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2002
LATINO ACCESS
With the support of a $22,000 grant from the March of Dimes and $1,300 from United Way of Mason County, the Latino Access Work Groups developed two access points to help our Latino community members access needed health and social services programs. The project, known as “Todos Amigos: El Centro de Recurso y Ayuda,” was implemented in Shelton and Belfair, in partnership with St. David’s Church and Mason General Hospital – WIC, respectively.
The Shelton program
started at the Parish Hall at St. David's
Episcopal Church on Thursday evenings
4-7p.m. The following services were
offered:
- Bilingual services to help clients with medical insurance, finding medical care, and resolving barriers to medical services (CHOICE Regional Health)
- Resource and referral to other social services, assistance in completing forms, read paperwork/documents, and other assistance as needed
- Education and workshops in Spanish on variety of topics including immunizations, immigration issues, tax preparation, driver training, and computer skills
- Safe place with child care where other community service providers were able to connect with their Latino clients (e.g. First Steps, Kitsap Consolidated Housing, Migrant Worker Program)
At the end of the one-year pilot project, information and referral services have continued in a limited fashion at the Shelton School District EvenStart program. These efforts were funded by United Way of Mason County. In 2005, an Americorps VISTA volunteer began some targeted work with building leadership and capacity in the Latino community with the purpose of expanding this pilot project.
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