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HAF Field Team Member Receives National Community Service Award
November 20, 2012 by Jennifer Brandt
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The Race Track Chaplaincy of America awarded Chaplain Israel “Izzy” Vega its annual Community Service Award, on November 1, 2012 at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, Calif.
Vega has 40 years of ministry experience in evangelism, event coordination and media relations in Latin America and the United States. Vega has worked with the Hispanic Access Foundation to bring our programs to the employees of the Race Track Industry at four racetracks in California and Texas.
Vega has worked in men’s ministries for 12 years with Promise Keepers as California state director, national bilingual trainer, and international director for Latina America and the Caribbean. Vega also served as director for District Honor Bound Men’s Ministries. He served as a media / crusade coordinator for Latin America Radio and Television Evangelism (now Hermano Pablo Ministries).
While serving at Templo Calvario Church in Santa Ana, Calif., one of the largest Hispanic churches in the U.S. as ministry of expansion/ missions, Vega started two churches and assisted with the establishment of several others. Vega founded Race Track Chaplaincy of California, an evangelistic outreach to the employees of the horse racing industry in 1974. The ministry expanded to 10 tracks and continues to minister to the social, physical, educational and spiritual needs of individuals.
Annual Report 2011
November 2, 2012 by Jennifer Brandt
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Letter from the Executive Director from 2011 HAF Annual Report
2011 marked the first full-year for Hispanic Access Foundation and we have truly been blessed by all of those that have supported us in one-way or another.
Hundreds of leaders in our faith-based and community network took up the torch in transforming information into action. Partners like H&R Block and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention recognized the importance of grassroots outreach into Hispanic communities. Thousands of Latino families throughout the country embraced our organization, took advantage of the information in our campaigns and took action to improve their futures.
The bridges that we are building are changing lives.
As you read through this annual Report, it should become apparent that what HAF does in reaching the Hispanic community is unlike any other organization. We’ve developed extensive, trust-filled relationships with Latino churches that provide the access to connect with the community at their level. We’ve gained immediate confidence from large corporations and government branches. We’ve mobilized thousands of individuals through our grassroots outreach. We’ve built community bridges and placed many individuals on the path to a better life.
Our message of responsible citizenship, educational attainment, and active engagement in the improvement of the health, environment, and financial well-being of Latino families is resonating at all levels throughout the United States. and it needs to.
By 2050, the Hispanic population is projected to make up 30 percent of the entire U.S. population. The work that we do now is critical to the long-term prospects of this country as a whole. Hispanics need to understand the U.S. tax system and become responsible taxpayers. Latinos need to become advocates of their health and understand the importance of preventative care. Hispanics need to receive a quality education and gain equal access to higher education opportunities.
But, it’s not just about need. It’s about the future of America and making sure we’re all in position to maximize the potential before us.
HAF Board Member Mar Muñoz-Visoso Recieves New Appoinment
October 13, 2011 by Maite Arce
Hispanic Access Foundation Board Member, María del Mar Muñoz-Visoso has been appointed executive director of the Secretariat for Cultural Diversity in the Church of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB).
“Mar Muñoz-Visoso is a highly respected leader in the bishops’ conference, in Hispanic ministry and in Catholic communications,” said Msgr. Ronny Jenkins, USCCB general secretary. “The experience, expertise and energy she brings to the Cultural Diversity secretariat will greatly enhance the bishops’ vision for this area and will be a gift to the faithful of the communities served by that office.”
The appointment is effective February 27. Muñoz-Visoso succeeds Jesuit Father Allan Deck, the first executive director of the secretariat, which was established in 2008. Cultural Diversity in the Church coordinates the bishops’ outreach to members of the diverse cultures, ethnicities and races that make up the Church in the United States, serving communities of African Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders, Hispanics, Native Americans, as well as migrants, refugees and travelers.
In 2010, Muñoz-Visoso received the Benemerenti Medal from Pope Benedict XVI, at the request of Archbishop Charles Chaput, OFM Cap. One of the highest honors the pope can bestow on an individual, the medal is given in gratitude for “sustained and exemplary service to the Catholic faith.” In 2011, she represented the USCCB Department of Communications at the Church and Digital Culture conference in Santiago, Chile, sponsored by the Pontifical Council for Social Communications and the Latin American Episcopal Conference (CELAM). She serves on the board of St. Francis International School in the Archdiocese of Washington, which gathers families of mixed income from more than 50 different nationalities.
Dr. Felicia Marie Knaul – Breast Cancer Survivor and Women’s Health Advocate
July 28, 2011 by Jalisa Banks
Dr. Felicia Knaul, a Health Economist and Director of the Harvard Global Health Equity Initiative, has dedicated her career to helping improve the health of people around the world.
Knaul was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 41. After her cancer diagnosis, she was inspired to become a powerful advocate for breast cancer awareness, research and treatment. Not only has Knaul has organized a global taskforce of cancer experts to help lobby for better cancer control around the world; she also established an organization called “Tómatelo A Pecho“. The organization encourages Latina women and health care providers to better understand breast cancer risks, as well as the importance of prevention and early detection.
Tómatelo A Pecho originally began its work educating women in Latin America, but has now expanded to Latinas living in the United States.
Breast cancer is a growing epidemic among women around the world. In the United States, breast cancer is the most deadly type of cancer among Hispanic women. Nevertheless, it can be prevented and treated successfully if diagnosed early.
There are several important steps women can take right now to reduce their risk of breast cancer:
- It is important for women to do self-exams regularly and get yearly mammograms after the age of 40 (or earlier if there is a family history of breast cancer)
- Eating low-fat balanced meals, exercising, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol consumption can all reduce risk.
Knaul recently wrote a book about her experiences as a breast cancer survivor to give other Latinas who are facing the disease hope and encouragement. The book, also named Tómatelo A Pecho, emphasizes how important it is for women to understand how to prevent the disease, and empowers women to take an active role in their treatment and recovery.
Service providers that specialize in cancer treatment can help Knaul with her mission. By adding your business listing to our searchable online directory, you can make your services available to people looking for cancer support.
The Hispanic Access Foundation provides information about services and community resources in order to help the Hispanic population take the action necessary to improve their health. For access to this information and more, call our hotline at: 1-800-206-9096.
HAF Chair Keynotes Hispanic Heritage Month Event
January 27, 2011 by Jennifer Brandt
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Washington, D.C. – The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Hispanic Access Foundation (HAF), Roberto Salazar, provided the keynote address for this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at the Commodities Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). Salazar’s remarks focused on the seismic demographic shift occurring in the U.S. and the diversity that exists within the U.S. Hispanic community.
Speaking to an audience of CFTC employees in Washington, D.C., with a web-cast to regional offices in New York, Kansas and Chicago, Salazar provided a detailed look at the U.S. Hispanic population as documented by the 2010 Census. “More than half of the growth in the total population of the U.S. between 2000 and 2010 was due to the increase in the Hispanic population,” Salazar explained. “The Hispanic population grew at a rate four times higher than any other population.”
Citing a report recently published by the Pew Hispanic Center, Salazar elaborated on the make-up of the U.S. Hispanic population in terms of country of origin. He discussed the differences across the 10 largest Hispanic origin groups that make up 92% of the U.S. Hispanic population. “There are differences across these groups in the share of each that holds citizenship, is proficient in English and that is foreign born,” Salazar said. “They also vary in age with 34% being under the age of 18.”
Salazar challenged the audience to learn more about the fast growing U.S. Hispanic population and he urged that all institutions and organizations will need to understand the diversity within the Hispanic Community. He asserted that businesses seeking consumers for their products and political organizations seeking supporters for their ideas will have to direct their marketing efforts to these varying and diverse Hispanic groups and they will have to deploy new outreach models.
