|
NEWS RELEASE For
Immediate Release |
|
CITY'S 'HISPANIC OUTREACH CENTER' OPENS
The YWCA/City of Clearwater Hispanic Outreach Center, a one-stop facility providing services ranging from child-care to diplomatic intervention, will open its doors at 4:30 next Thursday afternoon, immediately after a dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony at the 612 Franklin Street complex. This novel public/private partnership
collaboration will provide all relevant services necessary to
assist the city's growing Hispanic Community, said Peggy Sanchez
Mills, CEO of the YWCA of Tampa Bay, one of the principal partners
in the project. The Hispanic Outreach Center will house a bi-lingual child care facility (open to anyone); the Clearwater Police Department's Hispanic Outreach Officer; victim advocacy and interpreter services; English For Speakers of Other Languages classes; health and nutrition services; a multi-purpose training center; and offices for both the Mexican Consulate and the government of the state of Hidalgo, Mexico. The YWCA/City of Clearwater Hispanic Outreach Center grew out of the Clearwater Police Department's efforts to partner with and provide police service and assistance to the city's Hispanic population, which has grown enormously in the past decade. Hispanic people now represent a reported 9 percent of Clearwater's population of 110,000, and a significant number of these new residents are from the Mexican province of Hidalgo. "Some years ago the police department realized that a significant and growing part of the city's population was being under-served, for reasons ranging from language barriers to cultural misconceptions, and we launched a number of programs to address their needs," said Police Chief Sid Klein. "Our Operation Apoyo Hispano continually evolved as circumstances changed, and our collaborative work with other agencies led to the creation of the Hispanic Outreach Center." (The history of the Police Department's efforts to serve the Hispanic Community may be found on the Internet at http://www.clearwaterpolice.org/hispanic/chronology.asp). Several private agencies and charitable organizations were instrumental in creating the Hispanic Outreach Program, including the Allegany Franciscan Foundation - Tampa Bay, which donated $166,000 to the project. "We're proud to be a part of this unique partnership, which could become a template for others to emulate on a national basis," said Joanne Olvera Lighter, president and CEO of the organization. "We believe this program will quickly become an important and integral part of the community." Others involved in creating the Hispanic Outreach Center include the Juvenile Welfare Board of Pinellas County, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Edward Byrne Memorial State & Local Law Enforcement Assistance Formula Grant Program, the U.S. Department of Justice's Weed and Seed Program and the St. Petersburg Times newspaper. On Thursday, municipal officials will join with project administrators, representatives of Hidalgo and the Mexican government and members of the general public for the 4:30 p.m. grand opening ceremonies. Scores of Hispanic residents – including musicians and entertainers – are expected to participate in the celebration of the city's expansion of services to its residents. The Tampa Bay area media
is invited to chronicle the For additional information regarding the YWCA/City of Clearwater Hispanic Outreach Center, please contact Public Information Officer Wayne Shelor at 727-562-4333. /s/ |
A
multi-faceted assistance and education center aimed at elevating
the lives of Clearwater's burgeoning Hispanic community will mark
its grand opening on Thursday, November 21.