HISTORY

Acercamiento Hispano / Hispanic Outreach is the oldest Latino community based organization in South Carolina.

Our mission is to preserve the dignity, promote the well being and improve the quality of life of the Hispanic Latino community of South Carolina.

Acercamiento Hispano/Hispanic Outreach AHCS/SCHO was established in 1995 by group concerned citizens. Irma G. Santana, our founder, has been instrumental in all of its dreams and sucesses,

Acercamiento Hispano has been a pioneer in direct service delivery to the Hispanic/Latino population in South Carolina. A high success rate has been achieved in all programs and we are constantly looking for opportunities to help this underserved population.

With that initial impetus, AHCS/SCHO received its first major grant from the Midlands HIV Prevention Collaboration to conduct a statewide needs assessment regarding HIV/AIDS knowledge among the Hispanic/Latino population. During its initial years, AHCS/SCHO worked closely with state and local agencies and distinguished itself as a vehicle through which state and national agencies could serve the South Carolina Hispanic community.

-In mid 1997 AHCS/SCHO received its first major grant from the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) through the South Carolina Department of Public Safety Services. The Civil Legal grant started in 1998 to complement the VAWA grant.

-In 1998 we received a grant from the National Council of la Raza to incorporate a program designed to address immigration and naturalization issues.

-In the fall of 2000, SC Minority Health contracted the University of South Carolina’s Institute of Families in Society and AHCS/SCHO to conduct a needs assessment of the health issues of the South Carolina Hispanic population.

-In October 2000 our organization underwent an overall restructuring, designed to more effectively and more efficiently meet the needs of the Hispanic community. Specifically, some of the changes included a revision of our organizational mission and vision; revitalization of board members and member development; full replacement of all staff with the exception of the Executive Director/Program Director. Positions and job descriptions were redefined and staff members were allowed the option to reapply for the recreated positions.

-In 2000 we were awarded by DHHS a major grant to facilitate healthcare accessibility for Hispanic with Limited English Proficiency by our Adelante program.

-In June 2001 AHCS/SCHO was selected by The Center for Community Change (CCC) as one of three sites to implement a five (5) year demonstration project funded by Mary Reynolds Babcock and Annie E. Casey Foundations for the workforce development in the Hispanic Community.

-In October 2003 we received grants from PALS and Aids Benefit Foundation to conduct our ContraSIDA program.

-In October 2004 we received a four (4) year grant from DHEC to continue the ContraSIDA program.

- In 2004 Acercamiento was chosen by CCC to be the fiscal agent for the South Carolina Pro-Immigrant Coalition. This organization was awarded a three (2) year grant by the Knight Foundation, changed it’s name to Coalition for New South Carolinians in 2005 and is currently reorganizing.

-In September 2004 our organization underwent an overall restructuring, designed to deliver our services in a more effective and efficient manner. Some of the changes included relocating to a smaller and less expensive office space, staff realignment, hired a new accountant, purchased new accounting software, and curtailed expenses. A pro-bono Executive Director was appointed.

AFFILIATIONS AND COLLABORATIONS

Acercamiento Hispano is an affiliate of the National Council of la Raza, the largest national Hispanic Organization in the nation. Acercamiento Hispano has also been contacted by American Cancer Society headquarters staff to collaborate with their regional outreach efforts. The ContraSIDA program has a close and solid collaboration with two organizations that provide services for HIV positive individuals: Palmetto Aids Life Support Service (PALSS) and Women Resource Center. PALSS and ContraSIDA have had a long and strong collaboration in HIV prevention. For over 10 years, PALSS and Hispanic Outreach have collaborated in HIV Prevention interventions targeting communities of color. From 1996 through 1997, the two organizations shared office space providing the opportunity to integrate staff and services and allowing each agency the opportunity to build competency in different cultures. During 2004, PALSS established collaboration with ContraSIDA. Through this collaboration ContraSIDA provides the Hispanic component for one of PALSS programs: Women’s Health Council Project. For this project, ContraSIDA is providing GLI to high-risk women in Saluda and Newberry Counties.

Acercamiento Hispano established a Memorandum of Agreement with Palmetto Health District to collaborate in HIV Prevention. During 2003, this collaboration allowed ContraSIDA to perform HIV Testing while the health department would provide the Lab Procedures and Test Results Delivery. In 2004, through a grant received from Midlands HIV Prevention Collaboration, ContraSIDA and Palmetto Health District have continued their collaboration. The HIV Education Specialist received complete training, pre, and post counseling and testing from the Palmetto Health District to deliver test results to clients tested for HIV. Moreover, Adelante Project established solid and effective Memorandums of Agreements with the Health Departments in Newberry, Fairfield and Saluda Counties. These MOA allowed Adelante Project to facilitate healthcare accessibility and promote HIV Education among the Hispanic community during the program period.

ORGANIZATION

ACERCAMIENTO HISPANO’S Board of Directors includes ten members which composes a tapestry of nationalities. They strive to direct the organization to achieve its mission. The organization’s staff is highly trained, fully bilingual and bicultural, and completely dedicated to serving, orienting, and satisfying the needs of the Hispanic community in SC. The staff consists currently of an Executive Director, a Programs Director, an HIV Program Coordinator, an HIV/AIDS Education Specialist, and two Community Liaisons, Hispanic and American volunteers support the staff, offering much needed assistance in the office, at special events, and serving as translators or interpreters when needed.