Their eyes wide, the children one-by-one tentatively touched the tail feathers of the ring-necked dove, which patiently clung to its keeper's finger, sometimes fluttering its white and grey wings.

"The feathers are so soft," said Mayren, a 5-year-old student in ACLAMO's Family Literacy class, as she gently stroked the feathers.

Frank the Dove and Sammy the Screech Owl visited the children at ACLAMO's Norristown center this week through a program presented by Carrie Ashley, the Education and Program Coordinator for the John James Audubon Center.  

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For more photos go to facebook.com/aclamo. 

So valuable is her help, people will wait for hours to speak with Gloria Rios.  

The social worker for ACLAMO Family Centers is often the one person Spanish-speakers feel they can trust to guide them through their often complicated situations. 

Rios works Monday through Thursday seeing clients at the Norristown center, and on Friday catches up on the required case reports. On average she sees 50 clients a week, or about 12 a day, which adds up to nearly 2,500 a year, not including the countless people she helps by telephone. Rios started working at ACLAMO four years ago.

"I like the work because every day is different. It is good for me to help people," said Rios, at her desk in her office, which is just off of the lobby where clients wait to see her.

ACLAMO routinely is the first place Spanish-speakers will turn for assistance, especially those who are new to the area. Rios is on the front line. "People don't know where to start. They don't know what to do. I explain to them the resources they can have," Rios said. "There are people who come with nothing, nothing but themselves."  

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ACLAMO Receives Award and Gift from Plymouth Monthly Meeting Quakers  

ACLAMO Executive Director Juan Guerra receives the award and gift from Plymouth Monthly Meeting Friend Tom Armstrong and Plymouth Meeting Friends Head of School Anne Javsicas.

ACLAMO Family Centers received the Alice Ambler Award of $500 from the Plymouth Monthly Meeting, a Quaker community in Plymouth Meeting.

The award was given to ACLAMO in recognition of Anne Javsicas, Head of the Plymouth Meeting Friends School, who is retiring after 22 years. Javsicas forged a partnership between the Friends school and ACLAMO, bringing preschool-aged children and their mothers together to work on projects.

"The award is given to an organization we feel is doing great work, and has had a positive impact on their community," said Tom Armstrong, a member of the Monthly Meeting. "We wanted to award it this year to ACLAMO because Anne is very attached to ACLAMO."  

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ACLAMO Featured at Local Rotary Club

ACLAMO Executive Director Juan Guerra, left, with King of Prussia Rotary Club President Robert Hart.

ACLAMO Executive Director Juan Guerra was the featured speaker at the King of Prussia Rotary Club on April 11.  

Guerra presented a short film about ACLAMO's programs, as well as shared his personal story of immigration from Cuba, and his thoughts about trends in the Latino community locally and throughout this country. 

"ACLAMO is a good non-profit group in the area and we wanted to learn more about it, and to inform our members," said Robert Hart, Rotary Club President, and
General Manager of the King of Prussia Mall. "It was a very informative presentation."

The King of Prussia Rotary Club was formed in 1956, and currently has 45 members. The club meets Mondays at 12:15 p.m. at Michael's Deli in King of Prussia. To learn more, go to kingofprussiarotary.org. 

"We are deeply grateful for the great work of Rotary Clubs, which impact the community both locally and internationally," said Guerra, who was invited to speak by former club President Ernest Zlotolow.