As WGA celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month, we highlight one of WGA’s Grants – Barnabas Center’s Hope Builders for Women Program. The program focuses on housing, healthcare, employment, and works to address the inequities associated with a lack of income and education resources.
Barnabas has recently hired Priscilla Maldonado, a native Spanish speaker, to its staff as Resource Coordinator for the program. Priscilla works with the Hispanic community to gain access to resources and essential programs. Though the number of Spanish-speaking participants in Hope Builders for Women is currently small, Priscilla knows the need is present in the community.
“The language barrier is a primary challenge.” Priscilla says. “This creates hurdles for the women in their ability to move forward. Not being able to communicate in English hinders the ability to find employment and weakens confidence. The prospect of furthering education becomes discouraging.” By offering program resources in Spanish, Barnabas enhances its ability to serve the whole community. “This is a willing, eager, and passionate population of women. They appreciate the help and are thriving in the program,” Priscilla says.
Barnabas is Nassau County’s only comprehensive service center devoted to helping those in need thrive as healthy citizens.
For more information about Hope Builders and Barnabas Center, click here.