Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury, Inc.

Our Developmental Support Services are person-centered and designed to help individuals achieve self-reliance, promote independence, and reach personal success in every aspect of life.

Certified thru the Department of Developmental Services (DDS), the Hispanic Coalition provides Individual and Family Support Services. Our professional staff is available to assist individuals who live on their own or with their families placing the needs of the consumer first.
Individual and Family Support includes educational support, transition coordination, behavioral support, nursing support, family support, community resource development, and respite.
Support Resources will concentrate on, skill training, family training, information sharing and referral, crisis support, collaboration with local school districts and agencies, and community development.
Our Professional Resource Team unites the following:
Family Support Workers, Direct Care Workers, Behaviorists and/or Psychologists, Educational liaison, a Transition Coordinator. This service is offered based upon availability of staff resources to meet individual and family needs.

L.A.C.E. Leadership, Athletics, Community, Education..

There were two means by which we sought to encourage student leadership. Firstly, students participated in two Diversity Center workshops on bullying prevention and building empathy for others. Secondly, students are key components of all community activities, fundraising events, and development of the L.A.C.E. program. All participants are also committed to come back as volunteers once they graduate. 

The program seeks to promote educational values via three components: tutoring, mentoring and workshops. With one-on –one tutoring sessions with college volunteers, our primary focus was on helping to improve the student’s academic reports. The majority of afterschool hours concentrated on projects, homework, studying for upcoming quizzes and tests. It was necessary during all sessions for students to establish effective studying habits that would improve their ability to absorb and understand academic materials, thus, tutors were encouraged to explore various methods of study technique.

Cultural Arts Program- Mi Vida, Mi Futuro
 
“La vida es como la música: debe ser compuesta por el oído, el sentimiento y el instinto, no por la reglas.”
 
CULTURAL ARTS
The Cultural Arts program provides students with after-school programming to help advance their knowledge of the Latino Culture through art, music, and dance.
 
Currently, we provide Classical Guitar lessons weekly at the River-Baldwin Recreational Center. To register your child for guitar classes please call Sonia Cruz at 203-754-6172.
 
Children must be between the ages of 8 to 12 years old. Classes have no cost to participants.
Schedule- Tuesdays from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. Guitars will be provided for new students.
 
Salsa lessons are taught by City of Waterbury Fire Fighter, Alex Calderon who has over 15 years of Dance Instruction Experience. Schedule varies..
 
Schedule- To Be Determined. Please, contact Sonia Cruz at 203-754-6172  to verify schedule and to complete registration. Lessons have no cost to participants.

Case Management Services- We treat you like family...
 
Our Case Management Program provides the following services for individuals throughout our community:
Assistance with obtaining essential vital records, i.e.; birth certificates, divorce paperwork, identification cards, etc.
 
Among the many services provided, our Case Management Department has taken on the task of helping clients with the grueling immigration process. From applying for citizenship and petitions to residency, Case Management Supervisor, Sonia Cruz, is determined to cater to the needs of all those who enter her office seeking assistance and support.
 
Community advocacy
Family crisis intervention
Translation of documents
Medical Transportation
Immigration Services
 
Our agency can also make an assessment of a particular case and provide referral to other agencies within the Greater Waterbury area.

The International Institute of Connecticut (IICONN), founded in 1918, is a statewide nonprofit human services agency that provides services to new immigrants and refugees in Connecticut to help them become self-sufficient, integrated and contributing members of the community. IICONN offers legal, social, linguistic and educational programs to help refugees and immigrants overcome the many barriers they face in adjusting to their new environments. In addition, IICONN provides special services to victims of serious crimes such as human trafficking, torture and domestic violence. Each year, IICONN assists close to 5000 individuals from its offices in Bridgeport, Stamford and Hartford.
IICONN is distinguished from other organizations in Connecticut providing resettlement and services to immigrants in three ways. IICONN is the only:
Statewide nonprofit provider of immigration services that offers a full array of legal immigration services, including court representation, victim assistance and asylum application assistance.
Nonprofit in Southwestern Connecticut providing refugee resettlement services and specialized case management for refugees and asylees.
Organization in Connecticut that provides comprehensive services to combat human trafficking in the state, including assistance in identifying and assisting victims of all forms of sex and labor trafficking.

El Centro Cultural
The Hispanic Coalition of Greater Waterbury’s LACE Program introduces at-risk students to life changing experiences that combine leadership, athletics, community and education. Working with LACE participants, the Coalition noted a lack of cultural space in and around Waterbury dedicated to Latino heritage. Executive DirectorVictor Lopez explains, “We were looking for a place to celebrate Three Kings Day with our LACE participants and ended up going all the way to New York City because there is nothing closer. We thought it would be wonderful to create a space for our youth to display their cultural heritage right here in Waterbury.”