Dear Supporters of Global Cleveland,

When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico this past September, Norma Rosado lost everything. As soon as she and her husband were able to leave the island, they came to live in Cleveland to be near their son. For Norma and many others in similar situations after the disaster, The Spanish American Committee was her first stop. We helped Mr. and Mrs. Rosado get settled, get jobs, secure an apartment, and find furniture and other necessities.

The Spanish American Committee has served hundreds of families like Norma’s who are hoping to create a new life here in Cleveland. We have helped well over a thousand individuals who were displaced by Maria, providing them with employment and social services, housing and financial literacy counseling, childcare, immigration services and more through our three core programs; Families First, Mi Casa, and Little Footsteps Bilingual Child Enrichment Center.

Since 1966, SAC has been dedicated to serving as the gateway to socioeconomic success for the Hispanic community of Greater Cleveland. I have been with the organization for thirty-eight of its fifty-one years, serving as the Executive Director for the past eight. In my time working with this community I have seen many changes, but nothing quite like what we’ve experienced in the past six months. None of the work that we are doing to ensure that these families are taken care of would be possible without the incredible support we receive from our partners in the philanthropic community, as well as the organizations that collaborate with us to ensure quality programming for those who need it most.

I would like to thank Global Cleveland and Mr. Cimperman for giving me the opportunity to share a little bit about the Spanish American Committee’s work with you and lend a voice to the many families in need in our community. Again, none of our work would be possible without people like you who believe in our mission of providing low-income families with the tools and resources they need to break the cycle of poverty.

Sincerely,
Ramonita Vargas
Executive Director, The Spanish American Committee