Casa Latina, Inc.

2007 Reencuentro

At the 2007 Reencuentro, we honored local politicians and long-time board members in addition to our normal reencuentro activities of updating and getting feedback from the Hampshire County Latino community. The Gazette reported:

The guests of honor were the politicians who helped secure the new grants and three Casa Latina board members who stepped down recently after lengthy terms. The former board members, Dalila Balfour, Paul Hyry and Carlos Santiago, helped guide Casa Latina out of a similar fiscal crisis about 10 years ago, and helped shape the organization’s mission since then, Garcia said.   

Last week’s celebration, called El Reencuentro, was also a chance for members of Hampshire County’s Latino community to give feedback. The event has been held every December for eight years.

Garcia said it was the most diverse Reencuentro yet, with people representing Mexican, Salvadoran, Ecuadorian and Colombian backgrounds.

Garcia said state representatives Peter Kocot, D-Northampton, and Ellen Story, D-Amherst, as well as state Sen. Stan Rosenberg, D-Amherst, and Northampton Mayor Clare Higgins, helped Casa Latina find and apply for grants from the state Department of Health and Human Services, Hispanics in Philanthropy, the Western Massachusetts Community Foundation and Highland Valley Elder Services.