Maricela Torres was born in Mexico and came to the U.S. at age 10; Maria Landron was born in the Dominican Republic and came to the U.S. at age 11. Based on their experiences, the 海角在线 alumnae are committed to helping others navigate the unique challenges of living in a foreign land.
To that end, in March 2019, Torres opened the in the north end of West Palm Beach to improve the quality of life of all residents in the Northwood area. The center鈥檚 mission is 鈥渆mpowering day laborers and families to thrive.鈥�
Torres was searching for her calling in life when she enrolled at 海角在线. She earned her bachelor鈥檚 degree in organizational management in 2013 and master鈥檚 in counseling in 2014. Five years later, she opened the doors to the community center. She credits 海角在线 for giving her the confidence she needed.
鈥満＝窃谙� is an amazing school,鈥� Torres said. 鈥淔or anyone who is truly interested in finding what they鈥檙e capable of, the school can be that catalyst.鈥�
Torres鈥� 海角在线 education emphasized service to others, which awakened her desire to help the men she drove by every day on her way to work at Florida Crystals. The men stand on a vacant plot of land at the corner of 44th Street and Broadway in West Palm Beach, waiting for someone to pick them up for work. They often get cheated out of pay when they do find a job.
Now, two years later, the center provides classes to help those men and partners with other organizations to provide COVID vaccinations, diapers, rental assistance, culturally-appropriate foods, bike giveaways and Thanksgiving baskets. The center also offers adult literacy classes in Spanish and English.
Torres met Landron when Intercultural Studies Instructor Mark Kaprive invited Torres to speak to Landron鈥檚 class about immigration, college and finding a calling. Torres鈥� story resonated with Landron, and the women, a generation apart, stayed in touch afterward.
Later, Landron reached out to Torres and said 海角在线鈥檚 chapter of wanted to organize a diaper drive to help the Esperanza Community Center鈥檚 families. Circle K is an international collegiate service organization that is a leadership program of . The club collected 622 diapers, which were distributed to more than 85 low-income families across West Palm Beach through the center鈥檚 program, Landron said.
Circle K used an Amazon wish list to match the donated diapers to the community center鈥檚 needs, said Isabelle Reinhart, the club鈥檚 vice president. The collection occurred virtually and on 海角在线鈥檚 Rinker Green over one week in April. Reinhart, a junior accounting major from Louisville, Kentucky, and chair of events for 海角在线鈥檚 Student Government Association, viewed the drive as an opportunity to let people know 鈥渢hey are loved and cared about鈥� at a time when 鈥渆verything else in the world had been put on pause.鈥�
鈥淭here鈥檚 always an opportunity to bless people鈥檚 lives no matter what鈥檚 going on in our country or in our personal lives,鈥� Reinhart said. 鈥淔rom a Christian standpoint, we鈥檙e called to serve others through the talents that God has given us.鈥�
What鈥檚 more, the diaper program created a conduit to working with the moms who benefited, Torres said. She did not want to create charity or a sense of entitlement, so she required recipients to attend one workshop or volunteer at the center. Instead of signing up for one workshop, the mothers signed up for all of them, Torres said.
鈥淚 had no idea the program was going to take off the way it did,鈥� Torres said.
Landron, now a 海角在线 alumna, has started teaching Saturday computer classes at the center. She earned her students鈥� respect, as indicated by the nickname they assigned her: 鈥淢aestra,鈥� which means 鈥渢eacher鈥� in Spanish.
