Initiative ‘equips Hispanic/Latino parents and grandparents with skills, leadership opportunities and community connections they need to navigate U.S. education system and support their children’s success’
UnidosNow has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County’s Two-Generation Approach Fund, Allen Wirtz Nobbe and Jo Bowen Nobbe Fund, and Edward K. Roberts Fund, which it will use to expand its 2Gen Empowered Parents program, the nonprofit has announced.
The 2Gen program “equips Hispanic/Latino parents and grandparents with the skills, leadership opportunities, and community connections they need to navigate the U.S. education system and support their children’s success,” a news release explains.
The program serves predominantly low-income Latino parents and grandparents — about 90% of them women — “whose children and grandchildren attend public schools in Sarasota and Manatee counties,” the release adds. “Many speak little or no English and are navigating an unfamiliar education system for the first time. UnidosNow meets those families where they are, helping them advocate for their children, connect to local resources, and build lasting support networks,” the release points out.
“When you empower a parent, you change the trajectory of an entire family,” said Evelyn Almodóvar, executive director of UnidosNow, in the release. “This investment from the Community Foundation of Sarasota County lets us keep walking alongside parents as they gain the confidence to speak up at their children’s schools, pursue their own goals and create the kind of support that lasts for generations,” Almodóvar continued in the release. “We are deeply grateful for a partner that has believed in this work since its very first day.”
The release further explains, “With the new funding, UnidosNow expects to reach more than 140 parents and grandparents this year through year-round programming. That includes 17 cafecitos — informal resource-sharing meetings — along with hands-on training to navigate online school platforms such as Focus and Schoology, quarterly leadership development for the organization’s volunteer Parent Leaders, and expanded support for parents pursuing their GED, college, or workforce credentials.”
“The greatest transformation we see is not only in parents’ knowledge, but in their confidence,” said Ana Aristizabal, senior manager of Family & Community Engagement at UnidosNow, in the release. “Parents who once felt disconnected from their children’s education become advocates, leaders, and trusted voices within their communities. When parents are empowered, the impact reaches far beyond the individual family — it strengthens schools, neighborhoods, and future generations,” Aristizabal pointed out.
In September, the program will add “Start-Up Circle,” a free, nine-session business and project-planning course taught in Spanish, the release notes. The pilot initiative “will help parents launch a new venture or strengthen an existing small business, adding a new pathway to economic stability for the families UnidosNow serves,” the release says. “Additionally, in response to the current political climate,” UnidosNow has included “immigration and citizen education to strengthen parents’ civic engagement and integration,” the release notes.
“At the heart of the program is a growing team of 13 specially trained Parent Leaders who serve as community ambassadors, mentoring other parents and advising UnidosNow’s programs through a 2Gen Parent Advisory Council,” the release continues. “The organization aims to recruit and train four to five more this year,” it adds.
“Before joining Empowered Parents, I was afraid to ask questions and didn’t feel confident speaking with my child’s school,” said Parent Leader Odalis H. in the release. “Through UnidosNow, I learned how to advocate for my child, connect with resources, and build relationships with other parents. Today, I serve as a Parent Leader and help other families navigate the same journey. This program gave me confidence, purpose, and a community,” Odalis H. added in the release.
“The lived expertise of parents is one of our community’s greatest assets,” said Kirsten Russell, vice president of community impact at the Community Foundation of Sarasota County, in the release.