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ACLAMO Family Centers Newsletter
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Providing our community with the services and skills for success
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December 20121
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Two of the students in our After School Program,
7th-grader Katia, and 4th-grader Luna.
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From The Executive Director:
Its only 4:30 pm and it's already getting dark outside. As we approach the shortest day of the year, we are comforted by the warmth and light of this holiday season. In reviewing the events of this month, with everything from Thanksgiving meals to coat drives, I am reminded of the abundant generosity of our friends towards ACLAMO.
In addition to family programs, I am pleased to report that thanks to your generosity, we met and exceeded our $5,000 matching challenge drive with $5,366 collected over the last two months, for a total of $10,366! Thank you to all who helped us reach our goal!
In this season, I am reminded of the light of hope, and am grateful to friends like you who enable our programs to continue and flourish. We are looking forward to our annual Toys For Tots holiday party this Saturday morning when we partner with Calvary Baptist Church of Norristown to give donated toys to hundreds of children.
Next week we will publish a special Holiday Edition of this newsletter which will feature stories about our toy distribution, and the many people who help us make that special community event happen.
From our families at ACLAMO to yours, mil gracias!
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Ursinus tutors Gladys Martinez and Kimberly Quintero help ACLAMO students with crafts.
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After School Students Enjoy Holiday Party at Ursinus College
The students in ACLAMO's After School Program were treated to a very special field trip, traveling to Ursinus College for the annual holiday party hosted by the students who tutor them each week.
"A field trip anywhere is
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Ursinus tutor Jonathan Ortiz helps this ACLAMO student with his holiday hat.
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always a highly anticipated event, and the destination being a fun-filled afternoon of games, pizza and presents brought unabashed jubilation," said Marla Benssy, Director of Adult Education and School Age Programs, who attended the party, along with assistant teachers Monica McGuire and Nadine Padilla.
"It is the best day of my life!" said Jose, a second-grader.
"To the credit of their parents, teachers and tutors, and most of all the students themselves, the conduct of the students was exemplary," Benssy said. "The College was very generous in providing a bounty of kid-friendly food, arts and crafts and an individually wrapped present for each student." Benssy went on to say: "ACLAMO owes a debt of gratitude to Ursinus College, not only for this annual Christmas party, but also the many ways they help ACLAMO all year long." Houghton Kane, Ursinus professor and a member of ACLAMO's Board of Directors, was on the scene to report the event and snap pictures. Please click here to read his account, and go to facebook.com/aclamo for more photos.
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 | | Pictured from the left are Radnor High School Spanish teacher Lucia Samblas, senior Atousa Nourmahnad, senior Mary Alice Klein, ACLAMO Executive Director Juan Guerra, and junior Nicholas Escobar. |
Thanksgiving Donations go to 186 ACLAMO Families
Continuing a tradition started more than 20 years ago, ACLAMO collected Thanksgiving donations from several generous donors and distributed the food and gift cards to 186 families.
"This is a wonderful time of the year to give," said Lourdes Hernandez, ACLAMO Director of Operations, who coordinated the Thanksgiving Drive. "We are keeping up this beautiful tradition, especially now, since we have more and more families living in economic crisis."
Donations of turkeys, boxed and canned goods, and gift cards came from the collection efforts of the Methacton High School Spanish Club, the Radnor High School Culture Club, Christian Rice at Ursinus College, Nell Anderson at Bryn Mawr College, Liz Conrad at AD Computer, Alan Van Horn at Van Horn Insurance and Catherine Guido at Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania.
"I saw so many happy faces receiving the food and gift cards donated by our friends," Hernandez said.
 | | Pictured from the left are teacher Carol Davis, students John Klaczany and Steven Siefried, both Vice Presidents of the Spanish Club, ACLAMO Executive Director Juan Guerra, and Spanish teacher Kathy O'Connell. |
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ACLAMO's Pottstown Flu Shot Clinic Serves Community
 During the annual flu shot clinic at ACLAMO's Pottstown facility, influenza vaccinations were offered free of charge by nurses from the Montgomery County Health Department (MCHD). The event was very successful, with 28 local community members of all ages getting flu shots, some of them for the first time.
"We always try to do outreach to any underserved community that otherwise wouldn't receive a vaccination," said Marianne Claypotch, one of the MCHD nurses.  | |
Montgomery County Health Department nurses Marianne Claypotch and Rhonda Stanek.
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Wanda Rivera, case manager at ACLAMO's Pottstown center, and coordinator of the flu shot clinic, said the event is especiallyimportant this year. "Some of the clients who came today did not have health insurance," she said, adding that they might not have gotten flu shots otherwise. As we move into the harsh months of winter, the influenza virus is one of the leading causes of illness. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention strongly urges people to get vaccinated, especially those considered at high risk, the elderly and children. |
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One of our 3-year-old students is thrilled with her coat provided by
the Wayne Elementary School coat drive.
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Collections Provide Hundreds of Coats for ACLAMO Families
More than 250 coats, jackets and sweatshirts were collected for ACLAMO kids and families in coat drives in the past several weeks. Hats, gloves, scarves and snowpants also were donated.
ACLAMO staff and volunteers sorted through the donations and set up weekly "boutiques" where parents and children in our education programs could choose coats for themselves and their families.
Wayne Elementary School in Radnor Township collected 170 coats, jackets and sweatshirts, along with dozens of hats, gloves, scarves and snowpants. John Middleton Co. in Limerick donated 80 pieces of outerwear through the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey. The Radnor High School Hispanic and Culture Clubs gave more than a dozen coats as well.
Many thanks to the generous donors from ACLAMO and its families.
For more photos and information, please go to faceboook.com/aclamo.
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ACLAMO's Guerra Receives HIAS Community Service Award
 ACLAMO's Executive Director, Juan Guerra, received the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society 2012 Community Partner Award.
HIAS representative Vleidmy Velarde-Duffy recently presented Guerra the award.
HIAS Pennsylvania collaborates with faith- and community-based groups, service providers, and advocacy organizations to assist immigrants, refugees and their families in Eastern Pennsylvania. HIAS Pennsylvania serves the Latino population in Norristown through their collaborative work with ACLAMO, by providing legal services at the Norristown center on a monthly basis. |
Preschoolers, Moms Go on Field Trip to Maple Acres Farm
They picked pumpkins, rode tractors and saw live farm animals up close, including cows, chickens and turkeys at this Plymouth Meeting farm. One mom even picked up a chicken and held it so each child could come close and touch its feathers.
During English language class afterward the mothers described how much they enjoyed being out in the green pastures and buying fresh eggs and vegetables in the farm store. The children were very animated describing how they fed the chickens and cows, and rode on the tractors.
"It's important to show pre-school children the wider world," said Linda Maldonado, Director of Early Learning and Family Literacy. Children in low-income families often are limited to their immediate vicinity, so it is critical to give them the chance to see live animals through field trips to the farm, zoo and aquarium, she said.
"This knowledge becomes important in third and fourth grade because it helps with reading comprehension," Maldonado said. "It's important to give them information about their world in a hands-on way."
To see more photos, please go to facebook.com/aclamo. |
Personal Profile: Nell Anderson, Co-Director of the Civil Engagement Office at Bryn Mawr College
By Louisa Shepard
Nell Anderson's love for Spanish language and culture, and a passion for helping immigrant families, helped her build a remarkable relationship between Bryn Mawr College and ACLAMO over the past 10 years.
"I love connecting people with ACLAMO," said Anderson, co-director of Bryn Mawr's Civic Engagement Office. "It's a relationship, and relationships over time are important...
I can count on the people at ACLAMO. And they can certainly count on me."
Anderson and her staff place Bryn Mawr students in work-study positions as part of college course requirements in several agencies in Norristown. Most of the students who come to ACLAMO are studying education: They help to teach preschoolers in the Family Literacy education program, or the mothers in the adult education classes.
"I think very highly of ACLAMO," Anderson said, adding that she is particularly impressed with the Family Literacy program. "ACLAMO has so many different kinds of services to meet the needs of families."
Most of ACLAMO's clients are new immigrants from Spanish-speaking countries, and they have many needs. "To me it is important to be welcoming to people who are new to this country," Anderson said, "and working with ACLAMO gives me a way to participate in that effort."
In addition to placing students for coursework, Anderson connects student volunteers to ACLAMO and other agencies for special projects, and runs donation drives for Thanksgiving, coats, and even socks.
"I really respect Nell and owe her a great deal for making my life easier," said Marla Benssy, director of ACLAMO's adult education program. "She brought us tutors when we were short-staffed, socks when we saw the mothers and some of the kids weren't wearing any...The list goes on and on."
To read the full story about Nell Anderson, please click here. Or go to facebook.com/aclamo.
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ACLAMO celebrates its 35th year of providing economic, educational, health and cultural opportunities for low-income residents of Norristown and Pottstown, especially those of Spanish language heritage.
ACLAMO stands for Accíon Comunal Latinoamericana de Montgomery County, or Latin American Action of Montgomery County. ACLAMO is derived from the Spanish word "aclamar," which means "to acclaim."
ACLAMO Family Centers ACLAMO Family Centers
512 W. Marshall Street 515 Walnut Street
Norristown, PA 19401 Pottstown, PA 19464
610-277-2570 610-970-2134
aclamo.org
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