Comcast to Award $75,000 to Spanish American Civic Association

“In partnership with the Comcast Foundation, the National Council of La Raza NCLR, the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the U.S., today announced a $75,000 grant to the Spanish American Civic Association SACA to increase its capacity to provide mental health outpatient services to the Latino population in Lancaster. SACA is one of eight community-based organizations – chosen from NCLR’s Affiliate Network of nearly 300 organizations throughout the nation – to be recognized with an NCLR/Comcast grant.

The Nuestra Clí­nica Behavioral Health Program was created in 1990 to respond to the need for community-based mental health services for Latinos in the Lancaster area. Nuestra Clí­nica provides mental health care and treatment – in Spanish, if needed – to Latinos in a welcoming community-based environment.

“We are so pleased that NCLR and Comcast have recognized the work we do to improve the health of Latino families. In particular, I’d like to commend Comcast for providing this type of funding that will help Latino community organizations become even better at what they do well. It’s not only good for our community, it’s good for Lancaster and Pennsylvania,” noted Carlos Graupera, Executive Director of SACA.

For three decades, SACA has developed and nurtured productivity and progress among Latinos in Lancaster County. Support of SACA’s mental health program reinforces Comcast’s continued commitment to addressing the overall well-being of Lancaster’s Latino community.

It’s an honor to support SACA and the Latino community in Lancaster,” said Jim Samaha, senior vice president, Comcast Central Pennsylvania Region. “We’re committed to enriching all communities where we live and work, and our hope is that this grant will make a positive impact for a long time to come.”

NCLR/Comcast capacity-building grants were awarded in the categories of community development, education, health, workforce development, and advocacy. One grant was also given in the “Next Generation” category, to recognize young or newly established organizations in communities that have experienced the emergence of new Latino populations. The other awardees include: Association House of Chicago, IL; Del Norte Neighborhood Development Corporation, Denver, CO; Latino Memphis, Inc., Memphis, TN; Mujeres Latinas en Acción, Chicago, IL; Congreso de Latinos Unidos, Inc., Philadelphia, PA; Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, Union City, CA; and Youth Development, Inc. and Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce, Albuquerque, NM, who together submitted a joint proposal.

“The NCLR/Comcast grant will allow these NCLR Affiliates to expand the important work they do in their communities to advance opportunities for all Latinos,” said Janet Murguí, NCLR President and CEO. “We commend Comcast for working with us to offer this unique opportunity and for its continued support of organizations that strengthen and serve the Latino community.”

Supporting NCLR and its Affiliate Network further exemplifies one of Comcast’s key diversity initiatives to create opportunities for the Hispanic community. Comcast’s commitment to diversity is focused on four key areas: attracting and retaining a multicultural workforce, developing a diverse supplier group, offering a wide selection of multicultural programming and pledging significant community investments.

For more information on the NCLR/Comcast Capacity-Building Grant Program, please contact Affiliate Member Services at 202 785-1670 or visit www.nclr.org.”

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