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CONNECTING YOU TO EVERYTHING LA CASA
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FAREWELL TO CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER RAQUEL D. MERLINO
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With bittersweet emotions, we share that La Casa de Don Pedro's Chief Financial Officer Raquel D. Merlino has retired after 10 years with the organization. Known to friends, family, and colleagues as "RD", she will be remembered for her passionate dedication to our mission, cheery disposition, work ethic, and positive outlook on work and life.
"She was an invaluable partner during her tenure with La Casa de Don Pedro", Ray Ocasio recalls. "During our efforts to overcome the financial strains caused by the recession in the early 2010s, she helped us devise a financial restructuring plan and executed it to perfection. On a normal day, RD was a ray of sunshine with her distinguishable morning greetings and eccentric catch phrases."
In honor of RD's tenure, La Casa's Board of Directors passed a Resolution in Appreciation of Outstanding Service during its February 24th Board Meeting. The resolution reflected the Board's appreciation of RD's essential role in strengthening La Casa's fiscal capacity that allowed the agency to overcome a variety of adverse circumstances, now resulting in a current sound financial position. They thanked her for her commitment, leadership, and excellent service.
Julia Ochoa, our Director of Finance who worked closely with Raquel, remembers RD as someone who "lights up the room with her enthusiasm and positive attitude." A determined boss who wouldn't take no for an answer, her impact on La Casa goes far beyond what can be seen on paper.
RD's expertise in treasury management, accounting, and technology along with her strong leadership and work ethic will be sorely missed. We wish RD the best of luck during this next chapter of her life.
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Teamwork Makes the Dream Work
RD (back left wearing a visor) always prioritized unity and teambuilding through fun exercises, as shown here in this photo with her Fiscal and Business Office Team during their 2019 annual retreat.
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GIVING NEWARK YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS
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Darismely Caraballo (center) participating in a group activity with classmates at LEAD Charter School.
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When Darismely Caraballo, an 18-year-old first generation Dominican American from Newark decided to go back to school and earn her High School Equivalency (GED), she knew that a traditional school wasn't the right option. Like other high school dropouts, Darismely didn't excel in public school because it lacked the extra care and attention she needed to overcome her challenges. After doing some research online, Darismely found La Casa de Don Pedro's LEAD Charter School program, an alternative high school for out-of-school Newark youth. LEAD prepares students ages 16-24 to achieve a High School Equivalency degree and connects them with post-secondary education, vocational training, and the workforce.
Darismely quickly found the support system she so desperately needed at LEAD. It provided an opportunity to make a deep connection with her teachers that made learning fun and interesting. Not only did she finally enjoy school, she also found the motivation and support to push herself to graduate. In December of 2019, Darismely proudly finished her education at LEAD and earned her High School Equivalency certificate.
However, Darismely’s relationship with La Casa de Don Pedro was far from over. Her accomplishments, along with the support from La Casa’s staff, helped inspire her to continue her education. La Casa’s Career Counselor Coraly Perez helped Darismely transition into a post-secondary training program with Per Scholas, a tuition-free tech training program. Caraballo is currently working towards her CompTIA A+ and Network+ certifications, which will empower her to obtained a salaried position in IT Support with plenty of opportunities for growth.
Through partnerships with organizations like LEAD Charter School and Per Scholas, La Casa de Don Pedro provides Newark youth with the support and resources they need to finish their education and find a quality career path. Coraly adds, "We expose our young people to higher education by bringing in presenters to provide informational sessions every week. We also encourage young people to develop the college-ready skills of accessing resources, finding the people that will help them be successful, and finding support in their community, so they have experience with these skills by the time they enter trade school, college or employment."
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PROVIDING MUCH NEEDED SUPPORT TO LOWER BROADWAY SMALL BUSINESSES
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Last December, La Casa received a grant from the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs Neighborhood Revitalization Tax COVID Relief Program to assist small businesses in our targeted Lower Broadway neighborhood. Thanks to the grant, La Casa disbursed $164,542 to 12 small businesses facing financial distress due to the pandemic.
Each grantee went through a rigorous application process that required documentation for their loss in income. The grant provided relief in costs such as rent, utilities, inventory loss, and allowed business owners to build protective barriers and install other health and safety precautions to keep their stores open during the pandemic.
Grantees consisted of restaurants, delis, hair salons, a discount supply store, and a refrigeration company. The funds helped offer relief to a community hit hard by COVID-19 and allowed owners like Richard Almonte of A&G Deli Grocery to stay afloat.
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“I am very grateful first to God and secondly for the work team of La Casa de Don Pedro, for all the help and always being willing to answer our concerns, especially to Rommie (Cardenas) for her patience and cordial response. That has helped us a lot during this stressful time that we are living as a result of the lack of resources available to pay for our bills and keep moving forward.”
-Richard Almonte, A&G Deli Grocery
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“I'm eternally thankful to La Casa de Don Pedro and Dante (Lara) for their efforts in making sure I meet the deadlines that this program demanded so I can be able to receive this benefit. Thanks to this monetary help I can keep my business open after being hit with a huge decrease in revenue during this pandemic in which we all are suffering. Thanks again.”
- Pedro Julio Montesinos, JC Barber Shop
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HISPANIC WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTER HELPS BREAK EDUCATION & EMPLOYMENT BARRIERS
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La Casa de Don Pedro has long advocated for the economic empowerment of Black and Latinx women. Supporting women not only improves their own personal development, but directly assists families and communities to economically advance. Yet, inequality and an economic system built on racism and sexism has left far too many Black and Latinx women marginalized from economic opportunity.
We established The Hispanic Women's Resource Center in that vein over 15 years ago. With funding from the NJ Department of State’s Center for Hispanic Policy, Research, and Development and funds leveraged from other private and public sources, the Center offers High School Equivalency (HSE) Preparation in Spanish, English as a Second Language, tutoring, job training, scholarships and other resources to Latinx women living Greater Newark.
These programs serve as an opportunity lifeline. In fact, HSE classes in Spanish are hard to find. La Casa is the only organization in Essex County that offers free classes in Spanish. This semester we quickly filled enrollment and had to cap it at 35 students. La Casa is also one of the few HSE Spanish testing centers in the region, helping eliminate yet another barrier.
Students in our programs not only benefit from daily lessons, support, and access to testing, but get a leg up with financial assistance. This month HSE students received calculators, noise-cancelling headphones, exam preparation books, and a number of other school supplies that donors from La Casa's #ProjectBackpack School Drive provided.
Career Counselor Sylvia Valenzuela-Borges, who coordinates the program, says as long as the women pass their TASC-readiness exams, La Casa also pays for their final TASC exam fees, which helps ease financial burden and allows the women to focus on their studies.
But the support doesn’t end there. Women can get English tutoring help from volunteers from Barclays, and once the women obtain their degree, the Center connects them to higher education and career training programs. For instance, Adriana Alvarez and Angeli Coronado, whose stories we shared in this article, benefited from Home Health Aid Training in 2018.
When we create opportunities to advance educational and economic outcomes of Latinx and Black women, we are helping to combat structural racism and sexism in the economy.
The work must continue. New Jersey ranks dead last in pay equity for Latinx women living in America, according to a Rutgers' School of Management and Labor Relations study. And when the Bureau of Labor Statistics issued job numbers on Jan. 8, 2021, it demonstrated yet again that job loss continues among women. In fact, as a group, only women lost jobs. And, when digging even deeper into the data, it wasn’t all women who lost jobs, it was Black and Latinx women. In fact, as a group, White women gained employment.
The challenges are overwhelming but La Casa de Don Pedro will continue to do our part to provide the women in our community with the tools, opportunity, and support to help push the needle forward.
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KEEPING CHILDREN HEALTHY WITH DENTAL CARE
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At La Casa de Don Pedro, we take children's dental and oral hygiene seriously as it is an important and often neglected aspect of our overall health. In regular times before Covid-19, we would teach our infants, toddlers, and preschool children to brush their teeth and gums after each meal during school hours. But with virtual education preventing us from helping our students brush their teeth, we decided to bring oral hygiene kits directly to the children's homes.
This month, Laura Vazquez, Early Childhood Education's Director of Operations, with the help of her staff, put together kits containing toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, and more for the 553 students enrolled in our Early Head Start, Head Start, and preschool programs. The younger children will receive rubber brushes and age-appropriate cleaner to protect their gums and emerging teeth, while older children will receive toothbrushes, toothpaste, and mouth wash.
Providing dental and oral hygiene care is just one way that La Casa supports the whole child, all while teaching parents and caregivers how to be the best parents they can to their growing children.
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A growing wave of scam activity is targeting homeowners and renters alike.
Scam artists are openly taking advantage of people in difficult circumstances – online, on the phone and even in person at their front doors. They use deceptive advertising and sales pitches to scam homeowners and renters out of money and, often times, their homes.
Knowledge is everyone's best defense. Know the signs. Get the facts.
La Casa de Don Pedro has partnered with NeighborWorks America to launch the national public education campaign Stop Home Scams, designed to inform and protect homeowners and renters who are at high risk for scam activity.
If you or someone you know may have been scammed, please email us at homes@lacasanwk.org or give us a call at 973-634-4238.
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR RAYMOND OCASIO ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT
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After 23 years of service and commitment to the mission and values of La Casa de Don Pedro, our Executive Director, Ray Ocasio, has announced that he will be stepping down in the fall of 2021.
We are thankful for Ray’s leadership and grateful for the success La Casa has achieved through his tenure. Ray’s dedication to our organization and to the City of Newark community will not be forgotten.
Under the guidance of La Casa’s next leader, we will further our mission to foster empowerment, cultivate self-sufficiency, and promote community revitalization across historically underserved communities in and around Newark, NJ, and we will deepen our work in racial and economic justice.
Below you will find the position profile for La Casa’s next President and CEO, developed in collaboration with our search firm Isaacson and Miller for your consideration.
We encourage you to circulate the position profile to those within your network who may be interested in applying. All relevant contact information is noted in the profile.
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UPCOMING PROGRAMS
& REGISTRATIONS
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Preschool, Head Start, Early Head Start, & Prenatal care and support, Ongoing Registration. Email Wendy Garcia at earlychildhoodeducation@lacasanwk.org to register.
Get help applying or renewing your DACA, family reunification applications & more. Contact immigration@lacasanwk.org.
FREE Online English as a Second Language (ESL) and US Citizenship classes begin March 22nd. Register today at lacasanwkeslclasses.eventbrite.com.
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Home Buying 101 Online Seminars. Ongoing registration. Email homes@lacasanwk.org to register.
Alternative High School Program, Ongoing Registration. Email careerservices@lacasanwk.org.
Home Energy Assistance (LIHEAP) and Home Energy Conservation (Weatherization)
Housing Assistance for Newark households with income loss due to Covid-19. Must be back on their feet and employed. Program helps pay rental arrears. Email youth&families@lacasanwk.org.
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