INFORMATION REGARDING HUF SERVICES, VACCINATION INFORMATION, AND REQUESTING EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE. OPEN COMMUNICATION DURING THE PANDEMIC WAS AN IMPORTANT STEP TO ENSURE FAMILIES WERE DIRECTLY CONNECTED TO SERVICES THEY NEEDED AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. CENTER FOR WORKING FAMILIES (CWF): WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WE BEGAN TO SEE AN INCREASE IN REQUESTS FOR EMPLOYMENT SERVICES AT THE BEGINNING OF 2021, ALTHOUGH IT WAS CHALLENGING TO CONNECT WITH CLIENTS AS MANY WERE FEARFUL OF ENCLOSED SPACES. WE ASSISTED 199 INDIVIDUALS WITH RESUMES, JOB READINESS WORKSHOP TRAININGS, AND JOB SEARCHES. HEALTH AND PUBLIC BENEFITS: INCOME SUPPORTS COMPRANDO RICO Y SANO FOOD INSECURITY AND THE NEED FOR ACCESS TO HEALTH AND APPLICATION ASSISTANCE CONTINUED TO BE A PRIMARY FOCUS OF OUR PUBLIC BENEFITS TEAM IN 2021. CHW SUBMITTED 2,740 SNAP (FOOD STAMPS) APPLICATIONS IN 2021. COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS, KNOWN AS PROMOTORAS DE SALUD, FACILITATED 18 IN- PERSON AND VIRTUAL CHARLAS (NUTRITION WORKSHOPS) WITH AN EMPHASIS ON INCREASING FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION AND MEAL PREPARATION AT HOME. THEY ALSO CONDUCTED COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS AND GROCERY SHOPPING TOURS. TE AYUDO DURING 2021, 297 INDIVIDUALS SUCCESSFULLY SUBMITTED APPLICATIONS (AND WERE APPROVED) FOR AFFORDABLE HEALTH COVERAGE. HUF'S MISSION DURING THIS TIME WAS TO PROVIDE UNDERSERVED INDIVIDUALS & FAMILIES, INCLUDING IMMIGRANTS, WITH THE KNOWLEDGE TO ACCESS HEALTHCARE OPTIONS AND NAVIGATE THE HEALTH INSURANCE AND HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. CLIENTS LEARNED TO MAXIMIZE COVERAGE AND OTHER RESOURCES TO INCREASE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND IMPROVE THEIR OWN HEALTH OUTCOMES. BROWARD TAX PRO: VOLUNTEER INCOME TAX ASSISTANCE (VITA) PROGRAM AS THE PANDEMIC CONTINUED THROUGH 2021, HUF BEGAN PROVIDING IN-PERSON TAX PREPARATION WITH MANY HEALTH & SAFETY PRECAUTIONS. THE VITA PROGRAM SERVED 1,638 FAMILIES AND SUBMITTED TAX RETURNS TO THE IRS THROUGH IN-PERSON, DROP-OFF, AND VIRTUAL OPTIONS. MORE THAN 1.9 MILLION WERE REFUNDED TO WORKING FAMILIES WHO SAVED OVER 500,000 IN TAX PREPARATION FEES. FINANCIAL CAPABILITY AND WEALTH BUILDING HUF RESPONDED TO FAMILIES AND SMALL BUSINESSES' NEEDS, BY PROVIDING INFORMATION ABOUT FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO WEATHER THE PANDEMIC. FINANCIAL COACHING PROGRAM 382 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN VIRTUAL GROUP AND ONE-ON-ONE SESSIONS TO SET REALISTIC FINANCIAL GOALS, SUCH AS INCREASING SAVINGS, REDUCING DEBT, AND ESTABLISHING OR IMPROVING CREDIT SCORES. FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS PROGRAM 336 INDIVIDUALS PARTICIPATED IN MONTHLY VIRTUAL ORIENTATIONS LEARNING THE STEPS TO ACHIEVE HOMEOWNERSHIP, HOW TO PREVENT FORECLOSURE, AND LANDLORD AND TENANT RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES. NINE INDIVIDUALS BECAME LOAN READY THROUGH OUR PROGRAM AND ARE PENDING HOME PURCHASING DUE TO RECENT ECONOMIC SHIFTS. EMERGING ENTREPRENEURSHIP (EE) PROGRAM HUF CONTINUED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH BROWARD SCORE TO DELIVER BUSINESS EDUCATION WORKSHOPS ONLINE AND IN SPANISH. IN 2021, EMERGING ENTREPRENEURS REACHED 1,556 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH 35 WORKSHOPS INCLUDING FOUR CYCLES OF "PASOS SENCILLOS" ON HOW TO START A BUSINESS.

CITIZENSHIP, CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, LEGAL & EQUAL TREATMENT OPPORTUNITY CIVIC ENGAGEMENT DEPARTMENT: 2,511 INDIVIDUALS SERVED DURING 2021, CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION AND NATURALIZATION APPLICATION ASSISTANCE WERE PROVIDED VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON. VOTER REGISTRATION AND OTHER LEGAL SERVICES - THROUGH HUF'S PARTNERSHIPS - WERE ALSO PROVIDED. PATHWAYS TO CITIZENSHIP PROGRAM O PROVIDED CITIZENSHIP EDUCATION TO 1,339 INDIVIDUALS THROUGH ONLINE VIDEO CONFERENCING, SEVEN CLASSES PER WEEK O HUF SUCCESSFULLY SUBMITTED 621 N-400 APPLICATIONS (APPLICATION FOR NATURALIZATION) O HUF HELPED 426 INDIVIDUALS BECOME AMERICAN CITIZENS VOTER REGISTRATION & LEGAL SERVICES O 1,172 INDIVIDUALS RECEIVED VOTER REGISTRATION ASSISTANCE AND LEGAL SERVICES PUBLIC POLICY & ADVOCACY AS OUR CLIENTS AND COMMUNITY CONTINUED TO GRAPPLE WITH THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, HUF'S PUBLIC POLICY & ADVOCACY EFFORTS REMAINED FOCUSED ON IMMEDIATE SOLUTIONS. PART OF HUF'S EFFORTS TO ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF OUR CLIENTS IS TO LOOK FOR PERMANENT, BROAD SYSTEMIC CHANGES BY INFORMING, EDUCATING, AND WORKING WITH OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS, STAKEHOLDERS, AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS. HUF HELPS ESTABLISH BROWARD COUNTY COMMUNITY ID HUF AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS CAME TOGETHER TO ESTABLISH A COMMUNITY ID FOR INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT EASILY APPLY FOR A STATE IDENTIFICATION CARD, SUCH AS VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, HOMELESS INDIVIDUALS, THOSE RETURNING TO SOCIETY FROM INCARCERATION, AND IMMIGRANTS. 2021 PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA & ADVOCACY WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS HUF'S ANNUAL PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA RECOMMENDS SOLUTIONS TO THE ISSUES OUR COMMUNITY FACES AND IS USED AS A GUIDE TO MEET WITH ELECTED OFFICIALS, MAY IT BE IN BROWARD, TALLAHASSEE, OR WASHINGTON DC. HAVING FACE TO FACE MEETINGS AND BUILDING POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH OFFICIALS FROM ALL POLITICAL PARTIES IS PART OF THE WORK WE DO. THESE RELATIONSHIPS ALLOW US TO SHARE CLIENT STORIES WHILE WE ADVOCATE FOR OUR RECOMMENDED SOLUTIONS. THE AGENDA FOCUSES ON EDUCATION, HEALTHCARE, AND ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY, MIRRORING HUF'S PROGRAMS.