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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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NOVEMBER 20141
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ACLAMO children lounge on piles of coats donated by Gwynedd Mercy Academy.
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From The Executive Director:
It's sunny and 70 degrees today as I write. What a change from the frigid temperatures we have been experiencing as of late. The stories of this month's newsletter are a bit like today, a breadth of sunshine in turbulent times. The news headlines reflect a divided and tortured world full of distrust, disagreements, and violence. Still the overall message of this season is to stop and acknowledge our blessings and to say "thanks".
So for those donors who attended our appreciation concert, to all who donated food to make our Thanksgiving Food Drive a success, to the students that gathered warm coats for needy families, to the individuals, banks, businesses and sports franchises that faithfully support ACLAMO, we offer a heartfelt "gracias".
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ACLAMO THANKS ITS VIP DONORS
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The Karabots and Commissioner Shapiro
react to the gift of a Mexican handcraft.
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On Saturday, November 15, ACLAMO recognized 150 of its main donors and VIP guests in Ursinus College´s Bomberger Auditorium at a world class performance of music and poetry by Sandrine Erdely-Sayo and Elizabeth Peña. Following the concert, those attending enjoyed a reception in the Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art.
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ACLAMO students present
flowers to Erdely-Sayo and Peña.
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At the reception, Josh Shapiro, Chair of the Montgomery County Board of Commisioners, and ACLAMO students presented a commendation and awards to ACLAMO supporters Athena and Nicholas Karabots, who symbolically represented all of those whose contributions of time and money made the ACLAMO´s programs possible over the past year.
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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR GUERRA HONORED
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Mexican Consul General Carlos Giralt Cabrales, Executive Directior Juan Guerra, and Philadelphia mayoral candidate, Ken Trujillo attended the 2014 Delaware Valley's Most Influential Latino Award ceremony.
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Executive Director, Juan Guerra was awarded the 2014 Delaware Valley's Most Influential Latino by Impacto Latin Newspaper and PHLDIVERSITY. Juan was among those honored at their annual banquet held at the Hyatt Regency in Philadelphia.
Sharing the awards were some notable leaders, among them Iron Chef America Jose Garces, mayoral candidate Ken Trujillo, and Varsovia Fernandez, CEO of the Greater Philadelphia Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
"I accept this award in recognition of the important work done every day at ACLAMO," said Guerra. ACLAMO congratulates Juan on this honor.
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ACLAMO SUPPORTERS SHARE THANKSGIVING
"Turkey Collections -This Week Only!" read the signs held by Episcopal Academy students, standing in the morning chill at their school's driveway. Director of Community Outreach Susan Swanson (seen in photo with ACLAMO families) helped organize this effort, which produced a total of 21 turkeys!
"As a faith-based community, we are called to help where we can -- especially at Thanksgiving, when we are particularly aware of all our blessings," said Swanson. "Our students look forward to their time at ACLAMO after school with their young friends, and are delighted that some of our turkey collection is going to their community."
The Episcopal Academy gift, along with donations from the Guiffrida family, Van Horn Insurance, Ursinus College's Bonner Program, Methacton School District, and Bryn Mawr College's Office of Civic Engagement yielded nearly 200 Thanksgiving meals for some of the most disadvantaged families within our community.
ACLAMO is extremely grateful to all our partners for helping to bring a warm dinner to families in this season of giving.
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SHE LOOKS UPSTREAM Valerie Arkoosh calls herself an "upstreamist". She explains that if problems come floating down a river, it is good to try to solve them; however, it is even better to look upstream and address them where they originated.
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Valerie Arkoosh
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Holding both an M.D. and a Master's Degree in Public Health, Arkoosh is currently Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. In her medical career, she has been committed to caring for pregnant moms in the Philadelphia region, especially those who have limited financial resources and education. In looking upstream, Valerie cites the importance of a clean environment, healthy food, a livable wage, regular exercise, and a good education as the necessary conditions for a healthy population. Her voice grows in intensity as she urges, "We must create conditions in which it is easier for a person to be healthy." Since she first narrated a Christmas play in the second grade, Valerie Arkoosh has enjoyed speaking out and organizing. She has joined physicians groups lobbying for improved access to health care and is a board member of the National Physicians Alliance. In 2014, she entered the primary for a seat in the United States House of Representatives. Although not elected, she is committed to continuing to work on improving health care in the United States. "I support ACLAMO," she explains, because it focuses on the entire Latino family, not just one part of it. ACLAMO provides its clients with education in a range of health issues and organizes health screenings and inoculations. I would like to see it to do even more."
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WELLS FARGO FOUNDATION BACKS ACLAMO
Surrounded by students of the After School program, Executive Director, Juan Guerra accepts a $4,000 check from Wells Fargo Regional manager and Vice President, Juan Gonzalez. This donation will be added to a $1,000 contribution given by the bank in October.
Funds from the Wells Fargo Foundation will be used to help support ACLAMO's educational programs. (Photo courtesy of the Times Herald.)
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ADELANTE LIVES UP TO ITS NAME
The Spanish word adelante means "moving forward" and the ACLAMO Adelante Program has been doing just that. After recruiting additional 7th and 8th graders this fall, the program now boasts a total of 17 middle school and 3 high school students.
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Students gather around a chart which outlines different types of post high school education.
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Under the leadership of Ana Cordova, an AmeriCorps Vista volunteer, Adelante students met 6 times this fall. Along with volunteers from Bryn Mawr College, Ana has focused on mentoring and especially helping students increase their exposure to topics and material related to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). Students also visited Bryn Mawr College, to get a feel for a college campus.
In addition, the Adelante program works with students´ families, encouraging them to discuss post high school education with their children. Ana Cordova explains that it is critical to provide families with explanations of the variety of educational opportunities after high school and the types of financial aid available.
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ACLAMO´S PHILLIES CONNECTION
For relaxation, Kenny Johnson enjoys all kinds of music and has even taught himself to play the piano and guitar. But when he is working, he is all Phillies!
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Kenny started working with the Philadelphia Phillies organization as part of the day-of-game staff while he was still attending Archbishop Carroll High School. After graduating from Villanova University, his Phillies connection developed into a full time position and today Kenny is Coordinator of Fan Development and Multicultural Outreach.
Lourdes Hernández in the ACLAMO office works with Kenny to arrange several visits by ACLAMO students to Citizens Bank Park each year and occasionally is able to secure tickets through the Player Ticketing Program and the Commissioner´s Initiative Program.
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General Manager Rubén Amaro, Jr. presents Goya Service Award to Adamino, Ruth and Tina Ortiz.
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2010 was a highlight year for ACLAMO, when the Phillies presented ACLAMO´s founding Executive Director, Adamino Ortiz, his wife Ruth and daughter Tina Marie with the Goya Family Service Award for their service to the community.
"ACLAMO is a very positive force within the Montgomery County region," Johnson asserts. "The Phillies are proud to work with ACLAMO and the families it benefits."
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ACLAMO Family Centers celebrates its 37th year of providing Latino and low income residents of Montgomery County and surrounding areas with improved access and programs in education, health and social services to foster academic excellence, self-sufficiency and economic success.
ACLAMO stands for Accíon Comunal Latinoamericana de Montgomery County, or Latin American Community 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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