Winners Honored at 2007 NCLR Annual Conference in Miami

Washington, DC – The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., announced the recipients of the third annual NCLR-Annie E. Casey Foundation Family Strengthening Awards (FSA). NCLR presents these awards in partnership with the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a national foundation that works to build better futures for disadvantaged children and their families in the United States.

The following five NCLR Affiliates were recognized for their exemplary programs that strengthen Hispanic families: Conexión Américas of Nashville, Tennessee; Dallas Concilio of Hispanic Service Organizations of Dallas, Texas; El Hogar del Niño of Chicago, Illinois; Luz Social Services, Inc. of Tucson, Arizona; and Tiburcio Vásquez Health Center (TVHC) of Union City, California.

“These programs are a concrete example of the work hundreds of Latino community-based organizations do every day to reach out to families in the Hispanic community, assist them in strengthening their ability to provide and care for their children, and help to create solutions to the challenges that they face,” stated Janet Murguía, NCLR President and CEO. “We are so proud of the work of these NCLR Affiliate partners and excited to see their efforts recognized by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.”

All of the awardees have demonstrated exemplary dedication to families in their communities by offering programs that meet their educational, housing, employment, health, and advocacy needs. The organizations were honored at the National Affiliate Luncheon on Saturday, July 21 during the NCLR Annual Conference in Miami, Florida. In addition, each organization received $10,000 to fund their award-winning programs and joined other Latino community-based organizations at a workshop, which was opened to the public, to showcase and demonstrate their best practices.

• Conexión Américas addresses some of the most pressing challenges and opportunities created by recent demographic changes in Tennessee. The ENLACES Information, Referral and Support Services program connects Latino families with information, resources, support networks, and tools needed to address immediate, midterm, and long-range challenges.
• Dallas Concilio of Hispanic Service Organizations enhances the quality of life of Hispanics in Dallas through community partnerships. Families are served directly through its education and health programs while housing, employment, advocacy, counseling, food, and legal services are addressed by its partner organizations. The Community Health program provides Latino families with linguistically appropriate health and nutrition education and referrals to affordable health care services.
• El Hogar del Niño, serving Chicago’s Pilsen and Little Village residents, provides comprehensive bilingual/bicultural early childhood development programs. The Toddler/2-3-Year-Old Childcare Center addresses the educational, developmental, cognitive, and social needs of young children, while the entire family benefits from a comprehensive network of services including employment, education, emergency food and energy assistance, and family reading programs.
• Luz Social Services, Inc. delivers culturally competent prevention, education, and health services to the Latino community in Tucson, AZ. The Luz Southside Coalition program focuses on parenting and financial literacy classes, reducing teen suicide and juvenile delinquency, and mobilizing the community to advocate against alcohol advertising and liquor licensing.
• TVHC delivers multicultural and linguistically appropriate health care services to underserved communities in Southern Alameda County. The Promotores/as de Salud program focuses on health as the building block for the social and emotional development of families. Its promotores increase awareness of health issues and ensure that families tap into TVHC’s network of resources.