SACA

CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

Chairman’s Letter

The “Evolving Experiment”

Developing Community, Growing Opportunity

The Elm Street Project

Filling a Void With Passion and Partnership

Caring For The Whole Community

Nuestra Clinica Education Prevention Services (NCEPS)

The Luis Muñoz Marin Senior Center

More Than A Meal

Big Dreams And High Hopes

Envisioning A New Model For Workforce Development

A Conversation With Carlos Graupera

Community-Based Workforce Development

WLCH Radio Centro

Community First: A Great Mystery

A Conversation With Jose R Lopez

OUR MISSION

SACA uplifts and restores marginalized communities through human, economic, and social services while supporting cultural identities. Put simply, SACA is a partner and an ally to all. Through our programs and support, we exist to inspire others to identify and fulfill their unique purpose, leveraging resources to pursue a unified community where everyone has the opportunity to advance. 453 South Lime Street, Suite A, Lancaster, PA 17602 / 717.397.6267

ADDRESS

Chairman’s Letter

Dear Friends and Supporters of SACA:

One of the things I have admired most about SACA’s philosophy is accessibility. From conception, SACA has always been committed to not only serving the community but integrating and being a part of the community at the most fundamental levels. Whether it be the facilities through which we provide our services, the neighborhoods we strive to redevelop and provide affordable housing in, programming that we offer, and most importantly the community members we support, everything SACA does is centered around making resources available and easily accessible to marginalized communities in our neighborhoods.

This work is critical to uplifting and restoring our communities and members because without affordable and accessible resources, we will continue to perpetuate the challenges we face today.

To break the cycle, we must continuously make strides towards advancing, big or small, wins in our community are wins in our community.

Every individual we help to uplift is a win.

Over the next 50 years I envision a more robust network of resources, allies, services, and most importantly, community members that have benefited from the work we do. This, of course, would not be possible without the historic and monumental work accomplished over the last 50 years by our leadership, staff, and supporters.

I share this perspective not only as leader within the organization, but more importantly as a member of the community. Spending most of my life in the southeast, I have seen firsthand the many challenges that our community has faced and how they have evolved. I, too, have evolved in my aspirations to better serve my community during the most challenging of times and circumstances. I hope to serve as a resource to anyone that I can support.

As we continue to embark on our next 50 years of service, I would challenge my fellow community leaders, members, and supporters to engage with SACA and think of how you can not only help advocate the great work that SACA is doing, but also, how you can leverage your personal and professional resources, networks, and time to continue to support us in our mission. We rely heavily on our supporters as resources to accomplish our vision and be the catalyst for change.

With gratitude and excitement,

Kyle Amor, Chairman of the Board of SACA

The “Evolving Experiment”

How SACA’s Impact has Transformed a Community

To be of service to the community for more than half a century is a major milestone that many organizations can only aspire to one day reach. But for SACA, this is merely a mile-marker on a long and prosperous journey that is transforming the City of Lancaster. For over 50 years, SACA has served Lancaster County’s largest minority population, the Latino community, and during this time it has been both a witness to and a catalyst for major cultural shifts.

Since the early 1940s, diverse groups have found hope and opportunity in Lancaster’s prosperous region. One of those diverse groups is the Latino community that today represents about 40% of the population within the City of Lancaster. This extraordinary statistic reflects a vigorous pattern of growth over the decades that brought with it a surge of diversity and culture that has directly contributed to many of Lancaster’s most appreciated qualities.

“In the ‘60s and ‘70s, the makeup and culture of Lancaster’s community shifted significantly. A lot of Latinos started moving into the city, and that process accelerated every decade. A group of us got together and said, we have to create a civic platform for families to become acclimated and integrated into the social and economic life in the community,” said Carlos Graupera, Founder and retiring CEO of SACA.

With this sustained pattern of growth, the Spanish American Civic Association, now known as SACA, was established in 1973 to help the Latino population assimilate to life in Lancaster. Today, the mission of SACA has expanded to serve every ethnicity, age, and ability. As the needs of the people changed over time, so did SACA’s response to their issues. That is how they became involved in workforce development, affordable housing, behavioral health, and much more. SACA now exists with one clear mission: to uplift and restore marginalized communities through human, economic, and social services, while supporting cultural identities.

A Vision to Serve and Connect

Carlos established SACA in 1973, with the help of local Catholic charities. The vision was to provide civic infrastructure and support that would meet the evolving needs of the Latino population and enable the general community to engage constructively with the growing Latino community.

Carlos and his family emigrated from Cuba in the 1960s, so he knew firsthand the needs and struggles of the immigrant experience. He refers to SACA as an “evolving experiment,” shaping the organization’s programming by responding and adapting to the community’s needs. During Carlos’ tenure as CEO, SACA has opened Nuestra Clinica, a bilingual mental health and drug and alcohol outpatient clinic, and launched SACA Development Corporation, a housing development corporation dedicated to homeownership opportunities for inner- city residents. They also produce WLCH FM Radio Centro, a full-time Spanish language educational public radio station serving Lancaster and York.

SACA is now a staple for the Latino community, which is something Carlos said he will always be proud of, even after moving on from his longstanding role within the organization.

“This is not a job, this has never been a job for me, so I’m not retiring. I’m handing things over to a younger generation. I’ve got my contacts, connections, and relationships that I would want to continue to help the community with, but after 50 years, it’s good and proper, and the right thing to do,” Carlos said.

Jose Lopez, President of SACA has taken the helm as the new CEO in its 50th anniversary year of 2023.

“Carlos is a visionary leader, a man that is dedicated to the cause that this organization has been involved in. Always trying to create benefit for the community in general, this organization wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for his vision,” Lopez said.

As SACA welcomes its transition to new leadership, Jose has a fresh and forward-thinking vision for the organization’s role in the community. “I want to preserve and nourish the best characteristics of SACA, which is quite simply making sure that everybody gets a fair shake in the American experiment. And the breadth of the programs we have created help to do exactly this,” said Jose. “Looking to the next chapter, I want to continue to move toward being known as a fully-inclusive organization that is not just for one demographic, but that truly represents the beautiful diversity of the City of Lancaster and the many hands and hearts that make this community the gem that it is.”

With new projects and new leaders stepping up to the plate, SACA’s future has never looked brighter.

Developing Community, Growing Opportunity

For more than a quarter-century, SACA Development has been the catalyst for creating affordable housing and economic development opportunities within the southeast section of Lancaster city. Over the decades, ideas became projects, and projects became pillars within the community that stand in proud representation of what can be accomplished when there is a shared vision for revitalization.

It’s incredible to reflect upon the progress made over the years through the projects completed by SACA Development. Our vision has always been to create communities that are all-inclusive, empowered to prosper through sustained social and economic transformation, and share the belief that diversity is

to be embraced and celebrated. To this day, SACA Development remains dedicated to seeking out all opportunities to address housing affordability and grow community wealth in and beyond the borders of Lancaster.

It’s not been without its hurdles. Every project faced unique challenges in some shape or form. Sometimes this was redevelopment challenges like narrow streets, a lack of parking, and aging buildings. Other times delays in approvals and funding threw up road blocks. But each and every time, SACA Development remained resilient and committed to its mission, finding creative ways to solve these problems and creating safe and welcoming spaces throughout the city.

A major milestone for SACA Development was the completion of the stunning Plaza Centro, a neighborhood retail center. This important economic development project, part of the City of Lancaster’s comprehensive plan since 1998, opened its doors to business tenants and quickly became fully occupied.

This is just a sampling of nearly a dozen revitalization and development projects SACA has played a role in over the last 50 years, with many of the projects taking place in the last decade. And momentum is growing rapidly. Through community partnerships, SACA Development has been granted opportunities for funding and collaboration that have evolved this vision into something so much greater than what could ever be accomplished by one organization.

SACA Development is a building block of Lancaster, not only because of the physical properties it rehabilitates and repurposes, but because of its holistic approach to supporting the people of the community. The health, safety, economic security, and education of the community are enhanced with every new project. For more information on existing and upcoming projects, please visit: www.sacapa.org/ saca-development.

The Elm Street Project

Creating Safer, Cleaner, More Beautiful Neighborhoods Block By Block

By: Jack Howell jhowell@sacapa.org

SACA’s Elm Street Program supports the organization’s mission of uplifting marginalized communities. We continually identify best practices that we share with communities throughout the Commonwealth. Following is a sampling of some of our recent endeavors.

♦ Providing funds for restorative justice by which the Mix at Arbor Place helps youth stay on the right track

♦ Helping the City to engage neighbors for improved pedestrian and vehicular safety

♦ Helping the City to attract families to its lead abatement program by providing targeted incentives

♦ Obtaining trash receptacles to reduce litter in neighborhoods

♦ Helping Tec Centro graduates to afford cars by which to reach their new jobs

♦ Installing historical markers that connect residents to their shared past

♦ Supporting public art initiatives to beautify blocks and build neighborhood pride

♦ Funding SACA’s media center through which neighbors create informative podcasts

♦ Supporting the City’s grant requests that are resulting in safer streets and additional parking in southeast Lancaster

Elm Street also works with residents on “placemaking,” which is a targeted block-by-block approach involving both physical improvements that uplift a neighborhood, as well as approaches that lead to social cohesiveness. This approach is based upon the notion that for as tangible as physical environmental outcomes are, projects that prompt collective action on an intimate scale are equally important to the health of a block. They enable neighbors to meet, unite, inform, and ultimately self-manage the places they call home.

We empower neighbors to identify and fund projects of their choosing. Some projects make blocks greener, such as containerized plantings and new street trees to rejuvenate the area. Others make blocks cleaner, such as adding conventional trash receptacles and Tiny Cans to reduce litter. Projects to brighten the neighborhood include improving street lighting and funding public art projects, all of which add vitality and connect the residents to shared aspirations.

We are engaged in Elm Street because it magnifies SACA’s investment of time, money, and energy in affordable housing and commercial development, public broadcasting, workforce development, and human services. We don’t provide these services; we make them better. Elm Street partners with all programs of SACA to make them more integrated and more sustainable.

A Personal Note of Gratitude

When I came here from Michigan in 1999 to lead the Lancaster Alliance, I was asked to serve on the SACA Board. After leaving the Alliance a dozen years later, I retired, or at least I did! I answered the call from SACA because of my great admiration for Carlos and his work, and because I was energized by the opportunity to improve lives through a spirit of innovation and friendship.

Filling a Void with Passion and Partnership

By: Rick Kastner, Executive Director, Lancaster County Drug and Alcohol Commission

For the past 35 years, the Lancaster County Drug and Alcohol Commission has partnered with SACA in creating and funding the substance use disorder (SUD) treatment services at SACA, which includes Nuestra Clinica residential rehab, the halfway house, a recovery house, and an outpatient clinic. And although our relationship, and respective organizations, have grown quite a bit over this time, I still remember our humble and “hairy” beginnings.

I recall more than 30 years ago, when Carlos Graupera asked to meet me for the first time, since he had an idea and dream of creating substance use disorder and mental health treatment through his relatively young and small SACA organization. The SACA building on Pershing Avenue was very outdated and needed an overhaul. The night before I arrived at Carlos’s office, there was a leak in the ceiling and horsehair plaster had fallen across his entire office. Carlos sat at his desk, excitedly telling me of his plans and dream for the building, using it as a hub for many services for the community, and seemed to ignore the fact that the building was literally falling apart around him. I could not help but become engaged with his ideas and we were able to get a state grant to begin the first program, an outpatient clinic. And through the assistance of Mr. Dale High and his fundraising efforts, the building was completely renovated before the outpatient clinic opened.

The partnership between D&A Commission and SACA began with providing start-up grants to create the SUD programs, along with acquiring grants from the state and the Medicaid project called Health Choices. SACA’s mission is to serve people in their community, in a culturally sensitive and appropriate manner, so joining SACA to provide the SUD programs was a mutually beneficial partnership.

Lancaster has always had a large Latino population, so the programs at SACA filled an important and unique void that had not been previously met. We needed a program that would provide the culturally appropriate treatment services along with providing services in both English and Spanish. SACA was able to provide this in their treatment programs. And clients enter the programs at SACA from other counties too, so it is serving a need for this entire region.

The D&A Commission is responsible for the delivery of what is commonly known as “drug and alcohol or D&A” prevention, education, and treatment services in Lancaster County. The Commission is also involved with the management and oversight of the mental health and substance use disorder treatment services for people funded by Medicaid, also known as Medical Assistance in Lancaster. Most people accessing SUD treatment services at SACA are funded by Medicaid or the D&A Commission.

We also provide ongoing funding for clients’ treatment who are eligible for our resources, which is lowincome citizens who are not eligible for Medicaid. Of course, SACA always provided funding from their own fundraising and resources, so it was never a “free lunch or handout.” It was a helping hand from my office to get the programs started.

Just this year, my office and the Medicaid project were able to provide SACA with a grant to expand their residential rehab facility, acquiring the attached building to the original facility. Looking forward, we hope to continue the expansion of the SUD treatment services at SACA. There are additional modalities of treatment that could be developed. To learn more about the Lancaster County Drug and Alcohol Commission, please visit: www.co.lancaster.pa.us.

Caring for the WHOLE Community

For over two decades, Nuestra Clínica Residential (NCR) Pennsylvania’s first inpatient treatment facility designed specifically to address the need for linguistically appropriate treatment for Hispanic men, has been changing lives. The state-licensed, all male drug and alcohol non-hospital residential facility located at 50 East New Street in Lancaster was the flagship for treatment options for the Latino population. We offer evidence-based treatment options for individual, group, and family therapy at our bilingual (Spanish/English), multicultural facility running two tracks to serve a greater population of males ages 18 and older. Throughout the years we have served over 1,600 clients for over 82,000 treatment days. Nuestra Clinica is proud to announce to expansion of this location from 26 to 40 beds over the next year, offering services to nay male in need of treatment.

Based on these numbers we identified the need for further supports, as many were not able to return home and found themselves in missions or back on the street, which is counterproductive to the goal attainment for this group. To address this gap, in 2017 SACA opened La Casa Halfway , House, the first of its kind in Lancaster County. This 23-bed, all-male, bilingual (Spanish/English), multicultural facility serves males ages 18 and older. La Casa provides evidencebased treatment, individual and group therapy, as well as transitional services such work, housing, and community supports.

Nuestra Vida is our recovery house that was an added to support men that completed residential care but did not have a safe living space. Within this environment, men ban together to face life’s challenges straight on with a collaborative approach of self-help groups and the group strength in the home. Residents are afforded the opportunity to save money while learning the life skills necessary to maintain their own residence in the future. All residents work in the community and are proud to be productive residents.

In addition to these services, our ambulatory clinic provides outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment to anyone present with a problem. We have offered these services with or without insurance for three decades and have provided over 332,000 appointments to uplift our community and break the stigma around these two diseases.

All of these services are provided for one reason: to ensure that all people have a chance to increase self-satisfaction. NCR breaks down the barriers and allows patients to be who they want to be.

SACA NUESTRA CLINICA EDUCATION PREVENTION SERVICES (NCEPS)

SACA is proud to cater essential health education and prevention services that fulfill our mission of uplifting and restoring marginalized communities. Nuestra Clinica Education Prevention Services, also known as NCEPS, recognizes the unique barriers that exist and with every program, we provide resources, education, and solutions to empower individuals to lift themselves out of turmoil and live their best possible lives.

With an urgent need for health advocacy and education for the Latin community, a small vision was constructed called Proyecto Luz. This program was first established thirty years ago with the intent to educate the Hispanic community on the various STIs/ HIV and bring forth outreach resources. At the time, we only provided HIV testing and evidence-informed curriculum for adolescents and teens.

Fast forward to August 20th, 2012, SACA was then refunded by another government source (Ryan White) through Family Health Council of Central Pennsylvania (FHCCP). Nuestra Clinica Education Prevention Services was then reformed and transformed into another facility where we still are today. NCEPS is in the southside of Lancaster City, providing easy access to the community Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. NCEPS has five working employees who love what they do and love working directly with the clients and patients. Our Associate Director, Marie C. Collazo, has been with the organization for over five years, acting as the Medical Case Manager before taking the position. We also have The Medical Case Manager Marvelin Santana, our MAI Case Manager Crystal Diaz, The Housing Coordinator Madeline Morales, and The Eligibility Specialist/ Project Coordinator Kelly Martinez. Every one of them brings a special, unique touch to the department.

Some of the core services NCEPS contributes are: Medical Case Management Services for those living with HIV/AIDS

(Ryan White Part B Services), Minority Aids Initiative (MAI), 340B Contracted Pharmacy Program, Adolescent & Youth Intervention Programming, and HIV/STIs/ Hepatitis C Counseling & Testing Services.

The Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program (RWHAP) provides a comprehensive system of care to ensure that low-income people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) receive optimal care and treatment. Ryan White Part B funding is used to support medical services, including medications, and support services.

The Minority Aids Initiative Program focuses on re-engaging individuals with HIV/AIDS who face accessibility, language, and financial barriers to engage in adequate, essential medical care.

Our 340B Contracted Pharmacy Program helps people living with HIV/AIDS to obtain medications via home delivery, low-cost, convenient, and discrete. This can include specialty mail-order services, 24/7 access to specialty-trained pharmacists, and adherence tracking and reporting.

Adolescent & Youth Intervention Programming has two evidence-based programs. Making Proud Choices increases adolescents/teens’ knowledge, confidence, and skills necessary to reduce their risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV, and pregnancy by abstaining from sex or using condoms if they choose to have sex. LifeSkills Training Program increases and

improves education efforts to reduce alcohol, tobacco and other drug use among adolescents and youth. Via the pre/posttest provided to the participants, 1,757 of them reported an increased knowledge in behavioral change. NCEPS is proud of its work as a community leader in the education and prevention services arena. These topics include hard conversations, but our children and adults deserve no less. The first step to keeping our community and children safe is knowing the signs.

The last core service provided by NCEPS is our HIV/STIs/ Hepatitis C Counseling & Testing Services that are free and confidential. Any one in need of a HIV, Syphilis, Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, or Hepatitis C counseling and testing may call NCEPS to schedule an appointment, or they also accept walk-ins. Funded by the PA Department of Health, the program offers treatment services. All of our extensive human service network is operated by bilingual professionals.

In the last fiscal year, 2021-2022, NCEPS provided services to 4,597 clients. Of those served, 58% were among males and 42% among females. Of the total number of clients served, 61% were Hispanics and 39% NonHispanic. 77% of the clients that received service at NCEPS was as walk-in.

Through our actions, resources and support, we inspire others to identify and fulfill their unique purpose in our community. NCEPS welcomes anyone to call at (717) 295-7994 for our most current and accurate listing of services.

The Luis Muñoz Marin Senior Center

The Luis Muñoz Marin Senior Center, also known as SACA senior center, is an official Lancaster County Senior Center. Supported in part by the Lancaster County Office of Aging, SACA senior center has been serving the Lancaster City elderly community for over two decades, offering an array of supportive services to help enhance their quality of life.

It is the largest center in Lancaster and the only center that prepares and serves on-site hot meals daily. Prepackaged meals are prepared at a different location. Annually, the center provides over 55,000 meals including breakfast, lunch and dinner for seniors and other individuals in the community who otherwise would not have eaten that day. Our center also provides prepacked frozen meals for weekend consumption making us the only center to provide nutriment seven days of the week.

SACA Senior Center offers social, education, recreation, and psychological services. It enhances the quality of life, protects against loneliness, isolation, depression, or illness, and preserves independent living in an active multi-lingual and diverse community.

The center has a full calendar of activities like Spanish news and conversation groups, mental health support, bingo, yoga, Bible study, health support, music appreciation, and arts and crafts.

Our center is also privileged enough to be able to provide an outreach worker who is available to assist with basic housing needs, resources and education, medical assistance, and translation and advocacy services. We also assist seniors with obtaining in-home assistance as needed. Additionally, the center offers assistance and guidance with job placement, training and/or volunteer jobs to enhance their purpose in the community.

There is no cost to take advantage of these services. Everyone is welcome! This program is funded, in part, under an agreement with money allocated by the Pennsylvania Department of Aging and the Lancaster County Commissioners, through the Lancaster County Office of Aging.

More Than a Meal

SACA exists to uplift and restore marginalized communities through human, economic, and social services, while supporting cultural identities. One of the most significant ways we do this is through our Community Meals Program, which has been in operation since 2005. SACA serves everyone, regardless of age, income, or any other factor. It is committed to ensuring those who need food, fellowship, and hope have access to basic resources that fulfill these needs. SACA’s Community Meals Program originated based on a need to serve families and individuals who are homeless and could not access daily nutritious meals.

Throughout the years we realized that many families who attended our community meals program were not necessarily homeless, rather experiencing high food insecurity. Families were just not making ends meet and therefore did not have enough income to support their families with three daily meals. The cost of fresh fruits and vegetables was increasing leaving, individuals to obtain unhealthy food to survive. The following are some testimonials from our clients:

♦ “I make sure I come every day to pick up food for my son and me. The fact that we get two warm meals is the best I can do to have food for him for the evening and even the next day.”

♦ “I so appreciate the work you all do. May God bless you today and always. I am currently staying pretty much where the night hits. Though I am very glad you guys do this. The food is great and is always warm. This is a great thing you do for the community. To be honest I would go hungry if it weren’t for your food.”

♦ “I come to the center every day for food. I take care of my grandchildren since my daughter is in prison. They are three big boys you know they can really eat. Plus, I can’t work as I am disabled and their father, I don’t even know where he is. We all appreciate all you do; you know sometimes I can’t even get out of bed to prepare any food for them, but I get up and come here to get their meal. Yes, ma’am yes, I do.”

Testimonials like these are not unique. We hear them every day. And we’re grateful for that! This fuels our inspiration and passion to continue to grow an adequately funded, reliable community meals program that people can count on.

In the last fiscal year, 2021-22, the Community Meals Program provided 50,810 meals, averaging 166 meals daily. The clients are provided with two hot meals per day. Monday through Friday lunch runs from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. with dinner from 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. On Saturday’s clients can also receive a hot lunch meal from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Thanks to the partners and volunteers that believe in our mission, SACA has managed to sustain the program over the years with the continual support of funding sources including federal and state food grant programs, food from Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, Midwest Food Bank, food from the federal surplus, food program from the Community Action Partnership, and intermittent funding from corporate and foundation sources. A great shout out to the SACA management team that throughout the years have volunteered their time on Saturdays to assist at our Community Meals Program supporting the clients with referrals to behavioral health services, drug & alcohol and other social services within our community. For many, SACA is considered family. Without our partnerships it would be impossible to support our community with daily hot meals!

Big Dreams and High Hopes

By: Robin Stauffer, Executive Director of High Foundation

Since 1980, the High Family has been giving back to the Lancaster community through its charitable organization, High Foundation, which is dedicated to eliminating poverty and revitalizing the Lancaster Community. This generous philanthropy has enabled the Foundation to invest millions in grants to other charitable organizations who envision and advance equality, sustainability, vibrancy, and growth in Lancaster.

High Foundation has been a SACA supporter for many years, helping to fund initiatives that include housing, behavioral health services, and more recently Tec Centro and efforts to build its endowment. Our relationship with SACA began in the 1990s so we have had the distinct pleasure of watching the organization grow into what it has become today. Through our partnership, SACA and High Foundation have worked together to contribute to the building of Tec Centro and its endowment for sustainability. The result is providing skills training for an underserved population and a pipeline of talent for businesses in Lancaster County.

What makes SACA so unique is the humility with which they lead. It’s rare to find an organization that has servant leadership so engrained into every fiber of its being. At every level of leadership, and throughout many decades of evolution, SACA maintains a consistency for always putting the people of the community first and acting with their best interest in mind.

One thing I have always appreciated about SACA’s founder, Carlos, is his courage and out-of-the-box thinking that has led to SACA’s success. He would see a problem and find an approach to solving it, always in a collaborative and visionary manner.

One of my favorite SACA events is the annual Fiesta that takes place each spring in Lancaster. This vibrant event is truly a highlight of the year. It brings together community, culture, great food, fun entertainment, and an overall sense of belonging and celebration. This event provides an important opportunity for SACA to bring together people from all walks of life. It doesn’t matter your age, education, income, culture, or job title – everyone is equally welcomed and included at this event. It’s community at its finest!

As I look forward to SACA’s next chapter, I hope to see the innovation and strong leadership continue that has driven the organization’s success in the first 50 years. I have every confidence that the incredible organization Carlos has built will be well maintained by the new CEO, Jose R Lopez. These are two incredible individuals that Lancaster is so lucky to have. Together, they and all the SACA staff share a steadfast commitment to serving the community, and High Foundation remains committed to ensuring this mission continues to grow. More information about the High Foundation can be found by visiting www.highfoundation.org.

Envisioning a New Model for Workforce Development

By: Marlyn Barbosa, Program Director, Tec Centro Lancaster

Tec Centro specializes in workforce development of the local community by nurturing a business model that integrates Employment Services, Adult Education, and workforce training in a seamless system. We are fundamental in enabling those who are underemployed to gain self-sufficiency. Tec Centro was a dream of SACA’s Leadership and Carlos Graupera’s to uplift the neighborhood that surrounded the existing Centro Hispano, by bringing high-quality adult education into the neighborhood that could be easily accessed by locals who didn’t otherwise have access to community colleges and traditional vocational institutions in the area. Tec Centro opened its doors in February of 2014. That dream was realized by Program Director Marlyn Barbosa and her then Employment Specialist Marisol Sanchez when they began their first Certified Nursing Assistant class of eight students through a partnership with Harrisburg Area Community College.

Today Tec Centro has impacted over 6,500 unique individuals, providing over 36,000 services. Neighbors know they can come to Tec Centro for resourceful case management with kind understanding and empathy, and a quality education backed by renowned institutions such as

HACC and Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. Using state-of-the-art equipment and instructors who are tenured experts in their industry, our workforce development courses are second to none, while our dedicated bilingual Employment Services Specialist assists those in need of an immediate job with no appointment necessary. Clients are in good hands with our experienced Career Navigators who work diligently to match clients with the best program to meet their unique goals, and they also provide career counseling, resumé development, and job searches throughout the client’s time at Tec Centro and beyond.

Our services are proven effective; every year over 80% of our students increased their family income by 40 % after receiving a service. We give those in need of education and trainings the tools and opportunities that will allow them to

build their own future. In ONE year, Tec Centro facilitated the addition of more than $2.1M into the local economy as a secondary impact of our services, which is why our model is being duplicated many times over to extend the reach of our mission. Tec Centro is now a common entity among no less than five different cities in South Central Pennsylvania as our model is sought-after by surrounding counties who see and recognize the positive and long-term impact in our marginalized communities.

When Carlos Graupera first began SACA in 1973, he vowed to serve all Hispanics who come into Lancaster searching for a better life in any way possible; that is how as a new resident in the county, I found out about SACA. In 2007, I moved to Lancaster County from Puerto Rico to seek a better future for my family. I learned about SACA via a family friend, became a client of the employment program, and soon after I was hired as an Adult Education Coordinator. Fast forward to 2014, under Carlos’ leadership, we opened Tec Centro. I am passionate about ensuring our marginalized communities have equitable access to quality workforce services, as I needed a few years ago. SACA gave me the opportunity to demonstrate my skills and allowed me to grow in my professional role. I am grateful I have the chance to do for others what SACA did for my family and me- I just needed a chance!

A Conversation with Carlos Graupera

SACA’s Founder and Retiring CEO

Carlos Graupera, Founder and Retiring CEO of SACA, established the organization in 1973 in the heart of the City of Lancaster. The vision was to provide civic infrastructure and support that would meet the evolving needs of the Latino population and enable the general community to engage constructively with the growing Latino community. Today, its mission has expanded to serve every ethnicity, age, and ability.

To know SACA is to know Carlos Graupera. So, to better understand the organization’s rich history and incredible growth, we sat down with this visionary leader who first breathed life into the mission of SACA over 50 years ago.

What circumstances defined your early years and how did this impact your life’s mission?

When my family had to leave Cuba and immigrate to the United States, this would profoundly impact my childhood and my life’s trajectory for sure. It’s hard, even impossible, to imagine the different course I would have been on if I had stayed in Cuba. Despite our struggles, I find peace in knowing this is the journey I was meant to be on, and everything happens for a reason. Equally important, my education in a Seminary introduced me to a life of service. This experience taught me that life is best lived when it’s lived with a heart for helping others. We’re not just here to take and take, we’re here to live in community and to find passion and purpose in serving others.

What were some of the biggest obstacles you had to overcome when starting SACA?

Really, I faced every obstacle that you might imagine in the early years of starting SACA. And some of

those obstacles remain recurring challenges even until today. Discrimination, poverty, unsafe and unfit housing, being told no (at least) a million times, and a lack of belief in the mission I wanted to achieve. The odds were stacked against me. Most might have understood if I had chosen to quit. But here we are, 50 years later. The single biggest obstacle? Overcoming my own self-doubt and not letting myself believe the lies that my mission wasn’t good or the support would never come. It is and it did!

How would you describe the evolution of Lancaster that you’ve seen in your lifetime? Would you attribute any of this to the impact of SACA?

Lancaster has become comfortable with becoming a bilingual city and a multiethnic community. This

is a huge transformation from the city I was first introduced to over 50 years ago. Moreover, I’ve seen the city evolve and adapt to be able to address many of its social issues, never completely and there is much more work to be done, but the progress gives me hope that we’re on the right path. And that’s why SACA exists. To keep Lancaster – and Pennsylvania – on the right track toward effectively addressing our most pressing social issues, and to embrace diversity with open arms. I can say confidently that SACA has played a major role in Lancaster’s evolution since the 1970s.

What is your greatest professional accomplishment?

My biggest accomplishment isn’t one milestone, award, or recognition. Instead, it’s the millions of little things happening consistently over time that have had the biggest impact. Piece by piece, and opportunity by opportunity, we built SACA over five decades of consistent and persistent work. It’s not an overnight success story, but it’s also not something that can be washed away that quickly either. My greatest accomplishment is building something much bigger than myself and to have the pleasure of seeing the impact this has had in my lifetime. I hope this pales in comparison to the impact SACA will continue to have long after I’m around to see it happen.

What is one thing you wish you would have done differently when developing SACA?

Hindsight is always 20/20. I wish I had the benefit of the experience and wisdom I have now, especially in my approach to obstacles and setbacks. I think I would approach them with more patience and understanding. I would have wasted a lot less energy on begin angry and frustrated. I’ve learned that we can’t control the outcome, but we can control our actions and attitude. I’ve learned put stop focusing on the outcome and to repurpose that focus on taking action and remaining a positive and resilient leader. Anger is a “cheap” response whereas love, kindness, and patience can always go to good use.

Do you have one memory or story that really embodies SACA’s mission?

Every now and then we hit a “home run” of fully serving someone and transforming their life in the process. This could be someone who comes to us distressed, so we solve their immediate problems, find them a job, and later we provide adult education and job training. That person gets a good-paying job, and finally, they buy one of our homes and become a new homeowner. That is what we call a SACA Home Run!

What does the next chapter look like for you? What are you most looking forward to?

There is a need for our success models to be implemented throughout Central PA communities that wish to see transformational change. With 50 years of “building a wheel” and proving this wheel works, we can help save other communities from a similar learning curve and propel them into accelerated success and impact. One such example is that a network of Tec Centro workforce centers is developing across the region, and that is what I feel called to dedicate my passion to in this next chapter.

Looking to the next generation of leaders, what advice would you give to them?

It’s hard advice, but this has the greatest impact. To whoever needs to hear this today, I hope they find wisdom in these words and can benefit from the experience it took me a lifetime to gain. Stop trying to fit in because you will end up co-opted. Change requires fighting for social justice and doing the hard, the unpleasant, and the not yet popular thing. If you are not up to it, do not occupy positions of leadership. Be

Community-Based Workforce Development

The Tec Centro Workforce Development Network (TCWN), currently made up of locations in Berks, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York Counties, is the primary provider of bilingual education and skills training. Each location operates independently, forging strategic educational partnerships throughout the community to leverage public and private funding and collaborating with area community colleges and training programs to provide skill training that leads to careers in high-demand areas. This is the future of community-based workforce development within and beyond the borders of Pennsylvania! Carlos Graupera serves as the Executive Director of TCWN where he oversees the strategic growth and development of these Centers and forges future opportunities. The vision is to create a sustainable network of resources that provides access to education and training that enables everyone to seek living-wage

Lancaster

Berks

Lebanon

York

employment.

WLCH Radio Centro The Voice of the Community

WLCH, Radio Centro, is a program of the Spanish American Civic Association (SACA) that began broadcasting in September of 1987 in Lancaster (91.3 FM), and it was expanded to York in 2005 (100.3 FM).

As an educational public community radio station, WLCH has become an important vehicle for bridging communities across ethnic, social, economic, cultural, and language barriers. We are pleased to bridge the gap that exists between the Latino community and government, the human service community, the health system, schools, and employers.

As the world becomes busier, the podcast format has become incredibly popular. Audio content allows the listener to multitask. A recent study showed that while 49% of podcast listening happens at home, 22% happens while driving, 11% at work, and 8% while exercising. In 2020, during the pandemic, WLCH started producing podcasts as a great way to build an authentic connection with our audience and keep them growing over time.

As they listen to our podcasts regularly, they will get the chance to know the person behind the voice and that familiarity keeps them coming back for more. While 74% of podcast listeners tune in to learn new things, others listen regularly for entertainment, to keep up to date, to relax, and for inspiration.

WLCH’s podcast is available on more than 20 digital platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and Pandora.

“I just wanted to write to let you know how much I enjoy the WLCH Radio Centro Podcast. When the pandemic started, my students at Franklin and Marshall were unable to attend community events, and your podcast allowed them to get to know some of the leaders of the Hispanic community and to hear conversations in Spanish. The episodes about health have been particularly useful for my classes. In my Spanish for the Health Professions class, we recently listened to and discussed the episode about midwives during our class on women’s health. Thank you, WLCH, for providing this excellent resource for us!”

Anne Stachura, Ph.D. Coordinator of Community-Based Learning & Community Outreach Department of Spanish

In 2022, WLCH started live streaming on different applications including LIVE365, TuneIn, My Tuner Radio, and Radio Garden among others, which allows us to engage with our audience in real-time, enabling them to be more informed than ever before.

260,000+ Listeners per year

Ages 18-62

Listens 6 days a week

9.2 Hours average listening per day

History of listening more than 10 years

18%+ Of the us population are latino with their buying power projected to increase twofold by 2020, to $2 billion

More than 45% of Lancaster & 40% of York city households are Hispanic

Community First: A Great Mystery

By Daniel Betancourt, President and Chief Executive Officer, Community First

Fund

Community First Fund first began to work with SACA in the ‘90s. At the time, SACA was well established in providing services to the Latino community in Southeast Lancaster. We, on the other hand, were just starting our journey. In Community First Fund’s 30-year history, SACA has been and continues to be one of our largest clients. Aligned in our missions to uplift diverse communities, SACA and Community First Fund continue transformational work now across the City of Lancaster.

Often the financing partner for Carlos and SACA’s visionary work, I’m most proud of our contributions to the development of health initiatives through the Nuestra Clinica Residential (NCR), workforce development through Tec Centro and Tec Centro 2, and educational opportunities for youth through La Academia. I’m reminded of a video interview with Carlos Graupera where he recalled a conversation we had. When I asked him what he knew about Community First Fund, Carlos answered, “It was a great mystery,” and continued that it was a great mystery of what I did and how I did it. Then we went to work. Carlos went on to share in that interview that in a few short years, what Community First Fund did wasn’t a mystery at all. We keep things simple, and we put the community first. These have always been and will always be our guiding principles; and this is the same mission that drives SACA.

Building Opportunity

In those early years, SACA was working to preserve and create affordable homes and needed capital to buy real estate. Eager to support SACA’s initiatives, Community First Fund was an essential partner in helping SACA secure capital for buildings, upgrading equipment, and expanding the reach of its services into the community. As SACA grew, so did Community First Fund’s support. Projects like the Conestoga River strip mall, where we were able to finance $8.35 million through New Markets Tax Credit allocations, helped SACA build a shopping center and a full-service grocery store—the only grocery store within 1.5 miles. This initiative created 78 permanent jobs in the neighborhood and served as a catalyst for change for years to come. Together SACA and Community First Fund forged a partnership that continues to be dedicated to the communities of Southeast Lancaster.

Community First Fund also played a critical role in helping to provide and find earlystage capital for building and preserving homes in Lancaster neighborhoods. Essential pieces to uplifting diverse communities are encouraging community leaders to stay engaged and live in their neighborhood, training and educating community members, cultivating a sense of ownership and hopefulness in the future of the community, and promoting pathways to affordable home ownership. Over time, this builds a community where the capital that comes into the community is invested in itself to build self-sufficiency.

SACA has championed this work and I am proud of our role supporting in these endeavors. For me, measuring this accomplishment was clear in the “2015 Lancaster Prospers” study conducted by Franklin and Marshall. In the report it was evident that those communities in which SACA invested services and resources were seeing positive movement in key economic indicators, while other parts of the city were not.

When considering community impact throughout our decades working together, I see the establishment of Tec Centro and now Tec Centro 2 as two significant accomplishments. Again, with partial financing through New Markets Tax Credit Allocations, we were able to help finance $3.35 million to help SACA build its original training center and help members of the community receive job education/training to get living-wage employment. Achieving its vision for the original Tec Centro, SACA could look across the city and see more need. The establishment of Tec Centro 2, further accomplishes its ability to be a differencemaker in the community and workforce development in Lancaster City.

Providing Solutions While Preserving Cultural Identity

SACA understands the community and speaks its language. It is not an outsider trying to change the community in its own image, but an insider committed to delivering the essentials to its community – health services, workforce development, homeownership, and education. SACA and its team move the dial of change for community members, especially in helping immigrants learn how they can build wealth and income over time.

There are many stories about Carlos and SACA that I can share, but in particular is “the walk.” Anyone who has ever been a stakeholder in a SACA initiative is undoubtedly familiar with what I’m talking about. I did the walk many times. Carlos would invite you to take a walk along a block or through a community where he would share his vision for transforming that dilapidated block or space into affordable housing units, job education centers, new shopping centers, grocery stores, senior centers, drug rehabilitation residential facilities, and so much more. For those who never took the walk with Carlos, the best analogy I might provide would be to imagine listening to a great painter, a Monet, explaining his vision for the blank canvas. After hearing his vision, it was hard to find a reason to say “no,” so, we, Community First Fund, always found a way to say “yes.”

Witnessing a Legacy in the Making

When Carlos went to work, he weaved together vision, alignment, and execution and masterfully made his vision come to life. The next thing you knew, it was opening day and you were walking those streets now transformed into a space or a community designed to provide opportunity in the lives of its community members. There is nothing like seeing that vision realized and knowing the impact it will have for generations to come.

Carlos leaves behind a legacy of helping to mold SACA into the organization it is today. To continue the spirit of that legacy, SACA has made a fantastic choice in the selection of Jose Lopez as its next CEO. Jose grew up in the community, is dedicated to the community and will be an excellent leader. Carlos knew how to build bridges in the community and is a legacy Jose will continue. I look forward to continuing to support SACA’s efforts in meeting the needs of our community. I most look forward to future “walks” with Jose as he paints a vision for the future of Lancaster City.

To learn more about Community First Fund, please visit: www.communityfirstfund.org or www. communityfirst.com.

A Conversation with Jose R Lopez

SACA’s President and Rising CEO

Jose R Lopez currently serves as SACA’s President and will soon step into an expanded role when he takes over as CEO for Carlos Graupera upon Carlo’s retirement. Jose has been integrated with SACA’s impact and mission for many years, and there isn’t anyone who is more qualified to take the baton from Carlos and continue running forward with the organization’s mission. We had the opportunity to sit down with Jose to learn more about his upbringing, what called him into his current role, and how he plans to use his position of leadership to write the next chapter of SACA.

Describe your upbringing and how you feel this impacted your personal and professional goals.

I grew up very poor, and this had a profound impact on shaping my character, resilience, and outlook on life. When you come from nothing, you learn to appreciate everything – every act of kindness, every helping hand, and equally the experiences that are less than helpful. I can recall many examples of people who helped me along the way and the difference this made, no matter how small it seemed at the moment. As I grew up, I wanted to become a person who also helped others in need. I knew I could have the greatest impact, not by chasing status or success, but by fostering kindness, compassion, and understanding in every way I could. This has impacted my life mission of helping those in a similar situation as myself and my family, and it’s why I’m so grateful to be leading an organization like SACA.

How were you introduced to SACA? And when did you know this is an organization you’d like to lead?

When my family relocated to Lancaster in the mid 70s we moved to the Pershing Avenue and Green Street area which is near the SACA facility at 545 Pershing Avenue. SACA helped my family at that time to acclimate to life in Lancaster. Carlos Graupera, our Founder and CEO has been a mentor to me for many years. When he reached out to me to tell me that he was reconsidering retirement, I felt a deep sense of passion and purpose that it was my turn to lead this organization into its next chapter. Most importantly, I want to ensure that the legacy and work of my friend and mentor is preserved and expanded long into the future.

Describe your current role with SACA. What does a “day in the life with Jose” look like, typically?

Currently, I serve as the President of SACA where I am in charge of the day-to-day operations of the organization. My schedule looks a little different each day, but every day is filled with meetings with staff, community partners, and supporters as we work to continue to improve the lives of the marginalized community that we serve. It’s a full and fast-paced role, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. I can see the difference we are making and how we are growing each and every day.

What is your greatest professional accomplishment thus far?

I would say assuming this very important role as President and future CEO of the SACA organization as we transition from the leadership of our founder and CEO is my greatest accomplishment. And while I’m humbled and honored to be rising into this leadership role, it’s not about the title. It’s about the ability to have a greater impact on the communities we serve. I feel like I’ve been given the ultimate opportunity to shape the future in a really big way – and I have the best team surrounding me to help me do that.

What is one of the greatest roadblocks you’ve faced in your professional career?

I have certainly encountered my fair share (maybe even more than a fair share) of roadblocks. But I truly believe that adversity builds character, and I have built plenty of character as a result of these personal and professional challenges. Looking back, I can say that I never encountered a roadblock that I wasn’t able

to eventually overcome. I have always believed that I can and will achieve what I set my mind to complete, regardless of obstacles that may stand in the way. And with each one I overcome, I become more confident that I will also overcome the next one.

What is your vision for SACA in this next chapter?

My vision is for SACA to continue to impact the lives of the marginalized community that it serves in positive ways that changes and transforms their lives for the better. I know that’s a “big” answer, but it matches my BIG vision, which is to continue to accelerate the reach and impact of our programs so that everyone is equipped and empowered to reach for their dreams.

Looking to the next generation of leaders, what advice would you give to them?

My advice is simple, tried, and true. Hard work and determination pay off in the long run. Maintain focus on your goals and they will be realized. It may not be on your timeline or without challenges, but you only fail when you choose to give up.

Be a Part of the Future! Your ideas and partnership are essential to writing SACA’s next chapter. Scan the QR code to learn more about SACA.

Thank you to the 2023 SACA Fiesta Sponsors!