Winter 2022 Newsletter

Client Story

***The following client’s name has been changed for confidentiality***

For many survivors of abuse, they don’t seek help for various reasons. Whether it is because they are afraid to report their abuser, there are language/cultural barriers, lack of having legal status, etc. Fortunately, the Crime Victim Housing (CVH) program at IRC is changing this dialogue within its community, in particular with immigrant survivors of abuse. The CVH program provides a safe space for survivors to speak openly about their abusive situation and seek assistance to rebuild their lives independently and safely.

Here is a client testimony:

Rosa sought services from the CVH program in 2020 because she was suffering physical abuse at the hands of her partner at the time. Rosa had endured the abuse for many years but finally decided to get help and leave the relationship as the abuse was endless. When Rosa enrolled into the CVH program she was struggling to pay her rent, utilities, and even afford groceries. However, CVH was able to assist Rosa with these expenses temporarily until she became financially independent.

Here is what Rosa briefly has to say about the program:

“Well first of all I am very grateful with this program because it has helped me greatly with my rent, counseling, immigration [case]…and food purchases when I was completely alone. It has helped me get to where I am at today and helped me get away from a sad situation. Hopefully there could be more help for the people who need it and [CVH] does not stop helping. Thank you so much for everything you do for the people who need it. Thanks for everything.”

Rosa is now living a happy, secure, and independent life with her daughter. She is working full-time and is working towards owning her own home in the near future.

20th Anniversary: Save the Date

Saturday August 27, 2022

Picture taken during the Grand Opening of SLVIRC in April 2003.

The SLV Immigrant Resource Center was one of several programs created by San Luis Valley Christian Community Services under the name Immigrant Assistance Program in 1987. It was created due to the need in the San Luis Valley to assist low-income immigrants in applying for asylum and legal permanent residency during the amnesty period.

In 2001 the program finally grew to be more than just a program and it moved to where we are located now. SLVIRC started with a $25,000 grant from the Colorado Trust and $25,000 from the Sisters of Mercy.

In 2002, SLVIRC was granted 501 (c) 3 status and incorporated as a non-profit through the Colorado Secretary of State. Over the years it has grown, creating more programs to serve the immigrant community. It started with the immigration legal assistance, then in 2001 added the Por Ti Misma and the Punto de Vista Education/Outreach Program.

In 2017, the mental health program was added to provide bilingual and cultural services for those who did not have access to mental health services elsewhere.

Over the years, services have fluctuated to meet changing needs. We have been very fortunate in forming successful partnerships and relationships with funders contributing to our overall success; therefore, this year on August 27, 2022, we will celebrate all the years of service and accomplishments. We invite you to celebrate this milestone with us, so be on the lookout for further updates!

SLVIRC’s Scholarship Program

In 2021, the Zoila Gomez Si Se Puede (Yes You Can) Scholarship Committee awarded four $1,000 scholarships to San Luis Valley undocumented or DACA students. Two students are attending Adams State University and two are attending Trinidad State College.

We are proud to announce that the Zoila Gomez Si Se Puede Scholarship Committee will have three $1,000 scholarships available for the fall of 2022 for undergraduate students born to immigrant parents, DACA recipients, or undocumented.

In addition, three $1,000 scholarships will be available through the Andrew Espinoza Scholarship Fund. This scholarship will be open to any high school graduate of the San Luis Valley aspiring to pursue higher education.

The deadline for both applications will be April 30, 2022.

If you are interested in applying and/or want more information, please reach out to the San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center office directly at (719) 587-3225 extension 11.

Rio Grande Farm Park Partnership

The San Luis Valley Immigrant Resource Center would like to give a huge gratitude to the Rio Grande Farm Park for its continuous support for the summer of 2021. The Rio Grande Farm Park provided fresh radish, zucchini, lettuce, spinach, onion, green tomatillos, and habas, amongst other produce to the office to distribute to the community.

The immigrant community really benefited from the fresh produce provided by the Farm Park as it promoted healthy eating at no cost. It also allowed the immigrant community to get reconnected to their dietary roots as the majority of them cultivated their own crops that they were accustomed to eating back in their native countries.

The fresh produce was given out alongside the food boxes that the SLVIRC distributed on a weekly basis as the pandemic continued to rage through the community. The food boxes contained non-perishable items such as pasta, fruits, tortillas, salt, cooking oil, and many other staples. Additionally, a dozen carton of eggs, and a whole chicken or a pound of ground beef were provided. On average, the office gave out 40-50 food boxes during each of the summer months.

Immigrant families were very grateful for their food boxes and fresh produce as it was one less expense they had to worry about.

Again, the SLV Immigrant Resource Center is beyond thankful for the Rio Grande Farm Park’s support in the past summer for not only meeting the dietary needs of the immigrant community, but also illustrating the true essence of what a community should be doing during this tough period we are still living through!

Punto de Vista Education/Outreach Program

After a long year of not providing ESL classes and after-school tutoring for the children at the Tierra Nueva apartment complex, in September of 2021, instructor Phil Archuleta began to provide these two programs again.

The tutoring program is crucial for the community the SLV Immigrant Resource Center serves as it promotes extended learning to students whose parents are unable to help with homework assignments. Phil tutors approximately 10-15 children weekly; tutoring is scheduled Monday through Thursday.

The adult ESL classes offered by the SLV Immigrant Resource Center is an effort to provide opportunities for a diverse population with different English experiences to actively improve on their English skills. The program offers an opportunity for non-English or limited English-speaking individuals to determine their own destiny as to where they want to be with or how to interact in English. To promote this, instructor Phil has created morning and evening classes so students can attend what works best for them. Phil states, “I enjoy facilitating active learning while challenging learners to be successful in acquiring a new language and I believe in lifelong learning.”

Phil has approximately 30 people who have either showed interest or are currently attending classes since September 2021. It has been a great year for people to attend ESL classes since the COVID-19 restrictions have eased and IRC has been able to offer this service in-person again.

If you want more information regarding the after-school tutoring program and/or are interested in taking ESL classes, you can call the office for more information at (719) 587-3225 at any of the extensions (11, 12, or 13), and the SLVIRC staff will be happy to answer any questions!

1st Southwest Bank Partnership

In the fall of 2021, we partnered with 1st Southwest Bank on the Fortaleza Fund which gives loans at a low interest rate for entrepreneurs. There were three workshops offered that focused on developing ideas for starting a business, such as legal information and financial budgeting. The thirteen attendees learned how to develop their own business plan, and were presented with different options and financial resources to open their own business or to expand their existing business. All of these workshops were conducted in the Spanish language.

On Monday, February 14 at 5:30 pm, another workshop will be held to continue the series of opening your business. It will be held in Spanish at the apartments of Tierra Nueva in the communal area. These workshops are completely free.

We hope to continue this partnership and offer more opportunities for the immigrant community to start and develop their own businesses. If you need more information about the Fortaleza Fund, please contact Azarel at (720) 629-2792 or azarelmc@fswcf.org

Welcoming IRC’S Newest Board Member

The SLVIRC is proud to welcome its newest board member, Ivan Garcia. Here are some words Ivan would like to share.

“My name is Ivan Garcia, I was born and raised in Los Angeles, California. I left California and migrated to the San Luis Valley in 2001 and have been residing here since.

I attended the TSJC-CLETA program and graduated, allowing me the opportunity to serve the San Luis Valley as a law enforcement officer. I have recently left the police force and chose to be self-employed; [I am] currently running my own business with the help of my wife.

Through my tenure in law enforcement, I was also teaching at TSJC as a police academy instructor and ran the driver’s education program. This allowed me the opportunity to work with our youth and teach them driver safety. This later expanded and allowed me the opportunity to work with SLVIRC and assist in helping our migrants get the education required in order to obtain a driver’s license in this state. This program was extremely successful and many migrants legally obtained their driver’s license allowing them the opportunity to expand and go further in life.

My father and mother both migrated from Guadalajara, Jalisco in the 70’s in search of a better life and opportunity for our family. I remember as a child how hard it was for my family not having the support and resources that are now currently available to community members that are in the same position my family and I were in at one point in our lives. I want to be part of the change.

I look forward to supporting the staff and I highly admire the work Flora and her team has accomplished in funding and successfully expanding this operation that just continues to grow.”

The office is looking forward to working with Ivan as he is a genuine individual with a meritorious background, and is very well-known to the office.