Hispanic Services Council Inc

FOUNDED IN 1992 BY A GROUP OF SOCIAL SERVICE PROFESSIONALS CONCERNED ABOUT THE LACK OF ACCESS TO SERVICES AVAILABLE TO LATINO FAMILIES, HISPANIC SERVICES COUNCIL (HSC) IS A PRIVATE, NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED IN TAMPA, FL SERVING LATINOS THROUGHOUT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FL. HSC'S MISSION IS TO INCREASE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR LATINOS AND INFLUENCE THE SYSTEMS THAT SERVE THEM. TO ACHIEVE ITS MISSION, HSC CONNECTS LATINOS TO OPPORTUNITIES THAT REDUCE HEALTH AND EDUCATION-RELATED DISPARITIES WHILE EMPOWERING THEM VIA CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. THROUGH ITS CORE PROGRAMS, HSC SERVES OVER 1,200 INDIVIDUALS ANNUALLY. HSC IS UNIQUELY EQUIPPED TO ADVOCATE FOR IMMIGRANT RIGHTS BECAUSE IT IS A TRUSTED COMMUNITY VOICE, ITS PROGRAMS ARE CLIENT-FOCUSED, AND ANALYSIS OF METRICS AND TRENDS MEANS THAT SERVICE DELIVERY IS RESPONSIVE TO THE EMERGENT NEEDS OF CLIENTS. HSC'S 2GENERATION APPROACH SERVES PARENTS AND CHILDREN SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND TRACKS OUTCOMES FOR BOTH WHILE EMPOWERING FAMILIES TO WORK TOGETHE

HSC HAS RESPONDED TO THIS NEED BY DEVELOPING OPPORTUNITIES THAT RESULT IN AN EDUCATED, HEALTHY, PROSPEROUS, AND ENGAGED LATINO COMMUNITY. TO ACHIEVE THIS, WE OFFER THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES: HSC HAS RESPONDED TO THIS NEED BY DEVELOPING OPPORTUNITIES THAT RESULT IN AN EDUCATED, HEALTHY, PROSPEROUS, AND ENGAGED LATINO COMMUNITY. TO ACHIEVE THIS, WE OFFER THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS AND SERVICES: EDUCATION LA RED DE PADRES ACTIVOS (LA RED)/THE NETWORK OF ACTIVE PARENTS WORKS TO INCREASE THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN IN K-8TH GRADE BY BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF PARENTS TO ENGAGE IN THEIR CHILDREN'S EDUCATION LIVING. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDE PARENTING EDUCATION, FAMILY SUPPORT, AND LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. LA LINEA HISPANA CONNECTS NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING FAMILIES TO APPROPRIATE SERVICES THAT WILL HELP THEM ACCESS ECONOMIC, HOUSING, HEALTH AND MULTIPLE SUPPORT SERVICES TO ENSURE FAMILY STABILITY AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY. HEALTH PROMOTORAS (COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS) PLAY A KEY ROLE AS CONNECTORS, MEDIATORS AND MESSENGERS TO VULNERABLE AND MARGINALIZED RESIDENTS WHO NEED TO BE LINKED TO HEALTH RESOURCES AND INFORMATION SO THAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE OPTIMAL PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH. PROMOTORAS ARE INTEGRAL TO THE SERVICES PROVIDED THROUGH THE FOLLOWING PROGRAMS: COMPRANDO RICO Y SANO (CRS)/HEALTHY SHOPPING), FOCUSES ON PROVIDING NUTRITION AND HEALTHY LIVING EDUCATION IN SPANISH, AS WELL ASSISTING INDIVIDUALS APPLY AND/OR RECERTIFY FOR SNAP BENEFITS. THE GOAL OF CRS IS TO IMPROVE KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIORS AROUND HEALTH-CONSCIOUS SHOPPING AND FOOD CHOICE AMONG LATINOS. PROGRAM ACTIVITIES INCLUDE GROCERY SHOPPING TOURS, COMMUNITY CONVERSATION CIRCLES REGARDING HEALTHY EATING AND NUTRITION ADVICE AND SNAP APPLICATION AND RECERTIFICATION ASSISTANCE. THESE ACTIVITIES HAVE HELPED FAMILIES TO: INCREASE THEIR AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTHY SHOPPING STRATEGIES; INCREASE THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF COST-SAVING MEASURES WHEN SHOPPING; AND, ENROLL OR RECERTIFY INTO SNAP. HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY'S INDIGENT HEALTH CARE APPLICATION ASSISTANCE OFFERS INDIVIDUALIZED AND CONFIDENTIAL ASSISTANCE FOR INDIVIDUALS SEEKING HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS THROUGH HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY. PROGRAM SERVICES INCLUDE APPLICATION ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO ENSURE EFFECTIVE UTILIZATION OF HEALTH INSURANCE. ACQUIRING HEALTH INSURANCE ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS TO ACCESS PREVENTATIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES AND OTHER HEALTH RELATED OPPORTUNITIES TO BE HEALTHY AND MAINTAIN A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES & ADVOCACY (ILSA) PROVIDES ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES SEEKING TO ESTABLISH OR ADJUST THEIR IMMIGRATION STATUS (I.E. DACA, TPS, ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS, U-VISAS, FAMILY PETITIONS) AND BECOME U.S. CITIZENS. HSC IS A BOARD OF IMMIGRATION APPEALS (BIA) RECOGNIZED AGENCY AND ILSA HAS ON STAFF A FULLY ACCREDITED REPRESENTATIVE WHICH ALLOWS HER TO REPRESENT CLIENTS IN IMMIGRATION COURT. FOR HSC'S PARENT ENGAGEMENT INITIATIVE, WE USE THE FOLLOWING ASSESSMENT TOOLS: PADRES COMPROMETIDOS SURVEY; PARENT/TEACHER/STUDENT COMPACT FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAM OUTCOME SURVEY; CASE NOTES PARENTAL STRESS SCALE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH PARENTS SCALE FOR TEENAGERS THESE TOOLS MEASURE THE FOLLOWING: AT LEAST 85% OF A MINIMUM OF 382 INDIVIDUALS HAVE INCREASED SOCIAL SUPPORTS, ARE INVOLVED WITH THEIR CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT, EDUCATION AND/OR SCHOOL, AND HAVE INCREASED CONCRETE SUPPORTS AT LEAST 80% OF A MINIMUM OF 382 FAMILIES HAVE IMPROVED FAMILY WELL-BEING AND HAVE INCREASED PARENTING SKILLS AT LEAST 70% OF A MINIMUM OF 90 PARENTS HAVE REDUCED STRESS AT LEAST 80% OF 40 YOUTH DEMONSTRATE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS WITH PARENTS AND OTHER ADULTS FOR OUR HEALTHY LIVING PROGRAMS, HSC USES A LOGIC MODEL WHICH OUTLINES THE RESOURCES, ACTIVITIES, OUTPUTS, AND OUTCOMES. SURVEYS WERE ADMINISTERED USING A TRADITIONAL PRE-POST TEST DESIGN. PARTICIPANT MEASURES ARE: DEMONSTRATE AN INCREASE IN KNOWLEDGE OF HEALTHY FOOD CHOICES AND BENEFITS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INDICATE AN INTENT/COMFORT/CONFIDENCE TO IMPROVE THEIR EATING HABITS INDICATE AN INTENT TO INCREASE THEIR OVERALL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY INCREASE ACCESS TO FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL PROGRAMS/RESOURCES IN ADDITION, WE UTILIZED A PRE-POST "QUALITY OF LIFE" SURVEY TOOL GIVEN ON THE FIRST AND LAST DAY OF THE CM COURSES: DEMONSTRATE AN INCREASE IN LEVELS OF CONNECTIVITY TO THEIR COMMUNITY DEMONSTRATE AN INCREASE IN LEVELS OF TRUST DEMONSTRATE IMPROVED PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WELLBEING THE IMMIGRATION LEGAL SERVICES PROGRAM DETERMINES SUCCESS BY THE NUMBER OF CLIENTS RECEIVING CONSULTATIONS, NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED, AND NUMBER OF APPLICATIONS APPROVED.

SUSTAINING THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION IS PARAMOUNT TO ENSURE THAT LATINO FAMILIES AND INDIVIDUALS BECOME A PRODUCTIVE AND ENGAGED MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY. AS SUCH, HSC'S LEADERSHIP IS COMMITTED TO: MAINTAINING AND STRENGTHENING HSC'S CORE PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES; FAMILY SUPPORT, PARENT AND COMMUNITY EDUCATION, RESOURCE COORDINATION, ADVOCACY. DIVERSIFYING THE ORGANIZATION'S FUNDING BASE BY RAISING 25% OF ITS ANNUAL BUDGET FROM PRIVATE FOUNDATIONS FROM THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, REGION, AND NATION. EXPANDING HSC'S IMPACT BY ENGAGING IN EXPANDED/NEW PROGRAM AREAS THAT ADDRESS OTHER SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC NEEDS OF THE LATINO COMMUNITY. INCREASING HSC UNRESTRICTED FUNDING BASE TO ENSURE APPROPRIATE LEADERSHIP CAPACITY THAT WILL ENABLE HSC TO PROVIDE EFFECTIVE STEWARDSHIP OF CURRENT RESOURCES TO FACILITATE THE ORGANIZATION'S GROWTH AND ENSURE EFFECTIVE COMMUNITY IMPACT. BUILDING AN INDIVIDUAL DONOR BASE THAT REPRESENTS 10% OF THE ORGANIZATION'S ANNUAL BUDGET COMPRISED OF LATINO BUSINESSES, CURRENT AND PAST BOARD MEMBERS, AND THE LARGER LATINO COMMUNITY. IDENTIFYING OPPORTUNITIES FOR REVENUE GENERATING VENTURES HSC IS COMMITTED TO ENSURING THAT INDIVIDUALS AND COMMUNITIES REACH THEIR TRUE POTENTIAL AND HAVE ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITIES THAT LEAD TO SELF- SUFFICIENCY AND IMPROVED WELL-BEING AT ALL LEVELS. WE BELIEVE THAT THE FUTURE OF THE TAMPA BAY COMMUNITY AND HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY IN PARTICULAR, IS INTRINSICALLY TIED TO THE PROSPERITY OF LATINOS. WE BELIEVE THAT TO UNLEASH THAT POTENTIAL WE MUST ENGAGE THOSE MOST IN NEED TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS.