Mario Candia-Espinobarros Hopes to Teach English
My name is Mario Candia E. I am twenty years old. My country is Mexico. My state is Guerrero and my city is Tlapa de Comonfort. I like to learn English so I can speak with the people and so I can work. I want to speak English very well so I can help my [...]
Melkin Lara
Melkin Learned to Speak English at the Esperanza Center Melkin with Project Serve volunteer Colleen Gormley. Hi, my name is Melkin Josue Lara. I’ve been here at the Esperanza Center for two and a half years. I’m from San Miguel, El Salvador. The Esperanza Center has students from so many different countries [...]
Emmeline Finds Friendship at the Esperanza Center
Esperanza Center clients Juan and Emmeline are thankful for their English teacher, Lois (center). My name is Emmeline Sandino and I’m from Venezuela. I’m 28 years old and I came to this country six months ago with all the hopes placed in my mind and my heart. When I arrived, I realized that [...]
Martin Can Hear!
Esperanza Center Health Services Center staff and volunteers continue to improve the lives of the patients they serve. Recently, Martin, a six year-old child, came to the United States from El Salvador with his mother. From birth, Martin suffered from a near total hearing loss, a condition that left him unable to speak. Martin’s mother brought [...]
“I’ve Never Been Called a Rock Star Before”
A couple of years ago, attorney Wade Wilson decided to share his talents by doing pro bono legal work. What he didn’t know at the time is that he’d end up doing his volunteer work at the Esperanza Center. “I live in Fell’s Point. I asked myself what is the closest, most sophisticated pro bono [...]
“You Put All Your Efforts into Getting My Life Back for Me”
In early October, Ada (not her real name) received the joyful news she had been hoping for: she had been granted asylee status in the United States. Her story, however, begins several years ago in her native country. Now 32, Ada grew up in a village in rural Nigeria. When she was in her late [...]
Tyra Gay
by Jim Hillman Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but Beautiful elders are works of art." –Eleanor Roosevelt Tyra Gay came to work with elders at Caritas House nine years ago somewhat by accident. She was driving by Benson Avenue and saw a sign, “Jenkins Senior Living Community, Tea on Tuesdays.” She was [...]
“I See Myself in the People Who Live Here”
Caritas House volunteer Jim Jeppi While coping with the loss of his mother in 2014, Jim Jeppi sought to fill, in part, the void he felt by looking for ways to continue helping older adults. For many years, Jim had been the primary caregiver for his mother, Jennie, who suffered with dementia and [...]
Bobbi Tayman
After working as a delegating nurse for 13 years at an area hospital, Bobbi Tayman assessed that she was most gratified when she interacted with geriatric patients. When a job as a delegating registered nurse opened at Caritas House Assisted Living, she applied and was hired. With five months on the job, Bobbi feels that [...]
Bill’s Blog: A More Loving and Just Society
As I watched the horrific events unfold in Charlottesville over the weekend, I found myself overwhelmed with both anger and heartbreak. Perhaps most painful was the uncomfortable realization that Charlottesville is far from unique in its susceptibility to this kind of violence: hate-fueled outbursts can and have occurred throughout history in communities across our [...]