Hoyleton Ministries

Language and cultural barriers often keep area Hispanics from needed services and create situations they simply do not understand - what may be a simple situation for an English speaking person often becomes insurmountable.  At the same time, community members are often unaware of, are unable to access, or are afraid to access, available services. The growth and dispersion of the Hispanic population has compounded the situation, making it difficult for local agencies and service providers to meet their needs.  Our overarching goal is to assist this community by providing direct services when it makes sense, and by building bridges to other service providers when they exist.  Further, we seek to empower this community by teaching its members how to access services on their own.

Puentes de Esperanza’s Community Supportive Services (CSS) program represents the grass roots of our organization – the basis of all of our services.  Our bilingual staff works to eliminate the barriers that separate persons with needs from the services they need.  Common barriers include: insufficient language skills, a lack of cultural awareness, the inability to navigate social service and legal systems, lack of transportation, and ineligibility due to lack of documentation. CSS staff members provide transportation and translation/interpretation services; assist with navigating legal/government/healthcare systems; help secure food, shelter, and employment; and build bridges to services and service providers. Staff also provides direct support to our other ministries, seeking new clients while in the community and serving as a driver/translator/hand holder, when fellow staff members are serving their clients.  1189 client service actions were attributed to Community Supportive Services during FY11.  All told, our programs served more than 550 unduplicated clients, averaging 81 unduplicated and 21 new clients each month.