CCHA was established in 2001 in response to the growing Hispanic/Latino community in Transylvania County. Its mission is to enhance the wellness and integration of the Latino community by encouraging education, encouraging multicultural understanding, working for justice, developing Hispanic leadership and promoting civic participation. They provide guidance and support for Latino families, and help them adapt to life in the U.S. through information and referral services, interpreting, case management, personalized assistance and cultural events. CCHA will receive $8,900 over two years to increase evaluation and fundraising capacity. Half the grant funds will be awarded the first year to begin the work. To build fundraising capacity, the other half of the grant funds will be awarded in year 2 of the grant on a matching 1:1 basis against locally raised funds.
COLA, founded in 2002, is a regional network connecting and strengthening organizations that empower Latino communities in WNC. COLA works with local groups and member organizations to: organize advocacy efforts to influence decision makers on social justice issues facing Latinos and other marginalized communities; provide education and capacity building to strengthen local organizations and their communities; nurture existing and emerging grassroots leaders; network with other Latino and immigrant organizations; and educate community members and allies on issues related to immigration. COLA will receive $47,350 over two years to increase advocacy and collaborative capacity by establishing a three-organization coalition of Latino-serving organizations to implement and evaluate the Raising Our Voices story project, resulting in increased collaboration, coordinated advocacy efforts and organizational efficiencies in fundraising and resource sharing.
COLA will be undertaking this project in partnership with Latino Advocacy Coalition (Henderson County) and WNC Worker’s Center (based on Burke County).
Centro Unido was formed in 2010. The mission of Centro Unido Latino Americano is to strengthen the community of McDowell by providing information, educational opportunities and support to Latinos while building bridges of understanding and opportunity for everyone in our county. This new Center will receive $22,900 over two years to increase human resources and fundraising capacity by hiring their first Executive Director to establish operational systems and to develop a fundraising plan, resulting in diversified funding sources and organizational policies and procedures.
The Latino Outreach & Solidaridad was founded in 2001. The mission is to form alliances with other community organizations in dedicating our efforts to increase cross-cultural understanding, and to assist families in improving their quality of life through empowerment, education and advocacy. They provide emergency food and service programs, family literacy including ESL for adults and children, and case management. They will receive $9,900 over two years to increase leadership and management capacity by hiring a consultant to train the Executive Director and Board on governance and management, resulting in operational policies and procedures, as well as management mechanisms for staff supervision and evaluation. Also they will expand technology capacity by acquiring data management software to enhance recordkeeping efforts, resulting in more efficient tracking and evaluation of services.
Service Center was formed in 2001. The mission of Service Center for Latinos is to provide advocacy services, education, basic needs assistance, life improvement and empowerment for citizens in the community, whose access to health, education and welfare services are limited by socioeconomics and language barriers, striving to increase cultural understanding in Mitchell county and surrounding counties. The Center will receive $11,900 over two years to increase fundraising capacity by hiring a consultant to develop a strategic fundraising plan and by implementing a challenge grant, resulting in diversified funding as well as to increase technology and evaluation capacity through acquisition of a data management system to track fundraising and client services, resulting in increased accuracy of recordkeeping and assessment and improvement of fundraising and programs. To strengthen fundraising capacity, $2,000 of the grant will be awarded as a matching grant in the second year.