Servicios de La Raza

Conclusion

Servicios de La Raza meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Purpose

Stated Purpose:
To provide and advocate for culturally responsive, essential human services and opportunities.

Year, State Incorporated:
1972, CO

Also Known As:
La Raza Services, Inc.

Programs

Servicios de La Raza, Inc. provides services that assist low-income members of the community in the range of problems that result in a lack of resources and contribute to the perpetuation of the cycle of poverty.  The organization serves the Latino community in Metro Denver as a community resource linked with Metro Denver’s schools and churches. Servicios de La Raza is also a referral channel for many human services agencies as they encounter Latino clientele. 

The organization’s programs include: 
Adult Re-Entry: WAGEES (Work and Gain Education and Employment Skills) offers supportive services and mentoring to adult men and women who are reintegrating into society after incarceration. WAGEES offers a variety of resources across the community to help parolees complete parole successfully and gain the skills necessary to not return to prison. WAGEES staff attends parole orientation at the Denver and Englewood parole offices to meet with potential participants the first week of being released.

Basic Emergency Services (BES) staff assists vulnerable individuals and families out of crisis to achieve self-sufficiency, greater security and stability in their lives. BES serves diverse client populations including those who are homeless, victims of domestic violence, low & moderate-income families, veterans, people re-entering society from incarceration, LGBTQ+ community, senior citizens, mixed-status households and anyone who is having trouble making ends meet. BES helps families not have to choose between paying rent or having food in their cupboard or keeping their children safe by having the appropriate child safety seat. The BES program is a dynamic and malleable program that adjusts to the needs of the community. 

The Behavioral Health Program is a specialized clinic providing culturally and linguistically responsive English and Spanish outpatient mental health and substance use services to underserved and uninsured populations. The goal is to support a thriving community in which all members have the opportunities and support to achieve self-sufficiency and lead a healthy quality of life, regardless of ability to pay.

The Colorado Spirit Crisis Counseling Program (CCP) was formed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Servicios de La Raza’s Behavioral Health Department is working with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to provide community-based crisis counseling and support to individuals who have been impacted by COVID-19 and may be experiencing distress, anxiety, worry, hopelessness or need additional support to cope with current pandemic. Colorado Spirit’s program consists of bilingual (English & Spanish) support line specialists, a crisis counselor, a child Specialist and Senior Specialist who are trained to support and engage community members in enhancing social and emotional connections to others in the community and promote effective methods of coping and resilience.

The Employment Growth Program’s (EGP) goal is to reduce the barriers that many of our clients face in the workforce, including clients involved in the judicial system. They help job seekers by identifying appropriate career prospects using online assessment tools identify appropriate occupations for clients. EGP assists clients with any application process, which includes updating or building resumes, filling out and sending in applications. If there is any testing required by an employer to help the client prepare to ensure success, EGP also helps find educational opportunities that might help clients retain higher-paying employment or a preferable position. This can be through a union, apprenticeship, or trade school.

Health Enrollment, Literacy and Promotions (HELP) works to provide culturally and linguistically relevant appropriate services in the Health Enrollment area, through presentations, education and enrollment to the English and Spanish-Speaking communities throughout the Denver Metro area, Adams County and Glendale. HELP does not have boundaries to assist the community, everyone is welcome. HELP works in a variety of health areas through community engagement, media, enrollment, navigations and education. 

La Gente is a bilingual program specializing in providing client-centered services to people living with HIV (PLHIV) who reside in Adams, Arapahoe, Denver, Douglas and Jefferson counties. The program assists its participants to understand their diagnosis, gain and maintain access to medical care, treatment, emotional support and other resources that meet their needs so they may thrive with HIV. La Gente serves a wide range of PLHIV including straight and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) men, women and youth. The program offers Medical Case Management, Psychosocial Support Services, Medical Transportation Assistance, Free STI Testing Services and Free Safer-Sex Materials.

La Raza Youth Leadership Institute is comprised of the La Raza Youth Leadership Conference and the La Raza Youth Leadership Program. The Institute’s annual conference exposes Colorado’s Chicax/Latinx youth to the endless opportunities in their future by promoting the importance of higher education, career planning, self-esteem building, cultural identity and developing leadership skills. Students are also exposed to a college campus environment, to Chicanx/Latinx professionals and community leaders. The conference includes three workshop sessions, a keynote address, a youth keynote address, an education/resource fair and lunchtime entertainment. The LRYLI conference is unique because it caters to 12 – 18-year-old Colorado Chicanxs/Latinxs by offering culturally sensitive programming to enhance their social, educational and personal growth. La Raza Youth Leadership Program will provide Chicanx/Latinx* high school students, grades 9 -12, an opportunity to achieve their full leadership potential by participating in an intensive leadership program.

Transition from Jail to Community Collaborative (TJCC) is dedicated to serving low-income, marginalized individuals whose lives often intersect with the criminal justice system. A collaborative effort between Servicios de la Raza, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless and Urban League of Metro Denver, this team will implement the Transition from Jail to Community Collaborative (TJC) model, providing services, resources and supportive relationships for medium-to-high risk offenders entering jail and continuing through their reentry process back to the community. The TJC model connects participants to services prior to their release from detention or jail, with continued services upon reentry into the community. Reduced recidivism, or likelihood of a person returning to jail and increased public safety in metro Denver are the long-term goals of the TJCC.

Victims in Safe Transition and Self-Sufficiency (VISTAS) provides culturally responsive services to English and Spanish-speaking victims of intimate partner violence, sexual assault, stalking, dating violence and general crime. Through our service model, the following resources are available for victims: 24-hour crisis hot line, case management, mental health, legal/victim advocacy, education, referrals and legal representation to victims of intimate partner violence and sexual assault and general crime victims. The VISTAS program serves victims from across Colorado.

WAGEES19 – Work and Gain Education & Employment Skills provides case management and re-entry services for justice involved adults ages 18-24. The WAGEES19 project is an equal opportunity program funded 100% by the US Department of Labor and Employment and Training Administration.

Servicios de la Raza is expanding outside of the Denver metro area, offering their services and programs statewide to provide culturally and linguistically relevant information through presentations, education, training and case management to Spanish-speaking Latino communities throughout Northwest Aurora, Montbello, Green Valley Ranch, Southern Colorado and the Western Slope. They work in a variety of health areas through community engagement, navigations and education in various topics through a Promotora led model.

For the year ended June 30, 2020, Servicios de La Raza's program expenses were:

Governance & Staff

Chief Executive
Rudolph "Rudy" Gonzales, Executive Director

Chair of the Board
Mr. Armando L Martin, CEO

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
XL Edge/XL Alliance

Board Size
9

Paid Staff Size
38

Fundraising

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Invitations to fund raising events, Internet, Appeals via Social Media (Facebook, etc.)

Tax Status

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

Financial

The following information is based on Servicios de La Raza's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2020.

Source of Funds

Programs: 83% Fundraising: 7% Administrative: 10%