ALAS In Action:

During the 2019-2020 program year, LCC worked with one student, Susanna** who was a graduating senior from Allderdice High School. Susanna committed to attend the University of Pittsburgh in Fall 2020. Our ALAS Program Manager worked with Susanna on understanding the financial aid package that was offered to her. Susanna was interested in pre-med studies, but she was confused about the admissions process and long-term planning for a career that involved so much academic preparation. Our Program Manager helped connect her to another Columbian medical student at Pitt, who mentored her and provided guidance on pre-med admissions and college experience. 

This is just one example of the many ways LCC goes above and beyond to help students navigate and access higher education and post secondary opportunities. As the program continues to expand this fiscal year, LCC has focused on helping students with COVID-19 emergency assistance and case management support. We look forward to sharing outcomes with you in our next report. Until then, please read more about our program by clicking the link below.

** Name changed for confidentiality

Top 5 Welcome Center family needs and requests in 2019-2020:

1. Referrals to free health clinics

2. English classes

3. General health & wellness questions

4. Immigration attorneys

5. Assistance finding health insurance

Workshop: How to talk about immigration with your children

women’s workshop: let’s talk about mental health

In July 2020, the Welcome Center became part of the Family Services division at the LCC and was renamed to the Drop-In Center. You can read more about this transition here. We look forward to sharing new outcomes from this transition in our next annual report. Until then, read more about our Family Services programs by clicking the link below.

Visit our COVID-19 response section to learn more about how we pivoted this program in response to the pandemic.

Supporting Our Local Immigrant Community

In July 2019, local immigrant families were facing increased threats of ICE raids in our region. LCC stepped in immediately to provide these families with nonperishable emergency food boxes to ensure they continued to receive proper nutrition while staying inside. We also included important safety messaging in each box about their rights should they experience an ICE raid.

Keeping local Latino families safe is a top priority for the LCC team. Providing families with emergency food assistance and current safety information in Spanish are just a few ways that LCC ensures all Latino families continue to feel supported during a crisis.

Volunteer Spotlight

A Q&A WITH VOLUNTEER JORDAN LAKE

What inspired you to first start volunteering with the LCC?

After graduating from the University of Michigan, I spent a couple months learning Spanish on a language immersion in Granada, Spain, and I wanted to continue my immersive language learning experience here in the States. Having postponed my post-grad job search in order to volunteer at a variety of organizations across Pittsburgh, I came across the LCC’s SOY Program where I could tutor bright young Latino students in math and English while they tutor me in Spanish!

What keeps you coming back?

I continue to volunteer with the Latino Community Center because of the people. I love the upbeat children who I’ve been blessed to spend time with at SOY, I admire the strong families who make up the Latino community in Pittsburgh, and I call the wonderful leaders and volunteers who serve with the LCC my friends.

What's your favorite part about working with the LCC?

My favorite part about working with the LCC would have to be the students. Nowhere else am I so challenged to be present and so encouraged to learn as when I spend a day with them. In one moment, I am learning to be patient as I channel the energy of a young mind toward a task; in the next moment, I am learning to be assertive as I teach a young person to live by the golden rule; before I know it, I am learning to be graceful as I run with a young spirit around a playground or a gym.

What would you tell other people thinking of volunteering with the LCC?

To the future Latino Community Center volunteer reading this: don’t be afraid to have fun. Volunteer work is serious in how important it is in impacting our communities and ourselves, but that doesn’t mean the way you volunteer has to be serious. If you end up at the LCC warehouse packing meals into boxes to be delivered to food-unstable families, don’t be afraid to ask Miss Jen to turn on the music and dance (the music will probably already be playing, so just dance). If you find yourself sitting down with a student who is struggling with both a homework problem and his/her own ability to focus at the end of a long school day, don’t be afraid to be creative or weird to spark their imagination and motivation. And if you’re afraid that you wouldn’t have the skill set or personality to fit in and get along, don’t be silly; all are welcome in the LCC family!

About Jordan: Jordan Lake is a Pittsburgh resident of 16 years. He previously lived in Georgia before graduating from North Allegheny in 2015 and starting college at the University of Michigan in 2019. He hopes to share the love of Jesus Christ with everyone he meets. He has been a volunteer at the LCC for over a year.

Interested in volunteering with the LCC?

Our Vision Continues

The 2020-2021 year has already been one of tremendous growth and opportunity for the LCC and the community we are so proudly part of. In our next Annual Report, we look forward to share new updates with you on all we’ve accomplished with your support. The 2020-2021 report will include updates on:

• The Latino Family Center - We are now now the lead fiscal agent of the Latino Family Center. The LCC now provides even more comprehensive family services and educational programming to Latinos in our region as a result of this transition.

• New Programming - We offer a new range of high quality, evidence based programs including SOY Middle School, ParentChild+ home visiting, Triple P Positive Parenting classes, and a community health worker program.

• A Permanent Location - We have been gathering feedback from the local community on location ideas for a permanent location for the LCC. We will share the results of this feedback and our plans to establish a permanent community center for Latinos in Pittsburgh.

Organizational Milestones: Building a nonprofit organization that is transparent, stable, and strong

Here are some key 2019-2020 organizational milestones that have helped the LCC on our journey to establish an organization that is transparent, stable, and strong:

• July 2019 - Completed a comprehensive research assessment of the state of Latino students in Pittsburgh Public Schools with the help of Carnegie Mellon University intern, Carrie Haney. A link to this full presentation and our findings can be found here.

• October 2019 - The Pittsburgh Steelers awarded Rosamaria Cristello, Executive Director, the NFL Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award at Heinz Field.

• October 2019 - The LCC hired its first Director of Development & Communications, Angelica Perry, to assist the organization with expanding our communications, revenue sources, and external relations.

• December 2019 - Emily Blair, LCC’s Director of Education, completed her year-long Education Public Policy Leadership Graduate Certificate program with a residency in Washington D.C.

• January 2020 - We have a new look! The LCC adopted a new, updated logo and launched a new website to highlight our programs and services.

• January 2020 - Emily Blair was promoted to Director of Education after helping the LCC launch our continuum of educational programming for Latino youth in Pittsburgh.

• February 2020 - LCC was accepted as an affiliate of UNIDOS US.

• March 2020 - Cribs for Kids awarded Rosamaria Cristello, Executive Director, with a Woman of Achievement Award. Honorees are nominated and selected based on excellence in their field, making a significant contribution to the betterment of their communities, or outstanding accomplishments for the advancement of women.

• March 2020 - Emily Blair, Director of Education, completed her Simple Interactions training course through the University of Pittsburgh and APOST. Simple Interactions is a practice-based, strengths-focused and community driven approach to support and develop professional, youth serving adults.

• April 2020 - The LCC hired our first Director of Family Services, Alyssa Giron, to lead the Latino Family Center programming after the July 1, 2020 transition.

• May 2020 - LCC established our first emergency financial assistance fund, The Community Emergency Response Fund, to assist families experiencing financial hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

• June 2020 - The Pittsburgh Business Times recognized Rosamaria Cristello, Executive Director, as a 2020 Woman of Influence for her outstanding contributions to the Pittsburgh community.

In addition to achieving these tremendous milestones, during the 2019-2020 fiscal year, the LCC also contracted a Human Resources consultant to review our organizational salaries and job descriptions to ensure we were continuing to offer competitive pay and benefits for all positions.

Save the Date!

Check out LCC’s 2021 events:

Telethon

Spring 2021

LCC is bringing you a live Telethon event. Tune in for musical performances, yoga classes, cooking demonstrations, and much more!

Navidad in Pittsburgh

December 2021

LCC will provide Christmas gifts to Latino children throughout Allegheny County. Help us ensure every child has a joyous holiday season!

Back-to-School Bash

SUMMER 2021

LCC’s Annual Back-to-School Bash event will return next fall. Look for updates on how you can support our students as they prepare for a new school year.