History
In the spring of 2002, a meeting of more than 50 community leaders was convened to discuss the feasibility of a Hispanic Center in Howard County, Maryland. A steering committee was formed and the named organization Alianza de la Comunidad was formed. Alianza is a non-for-profit 501(c)3 organization.
Needs of the Spanish-speaking Community
According to the US census, the number of Hispanic residents in Howard County has more than doubled in the last 10 years, from 3,699 in 1990 to 7,490 in 2000. A recent proclamation by the Howard County Executive reports that there are approximately 15,000 Spanish-speaking persons in this county. Enrollment of Spanish-speaking students in Howard County public schools demonstrates an even greater increase of approximately 237% between 1994 and 2004. Language and cultural barriers make it very difficult for the Hispanic immigrant population to Howard County to learn about and access services to which they are entitled. As an advocacy organization, Alianza de la Comunidad will communicate directly with Hispanic residents and connect them with existing services. In order to identify community needs, Alianza de la Comunidad has established a "Centro de Ayuda" or Help Center for our community at the Wilde Lake Interfaith Center. This center is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 pm to 7 pm, to address the concerns, questions and needs of the Hispanic community.
Projects
Since its inception, Alianza de la Comunidad has participated in various endeavors to facilitate access for our community and to open avenues to improve availability of services. Among our projects we include:
- Participated in an access to health care assessment survey of Hispanic residents in Howard County, which eventually lead to the establishment of a low cost clinic in the county;
- In collaboration with the Howard County Mental Health Authority, developed a system of referral to mental health services for Hispanic residents. As part of these efforts, Spanish-speaking therapists were recruited to provide same-language services to our clients;
- Partnered with FIRN and Conexiones to develop an anti-smoking public education campaign targeted towards teenagers in Howard County;
- Conduct two parenting workshops, one for parents of children 2 – 12 and another for parents of adolescents (12 – 18). Each workshop is six weeks long and conducted in Spanish at various Howard County schools. Refreshments and babysitting services are provided. Assistance with transportation is also available in cases of extreme need;
- Developed informational workshops for Hispanic residents on topics of interest such as health education, financial orientation, taxes and tax ID numbers (TIN), driver license information, and access to social services in the County.
