El Amanecer - The Sunrise
The Official Newsletter of
The Spanish American Center, Inc.
112 Spruce Street, Leominster, MA 01453
December, 2020
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Feliz Navidad
News and notes from Neddy
We continue to operate in emergency times, and we are trying to help as many in our community as we can. We have been relieved and comforted by the generosity of this community -- as you will see in this holiday edition. of El Amanecer.
Although we continue to be physically closed to the public, we are reaching out through telephone, video conference, and through our creative drop-off and drive-up food programs to those in need.
Staff is at the Center Monday to Friday from 8;30 am to 2;30 pm. We also welcome your concerns and any question you may have via telephone, e-mail or instant messaging through our Facebook portal. We strive to show the community and our clients that we care.
As we get closer to Christmas and the New Year, please remember the importance of wearing mask, keeping your distance, and washing your hands frequently. Most importantly, please avoid large gatherings. We all need to take Covid -19 seriously.
I want to wish you all a " Feliz Navidad" and a Happy New Year. Please celebrate the gift of each other as this is what makes us stronger and gives us hope for a safer 2021!
With Love,
Neddy and staff
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Feliz navidad. Que sus dĂas estĂ©n llenos de paz, esperanza, y alegrĂa en esta temporada festiva.
Como siempre gracias por patrocinio, lealtad y apoyo.
Feliz año nuevo.
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Feliz año nuevo.
Enjoy this happy memory of our celebration of the arrival of the Three Kings from 2018. At that time, following the devastation from Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, the Center received support from the Miranda Family Foundation for purchase of toys for the children. Here is a memory of a time when we could celebrate our friendship and love!
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Heywood Health Charitable Foundation
awards SAC a grant in the amount of $10,000.
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The Foundation funded us to initiate a Promotoras de Salud program in the Greater Gardner area with a goal of improving the delivery of healthcare to under-served Latinos by using trained community-based peers and trusted neighbors (Promotoras) to bridge the gap between Latinos and healthcare providers.
Thank You Heywood Healthcare!
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Kudos to the St. Bernard's community for donating seven turkeys, twenty boxes of food and $176 to the Spanish American Center in Leominster. Thank you to all who participated in your Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive. We are truly grateful for your support this year!
Sincerely,
the Staff, Board and Volunteers of the Spanish American Center, December, 2020
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Pictured : Maggie Constantino '21, Chairperson of the STB Food Drive, and members of Campus Ministry package and prepare the food for delivery. |
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A Visit & Cares Act Funding
From Leominster Mayor Dean Mazzarella
December 21, 2020
$25,000.00 for food hunger relief programs
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We were not surprised when Wendy Wiiks, Mayor Dean Mazzarellas’ dedicated assistant, contacted us to request a visit for the Mayor, as he has been a steady and consistent supporter both prior to and during these tough pandemic months. We were not, however, aware that he would be bringing us a gift of $25,000.00 in funding - so precious to us as we work to meet the needs of our desperate families. We meet so many whose financial and social lives have been turned upside down by job loss, etc., and who come to us for help with meals and food pantry items.
Per Ms. Wiiks, "the donation is from the City of Leominster’s Federal Cares Act funds. These funds are to assist cities and towns deal with the extraordinary costs of the pandemic. The funds provided to the Spanish American Center are to address any aspect of food insecurity. Massachusetts has experienced the largest increase of food insecurity in the nation.
Mayor Dean Mazzarella, who is pictured above presenting the funding to Neddy Latimer and staff, added:
“The Spanish American Center is a clear leader in addressing the needs of the City of Leominster. Their tireless work on behalf of so many has made certain that no need has gone unmet. The demand for food has increased tremendously with many families needing assistance that have never needed it before. I hope these funds will help families not just make it through the holidays but through the rest of the pandemic. We are all one big family in Leominster and together we will get through this.” -Mayor Dean Mazzarella Muchas Gracias Mayor Mazzarella -
Thank You So Much!
(Photo credit - Wendy Wiiks)
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We are pleased to acknowledge that the Spanish American Center received an award of $12,000.00. This grant has been made possible by the Community Foundation of North Central Massachusetts in partnership with an anonymous donor.
This grant money will improve the nutritional needs of affected populations in our communities due to the Covid 19 pandemic - people who are unemployed, are immigrants, the homeless, and the displaced.
The Spanish American Center wishes to express our deepest gratitude to the Community Foundation as well as the anonymous funder who contributed to this donation!
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SAC's Director Featured in the December, 2020 Issue Of |
People to meet in 2021: Neddy Latimer
(Photo | Spanish American Center Neddy Latimer)
"Latimer heads an organization that specifically serves the estimated 15,000 Spanish-speaking residents in Leominster, accounting for nearly half the population, as well as anyone else who needs help, regardless of the language they speak.
Company: Spanish American Center, in Leominster
More Information:
Latimer oversees all of the center's programs, including domestic violence advocacy, English classes, a food pantry, elder care, legal assistance, voter registration, children's programming and a comprehensive summer meals programs for students. Although well known in the North Central Massachusetts nonprofit world, Latimer shirks attention, preferring to focus on issues and – above all else – the people in her community. When it comes to addressing the needs of those the center serves, Latimer is very much on the ground, fighting battles on the frontline." - Monica Busch, WBJ
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Center offers assistance through
SPECIAL FUNDING FROM
Attorney General Maura Healey's Office
To Offset Gas Heat Prices
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Massachusetts Office of the Attorney General December, 2020
A Grant of $25,000 was awarded to the Center to help community members pay their natural gas utility bills. Please call us during normal hours of operation for information on eligibility and application process.
We extend our thanks to the Office of the Attorney General for this important funding.
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Welcoming Our New Board Member
Ms. Daisy Ayala of Leominster
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The SAC Board is pleased to welcome our newest Board member, Ms. Daisy Ayala. Her financial background combined with her desire to contribute to the civic needs of the community will make her a great addition to our dedicated board. Welcome, Daisy!
"My name is Daisy Ayala and I am currently the Sr. Branch Service Manager for the Leominster office at Enterprise Bank. I have spent all my professional life working in banking, both in my native country of Colombia as well as here in the United States. I enjoy the customer component of banking and am happy I’ve been able to continue to grow within this field.
I have been married to my husband Leo for over 32 years and we have three children, two girls and one boy, all grown up. My babies these days are my two dogs, Lucas and Luna. I enjoy taking them for runs, walks and hike and they also keep me company while I garden. Spring and summer time are my favorite seasons and I always look forward to vacations where I get to go to new places or just spend some quality time with family and friends."
Daisy Y. Ayala
Senior Branch Service Manager - Enterprise Bank
65 Main Street | Leominster, MA 01453
SAC GRATEFULLY ACKNOWLEDGES THE DONATION OF $500.00
From Enterprise Bank!
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ESL Classes at SAC Continue -- Supported by the
Greater Worcester Community Foundation
for 2021 !
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Greater Worcester Community Foundation has awarded us a grant of $10,000 to support our English as a Second Language (ESL) program.
This award is for funding for costs related to our Saturday morning classes. We are grateful to the foundation for supporting this important program for many years and for providing us with an increase in allocation this year!
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Thank You Recent Donors - with you by our side, we will continue to work toward a world free of violence, inequality, poverty, hunger and oppression. Thank you for your part in these efforts!
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Fallon Health
Community Benefits Grant of $10,040 Awarded to Center!
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This funding was granted for a partnership with Growing Places to bring nutrition education, access to healthy foods, information and referral and reduction of social isolation to high need, high risk seniors in our catchment area.
Thank you Fallon Health!
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