Our Mission
Working together as an expression of faith, our home nurtures strong communities…one person at a time.

Our Vision

• Creating places of welcome and hospitality for all persons;
• Providing emergency services when other sources fail or are not available;
• Offering educational and learning opportunities for women and children;
• Providing settings where barriers between people may be broken down;
• Working toward the social and spiritual reconciliation and transformation of the whole community

Our Story
We are often asked "Just what is it that you do at La Casa Hogar, or is it Yakima Interfaith Coalition?" . This question is best answered with an organizational chart. Please bring your imagination on a journey. The picture we offer is not a typical chart showing neat and tidy relationships with rectangles and lines. Rather the chart of our organization is the household spider plant found commonly in many homes. Although preferring regular food, water and sunlight, it is a hardy plant and survives long periods with limited resources. With loving care and consistent attention, the proliferation of small plants at the end of long shoots makes it ripe for sharing. In fact, sharing may be a necessity for its very life.

Our Pot Motif
We have many people and mission groups who come and do special work with us. As a thank you we usually give them a gift of a small clay pot, usually on a string like a necklace and tell them something like: God shapes each of us from clay into a vessel, a clay pot. Some are cracked and broken, but all are filled with God's love to be shared with others. You have shared God's love with us and filled our pots so that we may continue to share God's love with others, here in this place called La Casa Hogar.

Roots
We are a living, growing, dynamic organism planted some 17 years ago by Patty Houts Hussey and leaders of 35 faith communities. Two years later we were incorporated under the name of Yakima Interfaith Coalition. Early shoots of the initial planting were numerous Jesuit Volunteers (JV) usually transplanted from the east arriving annually to serve low income people through the Yakima Interfaith Coalition. Alongside the JV grew relationships with 300 faith community volunteers who had also committed themselves to serving emergent needs of low income people, as many as 50 a day.

Growth
The mother plant grows with programs such as Summer Celebration; Save a House, Create a Home; and the Housing Foundation - some are clipped or not, some are planted elsewhere, some thrive and others do not. In 1995, a new shoot was born: La Casa Hogar. The vision, offered to the Yakima Interfaith Coalition and the community by Ninfa Gutierrez, was a "home" for women and children to gain educational opportunities for the purpose of self- empowerment. The work and dreams of Gloria de Martinez, an educator in the Yakima School District, served as a model of hope for the new projects. Under the direction of the second Executive Director, Rosanne Fisher – Pineda, foundational educational roots became strengthened and the resources of our new neighborhood based facility allowed for bringing together in one location all the operations of the Yakima Interfaith Coalition, the place also called La Casa Hogar.

Today
Today we are a thriving “second home” for immigrant women and their children. They are committed to improving themselves, their families and their community through a variety of educational opportunities, the base of which is English as a Second Language. The preschool children participate in a structured learning program developing pre-literacy and social behavioral skills for school readiness.

Leadership
Leadership is developing in the form of new shoots on the plant. Our four staff, all previous students of La Casa Hogar, now give back, building the home of the family as they nurture, care and share resources with all who come to this place.

Leadership development is a continuous process at all levels of the organization. In the spring of 2006 we added three new members and have the opportunity for two others to join during the coming year. This board will lead us into the future. We anticipate the finalization of a 5 year strategic plan developed by a committee of the board along with community representatives.

YOU ARE INVITED to imagine yourself as a part of a gorgeous, flourishing spider plant. Join with us at our home, away from home, share with us and others, while serving to transform our community.

Yakima Interfaith Coalition La Casa Hogar is a member of the:

It is the selfless efforts of our Staff and especially our enthusiastic Volunteers for which we are grateful beyond measure and which will ensure that the miracles grow, expand and eventually connect us all.

Staff

	Carole Folsom-Hill Executive Director La Casa Hogar 106 So. 6th Street Yakima, WA 98901 457-5058 248-9497 h Carole@lacasahogar.org
	Luz Monroy, Program Director
	Nora Requena, Projects Coordinator
	Kent Reed, "107 House" Team Leader
	Mireya Chavez, "107 House" Outreach Specialist & Driving Instructor
	Darlene Hansen, Outreach Specialist “107 House”
	Cecilia Gonzalez, Early Learning Center Coordinator & Computer Instructor
	Angelica Zepeda, Parent Support Coordinator
	Cathy Goshorn, Early Learning Coach
	Eloisa Gonzalez, House Manger
	Sara Gonzalez, Children's Teacher Assistant
	Blanca Macias, Financial Assistant

Board of Directors

	Patrick Shirey, President/Treasurer Lyons Law Offices, Attorney Term expires: 2010
	Eric Don Anderson, Vice President United Christian Church, Pastor Term expires 2012
	Rev. Dave Roberts, Secretary First Baptist Church, Pastor Term expires: 2010
	Sherie Leadon, Past President Entrust Community Services, Executive Director Term expires 2011
	Anne Caffery The Memorial Foundation Term expires: 2011
	Ricardo Chama YVCU, Instructor Term Expires 2012
	Susan Ford US Bank, District Manager/VP Term Expires 2011
	Rhonda Hauff Yakima Neighborhood Health Services, COO / Deputy CEO Term expires 2011
	Maria Jett Term expires: 2012
	Barbara Olivares Community Volunteer Term Expires 2012
	Aurora Pena Torres Term expires 2010
	Roberta Rorke S.P. Term Expires: 2011
	Ellie Stroshal Term expires: 2012

Letter from the Executive Director for the 2007 Annual Report

2007 was a remarkable year of learning and growing for Yakima Interfaith Coalition La Casa Hogar; individually, organizationally, and financially. The results of our learning and growing are manifested in the brighter lives of those we serve as well as ourselves.

This year we were privileged to be a stakeholder in the East Yakima Early Learning Initiative. Nearly 90% of the parents engaged in the planning process are associated with La Casa Hogar! Through us, they gained confidence, bringing the voice of Hispanic parents to the Early Learning Initiative and expanding their community relationships. I cannot imagine a more perfect expression of the success of our educational mission.

Learning and growing was also seen in the partnership of Emergency Services with the Homeless Network of Yakima County. Our case management support provided formerly homeless people with a home and stable relationships, giving them a greater level of self sufficiency. Emergency Services also expanded with a new location at the “107 House”, in partnership with Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health Homeless Outreach.

As more and more is learned about the results we are achieving, support and resources have also grown. Major gifts were given by Yakima Regional Medical Center, PacificCorp and Central Lutheran Church Endowment. The inspiring commitment and enthusiasm of many volunteers made our “Connecting Communities Fiesta” incredibly successful. Furthermore, RBC Dain Rauscher has affirmed our mission and will be the key sponsor for our Fiesta in’08 and ‘09.

As we embark on our 20th year of service, it continues to be a joy to serve as Executive Director. I am honored have a part in this transformational story, working together in faith to nourish strong communities one person at a time.

Gratefully,
Carole