Overcoming the isolation that comes with being an immigrant requires a strong community. In San Francisco, the welcoming Excelsior neighborhood embraces many Latin and Asian immigrant families who have left their social support systems behind. As these families slowly adapt to life in the United States, Excelsior Family Connections, a local family resource center, is providing the essential services that make this transition process successful. Many immigrant families navigating parenting and job searching in San Francisco need help getting established- whether it's finding an apartment listing or applying for a job online.
The center, which serves 50 families per day, offers a broad menu of programs, including ESL classes, counseling, employment assistance, parenting workshops, school readiness, and referrals. In addition to English, services are provided in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Vietnamese. Julia Ardon, a local parent, enjoys the quality time she spends with her daughter at the center. "We sing, play, jump, do group activities, paint, make crafts," she said in Spanish. Ms. Ardon, who has lived in the Excelsior for five years, feels at home in the neighborhood, with its well-connected bus system, convenient laundromat, and cultural diversity. Another reason she decided to move to the neighborhood was the close proximity of Excelsior Family Connections Ms. Ardon participates in a Latino parent support group run by the center. For her, the group plays an important role in connecting local parents and "gives a lot of information about all of the resources that exist in San Francisco."
Excelsior Family Connections Director Erica Rendon underscores that center activities also deepen the sense of community and build leadership among attendees. She encourages local residents attending parent meetings, "to come to tell us what's working, what's not working, so we can address those gaps." In spite of the tough economic times, the convivial atmosphere of the neighborhood means that new immigrant families continue to move to the Excelsior. Ms. Rendon remarked that many recent arrivals, "are really isolated in the neighborhood... We want to encourage them to know that they do have a voice, and that we're here to help."
Excelsior Family Connections is a branch of Portola Family Connections and has been open since January 2004.
