The Hispanic Resource Center
It is clear that the needs of the Latino community of New Orleans have not been fully met by public nor private organizations. The rapid growth of the Latino community has made apparent how serious shortfalls in information, knowledge and skills, as well as linguistic and cultural differences are keeping the Latino community from accessing even those services which are available to them. The Latino Farmers Cooperative of Louisiana has formed the Hispanic Resource Center in response to this situation and has geared its services toward the needs of its members.
The current situation in Louisiana is concisely described in a 2008 publication created for the Council of the Americas to address Latino integration in Louisiana:
“Given the limited number of resources and the region's recent experience with
Hispanic immigration, many state, city and parish institutions as well as community-based programs working with immigrant integration face great demands on their
services and resources. This situation represents a key challenge for the future of the
city and the region and illustrates the need for collaborative initiatives between the
public and private sectors.”
The Hispanic Resource Center (HRC) is an ongoing project being developed to bridge this gap and further serve the Latino community. Listening to the needs of our members, we are creating a safe and comfortable space that offers access to resources that are key in addressing poverty and raising quality of life, but are often missing in their homes.
At the Hispanic Resource Center, members will have free access to:
- Computers, Internet, phone and fax.
- Free computer and English classes.
- A Spanish-language library.
- Health and educational referrals.
- Job training and job readiness programs.
- Crime prevention education.
- Legal assistance and counsel.
- Assistance in acquiring food stamps.
- A Food pantry.
Through the HRC, the Latino Farmers Cooperative is offering another significant service to the Latino Community that is not being offered elsewhere. We hope you will support us in making the Hispanic Resource Center an effective tool for education and empowerment by joining the Crop Circle.
