Buffalo Rising Online

May 27th, 3:58pm By Elena Cala Buscarino

Executive Director of Hispanics United of Buffalo (HUB) Lourdes Iglesias says, "This agency needs to be everything it can be, and we can send all good things back into the community."

The good things Iglesias speaks of have to do empowering local Hispanics with the tools they need to overcome quality of life issues that some members of this West Side community are faced with every day—issues that Iglesias and her staff at HUB work hard to rectify.

In just over two years as executive director—with the help of an energetic staff and well-meaning board of directors—Iglesias has pulled HUB two-thirds of the way out of just over $300K worth of accumulated debt she inherited, while growing the services that HUB offers to the community. Specifically, HUB acts as advocates dealing with issues such as homelessness, domestic violence, joblessness, language barriers and suicide prevention. Then there are the small things.

"People bring their paperwork here, their mail, and we help decipher it for them," Iglesias says. "It can be intimidating and overwhelming." In addition, HUB provides interpreters for health care issues through the International Institute. "We need to make these appointments in advance, but that doesn't always pan out when someone has to go to the emergency room.

"Federal law states that hospitals must have interpreters," Iglesias says, "but often they don't. Since we can't be everything to everybody, our role lies in getting those services that are out there to the people who need them."

The most essential function of HUB is in getting the grants and doing fundraising in order to offer community services such as the job-readiness training program that helps to create a portfolio and resume for those who want to work. "Everybody wants a job," Iglesias said. "We help as a liaison between people who want jobs and local businesses such as the Kaleida Health Network, the NFTA and others who want good employees." To those ends, HUB is also teaming up with OSHA under a new grant to train Hispanic construction workers.

"Our vision is to strengthen what we have and provide within our different departments as much as we can, to help everyone who walks through our doors to become self-sufficient," Iglesias stated. "We need partnerships and collaborators who will make us ready to help when we're needed."

Volunteers are welcome. With an influx of around 20 after school students, HUB can use more mentors and tutors. HUB also runs a senior citizen program, partially funded by the City of Buffalo. In an effort to provide for the community, Iglesias said that people with an eye toward accounting and fundraising would be very helpful, as well as some innovative board members with a good feel for the community at large. "All proceeds come back to support our programs," according to Iglesias.

So far, community outreach has been successful through the schools and a weekly, hour-long call-in radio show on WBBF, 11.20AM Radio. In addition, the Canisius College Video Institute, under the direction of Dr. Barbara Irwin has produced a 17-minute video in conjunction with the United Way of Buffalo and Erie County that highlights the services offered by HUB.

There will be a formal awards ceremony, Nuestro Orgullo Latino Gala, on June 14 at the Statler Towers to honor 16 Latino/Hispanic professionals in the community. Those interested in attending should contact Donna Medina at dmedina@hubwny.com.

Hispanics United of Buffalo
254 Virginia Street
Buffalo NY, 14201
856.7110