Guide Available For Spanish-Speaking Akron And North Manchester Area Residents
Posted
Staff Report-
AKRON - During the last several months, Tim Polakowski, a student research intern at Manchester College, and Ingrid Rogers, professor of modern languages at Manchester College, have been working with the members of the Akron Community Relations Task Force in putting together a resource guide for Hispanics.
Titled "Bienvenidos" (Spanish for welcome or greetings), the guide focuses on the communities of North Manchester and Akron.
The comprehensive guide will be useful for any Spanish-speaking individual of these communities.
The guide resulted from numerous conversations with local Hispanics, agencies, companies and organizations in order to identify the topics and information to be included. The 105-page guide includes sections on telephone hotlines and helplines, locations of English classes, maps, health services, schools, legal services, family and adult services, household needs, women's health, churches, transportation, libraries, banks, shopping, recreation and municipal government.
The guide was written in recognition of the difficulties Hispanics encounter when they come to the United States and cannot speak the English language. The language barrier is a huge obstacle in assimilating into a new culture. While learning to speak English, this guide will make the lives of many Hispanics a little easier.
The completion and publication of this guide was made possible with the help of many organizations. The Akron Community Relations Task Force offered information, opinions and enthusiasm. Norma Rojas spent many hours revising the guide. Financial support was provided by Indiana Campus Compact, Lilly Endowment Inc. Internship Program at Manchester College, Manchester College Service Venture Grant, Plowshares Mini-Grant and the Ball Brothers Foundation.
Anyone interested in obtaining additional information about the Bienvenidos resource guide may contact Ingrid Rogers at inrogers@manchester.edu or Tim Polakowski at trpolakowski@manchester.edu
