ADELANTE
        Published October-November 2009

Adelante Empowers Families in Toledo

Supporting and empowering the family as a whole unit is at the core of what Adelante has been about since opening its doors in Toledo in 1996. Thousands who have been welcomed and nurtured through its programs have experienced Adelante’s dedication to its mission of serving and empowering individuals and families in northwest Ohio through education, prevention, health and other social services.

Since its inception, Adelante has become a leading provider of linguistically appropriate and culturally competent programs in Lucas and surrounding counties, and continues to employ passion and creativity in removing barriers to progress.

In addition to having comprehensive programs, Adelante has pioneered many partnerships within the community in recognition that no single organization can satisfy all of the community’s needs.

“Advocacy plays a huge role in speaking up for the needs of the community and getting the resources and attention we need. The biggest challenge as Hispanics in Toledo is that we represent a small percentage of the population. If you are not at the table and vocal, it’s easy to be overlooked. We overcome this by being present, letting decision-makers know we are here. You get invited by networking with leaders and showing up,” says Adelante’s Executive Director Sonia Troche, who has been leading the organization for the past five years while also acting as a representative for Hispanics at the national, state and local level.

Benefiting every member of the community
Adelante serves the Northwest Ohio Hispanic/Latino community including children, youth, adults and families. Based on the belief that Adelante’s vision of a healthy and empowered Latino community can be achieved only through a holistic approach, the organization operates three divisions: Family and Community Resources, Children and Youth, and Health.

Troche says that the key of their success is that they have quality staff. “When you have good people on the ground, doing the work, that sets our agency apart. Eighty percent of our staff is bilingual and bicultural,” she explains.

Preparing children and youth with a strong foundation
Ganas (translated as the “will to succeed”) focuses on youth development by empowering Latino teens to develop personal goals and the desire for a productive future.

“Adelante can help me accomplish my goals by keeping my head straight and staying on top of things, staying focused and never giving up. The best thing about coming to Adelante is that it is fun and gives me something to do, and it reinforces that I should never give up or be lazy. It has been the best thing that I have ever gotten into – it will help me go places, and it helps me believe in myself, ”  Cayla Wooley (14).

Adelante accomplishes this goal through:

• Academic Assistance – Adelante develops an individualized academic plan for each student. The academic plans are reinforced with assistance from Certified Toledo Public School Teachers in Reading and Math in preparation for the Ohio Graduation Test. Adelante also provides homework help, tutoring and PSAT/SAT preparation for college entrance exams.
• Mentoring/Leadership Development – Community mentors are an important part of the GANAS program. Through special events, internships, service-learning projects and leadership conferences, Adelante exposes Latino youth to the myriad opportunities that exist in the professional world.
• Workforce Development – They help both youth and adults to acquire job-readiness skills. They help them complete job applications, write resumes, select appropriate attire and practice their interviewing skills. In addition, they offer five-week paid internship opportunities to students during the summer. They help young people explore career opportunities and visit college campuses and business sites.
• Culture/Recreation – Adelante offers students the opportunity to participate in expressive activities such as cultural art, dance, music and drama.

 “The best thing about coming here is having a mentor, someone to talk to. I also enjoy participating in service-learning projects. Adelante is helping me reach my goals, and keeping me out of trouble. I want to thank the staff for taking time to get to know us and for spending time with us,” says Chasity Pinkleton (16).

Adelante also provides support for youth ages 6-12 through its Youth Prevention Program (YPP). YPP engages youth through comprehensive, holistic and culturally competent means. YPP is so much more than a prevention program; it empowers Latino youth by helping them discover individual interests and talents and by emphasizing life opportunities made possible through education.

YPP runs as an after-school program for two hours each day, Monday through Thursday, throughout the school year. It also operates as a summer program during the summer months. YPP serves all of Lucas County, but it focuses primarily on the Toledo Public School district. It accepts youth from other school districts and from Lucas County Protective Services as well. 

 “Adelante taught me about the importance of not using drugs. It has helped me make new friends and has helped me with school. The tutors are good role models,” says Juan Bazaldua (14).

Adelante’s “Leamos Juntos” (“Let’s Read Together”) program is designed to help break a cycle of poverty and illiteracy in low-income Latino families through increased educational opportunities, beginning during infancy. This interactive parent/child literacy program helps families with children up to 5 years old. It assists parents in preparing their children to enter kindergarten ready to read. National research has shown that many children lack the reading skills needed to succeed in Kindergarten. This problem is especially prominent among children of Spanish-speaking and/or bilingual parents.

Leamos Juntos addresses this critical issue in Lucas County by providing Latino parents with the tools and skills they need to help their children learn to read in English and Spanish.

“Someone from Adelante came to my house to help teach my daughter. She is learning her colors and letters. I want her to learn English and be ready for school. There was nothing like this where I lived before,” says Maria Zarate.

Addressing family and community, one person at a time
The Nosotras Program empowers Latina women with the knowledge and confidence needed to be strong and independent and to excel in caring for their families. It works with women at risk for alcohol, tobacco and other drug use and provides educational and support sessions to ensure healthy, confident, and empowered families.

The Nosotras Program has impacted hundreds of at-risk Latinas since its inception, helping connect women with support services such as General Equivalency Diploma (GED) and English a Second Language (ESL) classes through inner-office referrals to other agency programs. In addition, Adelante makes referrals to other area providers for emergency food, clothing and shelter as needed.

 “Nosotras has given me counseling on how to interact with my kids, and it has helped me to become more of an independent woman. It helps me find solutions for my problems. My kids benefit too, because it is good for them to see their mom happier,” says Mariyln Negrin.

The Hispanic Family Focus Program (HFFP) is based on a belief that stronger Latino families will produce stronger community pride, and ultimately result in better neighborhoods. This program strengthens families by equipping them with the parenting skills necessary to create a positive home-life for themselves and their children.

Although Latinos are the fastest-growing population in the U.S., they are among the most underrepresented and medically underserved in the nation. Adelante’s health programs have primarily focused in the areas of mental health services and domestic violence prevention.
 
The Esperanza Program addresses the multi-facetted and complex mental health needs of Toledo’s Latino community through a continuum of five linguistically and culturally competent core services encompassing Support Services, Prevention and Education Groups, Community Services, Help for families, and information and referral services. Children and adults of the Latino community can access services, which are conducted in English and Spanish.

Latina women are at particular risk for high levels of psychosocial stress related to factors such as language barriers and experiences of racism and discrimination. They also must cope with lower levels of educational, financial and medical resources and with role conflicts that result from cultural beliefs about traditional gender roles. Despite a high risk for psychosocial stress, Latinas traditionally underutilize mental health and victims’ services.

The Esperanza program seeks to bring effective and accessible programming to these women through its Domestic Violence program, Esperanza, which is comprised of the following core service areas:
1) Apoyo – Support Services
2) Platicas – Prevention and Education Groups
3) Ayuda – Help for Families

“I have attended the domestic violence sessions for a few months. I have learned a lot from the information given. I love the workers at Adelante because they are so caring and the one-on-one attention they give. I have learned about my anger, how not to be battered or abused,” says Jamie, a women who came to the organization for support.

Group and one-on-one sessions are available, and each woman enrolled in one of Esperanza’s programs participates in 18 sessions. The curriculum used for these sessions is based on the Domestic Abuse Project curriculum and is adapted as necessary to be culturally sensitive and appropriate. Topics covered include self-esteem, the types of domestic violence, their causes and effects, safety planning, the power and control wheel, the legal system, communication skills and strategies for gaining independence and empowerment.

Adelante also has focused efforts on increasing the awareness of the impact of domestic violence on the Latino community outside of its agency services.

“Domestic Violence has historically been a hidden issue in our community, as it is in most communities. Because people have been so hesitant to talk about it, it has been difficult to identify the families in need of help. Adelante is helping to educate the community about domestic violence and appropriate family interactions. In doing so, it has encouraged more women to come forward and discuss their concerns about challenging situations in the home, so they can get the help they need,” says Celso Rodriguez, one of Adelante’s founding board members.

The Si Puedo Program is designed to provide assistance, through a science based approach, to individuals who wish to quit smoking.

“It’s the little moments that remind us our work is important. We now have a homeownership program, and the first time we got a family to purchase a home, it was a huge victory for us,” says Executive Director Sonia Troche.

Making a difference in the little and the big things
“This is a job where you need passion. People need you, you need to go and do it. We act in a responsible way and are able to show accomplishments,” says Troche. She adds that although programs are great, they should be created to address priorities.

Adelante’s five priorities are clear:

1. Education needs to be the cornerstone of everything
2. Health for families and individuals
3. Economic development to bring good jobs and businesses to the community
4. Immigration reform, stopping inhumane practices and the need for bills like the DREAM act
5. Leadership development to have more Latinos stepping up to become leaders in the community.

“There are other organizations in the Toledo area, but Adelante has tremendous cultural and social impact,” says La Prensa editor, Rico Neller

Troche’s biggest concern at the moment is funding. Another issue is the increased hostility and negativity against Latinos, documented or not. “As a culture, we are the target. We need to speak up and make sure we are heard and shielded from harm,” she says.

For now, Adelante’s staff focused most of its energy on the positive, on people like Juan Bazaldua (14) who thanks to Adelante’s tutors and after-school programs is now looking forward to going to college. And woman like Angelica, who believes that today she’s a survivor thanks to this organization. The staff provided me with a safe place to express my fears, ups and downs, my strengths and weaknesses. To me there is nothing more empowering than a group of women who have been through the same situation sharing stories with each other. It is therapeutic to us all,” she recently wrote.

To learn more about Adelante visit www.adelantelrc.org

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