TWB pilots Spanish-speaking program
Aug 03, 2023
Together We Bake is proud to announce the successful completion of our Summer 2023 Spanish-speaking pilot program!
The pilot program implemented the same elements as the personal development and workforce training program we’ve taught since our start in 2012 – just in a different language. This expansion of TWB’s programming represented a years-long goal of our organization to help meet the need in our community of Spanish-speaking women who otherwise are not able to participate in our program.
Throughout the 8-week session, the women in our program participated in instruction and testing for ServSafe certification, empowerment courses, career guidance meetings, and general job training. A TWB volunteer also taught regular conversational English courses.
This programming, coupled with the strong sense of community the Team Members built, generated some incredible results. Not only did we have nine women graduate, each of them also passed their ServSafe test! Most importantly, this program cultivated an outpouring of openness, growth, and kindness. The women created incredible bonds with each other and themselves.
Rosa, one of the graduates, described her experience at her class's graduation ceremony:
“This is more than a meeting place. It’s a place where we recover our identities as women, as productive beings. We recover our dreams. We no longer feel disoriented in an unknown country. We find the direction and we find the purpose. We recover what we came to this nation for, knowing that there are people who extend their hand.”
The success of this program would not have been possible without the outstanding leadership of two TWB staff members, Lisbeth and Reina. Together, they worked to format all of our materials for a fully Spanish-speaking class and served as the primary instructors for our team. Plus, several of the organizations (House of Ruth, Arlington Community Federal Credit Union, Heard) that teach vital classes during our other programs offered their same programming in Spanish for our summer class.
We want to extend a huge thank you to the funders who made this program possible, The Kathleen & Eddie Arthur Hearts of Love Foundation and the Truist Foundation. We are also incredibly grateful for our relationship with Casa Chirilagua, who helped refer women to the program.
We hope to continue offering Spanish-language programming in the future and look forward to seeing how this program grows!