My name is Thomas Donellan. I am a Catholic Priest. For almost two years, I have volunteered at the Esperanza Center. I am there on Mondays both morning and afternoons. What has kept me coming is the enthusiasm of all who make this work possible. I seldom have witnessed leaders and volunteers so willing to help others. As with all successful programs, leadership is the key and Rosa provides outstanding leadership by her love and warmth for every person who comes into the center. Because of this, the program works well and has brought new hope to countless people. I am a veteran of many educational programs but Esperanza is unique. It requires an individual focus on each person, sometimes over years. But, it works – people progress and can find work or promotion as their English improves.
I am working now with a young man who came to the Center with little knowledge of English. He is highly motivated by a desire to improve his standing at work. By spending time at home to learn vocabulary, he has progressed in a short time to become a competent English speaker with good understanding and writing skills. Six weeks ago his, self confidence was one thing holding him back. Today, he will tell you how good his English is. This is only one example of one person’s success. Over two years, I have worked with many people who have succeeded in the same way.