WAUKESHA, Wis. — As Hispanic Heritage Month continues, TMJ4 is highlighting a Waukesha County non-profit that has been serving the community for nearly 60 years, transforming lives along the way.
La Casa de Esperanza started in the 1960s as a place to help Waukesha County's growing Hispanic community. Today, that mission continues with expanded services including daycare, early childhood education, a charter school, financial services and senior housing.
For Gina Sanchez Juarez, now the director of the Center for Financial Stability at La Casa de Esperanza, the organization provided essential support during her challenging childhood.
"We were struggling so bad when I was young," Sanchez Juarez said. "There was six of us that lived in a one-bedroom apartment. We were even homeless for a period of time. So having a free meal and somewhere to go to feel safe and get that sense of community was really important."
Watch: La Casa de Esperanza helps break generational poverty in Waukesha County
The free meal program at La Casa de Esperanza became her lifeline during those difficult years. The organization continues to support families facing similar challenges today. On top of that, it offers early education and Head Start programs providing crucial developmental support for young children.
"All of our teachers, most of them, at least is English speaking and one is Spanish speaking, so our kids are exposed to both languages throughout the day," said Maria Carrillo, Director of Operations, walks through the early education rooms at La Casa de Esperanza.
The recently opened charter school is one of the few dual-language schools serving K through 8th graders in the area. Students learn in both English and Spanish, celebrating Hispanic culture and heritage.
Gina reflects that having these programs would have made a significant difference to her as a child.
"When I was young, it was very challenging to be a Latina in school. It was almost for like slower kids, but it was because we were Hispanic. Being able to go somewhere where I am proud of my culture. Where I know I am capable and worthwhile," she said.
Nearly 20 years ago, she returned to La Casa de Esperanza as a financial counselor and worked her way up to director. She felt called to give back to the place that changed her life.
"This is my dream come true, seriously; if I can help other people on that path, that is what I love. I'm here to give back," Gina said.
La Casa de Esperanza continues to evolve to meet community needs, working to break cycles of poverty through education, financial literacy, and cultural affirmation. And you do not need to be Hispanic to use their services.
"It really is key for me in helping me break generational poverty. That is something that changed my entire life just being able to come here," Gina said.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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