Communities United, Mexican Consulate keep Ventanilla de Salud open for Utah immigrants

Posted on November 17, 2011 by comm5775

Stories and photos by TOM BETAR

Take a peek in the Ventanilla de Salud HERE

Peering into the Ventanilla de Salud, or health window, of many Utah immigrants may yield cloudy results, so organizations like Communities United (Comunidades Unidas), are working to remove that opacity and open the windows and doors to allow these individuals to become more healthy, educated and productive members of society.

Integration can be a foreign concept to some, but for the members of CU integration is the critical concept that will allow immigrants to reach their full potential as American citizens and community members.

Rose Maizner, interim executive director of CU, said integration occurs in many ways. But, CU’s two main initiatives are community well-being and the recently updated community engagement.

The community well-being initiative covers a wide range of health-related issues and includes services such as diagnostic testing, prenatal classes, referrals and transportation. Advice is also given to residents so that they can affordably and effectively visit a doctor.

The community engagement initiative focuses on civic and social integration, with an underlying philosophy that immigrants need to understand the systems that exist so they can advocate for themselves and address problems they face. This initiative also promotes the idea that immigrants need to be immersed and involved in their community to make changes and to make it stronger.

Maizner said while most immigrants are not a drain on the healthcare or other systems, it does become a possibility if they do not understand some of the basic processes.

“The goal is to help our immigrants in the community become more integrated into the fabric of our society,” Maizner said. “People are not going to be able to be fully integrated unless they have a basic understanding of how our systems operate. We are providing a bridge between a more marginalized community and the larger community.”

David Monge is the program coordinator for Ventanilla de Salud, which roughly translates to health booth or health window. This program takes place at the Mexican Consulate, 1380 S. Main St., and is part of the health initiative of CU.

Although the name may suggest otherwise, it is essentially a small countertop reception area with employees who provide free services such as basic testing for diabetes and blood pressure, as well as a body mass index calculation that can reveal weight issues.

Rows of chairs fill a large room somewhat resembling the waiting area for the typical DMV. While immigrants wait to receive services from the consulate such as visas, passports or identification, they can also take advantage of Ventanilla de Salud. Health-related posters and images are splashed on the walls, and pamphlets containing health information are prominently displayed along the polished countertop.

Monge said another important aspect of his program is Seguro Popular, which allows the family of an immigrant resident to obtain health coverage in Mexico while the immigrant remains here or tries to travel home.

“Pretty much anyone who walks in can have these services,” Monge said. “One of the key things is that every day in front of this audience here we provide health information. We provide information about a specific topic and about something that matters like heart health, cholesterol, influenza, prenatal care, etc. We invite people to come talk to us.”

Maizner said Communities United was started as a neighborhood initiative in 1999 in Midvale, Utah. It was originally created in response to the high infant mortality rate among immigrants, and also to address the overall understanding of the healthcare and democratic systems among immigrants. The organization expanded rapidly and the main facility is now located in Salt Lake City at 1341 S. State St.

“People had no idea what services were available or how to access them,” Maizner said. “We started as a very small organization and through the passion and commitment of our staff, our administrative team and our board we’ve really grown quite significantly in the past few years. We’re still learning a lot but I think on the whole we’ve been really successful and are poised for continued success.”

Masha Boguslavsky, CU’s multicultural health network and breast cancer program coordinator, came to the United States in 1997 from Uzbekistan, so Russian is her first language. She has been with the organization for almost three years. Previously, she majored in international studies as an undergraduate at the University of Utah. She also worked for the International Rescue Committee and said she has always had an interest in working with immigrants, refugees and nonprofit organizations.

“I get to meet people from all over the world, educate them about health issues, (and) help them get a variety of free services,” she said in an email interview. “So it’s definitely an interesting and rewarding experience to say the least.”

As part of CU’s health initiative, free events are organized where immigrants can get HIV or glucose testing, as well as vision exams and healthcare information from various organizations such as the Huntsman Cancer Institute. Boguslavsky said staff members and volunteers drive immigrants to their medical appointments and interpret services for them.

“I think our programs are of great benefit to our diverse community,” she said. “And we always strive to improve ourselves and to be able to serve our clients more effectively.”

Boguslavsky said physical services are only part of the way in which CU helps immigrants in the community.

“Our goal is to make sure everyone receives information, education and assistance to address the most pressing health needs,” she said. “This includes having knowledge of and access to all available federal and local health services and resources, as well as having accurate information on receiving affordable medical services and getting good results.”

She said mammograms, flu shots, general check-ups, prescriptions and referrals for specialized care are just some of the free services available to immigrants. Classes focusing on educating people about breast cancer and prenatal care are also offered. Boguslavsky said proper health care is important to almost all aspects of an individual’s life, so CU’s free and low cost programs are invaluable to residents.

Boguslavsky said that sickness prevents many people from working, and therefore hours and money are lost for sick residents.

“Health is very important among these particular residents. It affects your family and your life in general so it’s very important to stay healthy. If you don’t have health you can’t provide for yourself,” she said.

All Salt Lake City immigrants can benefit from the services provided by CU, but individuals on the west side are of particular interest to organizations like CU because of the complexity of the area in which they live.

CU’s interim Executive Director Maizner said her organization recently partnered with the EPA to conduct a revealing assessment of both immigrant and non-immigrant populations on the west side. The holistic assessment gauged the general concerns and priorities of these residents.

“The sense that we got from a lot of residents we spoke to is that they feel kind of neglected,” Maizner said. “A lot of people felt like the people who were supposed to be representing them weren’t really representative of the average resident.”

Maizner said working with immigrants on the west side is a challenge in large part because of the area’s unique history and diversity.

“One thing that we found is that the west side is a very fractured community,” she said. “Because of the different patterns of migration there is a big divide between the Caucasian population and some of the newer immigrant populations and even between the immigrant groups themselves.”

This diversity makes it harder to assess the needs and wants of the west side as a whole, and many residents are not motivated to join together collectively.

“It’s hard for people to pull together, to band together, and to address issues that affect all of them because it’s such a fractured and divided space,” she said. “We love to see more collaboration between the long-time residents and the newer immigrants but it’s very far from happening.”

Maizner said the programs and services that her organization provides are received well by the community and that some immigrants may only come to them for health needs.

“By and large people are really receptive to our services,” she said. “I think there is a general sense that there are not a lot of services and programs available to them or that they qualify for, and so people very much feel like we are a resource for them and maybe one of the only resources that they are really comfortable going to.”

Maizner said CU’s staff, many of whom predominantly speak Spanish and are from immigrant families themselves, help clients feel at ease. She said many of her clients learn about CU through word of mouth.

“They understand where a lot of our clients are coming from and some of their concerns and the issues that we need to be sensitive towards,” she said. “We definitely have a good reputation within the community and that’s kind of how we are able to continue to serve our clients.”

Filed under: Education, Health & Fitness, Hispanics & Latinos(as), Immigrants & Refugees, Nonprofits | Leave a comment »

Capitol West Boys and Girls Club helps kids with life skills in a safe environment

Posted on November 17, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by MELANIE HOLBROOK

Boys and Girls Club at Capitol West

The Capitol West Boys and Girls Club helps boys and girls in its community become productive and caring citizens in a fun and easy-going atmosphere. Located in Rose Park, youth of all ages are invited to spend their time doing various activities so that they can feel in a safe place.

According to the club’s website, the mission of the Boys and Girls Club is “to inspire and enable the youth in communities, especially those who need it most, to become caring and responsible individuals through guidance-oriented adult relationships and engagement in a variety of enriching activities within a safe environment.”

At the Capitol West Club, located at 567 W. 300 North, Teen Center Director Jessica Hill organizes activities, supervises staff and helps out with recreational games. Activities such as basketball tournaments or billiards are held at the club.

“We go on a lot of field trips too; we’ve gone river rafting. I’ve taken them camping and bowling up at the University of Utah,” Hill said.

Hill explained a lot of their programs are based off of drug prevention. A big goal of the club is educating teens on life skills and how to make the right decision in certain situations.

One of the strongest assets the Boys and Girls Club provides is its formula for impact, which consists of Five Core Program Areas.

Hill said those five areas are character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, sports and the arts. These areas are offered to meet the needs of all types of kids who come in and out of the club. These areas can help kids reach their full potential.

“We really just want to focus on healthy lifestyles and academic success. We obviously want them to become educated so that they can have a good lifestyle and good future and contribute to society,” Hill said.

Although the boys and girls are learning things such as life skills and receiving help with academics, it isn’t a school. “We’re making learning a fun thing to do. We want them to come here because they’re having fun,” she said.

Hill said the club is extremely diverse in ethnicity and age; 50 percent of the club is made up of teens (ages 12-18) while the other 50 percent is made up of children younger than age 12. “We’re located in a very tight-knit community, so we have a lot of African refugees, along with a lot of Hispanic kids, a lot of Polynesian kids; pretty much kids from all of the world,” Hill said.

Javier Argueta is 13 years old and has been coming to the Capitol West Club since he was 6 years old. Argueta said he first went because he didn’t have much to do after school and heard about it from his friends in his class. He decided to stay at the club because he loved the people.

“I like the staff because they always talk to me if I ever have problems. This is my second house because I’m always here,” Argueta said.

He said he’s learned a lot at the club over the years. “I’ve learned to be nice to people and to encourage myself.”

Kids such as Javier Argueta became members after hanging around the club for a few days. Hill explained that by offering membership to kids they can feel a sense of belonging, something anyone wants in life. Membership entails simply having the child’s name documented and knowing a familiar face.

Hill explained at the club kids and staff have been able to make close relationships with one another, creating a high level of trust. Kids know they can confide in staff; people are there to help them out with anything, whether it be homework or emotional stress.

Filed under: Education, Health & Fitness, Hispanics & Latinos(as), Sports & Recreation | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Sorenson Unity, Multicultural centers are a good value

Posted on November 17, 2011 by comm5775

by NATHANIEL BINGAMAN

Come see the center

Once upon a time, children could look down, find two quarters on the ground and use them for a full day of fun. Some would say those days are gone. With an economy spiraling downward and unemployment skyrocketing, having fun with just 50 cents is a thing of the past. Or is it?

The Sorenson Unity Center andthe Multicultural Center, at the corner of 900 West and California Avenue, offer activities for children at prices that have probably not been seen in ages. The centers serve the community of Glendale, which is located on the west side of Salt Lake City.

“Glendale is a low income community. I love being able to give back to the kids in this area,” said Kaleigh Clark, who works in the aquatic center.

The centers are community-based facility that are owned by Salt Lake City and provide programs and services to the residents of the community.

Although they are based in the Glendale area, the community they serve is much bigger. Anyone can go to the centers and pay the same price as a local resident.

Seniors pay only 50 cents Monday through Friday mornings and a dollar during the afternoons. Children under the age of 17 can swim for 50 cents on Fridays and on the other days of the week it is only a $1.50.

“The prices are low, but families can also apply for a scholarship program,” Clark said. The scholarships are offered to children whose families qualify for government assistance, such as Medicare and food stamps. The scholarships allow the kids to participate in as many programs as they want for only $10.

In addition to low cost swimming, people can participate in basketball, soccer, snowshoeing, T-ball, softball and the list goes on and on.

“My kids love it. They have so much fun and it costs so little,” said Claudia Corona, whose children have participated in many different activities offered at the centers.

Corona used to take her kids to soccer practice there. At the time she was in need of work. She noticed they had a job opening. Within a couple weeks she was happily greeting patrons at the front desk. You will probably see her warm smile on your next visit.

“I love my job, I am able to see families come in every day smiling and having a good time,” Corona said. “It is fun seeing mothers and daughters come in to take belly dancing classes together.” Yes, for $10 you can learn to belly dance.

The Corona family spends a lot of time at the centers. Her daughter began working there as a volunteer. “She had a great time playing with the kids. She started as being a referee for youth soccer. Now she works here part time.”

Volunteers are able to participate in various sports programs as youth coaches and referees. “We love our volunteers. They do a great job with the kids,” Corona said.

Coaches at the center are asked to take a test to determine their commitment to the children. They are told to focus on sportsmanship, playing as a team and having a good time. These are not the coaches who are going to yell at your child over mistakes they make on the playing field. It’s all about having fun and learning a little in the process.

For you working parents who need a place for your child to stay out of trouble, the Sorenson Unity Center offers after-school programs for kids 5 to 13. The kids in the program take field trips, swim at the pool, hike, do arts and crafts projects and get help with homework. The center also gives the kids a safe place to learn in a connected and safe environment. These children also learn how to give back to their community.

One program allows the children in the after-school program to be involved in a pen pal program. Children at the center write to seniors who are living at the Sunday Anderson Senior Center. “The kids here are so sweet and smart. They love writing and getting the letters,” said Clarissa Warath, a lifeguard at the center.

Many thought the good old days were gone. But at the centers you can take a step back in time. Things are inexpensive and good values are being taught around every corner.

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Utahns Against Hunger encourages Food Stamps program to those who qualify

Posted on November 10, 2011 by comm5775

Food Pantries only feed a small percentage of Utah's Hungry

Story and photo by CECELIA FENNELL

Efforts to end hunger in Utah continue beyond September, the state’s hunger action month, because food donations and distributions from food pantries only feed a small percent of the hungry.

That’s why Utahns Against Hunger, a nonprofit organization based on the west side of Salt Lake City, works to develop more effective community outreach programs for the larger percentage of Utah’s hungry. It does this by providing programs for low-income communities instead of providing direct services.

“Food pantries only feed a small percentage of the hungry so we provide other options and programs to meet all hunger needs in Utah,” said Mike Evans, associate director of Utahns Against Hunger. One option is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, a food stamps program.

According to UAH’s website, the organization was originally a project run out of Crossroads Urban Center in the late 1970s. As the community realized the need to improve federal nutrition programs statewide, it was established in 1981 as its own nonprofit organization. Since its beginning, UAH has worked to expand the reach of nutrition programs to “an estimated 1 in 6 households in Utah” who struggle to afford enough food by presenting and passing bills through Utah’s legislature. UAH is not an emergency food provider; instead its mission is to work with policymakers and community leaders to shape public policy by making nutrition programs work for the people who need them.

UAH serves all of Utah, but specifically those in need. Evans said the individuals who are most in need happen to live on the west side, which is why most food pantries are located in that area. UAH commonly advertises its events and programs to homes on the west side. In the past, the nonprofit distributed door hangers with information written in English on one side, and Spanish on the other.

According to its website, “UAH offers 17 food assistance programs, projects and initiatives. One program, Food Stamps, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP nationally, provides food assistance to low-income individuals and households through an electronic benefits transfer EBT card called the horizon card.”

Nathan Cram, director of Americorps VISTA, a partner of UAH, has been using food stamps himself over the past two years. Cram qualifies for food stamps because his net income is below the poverty level. He said the horizon card works a lot like a debit card and prevents many cases of fraud because of the rules associated with using it. It can only be used for food items and in stores that sell a majority of food products, he said.

“In order for an individual to qualify for the food stamps program, federal law requires that the individual’s net income be under poverty level,” Cram said. “Essentially they have to live on less than $900 each month,” he said. People can apply for food stamps through the Department of Workforce Services.

“Ninety-seven percent of food given to low-income communities comes from food stamps, only 6.6 percent comes from food pantries,” Cram said in a phone interview.

However, Evans said only 55 percent of those eligible of food stamps participate. “Some don’t know they’re eligible, some would rather seek other options and for others it’s an issue of humility – they want to be able to help themselves,” he said.

As an individual who has participated in SNAP, Cram encourages individuals who qualify for food stamps to participate because the quality of food is better.

“People surprisingly have more obesity in the low-income community because they can only afford foods high in fats and carbohydrates. Food stamps allow higher-quality food,” Cram said.

He also recommends using the food stamp calculator on UAH’s website to get an estimate on eligibility.

Since Utahns Against Hunger is an advocacy organization, it doesn’t need volunteers like food pantries and other nonprofits typically do. Directors of UAH encourage people to speak with local legislative leaders about existing hunger issues as a means to get involved.

“One of the best ways for people to get involved is by talking with their political leaders, volunteering and standing up and having a voice,” Evans said.

Filed under: Food & Restaurants, Health & Fitness, Organizations, Politics, Utah's Economy | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Salt Lake City Head Start: More than just a preschool

Posted on November 10, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by NATHANIEL BINGAMAN

Children are the future. In the United States the poverty level is increasing. That increase includes children. So, what are communities doing to ensure that children will grow strong, healthy and educated? One program to assist those in need is Head Start.

Low-income families can involve their 3- to 5-year-old children in Head Start.

According to its mission statement, “The mission of Head Start is to empower and educate young children and families facing adversity.”

The Salt Lake Community Action Program (CAP) opened the first Head Start program in 1965. In its first year the program had 34 students in two classrooms. Today Head Start works with 2,400 different families per year, spread throughout 84 different classrooms. The main campus is located at 1307 S. 9oo West. It also has various classrooms spread throughout the Salt Lake Valley. Children and their families all receive personal attention.

For example, at the beginning of every school year dentists volunteer their time go to the schools and give dental care to every child.

“If you are in pain because your teeth are falling out, you are not going to learn very much,” said Kristyn Hancock, the community partnership manager of Head Start, in a phone interview.

Dental hygiene is not the only thing on which Head Start focuses. The value of a healthy meal is also high on the list.

Children receive two-thirds of their daily nutritional needs during the day. “Our families are on a limited income. Foods that are unhealthy are usually the cheapest,” Hancock said. She also said they serve more than 2,000 meals per day and these are not your typical school lunches. The meals include a wide variety of selections such as pumpkin soup and salmon linguini.

Families with children in Head Start are assigned a family advocate. These advocates work with families and help them engage in their child’s learning.

“We teach parents to read to their kids and how to help them with their homework,” said Kayla Beesley a family advocate in the Head Start program.

Beesley works with 64 families in the Salt Lake area. Her position allows her to help find resources for families. From health care to clothing, she works with local businesses and nonprofit organizations to get families the things they need. Families who have children enrolled in the Head Start program can receive all these services for free. “It is very satisfying to know you are helping someone in their time of need,” Beesley said.

The Head Start program relies heavily on volunteers. According to the website, Head Start places about 4,000 volunteers each year. Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older and complete a background check.

“This job has made me aware of problems that I was not aware of before. Our waiting list is a sign of how much help is needed,” said Katie Smith, the volunteer coordinator for Head Start. “Volunteers help with a lot. They read to the children, play games with the children even help them brush their teeth after breakfast and lunch time.”

Not only do the volunteers help inside the classroom, they can help outside as well. Student-nurses volunteer their time to give free checkups and physicals to the children every school year. Landscapers and painters provide their trades to the interior and exterior of the buildings as well.

“People think we are just a preschool for poor kids,” Hancock said, “but we are so much more.”

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Sorenson Unity Center and Planned Parenthood Association of Utah host sexuality class for teens and parents

Posted on November 3, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photos by SHELLY GUILLORY

The Sorenson Unity Center, in partnership with Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, held a workshop in October 2011 to provide a comfortable setting for parents and teens to talk about sexual health and STDs.

But no one showed up.

“I think it’s uncomfortable for teens and parents to participate in a workshop together,” said Angela Romero, program coordinator for Sorenson Unity Center. “Sexual education is a difficult subject to discuss.”

Romero said the Sorenson Unity Center, located at 1383 S. 900 West, has worked with Planned Parenthood for the last three years and has offered two sexuality classes with the organization. The center has also partnered with the Salt Lake Valley Health Department and offered two workshops. The class in October — the fifth —  was the first held for teenagers and their parents.

“The goal is to have healthy discussions about sexuality and health issues related to sexuality, and the risk you take when you become sexually active,” Romero said.

To market the class, Sorenson Unity Center sent e-invites to its community partners and also sent mailers to residents who live near the center.

Planned Parenthood planned three activities for the class, which included mini interviews for parents to do with their teens regarding friendships, media and dating, and one activity geared toward health care and education resources offered by Planned Parenthood and community agencies.

Romero said the goal is to create more awareness about sexuality and encourage parents to provide their teenagers information — information that cannot be found in health education classes in Utah schools — about sexuality in an age-appropriate way.

“We have to meet certain requirements,” Romero said. “With teens and parents being here, Planned Parenthood is able to answer questions that might not be able to be answered in schools.”

Lynn Beltran, STD and HIV program manager at the Salt Lake Valley Health Department, said in an email that laws in Utah dictate what can and cannot be taught in schools. Schools teach an abstinence-only curriculum 95 percent of the time.

Beltran said classes offered at Sorenson are designed to fill the void in sex education classes in schools.

“National research from the scientific community shows that abstinence-only education leads to higher rates of unprotected sex as well as earlier onset for sexual activity among youth,” she said. “Comprehensive sex education really allows for discussion about postponing sexual activity and how to protect yourself if you choose to be sexually active.”

Teenagers who have sex risk sexually transmitted diseases, HIV and unintended pregnancy. Without access to information, many teens do not understand the risks associated with sexual activity.

Beltran said STD rates in Salt Lake County have been increasing for years. She said chlamydia is the most common reported disease and is often a marker of how much infection is circulating in the general population.

“Youth aged 14 to 19 comprise the greatest proportion of our chlamydia infection and in small areas of Salt Lake, 1 in 4 teens has chlamydia,” she said. “So the attitudes of that subset of the population have a strong influence on our increase. It is very hard for public health to compete with cultural shifts when there is no effective comprehensive sexual health education in the school systems.”

An increase in the number of sexual partners a person has, a younger onset age for first sexual encounter, peer pressure and changes in attitudes regarding sexual activity all contribute to the increase, she said.

She also said research shows that youth want this discussion with their parents, even though they may act like they do not. But some parents have a difficult time talking about a subject that many consider taboo.

Annabel Sheinberg, director of education at Planned Parenthood Association of Utah, said in an email that parents are the most influential sexuality educators of their children. Sheinberg, who was responsible for facilitating the class in October at Sorenson Unity Center, said in her talking points that when teens have accurate information, they provide their peers with facts rather than myths.

“What is offered in school is not enough,” she said. “If parents don’t take the opportunity to talk, they are allowing the media to be the main educator of their children.”

Sheinberg also said teen girls between the ages of 15 to 19 in Rose Park and Glendale have a 1 in 100 chance of getting pregnant, which is 10 times higher than youth on the east side near the University of Utah.

But it might be uncomfortable for teens to talk openly about their sexuality with their parents.

Sorenson Unity Center’s Romero said although no one attended the class in October, about 20 teenagers attended the previous class — a class specifically aimed at teens. And not their parents.

“My child actually participated in [the last class],” Romero said. “He said he learned a lot of information. He didn’t really go into detail about things, but he said it made him more aware of risks.”

Hoping for a better attendance for Sorenson Unity Center’s next class, Romero said the center will focus on organizations that already work with populations who have an interest in the topic. She also said the class will cater to teens or parents, but not both.

The Health Department’s Beltran knows that teens are interested.

“They do actively engage in the classes and ask really good questions,” she said. “Our biggest challenge is simply getting people to show up for classes in the community.”

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Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective offers Community Bike Shop programs to west-side youth

Posted on November 1, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by CECELIA FENNELL

The University of Utah Community Bike Shop has a bike on the roof.

The Community Bike shop, located at the Salt Lake Center for Science Education, offers tools and know-how for people to fix their bikes. In addition to providing basic bike repairs, The Community Bike Shop offers youth programs.

Middle-school aged students residing on the west side of Salt Lake City volunteer at this community bike shop and teach other children from that community how to fix and repair bikes. Students learn how to teach the children by taking classes taught by bicycle instructors from the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective, a nonprofit organization located at 2312 S. West Temple.

Thanks to University Neighborhood Partners of the University of Utah, the Community Bike Shop and the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective — two organizations with similar missions — were able to partner.

“Through this partnership, volunteer instructors from the collective teach student volunteers how to fix bikes,” said Sarah Munro, associate director of UNP.

According to its website, UNP’s mission  is to “redress historical inequity by understanding systematic barriers that have prevented access to higher education and to rewrite that history so residents of the west side see themselves as holders and creators of knowledge.” UNP serves as a bridge between organizations with similar goals and interests, Munro said.

The Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective was founded in April 2002 by five bicycle enthusiasts: Jonathan Morrison, Edward Whitney, Brenton Chu, Brian Price and Jesse Ratzkin. Its mission “is to promote cycling as an effective and sustainable form of transportation and as a cornerstone of a cleaner, healthier and safer society.” According to the website, the “Collective provides refurbished bicycles and educational programs to the community, focusing on children and lower income households.”

The Collective offers seven programs and services, two of which are youth programs for children living on Salt Lake City’s west side. One, Earn-A-Bike, helps kids learn bicycle mechanics and confidence.

“Kids get to come in, pick out a bike and they get to keep it. The catch is they have to take it all apart and put it back together themselves,” said Jonathan Morrison, executive director of the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective.

Bike mechanical skills aren’t the only skills learned through Earn-A-Bike. According to the Collective’s 2009 annual report, “In addition to learning bike mechanics, the children are mentored in time and resource management and many students become valuable mentors to their classmates.”

Morrison sees the impact his instruction has on his students, how it affects not only them, but also the kids they will teach.

“The best part was when they used their extra time and knowledge to become a peer-mentor,” Morrison said. “As an Earn-a-Bike instructor, those moments where the student becomes the teacher make it all worth it,” he said.

Another youth program, Trips for Kids, reconnects city youth with Utah’s mountains through mountain biking. Participants are able to take trips to Bonneville Shoreline Trail, the Mormon Pioneer Trail and Liberty Park with the help of adult and youth volunteers. According to the annual report, “Trips for Kids opens up the world of cycling to at-risk youth through mountain bike trips, which include lessons in personal responsibility, achievement, environmental awareness, practical skills and the simple act of having fun.”

Locations of the Bicycle Collective have extended to the Day-Riverside Library, the Ogden Bicycle Collective and the University of Utah community bike shop, located near the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. Each location shares its volunteers and other nonfinancial resources. While services are limited to low-income youth and families on the west side, everyone is invited to volunteer. Students at the U may wish to volunteer at the campus bike shop.

For more information, call 801-FAT-BIKE (328-2453).

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Sorenson Unity Center a product of collaborations

Posted on October 27, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by DEREK SIDDOWAY

Community gardens, dental services, recreation center and art gallery; the Sorenson Unity Center offers a plethora of activities for residents of the Glendale and Poplar Grave neighborhoods, all rolled into one convenient package.

Built in 2008, the Sorenson Unity Center (formerly the Sorenson Multicultural Center) is the result of combined labors between Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County and various nonprofit organizations. Located at 900 W. 1383 South, the center houses a combination of services — computer labs, fitness facilities and child care, to name a few — that community members can take advantage of.

“The great thing about the unity center is we have so many diverse programs and services,” said Director Nichol Bourdeaux, 36. “It really is a one-stop show for the community members of the Glendale area.” Past examples of the center’s “diverse programs and services” include Planned Parenthood, computer literacy classes, food preservation and canning, relationship and substance abuse workshops and film screenings.

This gallery, located at the southern entrance of the Sorenson Unity Center, features "Reflections" by Alyssa Chamber. It showcases a wide array of human emotion.

Bourdeaux says the community has “embraced” the center and uses it for various public and private functions. However, this “one-stop show” serves more than a stage for community activities. Numerous venues are available for long and short-term rent as well, including conference rooms, theatres and classrooms. The Sorenson Unity Center also allows community members to exhibit their art in two galleries positioned at the south and east entrances. Past exhibits include “Reflections,” an exhibit by community member Alyssa Chamber that explores the spectrum of emotion people experience throughout life’s trials.

“We are really working as a collaboration: nonprofit, community agencies and government agencies providing services to the community. It’s not one entity providing something,” Bourdeaux said. “Because of the variety of programming and services it’s a natural collaboration between all the different cultures; this is their community center.”

Examples include Horizonte, an alternative school that teaches adults English as a second language and basic education classes. KUED’s Ready To Learn Workshop spans a six-month period and covers a variety of parenting classes on topics ranging from child development to anti-bullying and nutrition. Salt Lake Donated Dental operates in the southeastern corner of the center and provides discounted or free dental hygiene services.

Patrons who take advantage of the center’s offerings don’t need to make special arrangements if they have children. Parents can place their children in the drop-off Child Care Center while exercising or attending classes. Children ages 8 weeks through 8 years can be placed in childcare Monday through Friday for as low as $1.50 per hour.

The Computer Clubhouse, a computer lab specifically for children ages 10 and up, allows neighborhood youth to “use technology creatively to acquire the tools, problem solving skills and confidence to lead successful lives,” according to the Sorenson Unity Center’s website. In addition to open access, children can attend scheduled classes such as Lego robotics, engineering, graphic design and film design.

The Sorenson Unity Center houses a variety of nonprofit organizations selected through its Programming Partnership.

Not just any program is admitted, however. In order to ensure the quality of nonprofit organizations, the Sorenson Unity Center developed a Programming Partnership in 2011. Programs must follow the stipulated guidelines in order to use the center. Requirements include proper food and business permits, identifying the Sorenson Unity Center as a partner and adherence to scheduled meeting times. Programs wishing to continue their service at the end of the year-long agreement must be re-approved by the center.

“We are working with 25 local nonprofit organizations that want to provide services to the community for free,” Angela Romero said. Romero is the program coordinator at the Sorenson Unity Center and is responsible for selecting partner organizations.

“Through the programming partnership we have specific guidelines to match what we do here,” she said.

While Romero admits fine tuning may be necessary, she sees the partnership as a vital part in the collaboration between the Sorenson Unity Center and outside organizations.

“Our biggest goal is to make sure everyone in the Salt Lake community is aware of the services we provide,” Romero said. “This place is for them.”

Filed under: Arts, Entertainment, Culture, Health & Fitness, Organizations, Sports & Recreation | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

Salt Lake City organizations take wide approach to solving community challenges

Posted on October 20, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by RYAN McDONALD

Nearing the end of a stay in Palermo, Italy, while completing her doctoral dissertation, Sarah Munro was asked by some townspeople what knowledge she had to offer them after researching their way of living.

Members of the community wait to hear from Communidades Unidas Development Director Rose Maizner at The Pink Dress, an annual event held by the organization that took place on Oct. 14, 2011, at Pierpont Place in Salt Lake City.

She realized she had focused so much time and attention on her studies that she had missed a great opportunity to use her knowledge to help others.

Vowing to change that, Munro joined University Neighborhood Partners (UNP), which works as a sort of “bridge” between different groups of people and organizations that are in existence to promote positive changes. UNP focuses its efforts in  the neighborhoods of Rose Park, Glendale, Westpointe, Jordan Meadows, Poplar Grove, State Fairpark and People’s Freeway on the west side of Salt Lake City. One of UNP’s goals is that more students from these neighborhoods will one day attend the University of Utah.

“People don’t know how to talk to each other,” said Munro, UNP’s associate director, about why it exists.

One of the main premises behind UNP is that in order to help solve one problem, other issues need resolution, too. For example, in order to help kids have an opportunity for advanced education, not only do they need to be educated, but their parents also need to be taught how to help their children succeed.

UNP is not the only organization that uses multiple areas of focus to help solve one problem. Created in Midvale about 12 years ago by the city mayor, Comunidades Unidas (Communities United) was originally a neighborhood initiative to help reduce the high infant mortality rate and other prenatal problems in the Latino community. CU quickly realized, however, that more issues needed to be addressed to help curb these problems than a “Band-Aid solution,” said Rose Maizner, CU’s interim director.

“Women put their health very last,” Maizner said in describing how Latinas prioritize responsibilities over themselves.

Because so many things are affected when women get sick, such as their ability to work and the well-being of their children, CU not only helps people with the prevention of health problems, but also with the management of good health. For example, CU holds weekly Zumba classes at Salt Lake Community College.

CU, located at 1341 S. State St. in Salt Lake City, also serves immigrants and refugees from around the world.

Depending on which country immigrants or refugees are from, many are aware of the importance of staying healthy. But many women say, “We know what the risks (causes of illness) are, we just don’t know how to find help.”

Helping to provide access to women’s health care — such as offering mammography clinics and prenatal education — is still a mainstay of what the nonprofit organization does. Maizner said CU also involves itself in other facets of the lives of immigrants and refugees. CU strives to prevent a minor problem, such as an illness, from becoming a colossal list of challenges for a family.

“The ideal story is someone who comes to prenatal clinic, then we can show them other things,” said Maizner, who majored in multicultural psychology and Hispanic studies.

She likened “other things” such as community involvement to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs. She said one of the biggest challenges the organization faces is helping people move beyond survival mode and “getting to that next level of society,” such as being involved in school PTAs.

While CU is not in place to force immigrants and refugees to “become American,” Maizner said the organization feels it is crucial for the people with whom they work to gain the skills they’ll need to function from day to day, such as learning English.

“We stress the importance of being part of the larger society,” she said.

In addition, Maizner said it is just as important that those already here assimilate to these new members of their communities. In that vein, Maizner said CU is always looking for community volunteers to help with things like giving people rides to medical appointments.

Filed under: Health & Fitness, Hispanics & Latinos(as), Immigrants & Refugees, Organizations | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

University Neighborhood Partnership brings together university and west-side resources

Posted on October 20, 2011 by comm5775

Story and photo by SHELLY GUILLORY

Sarah Munro sat in a small community center in downtown Palermo, a city in southern Italy, after spending15 months conducting doctoral research with women who are active in the dangerous anti-Mafia movement. The director of the community center asked Munro to present her research regarding what she learned about the history and economic and social issues.

But Munro had one thought: I do not have anything to offer you that you don’t already know.

Speaking at the community center in 2000, surrounded by the director and the women who utilized the programs the center offered, Munro said she realized she missed an opportunity to use research in a way that was useful for the people she followed, interviewed and studied.

“As a researcher I had gone in there as researchers are trained to do, with my own questions, where it would have been an opportunity if I thought about it differently, to ask them what their questions were,” she said.

After finishing her doctoral work, Munro came to the University of Utah in 2002 with her husband, but knew she didn’t want to be a full-time academic. She heard about The West Side Initiative — a project that looked at how the U could become more engaged in west-side neighborhoods, which were ethnically diverse, socially and economically marginalized in Salt Lake City and underrepresented in student enrollment at the U.

The University Neighborhood Partnership  evolved in 2003 after Irene Fisher, who led the West Side Initiative, conducted more than 300 interviews with residents, leaders, organization officials, city officials and university faculty and administrators. Fisher, director of UNP until 2006, found that residents wanted to increase opportunities for youth through education, create initiatives to expand and support community leadership, and strengthen health, housing, employment, business, safety and environmental capacities.

The University Neighborhood Partners, located on 900 W. and 1060 South, brings together university and west-side resources.

Munro was responsible for developing UNP’s approach, which she said in an email provides a broader national conversation about truly collaborative community-based research and what defines that.

UNP acts as a mediator and bridge to the U and west-side nonprofits, resident groups and city governments and focuses its work in seven west-side neighborhoods, including Rose Park, Glendale, Poplar Grove, Westpointe and Jordan Meadows.

“The idea is not that the university goes out and does something in the neighborhood,” said Munro, now UNP’s associate director. “It’s not community service. It’s not doing it for them. It’s setting up collaborations where we find people, who are working on those issues in the neighborhood, and the university, who can bring together their teaching, research and community-based work, so we are learning from each other.”

Munro said UNP has more than 34 partnerships. Forty-three departments, including linguistics, engineering, and social work, and 40 community organizations, such as the U’s Lowell Bennion Community Service Center, are also involved. They all focus on and identify issues, including access to healthcare, language barriers, transportation and literacy, that challenge west-side residents to obtain the economic and educational opportunities that residents in other communities have.

Though UNP doesn’t directly do the work, the program has helped create partnerships that foster youth programs, life skill classes, resident committees, English classes, healthcare clinics and youth programs.

The UNP-Hartland Partnership Center is one example of a partnership that provides services that help overcome an issue, including lack of sufficient healthcare, which impedes access to higher education.

According to its website, The UNP-Hartland Partnership Center  is a project that implements programs to help residents living in the Seasons of Pebble Creek apartments, located on 1616 South, near Redwood Road, and those in the surrounding west-side communities. In addition to English-as-a-second language classes, financial classes and youth programs, the center offers health education.

Center Coordinator Kimberly Schmit said in a phone interview that UNP-Hartland Partnership Center is a not a clinic with direct medical services.

“They have a health-education referral program,” she said. “The partner is the College of Nursing at the U; the faculty and students do the work.”

One concrete example of research that helps west-side residents is a study done by researchers from the College of Social Work at the U, who focused on the mental health of children with refugee backgrounds. The researchers interviewed 22 service providers, including Valley Mental Health, Catholic Community Services and the Utah Health and Human Rights Project, as well as 21 youth with refugee backgrounds, who had been in the U.S. for at least a year.

Data from the interviews yielded a curriculum with lesson plans that focus on seven topics, such as social skills, emotional health, school rules, laws and safety, and family roles.

“This is where it becomes community building,” Schmit said. “They were getting their questions answered through her research. [The researchers] partnered with them, did the research and then gave them back her findings. That is where it is a little different [from other research]. We are looking for the partnership with the residents. The residents are the leaders.”

UNP’s Munro said research conducted by students at the center and in other UNP partnerships is not just for publication, but also helps the community strengthen itself.

“I see a big role for research,” she said. “But the way I want to see it done in the world is in really close connection with the people you are researching and letting the questions emerge from that.”

Filed under: Health & Fitness, Organizations | Tagged: , | Leave a comment »

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