2025 - Gala Booklet

ANNUAL

GALA

01

02

03

Table of Contents 04

05

Welcome Message

06

About Us

07

Focus Areas

08

Some of Our Services & Programs

09

Our Impact

12

Agenda

13

Sponsors

16

Awards & Scholarships

21

Special Thanks

Welcome

I am delighted to welcome you to El Centro Hispano’s 33rd Anniversary Gala. Tonight, we come together to celebrate more than three decades of service, resilience, and shared progress. Since our founding, El Centro Hispano has been committed to strengthening our community, building bridges, and creating opportunities for all.

This past fiscal year alone, we proudly delivered over 200,000 vital resources, from educational opportunities to health services and economic empowerment programs. These milestones are a testament to the hard work of our staff, the dedication of our partners, and the spirit of our community. Every number represents a life impacted, a barrier broken, and a story of hope.

As we share this memorable evening, let us take pride in how far we’ve come, and look ahead with renewed energy for the journey still to come. With your continued support, we will keep opening doors, amplifying voices, and creating a future where everyone can thrive. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being here with us tonight.

05

President & CEO

MISSION

ECH works to strengthen the community, build

About Us

El Centro Hispano is the largest Latino-led organization in North Carolina, dedicated to supporting all people across Durham, Wake, Orange, and surrounding counties in the Triangle and Piedmont regions.

bridges, and promote opportunities for all.

VISION

Strengthening and advancing people in North Carolina and beyond.

VALUES Flexibility Vocation to serve Teamwork

Respect Leadership

06

Focus Areas EDUCATION It has the overarching goal to expand educational opportunities and spaces for intellectual growth and personal development of community members, from childhood to adulthood.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT It has the overarching goal to grow wealth, economic stability, and entrepreneurship among underserved community members.

SOCIAL & COMMUNITY CONTEXT It has the overarching goal to expand the capacity of community members and partner organizations to respond to and address issues affecting their lives, assuring their representation in planning and decision-making processes.

HEALTH & WELLBEING It has the overarching goal to expand individual, organizational, and community capacity to sustain improved health and quality of life for underserved 07 community members.

Some of Our Services & Programs

EDUCATION Tutoring Reading Habits Parent Workshops Education System Guidance Promotion of Early Education English Classes Adult Literacy & Basic Education Computer Classes Spanish Classes

COMMUNITY HEALTH Salud Integral: Healthy Lifestyle Classes Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) Mental Health Education Health Education Ventanilla de Salud: connections to low-cost healthcare services Physical activity classes Health screenings Access to vaccines and testing Community Health Worker continuous education Prevention of sexually transmitted diseases Senior and caregivers activities & resources

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Job connections Toolbank Vocational trainings for employment OSHA in Spanish Tax preparation (VITA) assistance Click events for businesses Personal finances workshops Business finances workshops Triangle Business Network

COMMUNITY SUPPORT Legal Connections Financial Assistance: Rent Financial Assistance: Utilities Interpretation & Translation Notary Services Assistance to vulnerable populations Diaper Distribution

CIVIC RESOURCE CENTER Legal preparedness forums and clinics Voter education Cultural Competency Citizenship classes Civic education

07 08

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

2,048 people received employment services and job training in collaboration with Durham Tech and other workforce development partners as well as financial literacy education.

At our Center for Employment & Leadership (CEL) we provided jobs and opportunities for 130 community members with the support of 275 local employers.

COMMUNITY HEALTH

20,970 people served through our mobile unit.

Through our partnership with the Mexican Consulate and community health workers, we have reached 35,283 individuals to promote good health, physical activity, and disease prevention. Additionally, we engaged 45,135 people through our events and distributed 1,710 food bags.

09

FISCAL YEAR 2023-2024

809 adults engaged through parent education, basic reading, math, and writing program, ESL classes, computer class, citizenship classes, and Sí! Spanish Immersion Institute.

206 children served through tutoring, summer camps, library programs, and STEM activities.

Our Impact

EDUCATION

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

10,195 people assisted in-person and over the phone.

1,603 people assisted with essentials such as rent, utilities, diapers, and food.

COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP

10

142 community members participating in support groups, activities, and workshops for special populations.

A total of 89 youth participated in the Youth Leaders in Action Program, which focuses on leadership development, college readiness, and service learning. Additionally, 48 individuals attended our citizenship classes, 72 older adults engaged with our programs, and 123 women benefited from our services. We also provided 12 special memberships, benefiting 670 people.

33rd Anniversary Annual Gala

DINNER & AWARDS AGENDA 7:30 PM Welcome Remarks Pilar Rocha-Goldberg, President & CEO 7:50 PM Cultural Performance Dance by Orgullo y Alma Latina 8:00 PM Live Auction Begins Hosted by Ben Farrell (30 min) 8:30 PM Youth Scholarship Awards & Fundraising 8:45 PM Awards Ceremony Hosted by Pilar Rocha-Goldberg, President & CEO Gilbertson-Clark Visionary Award Presenter: Tae Park, Wakefield Barn Recipient: Transitions LifeCare (Betsy Barton, Jackie Sinicrope & Adam Wolk) President’s Award Presenter: Santiz Bersain, Latino Community Car Center Recipient: HealthLit4Wake Program (Lechelle Wardell) President’s Advocate of the Year Award Presenter: Dr. Viviana Martinez-Bianchi, Duke Health Recipient: Francisco Guzman Volunteer of the Year Award Presenter: Patrick Byker, Morningstar Recipient: Katelyn Robalino 9:00 PM Raffle Winners Announced & Performances Hosted by Ben Farrell. Performance by la Regia de Monterrey 9:30 PM – 1:00 AM Fiesta Celebration Featuring Live Music by Abakua

12

33rd Anniversary Annual Gala

SPONSORS

PRESENTER SPONSOR

PLATINUM SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSOR

SILVER SPONSORS

BRONZE SPONSOR

IRON SPONSORS

TABLE SPONSORS Duke Energy Latino Community Credit Union Community Landtrust

Greater Durham Chamber of Commerce Pinnacle Financial Partners

13

14

15

GALA 2025

AWARDS & SCHOLARSHIPS Gilbertson Clark Visionary Award

TRANSITIONS LIFECARE Founded in 1979, is a nonprofit dedicated to providing compassionate care for individuals facing serious illness.

Transitions offers palliative care, hospice care, pediatrics, grief care, and caregiver support. Last year, Transitions LifeCare served over 7,000 patients across its service area, which includes Wake, Johnston, Orange, Franklin, Granville, Durham, Chatham, and Harnett counties.

President's Award

HEALTHLIT4WAKE PROGRAM HealthLit4Wake is a program which was started during the height of the COVID 19 pandemic to dispel vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccination rates among Black and Hispanic communities in Wake County. The purpose of our work is to support and empower Black and Latino communities to be knowledgeable in health decisions they have to make.

16

President's - Advocate of the Year Award

FRANCISCO GUZMAN Francisco Guzmán is the Minority Outreach Coordinator with the Whole Child Health Section in the Division of Child and Family Well-Being at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.

In this role, he has been promoting NC Medicaid with an emphasis on reaching minority populations to meet the health, social and emotional needs and assisting North Carolina families with Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs. He has participated in advocating for Language Access for the international community residing in NC.

Volunteer of the Year Award

KATELYN ROBALINO Katelyn Jessenia Robalino is the Town of Chapel Hill’s Language Access Coordinator.

In this role, she leads the Town’s Building Integrated Communities Initiative (BIC) to create inclusive government practices for immigrant and refugee communities.

Her Town work intersects with El Centro’s community-first mission, so she tables often at their events and collaborates with staA to connect Spanish-speakers to Town resources. In addition to volunteering as an interpreter for El Centro, Katelyn also serves on their Nuestra Voz committee

17

The Ed Blount Scholarship

DIEGO SANCHEZ TIRADO Diego Sanchez Tirado is an incoming student at Stanford University, where he plans to major in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

He has contributed over 100 volunteer hours, including work at Apex Immigration Services, a small nonprofit supporting low-income immigrant communities.

Diego sees leadership as providing guidance, staying grounded, and building others up. He uses his knowledge and connections to support his peers, always leading with empathy and a commitment to service.

The Maria and Urbano Ehuan Scholarship

GRACIELA MIRANDA TUDÓ Graciela Miranda Tudó is a recent high school graduate,Graciela plans to pursue an associate degree at Wake Tech Community College with the goal of transferring to UNC-Chapel Hill through the C-STEP program.

With a strong interest in how people connect and how messages shape perceptions, Graciela is drawn to the field of Communications. Its versatility and creative possibilities open the door to many career paths. Ultimately, Graciela hopes to build a career that fosters creativity, continuous learning, and impact.

17

16

SUPPORT OUR WORK

20 17

SPECIAL THANKS OUR SUPPORTERS LIVE AUCTION SPONSORS

John Alex Piñeros-La Castellana Jonathan Carmel Chef Dimitri Hidalgo, Executive Chef La Residence Restaurant Takiri Folclor Latino Abakúa Cornelio Campos

LIVE AUCTION SPONSORS ECH Women's Group Colombian Artist Vicky Possin Carambolo UNC Chapel Hill Laurie Palicelli UNC Basketball / UNC Football NC Courage - Soccer Team North Carolina FC - Soccer Team Carolina Hurricanes Durham Bulls La Buena Vida Restaurant Gonza Tacos y Tequila Restaurant The Lenny Rooftop Restaurant & Bar in Durham Pueblo Viejo Restaurant El Patrón Restaurant Zweli's Ekhaya Restaurant Durham Performance Art Center Steve Toler Washington Duke Inn

21

Stay social! elcentronc.org info@elcentronc.org