Puertas Abiertas (Open Doors)

Puertas Abiertas (Open Doors), a program of Spirit of Unity In Napa (SUN), Inc., is a collaboration between St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, local non-profit organizations and government agencies, that serves to improve delivery of needed services, education, and resources, primarily to Napa's Spanish-speaking population. Together, we work for systemic change to bring about a healthy community.

Puertas Abiertas connects Spanish-speaking parishioners with health-related nonprofit agencies that provide a variety of free services in the evening at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. St. John's congregation includes approximately 2,400 Latino families representing an estimated 10,000 men, women and children--an estimated 33% of the Latino population in the City of Napa. This population is comprised primarily of Mexican immigrants and residents from all socio-economic levels, although the majority are struggling as "working poor" families.

A lesser number are comprised of Latino professionals who have successfully navigated the challenges of acculturation and assimilation. Then there are two-parent working families and single adults that are seeking to find their place amidst US/American and Latino cultures. Many have difficulty with cultural adjustment and experience transitional conflicts, family and generational conflict, substance abuse, gangs, and domestic violence.

Many families are not used to going to public agencies for help and support. In Mexico, such outreach is relatively new. Most issues are settled within the family and/or through the family church. However, more issues can develop due to a lack of professional guidance and objective aide.

Puertas Abiertas provides aid to these families in more than just the obvious direct assistance through these agencies. Through education, prevention assistance, cultural sensitivity and generational influence, our service providers build a stronger community and empower persons in need to care for themselves in a healthier way.

Puertas Abiertas helps to bridge the gap between Spanish-speaking families and the local nonprofit agencies who serve them.

How we got started

Fr. Gordon, Pastor of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church saw a need to help provide better access to nonprofit services to the Parish's Spanish-speaking families. Around the same time, parishioner and recent college graduate, Alex Guerrero, approached Fr. Gordon stating that he would like to volunteer to help Latinos in his area of specialty-counseling and family dynamics. Both agreed that Alex's employer, Family Services of Napa Valley, would be a good contact, and Alex asked the agency's director about providing a class on site at St. John's.

Fr. Gordon then contacted Terry Longoria, parishioner and then president of St. John's Pastoral Council, to assist in coordinating a collaboration of other nonprofit agencies to serve the Parish in this way. Longoria served for many years as executive director of Napa County Health and Human Services, and her relationship with area agencies helped bring about "think-tank" meetings with several agencies and St. John's. It was at these meetings that the name "Puertas Abiertas (Open Doors)" was chosen to express the openness of partner agencies to serve after hours so that all seeking assistance would be helped.

In October 2004, a partnership was forged between St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and local nonprofit agencies to offer direct services evenings and weekends at the parish site. The program is in response to the steadily increasing number of Spanish-speaking families that turn to the church for assistance. Such medical and social service assistance is readily available in the community, but nearly all of the service agencies are open during regular business hours only, precluding access by many families due to risk of wage loss, job loss, childcare needs, transportation issues, and/or legal residence issues.

The Puertas Abiertas collaboration developed rapidly between the parish and local health-related nonprofit service providers, which were encountering difficulties in reaching this same population. It has been very successful in providing programs, primarily in Spanish, such as:

• Positive Discipline Classes for parents; and Guiding Good Choices dealing with substance abuse prevention (COPE Family Center)
• Couples Support Group (Family Services Napa Valley)
• Health Education/Nutrition Classes (Queen of the Valley Hospital)
• Women’s Support Group, and private counseling for individuals (Aldea/Nuestra Esperanza)
• Domestic Violence Counseling (Napa Emergency Women’s Services—NEWS)
• Immigration Clinics (Legal Aid of Napa Valley)
• Parent Counseling (Parent-Child Advocacy Network)
• Emergency dental treatment for children (Queen of the Valley Hospital’s Mobile Dental Clinic)

Parallel to direct services, the Puertas Abiertas partner agencies have a working goal for systemic change through numerous health education awareness programs, and an annual Resource Fair conducted at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Hall.

The first Annual Resource Fair was a tremendous success with 28 participating nonprofit organizations and 605 community members in attendance, including 321 adults and 284 children. A needs survey was completed by 158 individuals of which 116 included demographic and contact data.

The second Annual Resource Fair proved equally successful with 33 nonprofit organizations participating and 593 community members in attendance, including 368 adults and 225 children. A needs survey was completed by 143 individuals of which 124 included demographic and contact data.

The Puertas Abiertas Partner Agencies

As of April 2006, there are 17 Puertas Abiertas partner agencies

• Aldea -Family support services, women’s support group at St. John’s
• American Cancer Society, Napa Chapter — Working to develop a Spanish-speaking support group
• Area Agency on Aging — Dining Club program for Latino Seniors (tickets available at St. John’s)
• Boys & Girls Club of Napa Valley - After-school programs, leadership training.
• Community Health Clinic Olé - Quarterly wellness modules.
• Community Resources for Children - Providing information/education and materials to local childcare institutions
• COPE Family Center - "Positive Discipline" classes for parents, substance abuse prevention, family finances.
• Fair Housing Napa Valley — Training in renter's rights held at St. John’s
• Family Services of Napa Valley- Mental health services for families, couples support group at St. John’s, children, teens, adults, and seniors
• Legal Aid of Napa Valley -Immigration clinics and “Baseline” clinics at St. John’s (legal advice on housing, family law and other legal issues)
• Napa County Health and Human Services — Wellness education modules
• Napa County Office of Education (NCOE) - Technical assistance for community collaboration, access to health and mental health community-based services, early literacy, gang prevention and education, and teen pregnancy prevention
• Napa Emergency Women's Services (NEWS) - Confidential bilingual counseling for battered women and their children, counseling, legal assistance, advocacy and referrals (counselor hours at St. John’s)
• Napa Valley College — College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP), which recruits, councils and supports students from migrant farm worker families in order to empower them to reach their academic, career, and personal goals
• Napa Valley Community Housing - Programs and education for low-income families, including farm workers and the elderly
• Parent-Child Advocacy Network - Education resources and advocacy skills, training families of children with disabilities, significant health, mental health, and special needs (counselor hours at St. John’s)
• Queen of the Valley Hospital - Children's Mobile Dental Van, serving children from families who are uninsured or under-insured (Every Thursday and one Saturday/month at St. John’s)
• Dr. Lobo Sunday Clinic -Diabetes and blood pressure screenings, breast self-examination